The weeks news. Improvements to the cabin, and winter, what winter?
It’s been a hectic few weeks up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven in the great northwest.
I intended to write a post at the start of the year, but was sidetracked working on the cabin. The original builder of the “main” cabin really didn’t know what he was doing. He put insufficient R11 insulation in the ceiling and also left gaps in it where heat could escape through the roof. This caused ice dams to build up on the eves of the roof, preventing the snow from easily sliding off. There was also no vapor barrier covering the insulation.
I had been intending to do something about all of this, but life kept getting in the way. The ratty look and lack of any covering over the insulation were things we could no longer ignore since we were trying to sell the place. So, while the lovely wife was off for the holidays, we set about correcting it. We ripped out all the old insulation, put in better (R21), and then hauled up half-inch-thick plywood. These I ripped into 1-foot-wide strips and screwed them to the ceiling, covering the resulting seams with 3-inch-wide white cedar boards. We also used some old half-logs as crown molding between the walls and ceiling, putting it between the log rafters on top of the walls. We liked it so much that we’re planning on doing the same to the bedroom during spring break. Of course, hauling up 8 sheets of 4X8 half-inch-thick plywood in the winter, using a UTV, isn’t easy. After a couple of failed attempts, we ended up stacking and strapping it down on the roof. We will most likely end up doing the same next month with the plywood for the bedroom ceiling. If things get much warmer, it’s possible we could drive the pickup all the way in and not have to struggle with strapping it to the UTV.
Our weather started warming up right before Christmas, and it has mostly rained since. The snow we have has packed down to about sixteen inches in our yard, and the road has even less in some places. Much of the first mile in the clear cut area is a mix of ice and dirt, meaning I have to be careful when going up or down. It was concerning enough a few days ago that the lovely wife ended up spending the night in a motel because she had to be at work by 4 AM. This eliminated the need to get up at 1 AM and risk injury getting off this mountain in the dark. With the warm weather lately, the road is getting better, but if we don’t get colder temperatures and snow soon, I fear the fire season might be extreme this coming summer.
Another thing we did in the living room was to add a chandelier. Yes, you read that right. The last time we went to the city, we found a really nice, simple one. It is black with five bulbs that resemble candle sticks spread out in a star-like pattern. I spent a good hour mounting it to the ridge log and running a wire to an outlet. It hangs slightly below the log rafters, and lights up the entire living room when it’s on. With these improvements, I hope the next person who looks will buy.
Well, that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.
