10/12-14/10 I went up to Camp Serendipity for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

On the way, I stopped at the fire station to ask about their annual garage sale. I learned that it has already happened and I missed it. I also learned that they will take the bunk bed I want to donate but not the mattress. They are staffed every Tuesday and the woman on duty told me that I could bring it any time and they will store it until the next sale. That was good news.

When I tried to leave, the truck wouldn't start. I had had Maddy's install a new starter so I thought the problem was fixed. It evidently wasn't. The woman on duty helped me a great deal by first trying unsuccessfully to jump start my truck. Then we let it sit and charge while I called Mike Tutino and left a message about my plight. The fire-station lady called Plain Automotive and asked Scott for some advice. I recognized that Scott was the same guy who had diagnosed and replaced a bad alternator for me on 12/8-9/04.

Scott said he couldn't get away, but if I could get the truck started, to bring it in and he would look at it. Fortunately, after a couple more tries, it started.

On the way to Plain, Mike called me back and said that Scott was the right guy to look at it. He helped me find Scott's place.

While the first Chilean miners were being rescued, Scott checked out the truck and figured out that the ground cable, going from the negative battery terminal to the engine block, was badly corroded by salt from the road and it could no longer handle the starter load.

Rather than have him order a cable and bring the truck back to him, I learned from him how to start the truck using my jumper cables and I decided to get it fixed when I got home. To start the truck, I hook one cable between the negative terminal and the block and it starts right up. Then I remove the cable, shut the hood, and I am on my way.

I paid and thanked Scott and proceeded on to Camp Serendipity. On the way, I stopped at Mike's and we talked over my problem. He told me that he had gotten completely out of the car repair and towing business, but of course, he still has vast knowledge on the subject. He gave me good advice on how to fix the cable problem. As soon as I left, Bert and Ernie ran right behind the truck all the way to Camp Serendipity.

I arrived at 3:00 and fed the dogs a couple biscuits. After moving in, I called Roddy at Gale Insulation and arranged for him to come up and give me a bid on Wednesday.

After a light, late lunch, I went up to the cabin and started a fire in the wood stove. While I was getting the firewood, a chipmunk came by for a mouthful of peanuts. With the cabin warming up, I strung the wire through the walls and floor to supply the four receptacles in the loft floor. Then, starting at the end of the daisy-chain string, I installed outlet box number 50. By that time it was time for a nice shower. This was the first time I had showered with a fire in the wood stove and I discovered that it makes the bathroom toasty warm. I was much more comfortable than I had previously been with only the bathroom electric heater on.

On Wednesday the temperature was in the mid-30s so I started another fire right away. While I was getting the wood, I was visited not only by Bert and Ernie, but also the flock of gray jays and the chipmunk. They all got their treats while the cabin was warming up.

Since the weather was perfect for working outside, I got the wheelbarrow and a couple shovels and moved some more dirt over the top of the septic tank electrical conduit. Then I went inside and finished installing boxes 49, 48, and 47 before lunch.

As soon as I finished lunch, Roddy showed up. He did a thorough inspection of the cabin and we talked about what I needed to do to get ready for the insulation job. I need to move everything off the living and dining room floors, and from the loft floor except for the things right up against the short walls. He said that I did the ductwork in the ceiling correctly and that he would have no problem installing the insulation around it. I needed to install an additional handrail on the loft stairs for his crew's safety. I might need to use my truck to ferry materials from the hairpin turn up to the cabin. His big trucks wouldn't be able to make the turn and he might not have a pickup to bring to the job.

Roddy also looked at the crawlspace and gave me advice on what to do when it comes time to insulate the main floor. We also discussed the problem of water getting into the crawl space and how to fix, or at least mitigate it. He told me the benefits of BIBS (Blown In Bats Something-or-other) for the floor. It would cost $500 more than the standard bats, but it would make for a much better job. It sounds like the thing to do to me.

Roddy left at about 3:30 and I went back to work on the wiring. I finished connecting the new receptacles up to circuit 10. Except for moving some more dirt, that completed what I needed to do to satisfy the electrical inspector. It's going to be a good feeling to get the final electrical approval.

Next, I went up to the loft and checked out the bunk bed. Before I donate it to the fire department sale, I need to make sure it has all the bolts it needs. I took an inventory and made a list of the ones I need to buy. I would like to donate it and get it out of the way before the insulation job begins. I was feeling extra tired and sore, probably from the earth moving I did in the morning, so I took a long hot bath before I finished up with a shower. That was very pleasant.

On Thursday morning I slept in later than usual. The weather was in the mid thirties again so I started another fire right away. And, Bert, Ernie, the gray jays, and the chipmunk all visited me again just like the day before. We'll have to keep meeting like that. I get a big kick out of it.

I started out by picking up all the marble pieces that I had strewn all over the living room floor and stacked them out of the way in the bedroom. Then I got a couple of 2x4s, some hurricane ties, and a length of steel strap and made a second handrail for the loft stairs. It is pretty temporary so I think I'll take it back down as soon as the insulation job is done.

Next I went outside to check to see how much if any additional dirt needs to be hauled to cover the conduit in the vicinity of the septic and dosing tanks. I determined that I better haul a few wheelbarrow loads to that area. While I was out, I took a tour and checked on the sequoia trees. They are all doing very well, especially Ellen. That one used to be the second scrawniest one, and now it ranks among the bushiest. Bill is still small, but the color is good. I think it will make it through another winter and have another go at it next season.

I decided to leave early just in case I had more trouble with the truck. I was ready at 12:45, but then I noticed that the refrigerator door in the trailer had been left ajar and that the freezer compartment was jam packed full of frost and ice. I spent the next half hour removing as much frost and ice as I could and then decided to leave the rest for next week. I left for home at 1:15 after using the jumper cable to get the truck started. On the way home, I stopped in at Billboard Towing in Skykomish and reported to Jim what the actual problem with the truck had been. I got home with no further problems,

10/15/10 I received a bid by email from Gale Insulation. I returned a signed agreement by scanning the agreement, signing it, requesting my preferred dates, and emailing it back to them.