Deb photographed the Ozarkansas sky at sundown last evening, and again early this morning.
A customer of the bank where Deb works came calling yesterday with huge boxes of homegrown tomatoes and peaches. The staff divided the generous gift among themselves.
The birds are more active these days than we’ve ever seen them. They’re really plowing through the seed we put out.
We got after it early this morning, while it was still cool inside the cabin. My careful calculations paid off, and laying the brick for the woodstove hearth went smoothly. (My aching knees beg to differ, but that’s just part of the deal.)
After letting the construction adhesive set up for an hour, we decided to try moving the woodstove into place — from the floor, where it sat on four sets of casters, up onto the bricks.
Anticipating difficulty, we built a long, gradual ramp out of scraps of cement board. The caster wheels were too small to be of any use, however, and despite succeeding in wrestling the 400-pound beast onto the bricks, that’s where it got stuck.
The casters wouldn’t move. We couldn’t even lift the stove enough to get them out.
Deb and I slumped into a couple of chairs and tried to figure out a solution. I remembered that we’d brought back a genuine Hi-Lift jack from storage in Ohio and suggested that might be worth a shot.
In short, it worked — we got the casters out — but two very tired old farts still had to lift and “walk” a 400-pound woodstove about four feet across a surface that’s anything but smooth.
We got it done. Truth is, moving that stove took longer than laying the hearth did. And we’re glad we didn’t have an audience.
Standing back and admiring our work, we smiled. It looks good. It feels real.
Once we’re able to find the kind of used corrugated barn roofing we’re looking for (we’re still looking), I’ll fashion heat shields for the wall and ceiling. Our plans also call for installing a duct that’ll draw fresh air from outside, as well as replacing the door gasket and repairing the latch.
I can assemble the flue anytime now, actually.
Last, we’ll finish the chimney and seal the gap at the thimble. Then we’ll be ready for our first fire (even if the weather won’t be).
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB