3/12-14/19 I went up to Camp Serendipity for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

I was feeling a lot better, but still not quite 100%. The drive over was beautiful with all the trees covered with new snow. The road was bare, and the traffic was light. I stopped and visited with Earl for a while before I continued on to Camp Serendipity.

I arrived at 1:30, drove in, turned around, and parked at the foot of the concrete stairs in 2wd in spite of the 3" of snow on the ground. I carried my gear up to the cabin in one trip without shoveling the snow off the steps. I hoisted the flag, built a fire in the stove, and then had my lunch and a nap.

When I got up, I carried a bunch of firewood up onto the back porch and shoveled some of the snow off the back porch and steps.

On Wednesday, I used the 80-grit sandpaper I had brought with me to sand all fourteen 2x4s for the loft rails.

After lunch and a nap, I split and stacked about a week's supply of firewood and I hauled a bunch of it up onto the back porch deck. Then I used a square-nose shovel to chip and scoop away some more ice and frozen snow from the back porch and steps.

Next, I went out on the front porch and set up a varnishing rack for the 2x4s. The plan was to remove the dust from each of the 2x4s and then stack them in a long row on top of two 2x4s making up the rack on top of the big sawhorses. Then, one by one, I would move one 2x4 from its position on the rack, varnish it, and then replace it on the rack. I would continue in this manner until all of them were varnished. That way, all the varnishing would be done from one comfortable position next to the workbench.

On Thursday morning, I executed my varnishing plan by brooming the dust off each 2x4 and placing it on the rack. Then I varnished each piece according to plan. It went very well.

I wasn't sure whether the weather would be warm enough to allow the varnish to dry so I set up an electric radiant heater on the workbench aimed at the rack of 2x4s. The temperature outside was about 30° but the day ahead was going to be sunny and by mid-day, the rack would be in direct sun. Since I have used Varathane in freezing weather before, I know that it dries OK but it just takes longer. I expect that when I return next week, the varnish will be dry and hard, ready for sanding and the next coat.

After having my lunch, I left for home at 12:30 happy about finally making some building progress.