Sheetrock Brightens Up Everything!

The quickest way I know of confirming the fact that I'm too old for this kind of nonsense is to spend the day installing drywall. We headed off to Tangent Lodge this weekend with 22 sheets of sheetrock tucked away in the van. With about 1,200 lbs of weight placed low and well distributed the van rode great. That one-ton suspension didn't hardly break a sweat and it softened the ride quite a bit too. The part that worried me the most was how to get it from the van to the living room. Let's face it, I'm well past my peak, and the misses? Well lets say the heaviest thing I've seen her carry is a gallon of milk. Not to say she's a wimp, but arthritis does weaken one's grip.

I had been carrying this stack of sheetrock around all week, but a trip to the home center just before we left for the cabin solved my problem. A plastic device called a Panel Carrier allows one to easily reach across and carry 4x8 sheet single handedly. All the little lady had to do was hold the door and make sure I didn't hit anything getting into the cabin.

Saturday morning the measuring, cutting, and screwing started in earnest. By midmorning I was dripping in sweat and making good progress. By mid-day I was getting pretty sore and tired but after lunch, which was complimented by a dose of Tylenol Arthritis, it was back to work.

By supper time the main walls of the living room/dining room where almost completed. A shower, another meal and a little rest and I was reinvigorated to continue on. Before the day ended the master bedroom no longer had see-through walls and, but for a few small pieces left to finish, the main room of the cabin was done.
It was a long hard day, but the satisfaction of no longer seeing warped, cheap, tacky looking paneling, with gaping holes courtesy of the boots of one disgruntled previous owner, made the extreme effort well worth it.

Totally exhausted, it was off to the showers again and then to bed.

We've been keeping our noses to the grindstone pretty steady. Only into our rebuild project by 3 weeks I commented to my wife," When you consider we only have 3 actual work days invested so far, we've been making pretty good progress". Of course, our bodies have taken a pretty good toll in the process. It was time to take a day off.

Sunday morning, after an eggs and hash browns breakfast, we brought out the ATV. With a map of the local trail system, we headed off expecting to be gone for an hour or so. The weather was beautiful, shorts and a tee-shirt were plenty for me to be comfortable.

As usual the sunshine, and fresh air revived our tired souls and before we knew it the morning was gone. We had clocked on over 30 miles. Being new to the area it was a learning process as to what trail went where, but it was a relaxing ride through some wonderful scenery.

We found a canoe landing that would allow one to ride the St. Croix river for 5-6 miles and come out on the main highway just below our cabin. The trails were all well maintained sand, and even though there was heavy rain through the area the previous day, everything was dry and fresh.

Once we returned to the cabin it was time to pack and head for home. It still amazes us at how much faster the process is when you don't take the motor home. No going to the dump station or removing all food stuff. Now it's pick up the laundry basket of dirty laundry and throw a few things in the cooler.

Feeling very tired, but satisfied with our progress, we headed for home. We'll give it hell next weekend.