Squirrels gathering nuts in the north woods

This is the weather and time of year when we become 'squirrels gathering nuts' in the north woods. 

This pile gets split on Saturday: 

Then it, and this pile: 

All go in here: 

On Tuesday this side of the house: 

Starts to look like this side of the house: 

Creating more space, a sunroom and a study for Cheryl.

We'll be using 4 of these cedar poles once I clean them up : 

Along with 2X6 T&G Pine.

The inside will look somewhat like this: 

And we're moving Cheryl's dad into an assisted living apartment as of the 1st of October.


I hope this winter will be very fruitful in other ways. I am committed (to myself) to visit Cheryl's dad at least three times each week and spend time with him. I'm getting him the same computer and same wireless printer that I use...he is so frustrated at not being able to communicate with 'the outside world' as he puts it. He has rants he wishes to send off to newspapers, legislators, bureaucrats...but can no longer see well enough to type...and he no longer can recall how to get in and out of programs. This from a man who was a quality control engineer for Honeywell, worked with old IBM computer rooms for NASA and is a retired Naval Commander. It is frustrating and depressing for him. I have told him that we will collaborate on letters to the editor and others...pulling ideas from both of us...I'll be the transcriber and we'll sign both of our names, his first. Then we'll tackle his 'story', made up of thousands of vignettes I've heard a thousand times. He is excited for the first time in years. He has told everyone that he is moving into a new apartment and 'joining the living' as of the first of October.