Disappearances and reappearances

It has been quite a while since I've been here, has it not? I've had the best on intentions to post to this blog frequently, but sometimes life doesn't work out as ideally as predicted. A few major events have absorbed all of my attention: becoming an EMT, making the cabin functional, being on the fire department, and some health issues (but don't worry -- I'm still alive -- I promise!). But, things are looking up!

The major event that has prompted me to write in my blog again is the near-completion of my study. I finally have a desk and some bookshelves and a place to put my computer -- a space of my own! Huzzah! I have great thanks to all of those who encouraged me to work on the study. I will post pictures when I take them off of my camera, but I give no guarantees to the time. I've got quite a bit of new furniture and shelving to post pictures of.

I am quite excited about a new shelving design that I have been working on. Instead of the standerd mortise and tenon, I've made a hidden mortise and tennon and rounded all of the working edges on my bookshelves. I've also made flip-top doors on dowels that are easy to install on any shelf. Soon, I hope to include glass cabinet doors on my bookshelf designs. Again, seeing is believing, so I'll have to take pictures.

I've stopped working on the outside of the cabin for the winter, so I'll finish the siding in the spring. This summer it looks like we'll be installing a foundation and hot&cold running water in the cabin. Also, possibly a septic system. Our cabin will grow up to be a real house! Trevor is very excited about gardening, and I'm excited about finishing the screened-in porch and the deck. If time and the budget allows, we might also build a greenhouse. Good things are ahead!

We had a bit of a setback two weeks ago when our wood stove died. The mechanism that held the glass doors shut broke, and the stove did not heat up well nor did it maintain heat throughout the night. So, I brought up an old Waterford box stove from Allison's basement and installed it temporarily to heat the cabin. It works well, but is definitely too small for the cabin. Hopefully, we'll find a good stove sometime in the next couple of months.

I think I'll have to cut this post short for the night -- I'm dreadfully tired. However, I look forward to posting more about the status of the cabin, and about life in the woods of VT in the middle of the winter. Cheers everyone, and stay warm.