For Christmas- I made a ton of cookies and candy. Our intention was to make "goodie" plates for all of those in the area that we had met. After 25 plates being delivered- we were out of all that fattening stuff. It was pretty amazing to watch people's faces as we delivered our gift- they were surprised and speechless. The post office guy, landfill guy and all the girls at the Trapper Creek Inn were privy to our talents as well as others who we have coffee with or who helped us with the house.
The week before Christmas we worked in Fairbanks and Delta Junction. I have never been so cold in my life. You know...I made a big deal on my last post about it being 25 below? Well.....that was just the start of things going very negative. It has been documented that it was a negative 40 degrees on our truck's thermostat but what's worse is that it was really 47 below in other area of town. I have never had the inside of my nose freeze up- even in Iowa- that never happened. My long underwear certainly helped out but I could have used a second layer but they wouldn't fit under my clothers. Note to Self- get Winter fat clothes to accommodate for two layers of long underwear.
After Christmas- we have been back at getting the house trimwork completed. Mike has been busy with baseboards, closets and mounting the hood pipe above the stove. My only job was to completely unpack my clothes, find a place for everything that had been moved a dozen times and get the countertop/stove backsplash done.
Consequently we found all of our Japan artifacts and gifts- they have been displayed on the stairway wall. We figure that the house decorations will move a couple of more times as we get more stuff unpacked. I am really missing those bookshelves that we had in Mukilteo. We have no shelves and have to figure out a way to store all of our "stuff", books and albums.
The backsplash only took me two days once I got going on it. Like all detail work- the preliminary masking and cleaning takes the time. Mike attached the hardiboard and then I could get the mortar slapped on the tiles.
The next day- I grouted all the seams. I thought it would only take me a couple of hours but three hours later- I had all the vertical seams done. VERTICAL seams is the key word- it takes more time to do these than anything else. The end result looks great and will be much better than the sheetrock. Easier to clean as it has also been sealed.
Before we get started the hardiboard must be attached to the walls.
Almost done with tile setting- my arms are killing me.
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All Grouted and moved back in- Mike is back in the kitchen! 
I am so glad that job is off my list!!!
