Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It, v.2

This message is to my bro in the Way Far North... this North Country's callin' you back.

Think about it. You ain't gettin' any younger either.

AlaskaTracks.com

Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It?

Here's part of the reason that I'm not done with the house yet.

I don't get enough of these moments but I'm making up for that lost summer of '05 when I was away almost every day rebuilding camp in the Adirondacks with my brothers.

I took the kids up Tongue Mountain on Lake George and then to Ft. Ti and camp for two days over a spectacular Columbus day weekend.

What have I learned this month? I pledge that at age 50 I will stop building structures for the taxman to salivate about (like the hot dog on the stick) and focus on spending more time doing this and building furniture in the shop.

3x longer than your worst nightmare

Have not written in a while. Mainly because not much happened.

I worked on my posts all winter and that gave me pleasure. Most did not twist, but some did. Best to work when they are green right off the mill, but when you are doing it solo the old fashioned way, you don't have time on your side.

Mike showed up on the scene in April and helped me extend and convert the 4 bay pole structure down by the furnace into a finished two stall horse paddock and barn. Several thousand dollars later it was done and Laura brought her horses home.

Then school started again and that was all she wrote. The mega treehouse still is not done but it's still stable, up in the trees.

Mike worked through the beginning of October. He's setting a post with a buddy of his on the second story and that's about what it looks like now. Yesterday was Thanksgiving.

He got ready to set another post and cut a hole in the soffit and began another job. Six weeks later snow's about to fall but at least the chipmunks have a cozy place to move into. I ain't too worried about it. Laura's beginning "year eight" without a real home of her own but she's happy about the horse barn job. I gotta milk that for all it's worth.

Mike's a hard worker and will be here when he gets here. Won't be able to afford to send the kids to college now anyway, so if they don't get their own rooms until they are seniors in high school, no big deal...

What have I learned in the past year? I ain't getting any younger or faster.

The "it will take 3x longer than your worst nightmare" estimate still applies even when you bring on a guy who knows what he is doing, especially if you' re working with rough cut lumber and timber framing.

But then again, this ain't no McMansion. Just hope I have time to kick back and enjoy it.