Tangent Lodge Becomes Functional, We Have a Working Kitchen

The storm two weeks ago slowed our progress. Right up until Friday morning there was doubt, will the power be back on or not? Driving the last 20 miles toward the cabin the destruction was still very evident. Lots of trees down, with many cut back just enough to allow access to homes and cabins.

Our hopes stayed high. Where last weekend there were downed wires and toppled poles, all looked repaired and ready to electrify. We walked into the cabin, stopping first at the electrical panel just inside the front door. One click of the main breaker and, "Yes -- We've got power"!

Though it was Friday evening we didn't waste any time getting to work. The kitchen was unusable, we needed to make enough progress that breakfast would be a reality in the morning.

Our first project was to unwrap and place the kitchen cabinets. We bought an 8' length of counter top which I cut to the proper lengths quickly giving the kitchen an almost finished look. The cabinets will be fastened to the wall at a later date but for now we have counter space and drawers enough to cook.

With the power on the new refrigerator started to cool. In short order our weekend food supplies were transferred from the cooler. Dishes and flatware were loaded into the cabinets, and for our first night the beds were nothing more than mattresses on the floor with fresh linens.

The best part was the air conditioner in the bedroom window. It was unmercifully hot and humid this weekend but with 12" of insulation in the ceiling the interior temps stayed remarkably comfortable. Having the bedroom refrigerated ensured comfortable sleep and a cool spot to retire to when the heat became too much.

Come daylight Saturday morning I was outside. Cleaning the fire pit may seem like a mundane nonessential activity but with the heat of summer this sort of physical labor is best done as early as possible. Ashes and yard clipping will decompose on their own. My goal was to designate a spot well back in the woods and out of sight where I can pile what nature will dispose of for me.

I installed a hitch mounted rack and plywood box on the back of my ATV and with a half dozen trips had the fire pit empty and ready to dispose of waste wood and scrap from the remodeling project.

My main project for Saturday was to build two rustic but sturdy bed frames. 2x4's and 1x6's, lots of screws and gobs of glue. By mid afternoon matching single beds were ready for a comfortable nights sleep. The guest bedroom, though temporarily the only bedroom, is usable.

Saturday was finished off by removing the concrete board that was crudely fashioned behind the missing woodstove. The new woodstove will be installed with proper clearances avoiding the unsightly protection that the previous owner installed.

After listening to Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion and enjoying a hot shower it was off to bed in cool comfort.

Sunday morn, and we were missing our newspaper and weekend news programs. Today we gave our exhausted bodies a rest and only cleaned up the mess from yesterday's work.

One thing this huge project has already taught us. Old arthritic bones just aren't up to the kind of physical work that came naturally 20 years ago. Pain is a constant companion and restricting progress way more than the heat of the day.

Fortunately we have no time schedule pushing us, just our own desire to enjoy our new country home once it's done.