Walls and Slabs

I made another quick trip to Grand Haven this week, driving down on Thursday and returning today.  Yesterday I spent a couple hours at Rycenga Building Center working up specs for the estimate on cabinets.  It's amazing how much cabinetry can fit into a small kitchen, two-and-a-half baths, and a little laundry area.  And while I was away the house sprouted a second floor!

The second floor, lakeside, with the master bedroom window
at right and the bathroom window at left.

The guest bedroom window (right) faces the road.  Beyond that
is the stairwell and office (far left, framed in).

During my absence Jim's masonry crew came back to handle pouring the slabs for the front porch and garage.  I expect to see the garage take shape fairly soon, because it will provide a secure, weather protected place to store construction materials.

I have to decide if the front porch will be surfaced in something
other than cement, and if so, what material.

The garage slab is now curing.

As I was leaving Grand Haven this morning, I stopped at The Lighting Corner, a lighting store.  My goal was to find out which lines they handle so that I can look over fixtures.  Lo and behold, I learned they are running a 40% off sale next Saturday.  I guess I'll spend a lot of time on the internet this week, looking at light fixtures!  Forty percent is hard to pass up!

Cousin Sue in Wisconsin sent a note today asking about Internet access at Lake Esau.  Most often I access the Net either at The Painted Lady in Rogers City or Cabin Creek Coffee in Alpena (there's no Starbucks in this area).  On weekends I come over here to the Clubhouse for the Presque Isle Harbor Association, which is a wifi hotspot.  The Association's broadband service may be available from my home site — that apparently depends on whether I can get a clear shot to the antenna atop the water tower!  Otherwise I'll have to order broadband through one of the satellite TV providers.  Cell phone reception is also problematic, although I got a much stronger signal a couple days ago when I was up on the second floor level of my house.  There are some costs associated with being out in the middle of nowhere! •••