After getting the ceiling nailed up it was time to have our blower test for our energy grant money. Last fall a home inspector came and tested the cottage for insulation and energy efficiency. He hooked up a machine to the door and measured the air leakage of the cottage. We had lots of room for improvement and after this year's test the inspector said we were every bit as tight as a new house. The only down side is that we have to leave a window cracked open so the house can breathe when we are heating with the propane stove and cooking with the vintage Moffat gas stove. At least we are warm and it is wonderful to have insulation in the floors, walls and ceiling.
After the drywall had cured it was time to break out the paint rollers and get two coats of primer on the walls. It was also time for me to choose the colours...not an easy thing to do from a paint chip the size of a domino. Our friend Gayle had loaned me a wallet of Benjamin Moore colours and after looking at dozens of shades in daylight and at night I decided on a colour called filtered sunlight for the front room and saphirre berry blue for the back room. Rob and I are both pleased with the colours and both shades look wonderful with the cedar and pine. After Thanksgiving Rob will start sanding and varnishing the pine beams and at that point I will be moving home to the condo. I have lots of catch up to do at home and besides it is best that I stay away from the wood working mess. We have ordered the pine flooring/ceiling for the loft from a sawmill in Bomanville and are hoping that if we can get the pine varnished it can be nailed down this fall. Jurgen is seeing about a stair builder and a man who builds glass railings. Our plan is to have glass railings both inside and out to keep an open feeling and not block the view to the lake. There is still lots to do; however it is exciting thinking about the plans for the loft and upper deck.
We are having Thanksgiving dinner at the cottage with Gayle, Brian and my mother. I am cooking a 9 pound Mennonite chicken and Gayle is providing the trimmings so we are in for a feast.
