Pike County's Indoor Mall

When a man builds a cabin for himself, it's important to be frugal and not draw unnecessary attention to a depleted joint check book. That is why I do much of my cabin shopping on Craig's List, The Barn on 50 and at Pike County's only indoor shopping mall, the Flea Market below Piketon. I understand, many people I know wouldn't be caught dead in there; but not me. I grew up in PC, I accept the good, the bad and the ugly. It's an opportunity to help someone that may be less fortunate. I don't shop at the card tables where the chain saws, air compressors and weed eaters are worth more than the car they came in; we know where this stuff came from. Nic and I enjoy walking through the multiple buildings looking for something that will add a new dimension to our project from vendors that have credibility. This weekend, I found a man selling hand painted bamboo wind chimes from Indonesia for $7.00. You can have your big city prices, come on, $7.00? I paid more for my Sunday papers and a Tim Horton's coffee! Unfortunately I didn't find what I was looking for- chairs for the kitchen table. After another unsuccessful stop at The Barn on 50, I went to The Cellar in Chillicothe. The lady there had 4 old, oak kitchen chairs for $20 apiece. Good quality stuff is out there, you just have to look for it.

I've spent much of the weekend sanding, steel wooling, vacuuming and staining ceiling boards after staining and installing the kitchen base boards. After 2 tubes of silicone, I dare an ant or a spider try sneaking in under the boards around the wall or under the sink cabinets. Now have another 300 board feet of ceiling panels ready for the second and third coats of stain/poly. Hope to install them this next weekend.

It is nice having a TV with DVD when working in the kitchen. Caught the movie, "Brooklyn's Finest" while cutting, staining and installing the base boards.

$7 bamboo wind chime from Pike County's flea market

Table and oak chairs. Need to refinish but this can wait
until fall.

TV and DVD hooked up in kitchen for when there's need for convenience.