Let's continue with the manly topics.

From America's past time to camp talk.

Over the past few years my old man has been dumping a ton of money into the camp. For those who are no familiar with my camp, it is in South Arm (lower richardson lake) in Maine. It's a beautiful 3 acre spot that my grandfather got rights to back in the 40's-50's. There's 1500 feet of beach front, a brook, and then the lake of course. Our camp is a little 18x28 structure with 2 floors. It was built back in the 40's-50's and frankly, it wasn't really touched since then.

Camp was a place where me, my sister and our 2 cousins grew up (my father's brothers kids). We owned the woods. Building forts, killing little helpless animals, swimming, fishing, listening to the sox on the radio. Good times.

But over the past 12 years, the kids grew up, the adults got more involved into their work, and camp became a place that you'd go for the beach and just leave. So it has 12 years of neglect.

Now we come to the present. My sister has 2 kids, I have 2 kids, and one of my cousins will soon have 2 kids. But the years of neglecting the camp has lead to an unsafe place for young kids.

So, how is this a manly topic. Well, it's the work we have been doing. Here's a list of what we have been doing:
-jacked up the camp to level it
-replaced the wrap around porch
-built a large shed
-built a 10x16 deck off the porch
-replaced the metal roof
-replaced all the windows
gutted the inside (removed all cabinets,sink,woodstove,etc
-made and install a large support beam by sandwiching plywood and 2x10's, built temp support, cut the rafters, placed the beam in place, fastend rafters to beam
-layed advantek flooring
-wired the camp for solar power
-insulated the walls
-installed tongue and groove
-framed the upstairs to have 3 bedrooms (used to be 1 large room)

And that is where we are at right now. My goal is to finish the tongue and groove and ceiling, then spray everything with a poly coat. Then over the winter we can get our ducks in a row for the rest of the finish work (trim, appliances, propane, cabinets,solar)

Then my friends, it will not only be safe for the kids, it will be our get away for the weekend. No phones, no computers, nothing.... That is until we get directTV up there with an internet Connection...=)