It was still late summer, and only the middle of September, but it felt very much like fall last weekend in Nordegg. It is freezing most nights now, and the leaves are turning color. We took two trucks out on Saturday so that we could bring the trailer, and a bunch of construction supplies. Margarit and the two young girls went home later that afternoon and Hailey and I stayed for the rest of the weekend. Construction has finally got underway on our cottage and the lower floor walls were up. I brought out a gate, which I installed on our driveway that afternoon. I also finally put up the door on our smoke house.
My friend Rob, who did the Procession West gallery exhibitions with me, was coming out to do the electrical rough in. Our friend Brad, who I have been out hiking with a number of times, including two trips to Utah, was also coming along to help. They both showed up on Sunday afternoon, just before I had to head back to the city.
Earlier in the day Hailey and I went out for an afternoon ATV ride on the trails around Nordegg. We checked out some of the usual trails, as well as a new one down to a small lake. We saw a couple of Whiskeyjacks and a Ruffed Grouse. We followed part of the old Rail Trail that follows the old railway line that used to haul coal from the Brazeau Collieries mine site.
We got tragic news on Sunday afternoon when Anna called. She has been saving her money for months so that she could buy a pet rabbit. She saved up enough to cover food and supplies and vet bills for the first year, before buying her new pet. About a week ago she got a small dwarf bunny which she named "Loaf", after its light brown color and resemblance to a loaf of bread. She was inseparable from that little guy and even brought him along with us to Nordegg. But on Sunday, after they got back home, he took sick with some sort of infection and passed away within hours. Needless to say Anna is devastated and has been grieving ever since. As a parent it is really difficult to see my daughter so upset. This will take a long time for her to get over....
I left the trailer at the lot this time, fully stocked with food, water and propane. Brad and Rob are staying in it for a few days while I had to return to the city and to work. They are going to do some hiking this week as well as work on the rough in of the electrical. I brought along a whole bunch of tools and supplies and all the materials needed to do the job. Hopefully the weather cooperates and the framers can finish the walls and get the trusses on so that the electrical can be roughed in. It was raining heavily, turning to wet snow here in the city today. But in Nordegg conditions were considerably better and the framing of the upper walls is now complete, and roof trusses have started going on. I'll head back out next weekend and help the guys finish up, hopefully with a little extra time for some hiking and visiting. The weather is supposed to be really lousy for a day or two, and then begin to improve. If the framers can get those trusses up and the roof sheeted in, it won't be too bad working inside.
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