Best/Worst Of Times

     Wonderful Eugene warm Indian summer, Swett Lodge progress - good times.  Mom temporarily suspends difficult treatments - worst times.  Post above Public Library fountain cites/reminds Dickens: 'twas the best of times, the worst of times.

     Realize four wood frame freebie windows collected for spare glass, front room west window storm size appropriate, trim tops/bottoms, clean well, pair, nail hold in place.

 

Front/back freebie storm doors on hand: install.  Fall sun drench front porch: guess remove porch ceiling/gable worthwhile. 

 

No back storm knob/latch, depend on hydraulic closer.  Small plywood triangle corner upper pane acts push bar.  Now all but one (kitchen window) living area openings double covered - Swett Lodge much more comfortable this winter than last.

      Swett Lodge west half beam stabilized, wake, decide can remove kitchen/front room wall.  Most have folk in their lives not particularly sure why: they're there.  Married no doubt understand.  LA 1000 miles behind, LA friend continues presence.  Wall demolition first step remove trim - back first piece find long hand scrawl: 'McDougal'.  Don't know how or if even relates to Swett Lodge: there 'twas.  Same spelling, could be his hand: unshakable.

Trim/door off, wonder bar pry plaster/cement off wooden lath.  Fortunate no horse hair plaster matrix as in the mid west: would have rendered job undoable.  Leave short wall door west (left) intact, soon

 

realize plaster/cement retains huge amount cat piss odor - resolve remove as much as practical. 

 

Bucket haul plaster/cement behind garage, carport 'floor' repurpose.

 

Wonder bar remove individually hand nailed lath strips one by one.  Full length strips (4') no splits 

 

either end 'lumberyard' set aside for denail, reuse.  Search cook stove propane tank find barbecue with larger tank near full, cheap: Coos Bay - 100 miles away.  Saturday Gertie first coast road trip collect junk barbecue,

tank (here tucked behind stove in kitchen beside sink),

 

lunch water side outside Coos Bay,

Powers continue, join Kate & Spud for Ducks Arizona victory, next day load up beam pier cement blocks/pads, home grown apples, roll home.  Great little car handles curvy OR roads, load admirably; sips petrol - pleasure drive.

     Disconnect Earth stove pipe; remove chimney bottom soot - full to stove pipe/one year; reposition stove chimney closer, final angled living area presentation; trim dry wall stove pad. 

Cook stove aside east kitchen stenchy plaster/cement stripped wall awaits LP tank, mimics Earth stove.

Jack chimney, notch substantial 4x4, replace wormy, not vertical 2x4 main support (nearest), add 2x4 support next to wall: beef up heavy masonry chimney supports no longer wall structure aided.  May further plywood stabilize.  Much better for now.

 

Stench war continues: remove living room side plaster/lath short kitchen door west wall - corner cats favored,

remove plaster/lath kitchen side.  All vacuumed; coats/hats, hot plate, amp back where they belong; electrical wires out of harms way temporarily stud stapled.

 

Reuse unsuitable lath circle saw dice, front porch wood pile grow.

Wall gone expands, enhances Swett Lodge livability - none kitchen recused while front room life goes on: won't miss vital TV programming garlic peeling.  Unexpected direction this week manageable now west side well supported will improve Swett Lodge winter life quality - more even heat, broader vistas, significantly reduce cat odor.   

 

     Sunday eve home from Powers, rubber hose/clamps hook LP tank/stove; remove front stove knob panel for natural gas/LP conversion.  Think: be fancy use shiny screws panel reattach, find unwashered screws cause panel enamel chip.  Kick myself, ultimately realize:

God's Swett Lodge fingerprint - reminder, as Hopis leave error in meticulous otherwise perfect sand paintings, perfect world this ain't.

     Be well, your blessings as abundant as here.  Peace.