Planing and Sawing

I asked Phil this morning what he had done yesterday—I hadn't seen him much, and was curious. He had done a bunch of little tasks: started to put in a cut-off switch for the pump, so we won't run it dry (finished that today); started to set up the sawmill; started to plane his new work table. A day where he was on the go the whole time, but didn't finish much.

Today, he was very pleased with the finished appearance of his table, planed sufficiently and varnished.

The incredible windstorm and rainstorm overnight woke me several times: the trailer was rocking! Our rain gauge, we realized this morning, must have had the water left in it after the last big rain, and it broke on freezing. Phil estimates two inches fell. Happily, he was able to bring the cows a hay bale: I wasn't sure he would be able to get to them.

In the late afternoon, Phil started to saw for our friend. He did one 8' long log, which yielded 93 board feet. He was pleased, overall, with how easily that went.

Our string of strange breakages continues, however: Phil realized yesterday that he damaged a section of the sawmill when he dragged it up the slope. And today he put a new blade in, and at some point, it caught on a metal post. So he'll put in a new blade. So strange to have something break every day!

Phil asked a local farmer if we have worse luck than usual. "Oh, no! You can be sure that whenever you must desperately need something, that's when it will break. Farmers fix things constantly."

Is that encouraging? Hmm.

With the strong wind blowing all day, I went outside as little as possible. I figure I got a lifetime of wind when we lived in Boulder, and I'd just as soon avoid it. The three younger boys put up the mattress and spread out with pattern blocks, cars, Playmobil, and Duplos (Phil was thankful the Legos didn't join the mass of bright plastic on the floor). Jadon and I read. It was a good day.