New Life in the Woods

I worked all day today on the electrical system upstairs. First I had to cut out some sheetrock around where the wires had been cut in the wall to study how the wires used to run and connect to each other. Right next to where the wires were cut there were 6 wires leading to the same spot and I had to figure out how they were all supposed to be reconnected. Luckily those connections were still in place, it was just the wires leading up to them that were cut.

That took a while… and then I had to cut out more sheetrock to get to a space where I had enough slack in the wire to make new connections. Since wires inside the wall are only supposed to be spliced together inside a metal or plastic junction box, I decided to put in a new plug on the wall in the bedroom under the window. Plugs (and light fixtures) screw into junction boxes too, which meant that, with the new plug, I would have a junction box right where I needed one to make some of the connections. It was a tight fit, but I got all the connections made and stuffed into the back of the box behind the new plug.

Then I put two junction boxes where all the wires had been connected before, one for another plug (there used to be one there) and another to connect the other wires that ran through that area to various lights and other destinations. I still haven’t completely figured out what one wire was for that ran up to the ceiling (probably to a light switch across the room), but it can just sit there for now until I do.

Once I had all the connections made I turned the breakers back on and discovered that, not only do I have plugs working upstairs for a lamp and my alarm clock, but the plugs downstairs in the living room now work too. That means that I no longer have to run extension cords from the kitchen over to the living room for lights, TV, etc., and I can take down the extension cord that I had running upstairs too! That’s a big relief to have those two cords out of the way and out from under foot.

In the last few days I have also managed to clean out the utility room downstairs, move a bunch of tools in boxes down there, add pipe insulation to many of the fittings around the pipes in there and tape them up tight (although I didn’t finish that), clean up a bit upstairs, assemble my futon couch, and move some furniture upstairs so that there is more of an open space around the woodstove, which allows more heat to radiate to the kitchen and other areas.

Better yet, it looks like I might have a couple dry days next week. The forecast says there’s a 30% chance of rain for Monday through Wednesday and cloudy skies (but no precipitation) Thursday and Friday. Of course, we know how good these forecasts have been. Plus, it is supposed to snow tonight and each night through this weekend, but the rain should mostly melt it during the day (if it happens at all). That means I might be able to get the rest of the siding up on the house and finish up all the other little details out there late next week.

At that point, the only semi-urgent repairs left would be: fixing the wiring for the lights in the kitchen and stairway, patching up all the drywall, and repainting. Beyond that there are a bunch of less urgent tasks that need to be done like: re-framing the bathroom doors and adding doorknobs/latches; putting a dead bolt lock on the front door, adding a hasp and lock to the utility closet downstairs, putting in trim inside and out to really seal up the place; building a railing for the deck, fixing the rain gutters in front, and putting in the drain pipe and electrical wire for a dryer inside the house (I already ran the hot and cold water pipes for a washer).

Most of that will depend on whether Susan comes up with funds for supplies, so that could be a while. That’s especially true considering the repairs needed to the roof at the main house. There’s a whole bunch of other repairs needed up there too, so I could keep doing repairs in exchange for free rent for the foreseeable future. Of course, I’ll still need a job to pay for utilities, internet, phones, and food, but now that I can plug in my alarm clock upstairs that seems a whole lot more doable too.

Oh, I also carved up an apple, filled it with peanut butter, rolled it in birdseed, and put it out for my little friend outside. He has been going nuts over the peanut butter (it’s funny watching him lick his beak), but since he is my only visitor so far, he has hardly put a dent in it. I have seen and heard other birds around though, so hopefully I will get some more visitors soon.