Although I dreaded the labour, I was on my way to the pallet shed near the road fairly early and ferrying back two pallets, the tin box Chris gave me, and two sheets of chipboard I had in the shed. Once that was carried, I was ready for a shower, but I checked my watch and it was only just after noon. I went back to work on the back of the tin shed and now have that floor about half done.
By the time I was deep into working on that, I felt a few drops and fearing that the afternoon rain I’d heard about had come, I took the hint of the dark clouds and put away my tools and turned off my inverter.
Once I had showered, the shadow had passed and I was reading and then napping through the heat of the day.
In the late afternoon, after I ate dinner, I worked on my Working for Ray book. It flows fairly well, although it is an emotional rather than profound book.
When I was tired of reading, I tracked down the source of the smell that has been bothering me in the last few days. I thought it was in my high cupboard, and blamed it, unfairly it turns out, on the plywood which has a strange smell even when I built the cupboard five years ago. I finally replaced it with another piece of plywood I had and then left the cupboard open to air out.
Once I did a tour of the garden, checking on my plants and trees this evening, I was walking by the same cupboard and the smell was just as strong. Now I could locate it better, perhaps because it has been so hot today. It was coming from the corner of the shallow shelf where I keep tins. I took down some of the tins, noting rust but no other problems, but the small flies alerted me to the questionable tin. One of the pull-top cans of beans has opened itself, perhaps with the freezing and thawing of the cabin’s winter, and the cover, only depressed a tiny amount and therefore unnoticeable, allowed in the bacteria to their work. I have tracked down the smell.
I threw the tin outside and now the cabin will air out. The smell was subtle still, but not pleasant and I’m glad to have found it. I guess I could have left the cupboard the way it was, but I am just as glad to have moved some of its contents anyway.
I am running low on food and I’m thinking of leaving tomorrow, at least long enough to get food in Woodstock and some half inch foamboard for my floor. I’m still unsure what to cover the floor with, and I should perhaps leave the task for another day, but it has been on my mind.
While all that excitement was going on, my watch battery died. I bought that watch for ten dollars at Walmart five or six years ago, so it has stood me well. I took the back off, hooked the half-dead battery up to a solar panel that puts out five volts and we’ll see if I can revive it. I think I have a battery that will fit it in Winnipeg, although if I were to buy a battery I would buy one for my other watch which is nicer even if it doesn’t have an alarm.
