28 January 2016

Kevin was here early in the morning to get payment for the woodstove alcove stone he ordered from RMG Stone Products yesterday.  While he was here, we discussed how to insulate the wood framing around the chimney from the 6″ flue pipe that will run between the woodstove and the chimney.  The upshot of that discussion was that Sonny and Doug removed a large chunk of that framing, clearing the way for Kevin to construct a 4″ thick concrete block enclosure around the flue pipe between the chimney and the back of the alcove’s stone / cement walls.  Sonny and Doug also finished framing the cantilevered mud entry bench seat.  The Goodro’s truck came bearing 13 sheets of ⅝″ thick x 12 feet long drywall (that stuff be H∙E∙A∙V∙Y) that will become the garage ceiling sometime soon.  Steve continued installing radiant floor heat tubing, getting all but one small section done.  Theresa Giles, an independent property appraiser under contract to the National Bank of Middlebury, came at 1030.  After Theresa left, Chree and I headed north, doing errands in Middlebury and Burlington.  Stopped at Goodro’s to pay off our account balance and order the fire-rated door that will be installed between the garage and mud entry.  Mid-afternoon, while at The Lighting House having fun spending LOTS of money, Pete’s RV called to say that Delores was all fixed.  Turns out the forward air conditioner just had some loose connections, the hydraulic jack alarm was sounding because the reservoir was two quarts low, and the starting battery was completely shot.  Stopped on the way back south for a short visit with Alverta.  Got back to Fern Lake with the RV well after dark and tried to back her down the driveway.  That did not go well, but seeing just how badly things are will have to wait until daylight tomorrow…