It has been a full month since my last update. We've made some progress, but it seems kind of little compared to the time involved.
Since the last post we have gone through a three-day-long hard freeze with the temps never getting above freezing. Shortly after that, we began to get our first heavy downpours of the season.
The frozen ground could not absorb the almost three-inches of rain, so the clay became a muddy mess.
I didn't realize just how messy until I went to start the generator for a day's work. That clay was sucking on my shoes trying to pull them off while I walked. Not only that, but every step almost ended in a face-plant due to the slipperiness coupled with the suction of the clay.
When all this kind of excitement finally passed, we were able to actually get some things done on the inside.
These planks are a quarter-inch thick and four inches wide and eight feet long with a tongue-and-groove joint. Due to their lack of thickness these planks tend to bend when held up to the ceiling.
Therefore, matching the T&G joint is problematic. Each board only requires four trips up and down the ladder to be fully secured. I'm tired.
We have hit a warm spell as an early introduction to Spring, so Gracie was working to build her lily bed around the twin oaks we have in the front. She is using rocks which are more prolific than the sand.
I saw her wince and pull her hand up sharply as she placed a rock too close to another and smashed her finger. It hurt, swelled a little, but didn't bruise.
After gathering those rocks and placing them around the tree she said, "I'm tired."
And now she has even greater reason to be tired.
When we got up to check on Bootsie Saturday morning, we saw that she had vomited a few times. As we got her up and around, she was quite lethargic and continued to heave every few minutes.
With a new pup that had not yet been to the vet, this was somewhat alarming due to the prevalence and danger of the PARVO virus. Fortunately we were able to find a vet open on Saturday morning and got her in to se him.
The test for PARVO was not conclusive, but we were given meds for the vomiting. As of this writing, the pup is back to normal.
As I write this, she just got put back into the garage because we heard something crash in the kitchen. She had pushed her way into one of the cabinets and there wasn't enough room for her and the pots.
We don't have cabinet doors on the cabinets—just curtains. Like I said—into something.
Yes, it is still a fun adventure.
Next time I will tell you about the wood-burning cook stove we bought.
Until then, I hope you are having as much fun with your trials, tribulations and triumphs as we are.
