3/12-14/13 I went up to Camp Serendipity for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

After visiting with Uncle Charles in Monroe, I proceeded on to Camp Serendipity and arrived at about 1:00. I was greeted by Bert who followed me up to the cabin where he got his usual hugs and biscuits.

After lunch and a short nap, I went up on the scaffold to check on the rodent valve. I was disappointed to find that the wood chip I had left on the flapper was still there. It was a little cockeyed, but I am pretty sure that it would have fallen completely out if a packrat had lifted the flapper to get out. I am also pretty sure that if they didn't get out, there would be no way they could have survived in there for a week without water. So either they got out without dislodging that chip, or they were dead inside and would eventually dry up.

Next I proceeded to nail up two of the remaining ceiling boards and measured for the final strip. I plugged the opening with scrap boards so that no rodent could get in or out of the cavity between the rafters. Then I came back down from the scaffolding and ripped the final strip using a hand rip saw.

I went outside to get some wood for a fire and was met by Bert and Ernie. I gave them each their hugs and biscuits and then took the wood in and built a fire. I didn't hear any packrat noises during the night for the first time. That convinced me that there were no live rodents in that space.

On Wednesday I took the strip I had made up on the scaffold and finished the ceiling on the outside. That was a major milestone in the project. The project of ceilings on the outside had become the highest priority in May of 2012 and now it was done except for dismantling and putting away the scaffolding.

Bert and Ernie showed up again, as if to celebrate the momentous occasion, and they got their usual hugs and biscuits.

I was also visited by a pair of Canadian Jays a few times during the work who also joined me in celebrating. They both took peanuts from my hand on each visit.

Before I stopped for lunch, I shot scenes for a video explaining the scaffolding I used for the high ceiling and the rodent valve I had used trying to evict the packrats.

After lunch and a nap, I began dismantling the scaffolding. By the end of the day I had taken down all of the decking and stringers for the hanging scaffolding. I also removed the rebar hangers and 4x4 cross pieces from Grid A3 and Grid B3, and I dismantled the top two tiers of the three-tier tower. Since I had lowered most of the pieces of the scaffolding using Leonard's old rope with a rebar hook on the end, the planks, OSB, plywood, ropes and frames ended up stacked in a jumble on the ground around the remaining first tier of the old tower. I left them there for the night. I went in for the night very sore, tired, and happy with the progress.

On Thursday morning I dismantled the remaining tier from the old 3-tier tower and put all the pieces of scaffolding away in what I hope to be more-or-less permanent storage. The pair of Canadian Jays came around for peanuts again during the work. All that remains now is to take down the hangers and 4x4s that are still hanging up there at Grid C3, D3, and E3, and then dismantle and put away the 2-tier tower. I'll leave that for next week when I am not so tired.

I left for home at 1:00 very pleased and happy with the week's progress. I always like passing major milestones.