Apple Cider

We got a last minute invite to help make some apple cider yesterday. The girls are in Escanaba, so they didn't get to come. Very disappointing for them! This was the farm where they got to ride a horse last time, so it would have been fun. Naomi and I had a good time although I am still feeling sick. Weather was great. Sure is nice to have a quiet house for a couple days! Naomi even made us some dessert to enjoy.

Didn't get very far on the greenhouse as I have felt sick for most of the week, but my mom did help to get some woodcrete done. One more woodcrete day and we can check that off the list! Worked on some finishing touches around the windows and above the door. Fun to do that stuff!

The girls had their second cross country meet. What a fiasco. Bad organization - they ended up running more than an extra kilometer due to confusing signage. Both girls still did really well. It was also tricky as they were racing against 7th and 8th graders, unlike last time when the 6th grade had their own group. Fun that Grammie got to be there, and we went out to a new place to celebrate with a bit of dinner afterwards. 

Making cider.

Lining up for the big race.

The cork will get lighter, but it looks great.

Tricky high spots.

Could barely reach!

Time for a treat.

Two for One

It's another one of those weeks where I think back to something that happened on Tuesday and it feels like two weeks ago. Definitely packed a lot in. On Tuesday I went out with Neighbor Rick to meet one of his former clients about a ceiling repair job. This is the second cabin on Middle Island Point that I have been to. It's an association that owns the land, although the individuals own the structures, and they even have a private island! 

After talking to a number of people (with the notable exception of Rick) the consensus is that my hourly rate is way too low, so I will raise it. Should be lined up with the work that I do, and my schedule is so full, that time has become more valuable to me than it was a year or two ago. I have also gained a lot of knowledge and skill in that time. 

On Monday I took Abigail to the dermatologist and she got some creme for the spots on her hands. Wednesday was an early release day at the girl's first cross country meet! They had a lot of fun, and Amélie ended up in the top ten, which is something new for their school, so the coach was excited too. 

On Thursday my parents came up. We had a really nice lunch and then my Dad and I worked on some woodcrete. We made some great progress, but I think the overhead work messed up my back. Still sore. Also got a call from the mechanic saying our car would need an extra day and a few hundred extra dollars, but it ended up working out just in time for our dinner with a different client on Middle Island Point on Friday. We had a wonderful time out there! Amélie even went for a swim in her undies.

Yesterday we picked up a couch from one of Naomi's acquaintances, a cardiac doctor who is leaving town. Another French speaker bailing, so Naomi is bummed. He is getting older and doesn't think highly of the health care here in town, so Chicago is the place for him now. Now the basement needs to be rearranged again so we can get the new couch out of the living room!

The porch needs some work!

The last cabin on the end of the peninsula.

Finally getting some produce from the garden!

Installed the solar water heater.

The crumbling ceiling job.

The association has their own island.

Much better than last time!

Got some of the high stuff in too.

It was a lovely dinner.

President's Box

Naomi managed to get some free tickets to the football game yesterday. It was fun to meet her colleagues and watch the game from a more comfortable spot. The team looks better this year, although they still lost. After the game Naomi and Amélie went to help French Claire in the food truck for the last time. This was her final event. 

On Thursday Grammie and Grampie came up, and Dad helped with getting some roof sheathing on. Goes so much faster with two people! The next day Aunt Sara and Uncle Pat spent the night. It was nice to see them again. Finally got the guest room finished. That project was started over a year and a half ago!

Started working on the water based earth battery system for the greenhouse which is fun. Got the holes drilled and the trim up. Today I should be able to run the hoses. Neighbor Rick referred one of his former clients to me for some finish carpentry, but I really don't have time for the job, so I told her I could do it in the spring, but it seems unpleasant, so I gave her an 'I don't want to do it price' which she gladly accepted. I start to understand why everything is so expensive here! I'll go out on Tuesday to see it in person. Finally back to some nice September weather! Should have peaches soon. 

All done!

Should be sturdy enough for the green roof.

Sure changes the look inside.

From the President's Box.

Making a solar oven to heat up water.

From the front.

The hard part of the wood stove is done.

Week One

The girls had a wonderful first week at school. Their teachers are great and the transition to middle school has been seamless. They rearranged the school, so they are in the same location as last year. We are getting the after school clubs all figured out, but they already started with Cross Country. They even had enough energy yesterday to have a couple friends over...barely. 

My mom was able to spend the night on Thursday and she helped out with making the first woodcrete wall and shuttling our car around to a couple mechanics. The wall turned out well on the bottom, but not the top, due to settling, and the car needs a big repair. The first mechanic couldn't do it, but I was really happy that they were able to refer me to a specialist who can! I thought we were going to need to take a trip down to the dealer in Appleton. What a relief that we found Mike. 

We were invited to the neighbor's birthday party at a bowling alley on Friday. It was a lot of fun. Met a new friend there who also has a woodshop and lives nearby. Managed to finish up the wood stove platform in the greenhouse yesterday and also got the connections figured out for the water jacket. Definitely a Yooper solution but hopefully it will work. 

We had a bonus cookout a week ago because Naomi lost her car key out at our campsite, so we had to go back for it anyway (she found it) and I also got a chance to finish clearing the trails. Should be able to get out there at least once more before the season ends. 

Found the missing key!

Oil leak.

Lots of shiitakes.

Getting ready...

...for the first day of middle school!

So far so good...

Portland seemed to stabilize the mix.

Final form taking shape.

First fire of the season.

Got the lids off.

Taping kit for the pond liner...missing some tape.