How many steps in a mile?

foundation rebuilt, board and batten replaced, furniture
rehabilitated, deck moved back

A couple of milestones are coming up for the Al and Eurithe Purdy A-frame. This weekend, Sarah Dearing, novelist and A-frame accountant is staying for a week. She will be 'trouble-shooting' the household, and likely pitching in on some last-minute cleaning.

And then, on July 1, Katherine Leyton, the A-frame's first writer-in-residence, will be moving in for a two month stay. (more, much more, on that in future posts.) The historic February 27 announcement of the 2014/15 writers in residence was posted on the Al Purdy website.

Milestones. As we should at these times, it's a good idea to look back and celebrate the small steps that inched us closer. And the people who made those steps - sometimes toiling uphill! A recent post described the poetic carpenters' triumph with the 'back deck' as Eurithe calls the road side of the cottage, and a number of folks who worked on cleaning and sorting.

the sump pump's victory over the basement
 lake celebrated by a single wild aster 

before - the sun sparkling on the waves below the floor

definitely one of the 'before' photos (June 18, 2013)

The photos below show the immense new electrical box, part of an adventure that involved ripping up everything from interior walls to the lawn all the way to the road. Beside it is the elegant solution to this somewhat inelegant modernization. Rick showed me the door created from the original interior panelling. Even the inspector couldn't find it.

at left, the new panel covering the electrical panel

a rather picturesque reminder of so
many people-hours of raking, dragging branches
 piling firewood 

the new back deck-
remove the power tools and bring out some beverages

The June 14/15 weekend (photos on the APAFA website  on June 20) was an astonishing work bee. I received emails from A-frame faithful, all tired yet excited about being part of making a difference. Stalwart Elaine was back, joined in dusting duties by Marni. Eurithe pitched in - it's her way.


Jean Baird  forwarded Brian's account of the beehive of activity "cleaning, painting, hammering, planting, landscaping, wiping down dusty books" of Saturday June 15. No less than seven (according to Brian) of Katherine's family assisted, and made some significant donations. Brian, Ray, and Ron lent a hand. Marie, Paul and Barb have been in touch. Sorta sorry I was camping that week. Sorta. Another time - hope to meet all these fine folk at the Purdy Picnic July  26.

another cottage comfort - a firepit

Brian describes the return of the lakeside deck to its rightful place at the front door, "a spectacular scene the team using shafts of 2x4 lumber as levers to move the rear (sic) deck back into place, like Roman galley slaves". Very Cecil B. Demille. But then, Brian is a film-maker. Great photos on the APAFA website.

As Matti put it, "two days of work got done in one day!"

December 2012

 There are so many other contributors bringing this vision forward. I worry I've forgotten some. One fellow who has been around since early days is John, who used to come mow the lawns. These days he's spending all his free time reconditioning the windows in the living room. I'll post a photo when they return from his Kingston workshop.

June 2014 - wait 'til June 29 for the reveal