Our contractor Andy was last here in early November. We started easing off the pedal as the cold descended on us and it was time for my bank account to mend itself over winter. It was very odd to not have him around. It was reassuring to have someone else continuing to push things forward even while we were occupied by other work.

Not long after, our electrician Dave returned and started whittling away the final wiring to-do list. Despite my best efforts to keep finding new projects, Dave finished the last of the improvements here today and went on his way. I’m sure I’ll have him back before summer for a few improvements, but the week-to-week regularity of Dave’s eccentric music and colorful cursing is at an end. It makes me pretty sad. I immediately recommended him to all my neighbors – I guess it’s safe to spill the beans now that I don’t need him all the time.

You know it’s been a helluva year when you miss your contractors and gave them birthday presents. Their help has been invaluable.

It’s a slushy mess outside, and the snow keeps falling. I’m still at a financial impasse, waiting for the final heating bill so I can figure out how soon I can afford the rain gutter bill. I expect it to be months longer til I can enlist contractors again, but only four months until we host Expo Icrontic here. I can only hope that with spring weather returns the enthusiasm for helping out here, because year two is looking every bit as challenging as year one.