December 2021 Island Trip – Days 1 & 2

Despite incredible systemic ferry problems, including lack of crew, we rolled onto our intended ferry as one of only nine vehicles. In the 40+ years I’ve used this mode of transportation, this was the emptiest ferry ever!

We spent day one nesting in Stella, and eyeing our lower barn project. There is something about getting 110% settled into a trailer stay. Stella still feels capacious to us AND having everything tucked away where it goes makes the experience better. It’s not like you can close the door on the undone dishes or scattered groceries in the kitchen 😏.

Upon our arrival yesterday I noticed that the dehumidifier was turned off and its hose wasn’t connected. When I opened the stovetop and saw water stains, and then later saw water ‘damage’ (darkening of the wood finish) below the stove and on the wood floor, I made the assumption our AN popped in to check on things, found the hose disconnected from the dehumidifier, and turned it off. There were also signs that he was looking at how to remove the catalytic propane heater (!). We’ll touch base with him tomorrow. We will also run the dehumidifier in the sink going forward… In October I left its hose connected and draining in the sink. Sigh.

Today my DH got 50% through the electrical work needed to open up the former darkroom to the rest of the lower barn!! He removed the blocking between the two rooms and now we can easily pass between the spaces. We decided to place a header in the new opening (probable overkill, but why take chances in earthquake country?) and purchased the three pieces of lumber, and various hardware, we need to complete the job. To make thing even more wonderful, the young guy who came by this afternoon, and adopted the drier (we were gifted and decided not to used in favor of a combo washer/drier unit) would really like dad’s cabinet that I’ve been trying to rehome for most of 6-months!

Despite the myriad of tools in the upper barn, there is a distinct lack of saws. My DH procured a reciprocating, hack, and handsaw today, all necessary to finish up the lower barn remodel. The town trip encompassed a few other stops including exchanging some tops I bought in October without trying them on… One was too big the other too small. We also bought important things like grapes, cilantro, a chocolate bar, and long johns for my sweetie.