The closing process has begun and that leaves little time for fishing. I did go out on the dock last night and while the fish were playing with my lure, they didn’t hang on so other than lose another lure, it was not newsworthy. The lure I lost was caught on a rock beyond Voyer’s lot near the middle of the cove. Tried everything short of going into the water to untangle it and finally tug hard and it snapped. Initially it felt like a big fish but it may just have been the initial tug from getting caught under the rock.
We started working on the grounds and camp before closing. Lowell and I worked on fixing the frame of window on north side of loft (facing Voyer’s camp. Took much longer than we anticipated but we finally fixed it and screen and then painting the trim (yellow) and some of peak (Waldeyer green). While on the roof (to fix screen and paint) I inspected the entire roof and found two areas we have to work on before we leave. Have some loose shingles so I will see what we can do.
It was very hot on the roof and my knees were stiff after working on the window. Lowell was on the loft steps and he was stretching and engineering the project. He has great ideas for fixing things to last. We worked all afternoon and never got dinner until 8:30 p.m.
Lowell was working on painting the window on porch and living room. He also did some touchup of the porch green and finished the window in bathroom which opens on to porch (up high). We took time to go to dump and get a paper but we didn’t go into swap shop!
We were hoping someone had dropped off some discarded wooden windows or screens but no luck. We have two frames that are damaged so we were hoping to get old windows to make the storms for the windows for winter.
Tomorrow we will finish the boat, pull the dock to cover and pull in the gang plank. Paul said he would help. Sat down to watch movie and had trouble keeping eyes open. Finally went to bed at midnight.
August 11...Wednesday
We started out at 6:30 a.m. with collecting tools and making plans for painting and repairing the storms. It was 10:30 when we both remembered we hadn’t eaten breakfast. Paul came over to inspect the gangplank which was damaged. He was repairing his dock at 7 a.m. He looks for things to do to help us. He is a real dear and so patient with our clumsiness. Before we started on the dock, Linda V. came over and asked us to join them for breakfast. Since we hadn’t eaten, we decided to take a break. It was delightful and she wouldn’t let us help her. She is doing so well, God bless, and really is happy in Maine.
What’s not to be happy here?
We continued painting and touching up areas of porch and outside on camp. I pulled off the storms on porch and cleaned up after the bats had made their homes between the screens and storms. Painted one of storm windows which have not been painted on the side facing porch inside. Also began repairing the storms we put on the windows on first level. Lots of work because some were cracked and the plastic was cut by some creature. We think it was the chipmunks chewing off material for their nests which are under the house near where we stored the frames in summer.
Hummingbirds are back and feeding at my feeder as well as Linda’s two.
Paul came over and began working on gang plank and dock by himself. Said he would call when we could help. He had some pulley or something to help him lift gang plant and eventually Lowell went down and the two of them got gang plank on dock. The connecting board to land pulled off when the dock came from its moorings and slide down the lake a little while Tim was on the dock. He thought he did it but the number of boats racing in the lake sent a huge wash into the shore and knocked all the docks around. The wood obviously was old and pulled out one side. Paul thinks it needs real work and suggested we look into a new dock and runway before we try to work on the existing system. He said it is in bad shape under dock. We knew that but were hoping it would stay afloat until Florida is sold.
Oh well, we will investigate a dock system and then decide. Better spend the retirement funds while there are any left the rate Obama is spending our money. Pray for Obama and this country. Some of you may not know Grandma Connor urged everyone to pray for Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev during Cold War and she always told us to add him to our prayer requests. She said he needed God’s attention. It worked…
Anyhow, back to camp fun and games. After Paul assessed the condition of the gangplank and dock, we decided to pull it around to the cove and decide what to do before Spring. He gave me the name of a place that makes reasonably priced docks and walkways so we will check there. In meantime, the dock is sick and in need of life support. We also turned the boat upside down on cinder blocks for the winter and secured it to a tree. Getting there little by little.
We continued to work on the storm frames. When I went to do laundry, I drove to Momouth and the lumber place which has building dept. which makes docks etc. The fella in charge of work was on vacation but they gave me his name and I also got tar and roofing patch there.
I was able to cover the two spots and hopefully get a few more years before we have to reroof. Get your plans ready Andrew and Peter and all… roofing party is in the works.
Paul and I (mostly Paul) put up the storms on back side with his power screwdriver. (That’s at the top of my Christmas list. A good battery screw driver. Skill or Sears….) Paul Voyer and Lowell got the one bedroom and one kitchen storm up. Two to go.. kitchen and our bedroom on driveway side.
We found the repairs to the storm panels was more involved than expected so we were one short when we called it a day at 7:30 p.m. We had a quick supper and went over to Paul and Linda’s for ice cream and cookies and wine. We brought the ice cream and cookies and brownies and they provided the wine. Finished up the ice cream in the freezer. Getting there.
We both were so tired we turned in early… 11 p.m. for me and Lowell tried to watch a movie but slept through most of it and came to bed sometime later. Thursday is packing up and leaving day. Hopefully.
August 12… Thursday
Got up early and began working on packing and getting things ready for Lowell to pack the car. Then went to work on storm frames which were still not ready to hang.
We worked on getting everything into shed and Lowell started packing car. Still have two crates of paint and stuff we don’t want to leave because they will freeze. Cuts down on space.
We didn’t quite get things done as fast as hoped so we decided at 4:30 p.m. we were not leaving today. Water still not taken down and packing car was not finished. Besides, we had stuff to put on porch and we had to seal the doors and windows. We lost some time trying to fix entry way on side which had rotted out from leak in roof. Lowell made temporary fix for this year. It’s a “to do” project for Spring.
We had a pickup supper (cleaning out fridge) and I tried to finish cleaning the kitchen. Paper plates in morning...Now to get ready for bed.
Oh yea. The electrician stopped with the two units for water heater around 8:30 p.m. . We will be waiting until June 2011 to install them and the young fella also plans to finish the electrical work on porch so we can get rid of extension cords and substandard wiring. He took the boat motor to his dad’s boat place (Larrabee) for winter servicing to save us the trip.
So we are here another night. That’s OK. The loons are out. The chimes are singing in the breeze and it is a beautiful night. Lowell is already asleep –in bed this time—and I am going pronto.
It is so peaceful on the lake. I do hate to leave but I also thank God for allowing us the time we have been here. Truly a blessing for these old folks. I can understand why Ma and Dad Connor were so content here. Really is a very special place. Too bad more people can’t enjoy its charm.
Tomorrow we will be getting up early (hopefully) and getting car packed and finish details in cabin and take down the water system. Sooner than later, please God. I doubt we can get home by nightfall but we might try. Depending on time we leave and how tired we are. And how many stops we have to make…
Till next time, God bless,
Joan … and Lowell at Cobbossee…
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