Blaine & Shay met while vacationing in Istanbul, Turkey in 2021. Blaine is a U.S. Army veteran and currently captains large offshore ships. Shay earned her Master’s degree in cognitive psychology and teaches English to non-native English speakers around the world.

Blaine bought the Old Mill Cabin as his dream retirement location in early 2025, and immediately continued the work his buddy had been doing to completely restore the cabin and turn it into a work of art, while also preserving its unique features and historic feel. Blaine hired Red Feather Lakes Property Management and Straub Fine Finishes to make repairs and stage the cabin for rental.

Straub Fine Finishes (SFF) repainted the interiors, and repaired tile, trim and drywall issues in different rooms and around doorways and thresholds. Improvements have also been made to the property to improve grading on the driveway, and SFF added front walkway stairs and is working on leveling of walkways and paths for ease of access, as well as burying lines and other improvements for code. Next up for the cabin is enlargement of original windows in the original bedrooms to meet current code requirements, and installation of a duct fan in the original bathroom.

Staging of the cabin included addition of hand-hewn Rocky Top Aspen Furnishings with comfortable Serta mattresses and traditional decor. Cabinetry, modern electronics and Starlink High Speed Internet provide the comfort of modern living and provide office connectivity along with a large formal desk setting with wide open lake views.

Blaine & Shay’s favorite features of the cabin include the rustic setting in the woods and overlooking the lake; the antique library that houses a collection of books and treasures they’ve collected from around the world; and the completely modernized heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and filtering systems that bring modern day comforts to this unique historic cabin.