In our DIY building adventure, we’re both good at staying “on task.” We’re progressing steadily toward final inspections, which are necessary before the house can be inhabited. But you have to take a break sometimes. Today, we took one. On the water. Yeah.
When you work for yourself, it’s easy to forget about self-care. (It’s easy for a boss to forget about it too, as all you bosses out there well know!) The weather hasn’t been that great for motorboats anyway. But, today, it sure was! Photos of house progress and outdoor fun below.
We took my little 16-foot motorboat (which I got last fall) to the head of the bay and into the Silver River. I feel bad that Jeff’s trawler remains on land while he works on the house, so got this small replacement. The bay gets all the attention but this river has the best scenery. It’s shallow so we were glad to be on a little boat. Jeff navigates the river, since he knows it better.
I write this two days after Independence Day. The windsock at the end of the dock declares my patriotism. There’s so much I could say about that word, in this week of news that causes reflection, but I’ll refrain….
…and instead share this, from the July 4th parade in a community called Tapiola. These pups were pulling a four-wheeler, which is used to train sled dogs when there’s no snow. Of course I thought about Roscoe the Husky, trained to pull. I let him “pull” Jeff’s four-wheeler sometimes, but he can’t pull very far now that he’s in his 90s. He still has the urge!
Back indoors during this “working summer,” Jeff put up the new light over the kitchen island — no easy task with a cathedral ceiling.
I won’t tell you what this ladder was standing on, as we may have broken a safety rule!
Putting in the bulbs. See how much natural light this room has on a sunny day?
I would not have bought this fixture if we hadn’t seen it hanging, fully-lighted, in a store. I like the simplicity and the soft glow. (Though it doesn’t look soft here.) The kitchen is still a construction zone, but getting there! Appliances arrive this week. Most of them. I’m still considering the stovetop…electric, induction or gas?
I ordered two bar stools on-line and happy that they work well with the look-and-feel here.
In a shopping trek to a brick-and-mortar store, I surveyed the options for cabinet pulls and knobs and decided to put off that choice for another day!
We also surveyed kitchen faucets and decided to try a different source. Why are they all so tall and mostly plastic?
We did pick up our two remaining doors (oak, for the loft)…and a toilet. There’s a reason why so many people drive pick-up trucks here in the far-north. To pick up stuff! The doors are getting stained right now. Jeff and I have both done a lot of staining and it’s not done yet.
Jeff installed the toilet in our little 2nd bathroom. (I’m glad I decided to fit in another bath. Much easier for company.) It came with two lids! Huh? We won’t use either because Jeff has persuaded me of the value of bidets. Less toilet paper means a happier septic system. You can also see the new floor covering: Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP), which works great for a bathroom.
Even though it’s primarily a working summer, we’re blessed to be working on the waterfront where we can see the duck families passing by….
…and then heading in the other direction. It’s so fun to watch the little ones grow up.
I’ve also been taking the self-propelled watercraft out regularly — a priority for my sanity.
I also joined the Sunday hiking group again, for a trail I’ve never visited which leads directly to…
…Lake Superior and its rocky shoreline. I grew up on this lake but continue to rediscover it.
My Walmart begonias looks great at sunrise, don’t they? I’ve rehabilitated (repainted) the Finnish word stones that decorate this driftwood pile. The driftwood covers up rotting logs that a previous owner left on the waterfront. The Finnish stones are a nod to my heritage.
Another look at the house-in-progress, from the end of the dock. You can just make out the little boat to the right, covered in a green tarp to help it disappear. The thing about toys…you have to find room for them. But I’m determined not to let this natural space become cluttered.
Another look at our waterfront as a storm approaches. You can see the green canoe on the sandy beach, which has been growing as waves push in more sand. Yay.
And a final view of the mirror-calm Silver River on a glorious Saturday.
Cabinet pulls can be expensive! My cheap solution was simple turned wood knobs painted to match the countertop. Just take a sample of the countertop and have paint color matched.
For Many Moons 
Hi, awesome! I clicked on the comment button and it said OOPs nothing on this page!
Love Blessings,
Terry Nicholetti, Chief Encourager Chaplain-at-Large @TerryNicholetti on X Twitter
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Fixed. Thanks! Not sure what happened there…
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Cabinet pulls can be expensive! My cheap solution was simple turned wood knobs painted to match the countertop. Just take a sample of the countertop and have paint color matched.
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A nice solution!
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