Since I'm not using the wood stove as much- I tried my stove top sweet potato bake on my electric stove top burner. It works great. No need to heat the whole oven. I have two pans I put over one another for extra insulation/heat retention. I put the heat up 2 notches past low and I usually turn the foil covered potato a time or two.

Petra gets to run free at the woods off of Marshall road near the ball fields. It's the only wooded area close I can let her loose and expect to not run into anyone.

I removed the kitchen cabinets on the wall across from stove and put the one double door back up- but higher so I could make better use of my granite counter. It's a great space now- my coffee and computer station. The kitchen now gets better light from the side windows and the counter is much more usable. I didn't like the 4" gap between cab and ceiling so cut pieces from the junk cabinet and misc wood to fill in. Later there will be a bead board corner shelf thing and all will get painted. I "wall papered" the wall below the cabinet with a nice U.S map.

top extension in place

adding to top

I spent a bit of time the past two days messing with a fuse blowing problem with my turn signals. Thought I had it fixed yesterday, again today it happens. I had to search the internet (that took like 45 seconds) for a fuse box diagram. It turns out the 5amp fuse I kept replacing w/5 amp fuse, should have been a 15. Why it finally decided it didn't like 5 amp fuses I'm not sure. What else...oh, I was gifted a new mattress to try so had to make my old one go away. I dismantled it for easy transport. The springs will find function in someones yard/garden I think.

bed springs: Petra listening to the neighbor dogs

the brad nailer in action

tin can lids and bottoms- worked great on the curves

More on the kitchen. I found a green in my stash that I used on the bead board. I couldn't find any color besides white I thought would work on the shelves- so white they are. I had intended to cut  and glue bits of wood on the top board to give it a sort of dental work-but I went with tin can lids and bottoms- cut in 1/2 or so and nailed in place. Next I couldn't decide whether to leave bare can metal or paint- I painted.

so nice to have the shelves available for use now

I discovered some ZERO VOC primer sealer at Home Depot. It's enabled me to continue progress on those bead board shelves I made for the kitchen. It's a primer and sealer(and stain blocker) which I needed-and not just "low voc" but ZERO VOC- perfect. No smells in my closed up house.

ready for some final sanding and caulking- then finish paint

What to do. Cabin fever. No workshop. I'd been walking past this old rusted wrench for a year with each trip to the basement. Last night I brought it up and worked on it near the wood stove. A little sanding, scraping and some grease. Patent date of 1911- a 15" Trimo, manufactured in Roxbury Mass. Someone that did some metal work might use it to put a twist on heated square stock- others might use it to pound tomato stakes in the ground.

I just received my latest electric bill. I used 91% more than this time last year! It's because, during the day, I'm pretty freely running 2 space heaters and it's not uncommon to have the oven running for several hours too. The very limited firewood collection this year leaves me saving wood for only occasional use. I guess it's not too bad though-1215 kWh is all my energy use- hot water, lighting, cooking and somewhat limited warmth.

my natural window treatment

Cold! has arrived. The rear, closed in porch room has a huge old single pane leaky aluminum frame window and the glass is all ice coated inside with that galvanized metal look. It's nice having a cold room I can leave my leftovers in. And a warm room for the dog.

The grouting is about all done.

The gluing on bits of tile and glass and such is done- above that wavy yellow/golden line anyway. I can clean up and get my counter space back. Maybe next week I'll get to grouting.

More progress on the mosaic work. A bit every other now and then moves it along. Now I am stooping to do under the lower cabinets so I'm not at it for long. The area above the sink is completed and ready for grout.