9/24-26/13 I went up to Camp Serendipity for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

I had an eye-doctor appointment first thing in the morning and from there I went to Priscilla's to make a delivery. Then I drove to Monroe and visited with Uncle Charles for a while. I stopped for some groceries in Gold Bar and finally arrived at Camp Serendipity at 1:45.

I didn't find any mice in the traps, but one trap was missing. I don't know whether the scouts made off with it without my noticing or whether a mouse dragged it away. I searched in vain for the trap but couldn't find any trace. I suppose if there is a mouse in it I might be able to smell it in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I remain mystified.

After lunch and a nap, I just had to drive the truck up to the upper roadway just to test it now that the scouts had cleared the obstructing rocks from the lower roadway. I learned that my truck has too long a turning radius to make the turn without backing up at least once. I had designed the turn for my old 1981 GMC which had a shorter turning radius. There are huge trees lining the outside of the turn so the radius of the turn can't easily be increased. But at least it only takes one extra maneuver to get up and back now rather than the four or five it used to take. It's much better now.

Next, I turned on the valve to water the giant sequoia named Brian and then went into the woods to check on all the sequoias and the spring. The trees all looked healthy and the dam at the spring was still holding up very well. I have more-or-less decided to use quick setting hydraulic cement to plug the leaks in the spring much like I had planned to use bentonite. But this time I will excavate as much of the gravel from under the concrete as I can first. I haven't yet figured out how to learn how to handle the concrete. I need to learn the exact amount of water to use so I can mix it quickly. It sets in 90 seconds so I can't waste any time trying to get the mixture right. I should probably also practice pouring it in a flowing underwater situation somehow. When I feel I am ready, I'll do the job this fall assuming that the weather permits.

Back in the cabin, I spent some time putting things back after the scout visit. They had taken all the pictures and certificates off one wall, which I put back. I also put the bronze model of Mt. Rainier back in its case.

Then I went to work varnishing doors. I took the door to the linen closet off its hinges and took it out on the porch where I sanded it. While I was out there I talked with Nancy Bartholomew who was walking her dogs on the road below. She told me that her garden had been very productive and invited me over to get some tomatoes. I told her that I would. She said that they got roughly five gallons of quinoa which is pretty good.

On Wednesday morning, I started out by raising the flag on the new flagpole. That will be a new ritual at Camp Serendipity from now on on all clear days. I enjoyed seeing the flag out the dining room window at each meal and out the kitchen window every time I was at the sink.

The temperature outside was 45º so I started a fire in the wood stove. That not only took the chill off the cabin but it over heated it. I also went down into the crawl space and changed the ventilation valve from summer to winter mode. That makes the warm air taken from the loft ceiling get blown into the bedroom rather than outside.

I took the pantry door and the utility room door outside and sanded both of them. After taking a break for lunch and a nap, I varnished all three doors outside on the porch. Then I sanded the jambs for the three doors and then I varnished the jambs.

When I had just a few brush strokes left to do on the last jamb, Nancy knocked on the back door. She came in and looked the place over while I finished up the varnishing and cleaned out my brush. She had brought some tomatoes, some Italian prunes, and some dried apple slices. I really appreciated the produce. When she left, I brought the three doors back inside and hung them on their hinges.

On Thursday morning, I varnished five doors and jambs (front entry, hall closet, bedroom, bathroom, and linen closet) and the pantry jamb. At that point I ran out of varnish and I ran out of time. I varnished the doors in place without sanding because the second coat had gone on smoothly enough that they didn't need sanding. I think I'll put on a fourth coat and call it good, although I'll make that decision after I see how they look. I am happy with them so far. I left for home at 1:15 a happy man.