#34 Winter vs. Spring

Hello there,

when I think about it, there's actually not much new to report. On Sunday, I saw my first chipmunk. Seriously, they are so cute and small. I imagined them to be much bigger, like squirrels, just with a stripe, but nope... maybe as big as your hand 😅 Super cute! However, they are still not very common. I saw my third and last one running on the construction site on Wednesday. Fortunately, I didn't have to hold a wall at that moment, because then I would be enthusiastically pointing and shouting with my finger behind the swift-running chipmunk: Jenny, look! LOOK! 😁

When I'm not pointing at an animal with my finger (for example, the snow hares are also here more often lately), I usually rub my hands together early in the morning, because the weather here is a little competition that usually ends perfectly at noon. In the early morning, it's still quite cold and we start the day with sometimes -16 °C or colder. That means we still have to do everything wearing thick clothes. Once the sun comes out, it gradually gets warmer, but the wind has picked up right in time for the weekend, so it still feels chilly. However, after noon, most days of the week it gets very warm, so sometimes you can work in just a t-shirt. We easily reach double-digit temperatures in the sun here. However, it's still quite cold in the shade. Fortunately, there was no new snow and the one from last Saturday was gone on Sunday. Because what was really annoying all the time was the dripping of the snow from the roof in front of my cabin. It's like the ticking of a clock, you actually don't hear it, but when you focus on it, you hear the ticking all the time! ...... well, just like the ticking of a clock in your head? 😏 This annoying dripping mainly went on until late at night and started early and could be heard up to my bed. Sometimes such noises are annoying 😅 But what sounds are not annoying, but feel ten times louder are the birds in front of my cabin. I have no idea what all the birds are called, but there are about eight different bird species + chipmunks & squirrels. Sometimes an incredibly loud and impressive noise. So sometimes I sit outside in the evening and try my luck with taking photos, but this week I had rather poor success.

Unfortunately, on Tuesday we also received the news that Peter had to be flown to Williams Lake because he had a heart attack. However, he will be back home in the next few days, so apparently he is feeling better again. But that was a pretty big shock.

Otherwise, the construction site is progressing diligently. On Monday, I briefly thought that Jenny would finish the roof, but she decided against it. Which I can totally understand, I definitely wouldn't do it 😅 However, on Tuesday, she had to do something at the top of the roof and she needed my help for that. That was a moment where I had to step out of my comfort zone a bit. Sometimes I don't feel like being at heights. When I was a glider pilot back then, I knew I had a parachute or I couldn't write this blog anymore if the parachute didn't help. I had no problem with heights then. But for example, when I'm standing on a ladder that sometimes wobbles a bit and I'm trying to fix something, I hate it. Because then I think that if I fall now, it will damn hurt, especially with all the shit on the ground and luckily there would be Daisy lying there in the sun enjoying her life 🌞😁 Or also, when I'm standing on a very high roof and Jenny is strapped around her and my waist with a ratchet strap and I have to secure her and I'm just thinking: Yeah, sometimes that's pretty impressive what she does and then I also think like... you're holding her life here and if you slip on the slope of the roof, that wouldn't be good either 😁 But as I already wrote, I can still write this blog and Jenny is also fine 😅 But that was an experience I don't need like this, although the view from up there is really incredible, from there you can see the mountains from a completely different perspective. However, I didn't take a photo because I wanted to go down quickly again. Maybe some other time. Speaking of photos, on both Tuesday and Wednesday (+ this morning 😅) I took pictures of the mountains. One evening, I laughed at myself because I've been seeing these mountains for five months now (yes, today starts my fifth month here, I arrived on 01.12.2022 and today is 01. 04.2023), but I still find them incredibly beautiful, so I just keep taking out my phone and photographing these mountains 😅 They are just beautiful, especially since it snows again at their altitudes and they still look beautifully white. Beautiful nature! 🌄❤️

On Tuesday, I continued building my first "wall structure," which isn't particularly difficult, as you just have to cut the wooden elements precisely and screw them together at right angles. This is intended to allow me to build the missing walls while other men from Tatla Lake, who would also like to work here, for example, take over my tasks. But who knows if that will happen. But it's definitely nice of Jenny to offer local people work here. However, the hope that no more deliveries could be made did not come true. A new one arrived on Thursday. The trick: Just don't order so much, then the truck won't be too heavy. What could go wrong? That's right, you forget to put wood on the order. So now we have a very, very large number of chipboard and about 16 cement blocks, but very, very little wood left. 😁 But I also have to say that we accomplished a lot this week. We raised three walls, installed a new door, and Jenny used a huge amount of chipboard. It's amazing how quickly they are used up. So, the rough construction on top is "almost" finished. Of course, everything still needs to be sealed and the final wall cladding needs to be installed. I also found out this week that a new area will be built on one side, where her private "hot tub" will be located. Treating yourself with something nice! :D

I'm definitely curious to see how things will continue next week with the limited amount of wood, but I can tell you about it next week. Today, there was a thin layer of fresh snow in front of my cabin right on time for the weekend, which, however, melted again, and the sun is shining quite nicely, but unfortunately, I can't see many squirrels at my spot today. Maybe later this afternoon.

Until then.

Samuel ✌🏽

P.S. I wish all teachers and students in Saxony-Anhalt relaxing Easter holidays! 😊