Week 17

Greg spent the week siding the back wall. I spent the week painting. Looks like it is going to take about 20 gallons of paint to prime and do ceilings. Another 15 gallons for color on the walls. Am I the only person who looks at paint swatches and then imagines that color on the wall only for it to be something completely different than I imagined when actually on the wall? To alleviate that craziness, I'm mixing my own colors. Got some oops/mistints I've been collecting over the last several months. Hues I like even though the tones might not be quite right. Stir a little of this with a little of that, cut it with white...maybe a little more. Have been very pleased with results so far.

Calling the kitchen/living area "pancake batter"--in most lights it is a creamy light tan but at certain points in the day it almost looks yellow. The office I wanted a green. Greg did not. Compromised to a "khaki green". In most lights it looks khaki...but sometimes it gives me the green I wanted. Our bedroom and dressing area is "coccoa with cream". Am going to paint the walls in the master bath chocolate...if I get the guts to while Greg is gone hunting. Have the two baths and laundry room to go. Pleased with progress.

Hot water heater in. Kitchen cabinet boxes hung. Waiting for the re-ordered doors. Began installing switches & outlets. Decided that the floors are going to wait until next year, too. Which means that we will NOT be moving in this year. Goal now is to get electricity and plumbing all working (including appliances) so that while we finish next year we will only be sleeping in the little house. I look forward to my REAL bath being operational. Greg figures that I've taken at least 100 (Alaska chilly) outdoor baths/showers between the two summers. Seems like I should get some sort of prize for that.

We took off the weekend to remember why we love Alaska so much. Went out with Larry on his boat into the Prince William Sound. Saw whales coming and going. Saw a brown bear in the cove where we parked for the night. And we fished! Greg got the biggest--a ling cod weighing in over 55 pounds. My bragging rights are for the huge (14+ pound; average 7-8 pounds) yellow eye and the ONLY halibut (27 pounds). We also caught more ling cods, lots of black bass, and a few more yellow eyes. All in all a delightful trip to end the fishing season.