My new window helper arrived at 8:00AM and he brought the storm door window up from the cellar. Then he brought all the 2nd floor window storms upstairs and we got started in the old office.
There was no sign of the supervisor as we worked our way across the front of the house, down the west side and across the north side. That was 8 windows. We went into the other bedroom and found Larry on top of the bureau. One look at all our paraphernalia and he left.
We got the awning window, #9, done and headed downstairs. There are still 4 small windows on the second floor but I can do those myself.
I got set up to wash while my helper started taking out the windows. The time was going to be pretty close, so we decided to take out all the windows so I wouldn’t be waiting to wash the next ones.
That’s when Larry appeared. He’s not fond of men but he seemed unconcerned about my helper, often letting him within 3’ before moving off.
This is a passive solar heated house and we need to have clean windows and storms on to allow the maximum sunlight to heat the house. On a sunny day it can be in the 20’s or 30’sF and we will be in the 70’sF once the sun hits the windows.
The masonry heater and the wood stove are for when the sun goes down.
The ground is only 4’ below the window, so I wasn’t concerned about him falling. Mostly we kept an eye on him because he’s never been outside and I didn’t want to be chasing him.
He was happy sitting in the sun looking around. I kept washing windows and my helper re-installed them. He also got the storm window into the door. I didn’t get it washed, I was too tired. Those 4 windows made 13, the goal set for the day.
We finished on time at noon. Later in the evening, I got the grills for each window wiped down and re-installed so I could hang the plants back in the window. It was to drop into the 30’sF and I’d need to light the stove. The plants had been hung on the beams by the wood stove.
I also had to light the masonry heater for the first time because of the cold. I spent some time cleaning the door glass and getting organized. It took 2 attempts at lighting before it finally got started.
On Tuesday my general helper will be here at 8:00AM and we have errands to get done before my helper friend arrives at 9:30AM. Then we all go out to the Big garden and start cleaning out the next section.