"I love it when a plan comes together."

 John "Hannibal" Smith, from "The A-Team" was fond of saying, at the conclusion of a project, "I love it when a plan comes together."

Today's project was the transport of 1000 board feet of freshly sawn White Pine lumber which will be used for flooring in the living/dining/kitchen area of the house.  We have an open concept space of about 900 square feet and are planning to use a face nailed (using cut nails) planked pine floor system, using mostly 1x12's with some 1x10 and 1x8 thrown in to add variety.  (I couldn't have done it without the gracious offer of a pick up truck from neighbor Mike Stanford. And thanks to Rick and Janelle Davis and Mike and Debbie Youmans also for the offers of a truck and/or trailer...)

The first load contained 596 board feet and
weighed heavily on the suspension.   The weight was significantly above normal because, as you can see in the following pictures, some of the boards were frozen together.

(As a general note pictures posted on this blog will open and expand when clicked on).

It was about a 2 1/2 hour endeavor to drive out to West Branch Lumber Company, load the lumber, transport it back to Chatham Twp and unload each time.

The second load, coming in at about 406 board feet was a lighter load but didn't make much of a time difference. (Probably due to the necessary conversation about the Ambrosia Maple Jake had recently lumbered for his dad, the wormy pine lying nearby, the various walnut planks, and the piles of assorted other woods weathering nicely around the grounds. I love talking wood and Jake has some SWEET stuff!!!

But I was focused.  I had 1000 board feet of lumber to load, transport, unload, stack, cover (and soon to also build a solar dryer for, and then  square the edges and ends of, and put down in the house later this year.)  I. WAS. PUMPED.

My ever wonderful wife helped to unload all of it, including the frozen together pile of 8, 10 foot 1x8's (a heavy load) and when we finished it was time to sit in front of the fire, enjoy "a cuppa" and relax.  Thank you, Lord.  I love it when a plan comes together!