February started with more cold and more snow.  Long term residents say this is the longest, snowiest and coldest winter they can remember.  Lots of sun tho’, and lots of opportunities to snowshoe around the property.  And we are walking Hime without a leash (she is older and cannot easily get over the snow banks).  As I write this on Feb 27th, it is snowing again.  At this time last year, we were a week away from golfing.  Did not get much done on the house the first half of the month – we had doctor/dentist appointments (finally found a family doctor taking patients), went to the Ballet (excellent) and I gave a three hour lecture on trade policy and negotiations to a 3rd year poly sci class at UBCO.  Also had presentations to a Roundtable I chair from Kelowna’s mayor and B.C.’s newest senator, Yeun Pau Woo, formerly head of the Asia Pacific Foundation.

In mid-Feb we went on a week-long break to Mexico – lots of tropical cocktails, some very good and interesting food (a deconstructed lemon pie pictured below), a visit to the Mayan ruin of Coba, and some sport.  I got a dead center bulls eye on my first shot (although the target was a bit less than Olympic distance).  Pat and Pat graciously took care of the house and the hound.

Cut and fit the dark stained maple on the downstairs landing, and some nosing on the right hand side.  Still need to make a few adjustments, and then install the flooring and baseboards, and a railing.

The parts for the first flight of stairs going up are mostly finished. I used tinted epoxy to fill some cracks and checks, oiled the stringers and treads (same as maple floor) and cut and drilled angle iron for the supports.  Next step is to paint the angle iron, drill holes in the stringers, and lag the iron to the wood.  And then Coop and I will disassemble the existing stairs and install the new stringers and treads.