Well, here we are on the 23 September and we've decided not to go back to Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto but to stay here and not leave until the building is habitable which will be very soon. As soon as we can move in we can get insurance and the place is secured.
Our routine is standard: up by 7, at the house to work by 8.30. Work through to 12.30, then take off an hour. Back to work until 5.30 or 6. Lots of jobs to be done. Deborah's setting out the large garden, moving top-soil around, planting, planning, and then she comes inside to sand the wood and whitepaint the walls. Elaina and Cara lend a hand for a few hours giving her a burst of energy. JAnet and Wayne and Janet give me a burst of hours preparing wood for the siding, attaching battens and preparing walls for wood. I focus on walls, inside and out.
We had played with the idea of going upcountry to see Cara's exhibition at Carleton, then on to pick up Ciaran from his Stratford experience, but the idea of turning around and coming back for two more weeks in October was really a bit unrealistic and extravagant. I don't think I'd have the energy or the interest. We just saw Mary-Anne and Michael drive up to Ottawa for Hannah's opening ceremony and what a drive that is. It really is a two-day affair and expensive with gas prices where they are now.
So, here we are finishing the house. The plumbing is finished and waiting for the cistern set-up and rain-gutters for a full try-out. We actually ran some muddy water into the house last night with only one leaky faucet. The MB (that's still the Master Builder) has been installing a Pex system and an immersible pump. We added one more crock to bring the cistern up higher, then added a 3" inlet pipe for rainwater and a 3" overflow for excess rainwater. I now have a quote for filtered guttering which means that we will be collecting the rain off the whole 132 feet of the roof. I don't think we'll ever be short of water and the cistern will be filled with rain, not ground water. All the water will go through a double filter and ultra-violet light. Should be safe.
So, we have a bath, a shower, two toilets, two sinks, kitchen sink, dish-washer and stove already here (thank you, Home Depot's 10% off week). Cara and Elaina brought us Adrienne's small grey sofa and a whole lot of wicker chairs, and we have all the other stuf we've been dragging here. Should be quite cosy and well-equipped by next summer.
We're waiting for Bernard Burke to deliver a 3 foot conrete crock which we'll use to catch rainwater before sesnding it to the cistern. Hopefully the week won't be too wet and we'll be able to dig with the back-hoe. We've had three days rain and the clay now has the consistency of porridge.
The rain abates and the clouds lift over the view of Chapel Island. Warm, muggy weather for a late September Sunday. First fire in the stove to warm wet socks.
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