Quick trip today. Pulled in around 7:00 with the aluminum ATV trailer in tow and the pooch in the backseat. Dad was already up here with his friend Nick, a retired electrician. Nick’s going to be helping us install a new meter and outdoor panel, replacing our ancient push-o-matic 60 amp service with a brand-new 200 amp service panel. I’ll eventually be able to re-route the pole barn and keep lines to this new panel and bump them each up to 30 amp in the process. I talked with Nick about the specifics of my current runs and he’ll be getting back to us with a time he can come back up and perform the install. This will be a major and long-overdue upgrade; I’m looking forward to it!

Service for eight. We’re fancy now.

Dad and Nick left around 7:30 so I opened up the keep and dropped off some supplies and recent acquisitions. Having on-demand hot water makes it much easier to do dishes, so I bought a set of silverware for the keep. No more eating steaks with plastic forks! I also got a turner spatula, ladle, and serving spoon so we can be ready for anything from chili to fried eggs. I dropped off the freshly-laundered linens in the bedroom, too.

The final things to haul into the keep this trip were a new microwave and a pair of barstools. I picked them up earlier today on craigslist for $25 and $5 respectively. This microwave is smaller than the current one, which is actually a good thing as it pulls less power. And the barstools will make for good overflow seating or at least a place to rest a drink or two.

The microwave matches the silverware.

I closed up the keep and pulled the truck and trailer around to the pole barn for the final project of the night. It was pitch black at this point, so I got out the halogen worklights and trained them on the last remaining scrap mowers. I fired up the green ATV and winched the two riding mowers over to the front of the pole barn. I aired up the tires (at least the ones that would take air) to make them easier to load onto the trailer. The green mower pushed right up but the red one needed a little coaxing from the ATV. There was still some room on the trailer, so I also hauled out the old silver snow blower and wrestled it up the ramp. I raked up the mess I made, packed the worklights and compressor hoses away, and closed up the pole barn. Hannah and I pulled out a little after 8:30.