Rebuilding History

Family history says, the one-room log cabin was built in the 1920's.  It has been added onto over the years, and the seaward wall has had repairs in more recent times as well.  For the past several summers, we have assessed the wood-rot and gaping holes in the chinking, hoping against hope that it would last one more  year.  The winter of 2012-13 was the last season the Poor Old Girl could take.  When we arrived in May this spring, it was beyond obvious that a major rebuild was in order.

Here is the BEFORE picture.

Woody and David will notice the peony I had been babying along, lo these many years, was unceremoniously uprooted and tossed into the dump pile!!!!  Sometimes words fail me....

 First, the sagging, non-opening window had to go...

Now, they were committed.  There was some hoing and humming, and then resolving to push on.

Look how great a RAIN-umbrella our SUN-umbrella is!

On the inside, there had to be supports to hold up the roof while things were underway.  The plastic sheeting did as poor a job as usual, keeping the dust and debris out of the living space.

As it was pelting down rain during these early stages, Grand #3 and I headed off to the kitchen.

He's a great fan of my blueberry scones.

The next time we checked, things had gotten seriously messy.

By lunch time, the rain had lifted and progress was evident.

Once the window was secured, it was time to call it a day.  Eueka!  A new, non-sagging wall and a window that opens on both ends!!!

Day two dawned bright and clear.  The shingles went on, row upon row, without a hitch.  I had some photos of the joining of the two halves, but my inadequacies in the techno-department lost them irrevocably.  You'll just have to take my word for it, they did a marvellous job.

As with most jobs, one thing leads to another.  Day three is painting day.  The rain held off long enough to get a good start on the project.

While all the men were doing the Man-Thing, those of us of another persuasion, gave the Adirondack Chairs their annual sanding and re-varathaning.

A busy week here on the Cape.  The  Bald Eagle sits in his tree top, off to the west, making his high-pitched comments.  I think he approves of the goings on.  Rebuilding history is always a good thing.

PS.  Our friend, the extra help on this project, says he may be wanted in three states and publishing his photo may not be a good thing.  If you happen to have recognized him, pretend you didn't, okay?