This most recent visit saw the continuation of the bathroom renos. We got the build-out of the back wall (to hide the supply lines) done, and drywalled. We also got the side wall for the shower up, and dry-fitted the shower - it fit!
The vanity is centered on the tall section of built-out wall, and we left space in the upper part of that section for a medicine chest we had removed from the powder room of our city house. I had kept it, knowing it would be useful some day. A little bit of sanding and routing on the frame around the mirror, and a new coat of paint inside and out, and it will look as if it was made to match the vanity.
The supply line sections for the shower control are laid out and ready for soldering. We need to buy a new drain for the shower. And we realized there's another problem to solve. The vent connection for the sink is below the P-trap, and does not run uphill. A bit of research has led me to an an air admittance valve (AAV) which may be a solution. Placed after the P but before the turn to the vertical, and as high as possible, it allows air into the fixture drain when the fixture is used, without having to connect to the house's vent stack. Probably the best solution in our situation.
We did a bit of running around this time, as well. In fact, we went out every day, which is very unusual for us. One of the outings was to watch the Olympic Torch run through one of the neighbouring villages. We got up at 5:30 AM for that, and stood out in the cold air, along with almost every resident of the village, for an event that lasted about 5 minutes. Very much worth it. I caught video of the torch, the crowd, everything. Should be fun to edit it.
Another little job I got done was to run a cable from the satellite box to a second TV in our bedroom. We won't be able to watch a different channel, but we will be able to watch the end of a hockey game, say, or I'll be able to watch some of my later shows with DS snoring beside me.
So, I know I have mentioned in previous posts that there was originally a hydro line running from the house to the sugar shack, and that it was removed just before we took possession. Most of the poles were cut down, but one, not far from the stream, remained. It was going to be tricky, because there was a second pole helping to support it, attached at an angle by a long bolt through the top of the second pole and through the main pole. I wanted it down this summer, but we just didn't get around to it. Friday night, we're watching the hockey game when we hear a fairly loud thump. We did the rounds of the shed, the house and the second floor, but found nothing.
Today on our morning walk, we checked out the falls and the stream. The dogs were sniffing like crazy at the lakeshore a bit further on, so we went to see what tracks were there, if any. Sure enough, the otter had come out of the lake there. When we turned around to head back to the house, there on the ground was the hydro pole. It had rotted through at ground level, and had come crashing down, bringing the secondary pole with it. Thank you, Mother Nature! Hopefully we'll be able to get it raised off the ground before the snow covers it so it doesn't rot through. We hope to use it for the new footbridge over the creek.
It rained a lot Thursday and Friday. The lake is now iced over relatively smoothly with only a bit of snow dusted across it here and there. We're hoping to be able to skate over the holidays. And, the driveway is bare along the tire tracks. So far, so good.
