Hickory Flooring

After a trip to Kroger's Friday night for some essentials, I failed to beat the rain but I did get to the cabin before a storm arrived. Getting back to ManCamp during a down pour is an adventure even with 4 wheel drive; not uncommon sliding sideways due to the saturated ground. Arrived on the porch just in time to watch a spectacular lightning show above the western hills. Fortunately, most of it was going horizontal and not striking the ground. After the wind subsided and the heavy rain gave way to a steady shower, it evolved into a sleepy, rainy night on the porch under the solar lanterns while listening to classic blues on NPR's 'World Cafe' radio broadcast on 104.1.

Having learned from the last cold night, a warm comforter was now on the loft bed which made turning in for the night very relaxing. The rain on the roof brought sleep quickly and apparently kept the nocturnal critters away as I slept straight through until 6 am.

A fire in Beulah in the early morning with a pot of coffee percolating is so fitting for the cabin environment. Lighting was provided by the kerosene lamps as it was too peaceful to start the generator. I had brought juice, egg beaters and diced ham so a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs with ham was a perfect fit for the morning. Sitting on the porch, a cup of hot coffee warming my hands, the start of a new day was filled with a new wildlife encounter. A flock of wild turkeys came right up to the porch posts just below where I was sitting to gather corn and seeds scattered by the squirrels and birds; they had no idea I was even there just 8 feet away. One was so large, I could just imagine it on a banquet platter for a Sunday dinner.

After breakfast I drove to Waverly and picked up Robbie to help with today's activities. While I installed the new flooring, Robbie completed multiple tasks that I had been putting off. He installed the last handle on a kitchen cabinet, the bi-fold doors in the bathroom, re-located the carbon monoxide detector, replaced brass hinges with black hinges on the bathroom door, cut baseboard trim, and trimmed the bathroom ceiling. The flooring is going down slow as I have not been able to rent a nailer yet. Each board has to be pre-drilled and nailed down while setting each nail by hand. About 7 courses completed and 1 of 8 boxes emptied. This project is much more fun than the ceiling and easier to complete though. The floor should be completed within a couple of weeks working part time on it.