Oh, the weather outside is...somewhat variable.

Yesterday it rained ALL FREAKING DAY - and then all night. Today there is literally not one tiniest cloud in the sky. Weird.

I had to slog through squelching mud to shovel shit this morning - there was no way I was going to do it yesterday short of a threat to the gig. Spirit the Freakishly Big Mare is gone to some sort of training today, and Paulo the Stallion from Hell was back to his mellow self. Didn't give me a bit of trouble. But between the mud and the rain-soaked hay, I thought I was going to break my back hauling the shitwagon back and forth. C'mon, end of Monsoon.

Still, pretty good day. I went down to the lair, having finally worked up my nerve to cut the hole in the loft floor I need for the permanent ladder. I got two holes drilled and one saw cut done, and then the cordless battery gave up the ghost. I need to bring the corded Sawzall and really give my Lair batteries a workout. The "new" one I hauled out there has so far been pretty underwhelming. I'm afraid it's toast. But since dead batteries are pretty much standard procedure, I had a backup plan. I now have all the loft insulation done, and can start on the siding up there. I've also learned that a bed Landlady gave me will indeed fit up there, which means I get to sleep like a civilized person and not on a pallet on the floor. That's pretty cool.

Now - assuming I ever get that hole cut - I need a boatload of iron plumbing. The Latest! Greatest! plan for the loft ladder involves using 1" pipe and flanges screwed to the wall behind the entry door. Since there's now substantial damage to the loft floor right there, I guess I'm committed as to location if nothing else. Putting it there not only puts the ladder in a spot that isn't where something else absolutely has to be (it's a very small cabin) but also permits the railing to reach all the way across the open part of the loft and secure to the walls at both ends. That'll be way stronger. Uncle Joel's kind of afraid of heights.