Working on the fireplace

The cabin is too small for a masonry fireplace, or for any sort of wood-burning stove, not to mention the hauling and storage of firewood. So, we're installing a gas-burning (propane) fireplace. It will vent straight up through the attic and the roof, through a concentric stove-pipe that is combustion exhaust through the inner pipe (4"), and combustion air intake through the outer pipe (7").

Demolishing the wall-board and exposing the studs.

February sunset

Gas range

We started out with the existing (came with the house) electric range from the early Mesozoic era, which . . . worked. Worked like an electric stove, slow to heat up and slow to cool.

We replaced it this week with a Dacor 30" dual-fuel range (propane cooktop and electric oven). The picture also shows the lighted pot rack we built, and the magnetic knife bar, above the stove.

Hot Tub Time Machine

Fifteen feet below street level: don't even ask how we got it there!

We just put a 3-person hot tub on the lower deck of the boathouse. We're still getting it set up, including the electrical feed, but hope to be cooking soon!

Smiley sky

Waxing crescent, 13% illuminated; at sundown, February 6, 2011.

Spice drawer

 Took out the old drawer, took it apart, re-sized it for full-extension drawer slides, installed the slides, and put it back in. More involved than it sounds!

The dividers are pieces of corner trim (normally used to protect an outside corner of a sheet-rock wall), screwed down to the drawer bottom, and padded (for the larger size jars) with vinyl foam weatherstripping.

Still needs a little adjustment and some cosmetics on the drawer front.

Birthday Weekend

Here are the plans for the weekend, incorporating (I hope!) what each of you has volunteered (and/or been drafted) to do. You can either comment here, or email me, if you want to change any of this, or offer a suggestion or two.