I'm mighty thankful to the Psyhigh forestry staff for allowing me to build my own treehouse here in the woods. I just feel a whole heck of a lot more comfortable up in the trees and fresh-cut planks - just like back at home in Timberland. I've barely set foot on the ground my whole life, so being able to sleep up in the pines is quite a comfort.

Heck, you bet @Silvia H.! I'd be happy to have visitors. First I need to finish the dumbwaiter, though, because it's pretty high up and there's no ladders. I've been so busy with classes I've just got it barely proper for living in, and haven't been able to work out too many of the conveniences yet.

You can come out and take a look at it if you like. It's just off the edge of Woodhull Field. Take the trail and keep following it and you'll see it - keep your head up! Holler or throw a pine cone and I'll come down. But don't raise too much of a ruckus or the owls might come after you. I'm still working things out with them.

Hey hey you bet! Let's make it a treehouse house warming.

@Midna, why don't you hook up with @*Atlantica* and @Silvia H. on Saturday afternoon and all come down and check it out. I'll plan on having a hoist or at least a pulley or something ready to get you up. Unless you can fly, in which case you're fine. My place is pretty big and sturdy so I don't see a problem if you want to bring a couple of people along.

Oh - and any dead mice you can hunt up to offer to the owls might be a good idea. We've come to an understanding, the owls and I, but they are wild creatures after all.

Just finally saw the girls off from our Treehouse housewarming - which turned into a sleepover. What a hoot!

I was able to haul up @Silvia H., @*Atlantica*, @Midna, and their friends in my brand-new dumbwaiter (just one at a time). Except for that flying girl who didn't need it. We had pizza delivered (by broom!) last night, and I had enough quilts to make everybody nice beds. Internet is iffy out here but we were able to watch Cabin in the Woods on my laptop, so that was pretty cool.

We were up pretty late and slept in, and then I made everybody my famous flapjacks and coffee for brunch. I make my own maple syrup and cure my own bacon. I think the girls were suitably impressed.

Oh, except for that girl Stephanie. I guess we didn't bring quite enough mice to the table, so the owls snatched her off the deck last night. I'm sure she'll be okay, though. The owls will let her go after a couple of days when they realize she won't eat the scraps they bring her.

Let's do it again some time for sure! Today I'm going to catch up on my homework, and build a spice rack.

Needed: Who's got a car?

I've got a set of giant squirrel statues I carved out of logs that need delivering to the Seat of the Squirrels. They are a commissioned work, paid for by the Emperor of Squirrels himself. They're mighty big, but there's only 4 of them. They'd fit in a truck, or a jeep.

@Pete the Girl? I hear you've got a truck. Also, @Pearline, I hear you've got a jeep. Anybody else out there? It's quite a haul up to the Seat of the Squirrels, so 4-wheel drive would be a good idea. I'd also be up for hearing from any flyers or teleporters, but it's strange country up there and it'd be safer to take it by land.

Thanks! And I'm sure the Emperor of Squirrels will make it worth your while.

Let me know online, or feel free to drop by my treehouse any time.

You better drive up to my treehouse, @Pearline, because these carvings are mighty heavy. Each one's man-sized. Drive on the logging road and it will take you right to me.

I might be in class, so if I'm not there feel free to just load them up and take them. They're right at the foot of my tree.

Thanks so much! I owe you one!

It is quite a trip up there, though. Hope you make it back by tomorrow! If not, I'm sure the squirrels will treat you right.

I was a wondering how the drop-off of the squirrel statues went, @Pearline, as I hadn't heard from you and wanted to make sure that everything went alright with that.

Oh! And to make sure the Emperor of the Squirrels gave you his special thing. You know, to acknowledge receipt of the art. It's an old squirrel custom, and I'm sure he would have made a big show of giving it to you. But it's kinda important that I have that, in case he comes a calling and wants to see it.

Let me know! Also, hope you had a good trip to see your folk.

And thanks again. I owe you a big one.

Thanks for picking up that squirrel receipt, @Pearline. I'll drop by and pick it up, but I'm going to try and make it from my treehouse to your dorm without touching the ground. So I'll be from treetops to telephone poles to roofs with my belays and hitches and we'll see how it goes!

Funny thing happened on my way to @Pearline's. I was headed through what we call the Transitional Urban Canopy -- where you move from pure forest into telephone and powerlines to industrial and residential rooftops.

The weather's been cold and wet, so my lines were a bit stiff and slippery, but with my crampons and carbon fibre gloves it was fine. A good day to be out and about in the treeptops, really, and I could even catch glances of the hairy spindly legs of mighty World-Weavers weaving this world as they do.

But I also spotted a surprise -- another Timberjack. I could make out our trademark red and black and red flannel from across the wires and roofs from about half a mile. I took off after them but couldn't catch up, and didn't get a response to my standard Timberjack messaging protocols.

Never did make it to @Pearline's. Had to head to shop class.

You didn't... cut down a young Pine tree, did you @Pearline? That would explain the ranks of angry Pines I'm seeing lining up in the woods all around the school.

A couple few weeks ago I dropped off a very important message from the Pines at the Admin building, and they promised they'd pass it on to the Dean. It was mighty sticky with sap, but it was clear: No Christmas tree cutting this year. They'd lost a few more yearlings than usual and couldn't afford their usual sacrifice.

But I guess the Dean never made an announcement?

Uh oh. This could get ugly.