Cabin Resussitation
Coming back from having been frozen solid and buried in snow. Enough snow off the roof to stanch the leaks and enough snow off the chimney to permit a fire in the fireplace.
And, thanks to Bruce all the burst pipes repaired.
North Woods Idyll
Helping the Janowiec family move into and thaw out their new, fabulous, 100 year-old log cottage in Lac du Flambeau. Snow in some places almost waist deep. Melting snow to flush toilet.
What Do Icicles Indicate?
In the first place, previous weather of the snowy kind. And then, current weather of the indeterminate kind—neither here nor there, neither this nor that—but in between—with the temperature just below the freezing point of water but close enough to it that the sun can exert its influence.
I have to say that everyone around here is pretty much done with icicles, and all their antecedent causes, as well as the factors contributing to their generation.
Amongst The Democrats
Communications Committee.
I did a demo on SLACK, the team collaboration software.
It is interesting how, when you drop yourself into a new group, they mostly seem like oddballs, but when you get to know the people a little they turn out to be quite likable.
Time for Gunwales
Still cold, and walking still difficult, so good time for boat work.
The gunwales, or rub strakes, or rub-rails, consisting of three-quarter by one-and-a-half oak, were dry fit. It’s a hard and difficult two-directional bend, but doable, without steaming. Glueing them in will be a two-person job, however.
Then, time for a little decoration. The boat will be painted white, with varnished trim.
Winter Scenes
Sunny, but not warm enough to melt.
Silent Snow, Secret Snow
Piling up and piling up. Never heavy, but never stopping.
Boatwise, all the heavy sanding is done(!), so now on to the fun parts—trim, reinforcements, rub-strake, seats, breasthooks, decoration. At this point I am certain that the boat will float and not leak. What I don’t know is if it will float level and row straight.
Carnivore
Tour of a few of the new luxurious apartments in Tony’s redeveloping Grand Avenue Mall.
This is one of the common rooms.
Then Abby and Tony, and Katy and Will took us out to dinner at Carnivore, perhaps the best restaurant in Milwaukee. That was delicious.
Big news coming out of KWiL Publishing, too. Looks like a bestseller is in the making. Front page article in the Journal-Sentinel today. Article is HERE.
February 15
Forty degree drop over just a few hours last night. So, what was yesterday’s runoff is today’s ice floe. Creepers again required.
Slow and methodical on little boat production. This is the tedious time—endless sanding, and then 12 to 24 hour waits between applications, for epoxy to set up. Theoretically, once the boat is finished and painted, there should be no sign of the fiberglass tape at the edges and corners.
Valentine #43
That’s a lot of Valentines, but overall worth the postage. To celebrate we went out to lunch at Natalie’s Parkview cafe in Milton—deluxe bbq sandwich and deluxe tuna melt. And, this evening, looking forward to watching a bit of the news, then our current series on faming in the 17th century, and then an hour or two of reading. Hard to beat that for romantic, IMHO.
Walking today was a remembered pleasure. Some sun, little wind, temperatures above freezing, and NO creepers. Tripping the light fantastic.
Chicken Soup For The...
...neighbors. The neighbors across the street are home after months at the hospital. And what, for anyone, is better than chicken soup on a winter’s day?
Bright sun, however, and slowly rising temperatures…almost reaching the melting point of water, so survival appears likely.
Going Nowhere
Since we didn’t need to go out, we stayed in—except for shoveling and several heavy trudges through a winter wonderland. Most schools closed. Snow all day.
The dinghy has been rolled over, and now the exterior is getting the treatment.
New Piece of Fitness Equipment...
...the snow shovel. A little snow last night, and a forecast of more to come. Many places still not down through the ice to bare pavement.
Report out from ACE predicting record high water in Lakes Superior and Lake Erie. Michigan/Huron could be pretty high, too.
Photo by Joe (this weekend)
And conditions are worse on Manitoulin. Operation “Deer Save” is in effect—deep, hard-crusted snow.
What a Weekend
Reading, waffles, ice, and ice boating.
Thanks to Sue and Renee for photos.
Grandkids
Ellie, Maddie, Becca, Ben, and James in the morning; Kate and Will in the afternoon.
Next To Impossible
Not only a slashing cold wind but difficult footing. In areas where the snow is still deep it is crusted so hard that even Pax slips right off. Creepers necessary but not sufficient.
Hard crusted grass
Did manage to get in a little grocery shopping, and then a very little dinghy sanding.
Day Pretty Much Cancelled
Too much freezing precipitation.
At least half an inch of ice on everything that hasn’t been scraped, chipped, salted, and shoveled. We were planning on attending a science fair, but that got iced out along with almost everything else.
Glass and epoxy done on the interior. Next comes sanding and perhaps a little fairing. Then, over she goes, and the exterior gets the treatment.
Creepers Required
Ice over everything. Almost as bad as Saint Paul (where walking was impossible). With the meter never above 32, melting has been limited, and chipping difficult.
Pax has built-in creepers—as well as as inquisitive nose.
Taping the seams with glass and epoxy.
Nothing Could Be Finer...
...than brunch at Mickey’s Diner.
Ice-Coated Saint Paul
Visiting Nik and exploring the town.
Walking is hazardous: ice covering everything.