2/10-12/09 I went up to the property for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

I arrived at 12:15. There had been no more than a skiff of new snow for the past several weeks. The old snow had shrunk and frozen hard. I parked halfway to the trailer and was promptly greeted by Bert and Ernie. After treating the dogs, moving in, and having lunch, I cut and split a bunch of firewood and built a fire. The wood was wet and frozen so the fire didn't burn very well. It was still warm enough to work inside as long as I left my hat and jacket on.

I finished wiring box J, installed the switches, and put the cover plate on. To help me keep track, I have decided to put the cover plate on only when a box is completely wired up. Next I hot wired box J by plugging in a wire that I wire-nutted to the wire from box J to box N. It was gratifying to be able to turn the porch lights and the entry light on and off using the final switches.

Next I strung wires from box N to the bedroom light, from there to box G and to the bathroom wall near the site of the bathroom light. I haven't quite figured out where that light should be so I haven't installed a box for it yet. I installed the switch and cover plate in box G.

Then I strung 50 feet of wire through the EMT elbow in the Grid E1 loft ceiling and through a hole I drilled in a birdblock next to it. I was trying to string the wire to the front flood lights, but when I got the wire all strung out, I discovered that it was at least 10 feet too short. I did what I had to do and pulled the wire back out. I'll have to wait until I get a longer wire before I can complete box N and wire up the flood lights.

On Wednesday, I cut and split some more firewood and got a fire going in the stove. It didn't burn all that well either, but it warmed the place up enough so that I worked in shirtsleeves. I left my hat on, though. Bert and Ernie showed up for another dog biscuit treat.

I got the new glass that I had brought for the porch fixture and set about installing it. The temperature was in the upper 20s so the glass was frosty cold. To install it, I had to carry it up the ladder to the fixture and attach it to the first of three cables through one of the holes in the glass. The nuts that hold it are small decorative painted balls. In order not to drop and lose any of them, I had wrapped a piece of masking tape around each one before I started. That made it easier to fasten them to the cables.

After fastening the glass to the first cable, I let it hang down while I got the next nut ready. When I went to fasten the second one, I noticed that two cracks had developed right about where I had been holding the glass in my warm hand. I am sure the temperature differential in the glass caused the cracks. It was a little discouraging and it caused me to realize that maybe there was another reason not to use these indoor fixtures out on the porch.

I finished attaching the glass anyway. I guess we'll see whether those cracks develop into anything more damaging. For now, however, the fixtures look beautiful up there and light up the porch very nicely. The cracks in the glass are not too noticeable and I guess they fit in with the decor of all the cracks in the logs and planks.

I wired up the rest of box N, leaving out the wire to the flood lights. Then I hot wired that part of the circuit using the wire to the bathroom. Then I installed a porcelain light fixture in the bedroom and I installed the motion light fixture under the porch eave. I tested the motion light in the TEST mode only just to make sure the circuit worked. I'll worry about setting and adjusting that fixture later. I don't have the proper bulbs for it right now.

After lunch and a short nap, I went to work on the pantry light and receptacles. Dave had helped me decide to use the top back shelf of the pantry as a wiring closet. It will not only be the hub for all low-voltage applications, like telephones, but for computerized components as well. Dave advised me to install a power outlet nearby for components that will need it. That outlet box is designated as number 36 and is installed up near the ceiling at about Grid B1.5, or at coordinate point (8,23) using the grid system on the floor plan diagram.

After looking at the physical layout, I realized that my drawing for circuit number 6 needed to be revised. I redesigned it slightly and then installed the pantry light fixture and the outlet box 36. I ran the wires to the distribution panel and to box O, and to the bathroom light fixture site. I wire-nut spliced the two wires at the bathroom site so that I could energize circuit number 6 prior to installing the bathroom light. I hot-wired the entire circuit using the wire going to the distribution panel and was pleased to be able to control all those lights with wall switches, or the pull-chain in the case of the pantry, for the first time.

On Thursday morning, I didn't build a fire in the stove and worked mostly with gloves on. I installed the breaker for circuit number 6 in the service panel, and I installed both kitchen lights using temporary porcelain fixtures again. Then I installed a temporary porcelain fixture in the hall and finished wiring up box H including the plate. I felt good about having most of circuit number 6 installed. The scouts will now be able to control the main floor lighting in the normal way using regular switches instead of extension cords.

I left for home at 1:30.