I finished the floor of the shed today. I'm very pleased the progress so far. I'm going to put up the walls next, after the next rain, which is supposed to start tomorrow. Unfortunately, while inspecting the site, I noticed a problem. I found this. What was it attached to previously? I have no idea! I am so in trouble. Could the instructions have been any clearer? Could I have done anything more blatant to violate the rules? Crap!

Big excitement in Rough and Ready today, well, Penn Valley, actually, the small town about two miles away. We've been watching a grocery store location that went out of business just after we moved here, but it wasn't our fault. Well, for several months now, we have been promised, by way of a sign in the window, that a new grocery store was opening in its spot. And today was the Grand Opening.

So we roll down there around noon to score some lunch and check out the scene. And what a scene it was. I think there were more people in the new grocery store than live in Penn Valley and Rough and Ready put together. I mean it was the place to be today. This was one of our favorite bits. The store far exceeded my expectations. There were loads of choice organic products and a nice deli with seafood, even. Not only is Palermo's Country Market now the top grocery store in the area, it's two miles from our house! And we even scored a dinner invitation from some neighbors whom we bumped into. What a great day!
- posted by Colin @ 9:05 PM

 
I got some more work done on the shed today. I added a vapor barrier beneath the floor. I started working on the floor, but it got dark. It's kinda hard to get much done when the days are so short. Naturally, all my work has to be inspected.

This picture is for Michael Coyle, who asked when our pastures were going to start looking like real pastures, with, um, you know, grass. Well, we're getting there. Man, this stuff is kinda hard, though. Here's what it looked like last summer.

And horses like to run.
- posted by Colin @ 8:04 PM

 
More work on the shed today, got the joists for the floor installed. this picture just shows some of them, but they're all in now. I also added some t-straps to strengthen the connection between the posts and the beams.

Enough about that, though. We mounted a webcam in the barn. Well, let me back up a step. We took Eva and Zsa Zsa to the vet for shots when we brought them home from the pound. They got distemper, rabies, and leukemia shots, which, it turns out, need boosters in 3-4 weeks. Well, therein lies the rub. Eva and Zsa Zsa have made themselves very scarce. We've barely seen them since we turned them loose. So, despite the vet calling to nag EVERY DAY, we just haven't had cats to bring in. In fact, we weren't even sure if they were still around.

We have noticed that their food dish keeps emptying itself. But we didn't know if it was our little darlings or something else. So, back to the webcam. We set it up and configured it to upload motion detected photos.

That was all this morning. The camera has since recorded 3402 photos! Whoops, I might have to tinker with the motion detecting thing. Anywhere, here's the setup. Note the full dish. OK, we spent some time watching the live feed and, sure enough, ladies and gentlemen, we have food bandits. Alas, oh, misery. However, sometime around dinner, PAYDIRT! We think it's Eva, but, since she looks exactly like her sister, Zsa Zsa, it's hard to tell. We're still hoping for them both to show up at the same time to remove all doubt.

OK, it doesn't get us any closer to getting them to the vet, but we now know that at least on of them is still around.
- posted by Colin @ 8:46 PM

 
I just saw something interesting in the Grass Valley K-Mart (sorry about the crappy photo, I'm still learning how to use my new camera phone). Could this be the sound of broadening horizons in Grass Valley that I hear?
- posted by Colin @ 8:07 AM

 
I've started working on the next project: a shed to house the irrigation pump and filters. Here's where it's going to be. Naturally, Barley and Kenya agreed to help. Here's a downhill view of the site.

The first step was to lay out the dimensions. Of course, this kind of work is exhausting. Despite it now being a solo effort, I was able to get the holes for the footings dug.

Next came setting the footings. It was kind of a pain to lug all the tools around, so I used my mobile toolbox instead. After mixing the concrete and setting the piers, I had to have the site inspected and reinspected. Whew, that's enough for now, more later.
- posted by Colin @ 8:49 PM