Today we all did housecleaning together. It wasn’t a particularly good time; however, it was good to get it done. It’s been a good time since! Mostly just relaxing. Well, expect for the rabbit situation.
One of the rabbits died in the bucket in its cage that it used for shelter. Khallie, who is only ten, did not really feel like touching it. I was on my way out to get firewood in, so I asked Kiry if she would help Khallie with it. I figured Khallie could do with a bit of admiration for her sister. Also, I knew it would be nothing for Kiry to do. I go around front to start the tractor, and I find Kiry coming up to ask me for help with the rabbit. It is stuck to the bottom of the bucket. She did not want to tear it up pulling it out. So, I go put it under the hydrant by the garage, and run it on low for a short bit, and the rabbit separates straight away. Kiry picks it up with one hand by its front legs, and finds it is frozen stiff. So, she is stood there holding it like it is a pistol and points its ass at me and goes, “pew! pew!” I sure love that kid! I am so glad that rabbit wasn’t loaded!
Spot the farm raised kid.
I went out to walk the dogs at 9PM with Khallie, and boy, was it ever cold out there! I mean, I felt a chill on my legs and everything! By the time we got around to the far end of the dog walk, I was ready to get back in and put some wood on the fire. I checked the temperature, and it showed it was 2 degrees out. Fahrenheit. As my dear sister-in-law would say, “It’s fresh out there!” Bloody understated Brit!
Got the wood stove going and warmed it up in the house a bit. I was just remembering when we had a pair of furnaces going in here to keep it warm. Those days are gone. That was a constant fight of warm, cold, warm, cold. It was never satisfying. The furnace would run, and it would get warm for a few minutes, then start to chill soon after it stopped. With the stove, it will chill, and all I have to do is put five or six logs in it, and before long it will warm the place to a cozy temperature, then I shut the draft and keep it relatively nice. It is nothing to bring the dining room up to 80 degrees. Once it does, it affects the whole house.
Monday I will receive an Earlex Steam generator via UPS. That will require me to sort out some sort of pipe or box for it, and I will be able to start steam bending boards. I’ll have to make the jigs required for getting the shape right, and clamps too. But it is a step for my dream of making a Windsor chair. The last big tool for the shop is going to be a bandsaw. That will require a 220 outlet wherever I decide to put it. No problem there. There are a few planes that will cost a penny, but I have a Jack Plane, and a smoothing plane and scrub plane, so the most important ones are covered for now. When I get to cabinet sides or tabletops, I would like a jointer’s plane. There are other specialty planes to think of, but much of what they do, I can improvise with the planes I have. So, they are more luxurious. I have nothing that will benefit me in the way a bandsaw will.
It’s been a day. Time to get to bed and soon see what tomorrow brings!