10 days and counting

My knees are killing me. Yesterday was a blustery day that started with light sprinkles and turned into a downpour, turning the dirt yard into a mud wrestling stage. We spent the entire day at the site, first with the official explanation from the komuten, that really wasn't necessary given the time we've spent there, then with deliveries and installations: 3 air conditioners, a gas dryer, etc.

We also started waxing the floors with a natural finish that is called "clear," but it does bring out the grain of the wood, and the color, especially the reddish areas of the sugi. We were putting in on with a roller, but it requires a good hard rub after that to soak up the excess and that means a lot of time on your knees. We finished the upstairs, since we thought we'd practice on the lesser seen parts, and left the downstairs dining space (which is where the entrance opens on to) for me to do later today.

It was a cold day, too, and luckily we took down a tiny space heater that was enough to heat the tatami room so that m could stay there and play.