5/20-22/03 I went up to the property for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

On the way I stopped at Lowe's and bought 6 sacks of mortar mix. I was surprised to find Seattle Police directing traffic in the parking lot and it took me a while to get into a parking space. I found out that the traffic was for the grand opening of a Krispy Kreme donut store in the corner of the parking lot. Since I was already parked, I decided to walk over and buy a dozen donuts. The line was longer than it looked so it took a while. I ate three or four donuts on the way up, and then I stopped in and gave the rest of them to Marilyn and George.

I arrived at the property at 2:40. Bert and Ernie were right there to greet me so I fed Bert my apple core. After I moved in I hauled the pieces of a huge branch, that I had brought with me, to the compost pile. Then I drove the pickup up to the building and unloaded the 6 sacks of mortar mix. While the pickup was up there, I loaded the table saw into it.

I had never used that saw and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I never would. The sawdust, the noise, and the danger did not seem to be outweighed by the few projects I could imagine where that saw would be any more useful than a Skilsaw. I agreed to sell the table saw to Colleen Robinson so I was going to take it home on this trip. I got the pickup backed down okay and that was all I got done before I quit for the day.

I had felt a cold coming on for a day or so, so I took Zicam to try to stop it in its tracks.

On Wednesday morning, I could feel the cold developing so I took more Zicam and I took a daytime cold remedy also. In the morning I chinked 3 seams. Every batch of mortar came out perfect. It makes it efficient and easy to have an easy scheme for measuring out the water and the mix. During the work, I fed a Stellar's Jay some peanuts while I was within 12 feet. He obviously doesn't like me being there so I doubt that he will get any more tolerant. He might start trying to train me to stay away like the others have.

After lunch, I insulated and nailed the last three seams on the southwest wall. I also fed a little chipmunk from my hand. He is getting tame enough that he let me rub his tummy a little without running off. I also went up and checked on the little tree I had transplanted and it is sprouting some healthy new growth. The chicken wire is still keeping the deer away. On the way back, I discovered a big pile of bear scat on the trail.

Wednesday night I was feeling pretty sick so I went to bed at 7:30. I didn't sleep too well, but I kept myself dosed with Zicam and I am sure the rest did me some good.

On Thursday morning, my cold seemed to be better, although I was still under the influence of the cold medicine. I chinked 2 1/2 seams before I ran out of time. That leaves just a half of the last seam to do on the front wall. I left for home at 1:15.