Chapter 3 - Now for the Reconstruction of the Cabin
Dan dismantled the cabin, loaded the numbered logs back on to the flatbed and transported everything back to the farm. Our front parking lot was the storage area.
This time each marked log was carefully lowered into position over the rods sticking out of the foundation.
Over a period of weeks, Dan and his guys completed the log part, cutting in electrical box and switch locations.
Whenever the weather was right, Dan foamed the cracks and crevices. Harold, Donald and brother-in-law Doug dashed around, running electrical wire for the lights, switches and outlets.
Dan trimmed the logs next to the door and window openings so the trim would fit flush. Harold and his assistants continued with the wiring.
Now it was time to decide how high the second story should be and what pitch should be used for the roof. It had been decided earlier that, to ensure enough headroom at the top of the stairs, we would incorporate dormers (gables) front and back. The Mitchells returned, put up 2x4's to outline wall height and roof pitch to help us make up our minds. The result, we have a loft height wall of 4' and a roof pitch of 8/12.
MCC came in January, and by the middle of January the upper section had been constructed.
The Mitchells arrived again - this time to install the windows on the main floor. With the front and side doors covered, it was almost balmy inside the log cabin.
Now, all we needed was decent weather so Rick could start roofing. We didn't get "decent" weather, but as soon as he could, Rick arrived to start on Monday, February 2, 2004. Tuesday wasn't good, so he returned on Wednesday.
Once again, the weather turned on us, so it wasn't until the next week that Rick was able to return to complete the shingling.
On February 11th, we picked up the vent cap for the roof, and Rick finished off everything in time for Valentine's Day.
This completes the first installment of the saga of the log cabin. It is the middle of February, 2004. Harold has been looking through his stockpile of used building materials that he has accumulated over the last 30 years and is in the process of planing floor boards for the main level and testing different boards (barn board, etc.) to determine what we will use for the walls and ceiling on the second level.
