Plant a Post, Grow a Cabin??

Today was a really nice mix of leisure and productivity; I got stuff done, and really enjoyed myself too! Paul cooked pancakes and bacon for breakfast before we headed up to Bemidji to run errands. On our way out, we grabbed a couple fans to ventilate beneath Paul's house where there is still a bit of moisture.

In Bemidji, we went to Home Depot and I tried to buy some really thick wires to connect my meter base to my breaker sub-panel. I wasn't able to purchase the wire because the guy who helped me decided to give it to me for free! Score! I saved five bucks. I've heard you can't save money by spending money, but today I might have...

We headed over to the electricity co-op and I turned in a form, paid a $41 fee, and was told I'd have electricity connected and functioning within 2 weeks! Awesome, that will really facilitate construction. In the meantime, Paul has offered to lend me a little generator he has.

We grabbed a quick lunch before we headed out to my lot. It was a good thing Paul was with me today because I tried to miss every single turn on the way there! My brain really just wanted to drive in a straight line today. Despite frequent jamming of the brake pedal, we soon enough arrived. We unloaded tools and materials and got ready to dig a post-hole for my electrical panel. I took the digging tool and poked at the dirt for a while, thinking about how this was seeming a whole lot like work and feeling much warmer out than anticipated. For some unknowable reason, I thought I could do this job without even changing into work clothes. Pshhhh, as if. While I was wondering how long this job was going to take, Paul confiscated the post-hole digger, slammed in, and had me a more-than-sufficient hole dug in about 90 seconds. I was like, "Oh, that was easier than I was going to make it."

We stuck the post in the hole and I threw some dirt in around it as Paul used the sledge hammer handle to tamp the soil. Then I took an 8 foot copper rod and beat it into the ground using a T-post driver. Once it was in, I clamped the ground wire from my meter right to it, thus providing the actual ground connection, in case you've ever wondered why it's called a ground wire.

Here I am ready to drive the grounding rod while standing upon what may look like an upended common five gallon bucket, but which I have re-purposed as a "redneck ladder". I swiped it from the barn this morning and plan to keep it on the lot because real ladders are kind of expensive. Do you think I'll be able to reach the rafters?



Installing the grounding rod.


Paul finishing the grounding rod job with the sledge.


While Paul hooked up my free main wires, I went down in the pit and removed the form boards from the outside of the footing. That was so much more work than I had imagined it would be. I definitely dirtied up my Brothers of the Third Wheel formal T-shirt. Paul helped me get the last of the boards and then we dropped off the fans at the lab so Joel could throw them under the house later.


Back in Backus (my new favorite phrase), Curt, Marion, and Sid were over for a dinner visit. Tonight Curt agreed to take Lynea and I fishing during her visit! Paul fired the grill while I got in a raucous tumble on the trampoline with the kids. We took turns three at a time and had chasing, bouncing while hand holding, dog piles, and some tickle fights in which I did not participate. The meal was amazing; Melanie made a chunky, juicy avocado salsa which I ate over her rice and Paul's chicken. Plus we had fresh blueberries.

Most of the grown-ups ate in the dining room, but I accepted an invitation to eat with the little ones outside. They were definitely on their parents-aren't-looking behavior and we had lots of fun and laughter. After the eating portion of events, more grown-ups joined us out on the patio and I got to visit with Sid and Curt. I really admired Sid when Caleb's frustration with siblings drove him to wailing tears and Sid had him laughing out loud within ten seconds.

Tomorrow I get to make good on my work trade with Sid by helping him mill some lumber. Sid felled a bunch of pine trees that were on Paul's lot near mine, and tomorrow he's renting a band sawmill for cutting lumber. I'm really looking forward to helping out with that because I've always wanted to see how a mill turns trees into boards. I come from a family of many sawmill workers and don't know a thing about it.

We made our way inside and all the adults gathered in the living room. We chatted away as 5 year-old Malachi slipped bendy straws into our hands while the young ladies prepared treats in the kitchen. Everyone had a root beer float delivered by Rachel and I even got a special non-dairy one with soy ice cream in it. Yum yum!