filling in the holes in the roof

The fall colors in Julian are getting even more beautiful. I can't wait 'til we can perch inside and gaze out at this view...

We did a bit more work this past weekend, but realized how necessary it is to have enough wood when you're trying to cover a whole roof...we ended up short, by 3 sheets of plywood. Except for a few gaps on the other side, we're nearly done with the sheathing, though, and we made some good progress on the fascia along the edge. Though it may not be readily apparent, it was quite an accomplishment for us to get those boards up. I discovered (yet again) that my gift to contribute to this project is NOT brute strength. Wood can be darn heavy, and roofs are, well, high in the air.

So thank God for ladders and the holding power of just one nail. I'm glad Emily's quick with that nail gun!

In other news, and for good chuckles when look back one day, I thought I'd include just a small reminder of how much less-than-ideal the trailer fridge is. When it works, it works WELL. This time, it made lots of things explode, and even left us a small frozen rock of Coca-cola. Good times.

workin' this weekend--Oct 14

We're going to be back at work on the garage this Saturday. We'd welcome any help! :)

See you there?

YOU can come build with us!

Hey!

This Saturday (the 16th) is the next day we're planning to go work on the house (er, garage...).

Wanna come?

matt's b-day building, this year

We worked this weekend, on Saturday and Monday; the roof is coming together, and all the rafters are up! Here's the view from Saturday:














We were grateful for some clouds that covered us for a while in the afternoon--they were stunning through the rafters. And we loved them up 'til they brough the lightning around. Then it didn't seem like a very good time to be on the roof, holding hammers...



















Emily trimmed boards for between the rafters. We gave them all names, so we could match them up with the spots they fit into later. Others mocked our names. We thought they were fun--much more fun to say: "Did you get Marilyn to fit?" than to say: "Is #12 in?". Fun wins, I say. (Besides, I'm writing the blog, so my version will become standard...)


















Here's evidence that I actually, at least for a moment, did some work, and didn't just take pictures. Aren't those rafters lovely?!?















Here's the view from below the garage, as the last rafters were going in.














On Monday, we started putting the plywood sheathing on top of the rafters. It took us a few tries, but we got better and getting the plywood to the rooftop safely...














We sang "Happy Birthday" to Matt at lunchtime, but the party wasn't, well, too outrageous. I just thought it was pretty swell that he was here with us this year!














Though none of us claims roof-climbing as our vocation, Shannon got pretty good at climbing.


















The first layer of plywood goes on...














As our workday drew to a close, Emily and I took a moment to wave down to those on land, enjoying our new, more-solid perch on the rooftop.














With the plywood almost done, and the front-side ladder in place, we put up the first of the fascia boards. Stunning, eh?

raisin' the roof

Today, we worked on the garage roof--with the help of our neighbors and a crane.















Emily helped make necessary measurements for vertical posts.




















Matt climbed up to put the beam in place.



















Dad supervised as the beams went up.















I sat in the shade. And in the sun. And in the window. It was my day off on the site...















Emily was in charge of hooking the beams to the crane.















Lunch was tasty (as always).



















Ryan helped trim the beam that wasn't quite right.















The funny shape of the garage roof came together, as the beams came up.
















We celebated Nona's upcoming birthday with some cake she baked. Happy 81st, Nona!

pics from the garage raising

I thought you might like to see some images from our work on Friday and Saturday--everyone worked really hard (braving some formidable heat...) and we got a lot done!

garage raised!

Thanks for your help! On Friday...


and on Saturday we worked hard, raised the fourth wall on the garage, and covered most of it in the plywood sheeting it needs!

like a barn-raising

We invite you to join us on Friday and Saturday, July 21 & 22, for a garage-raising!

Come any time--I think we'll work something like 9:30 to 6 both days. You can come either or both. You can even sleep there--there's plenty of space on that garage slab and there's a bathroom in the trailer.

Let me know you're coming (email me or post a comment) and I'll make sure you know how to get there, and that there's plenty of food and refreshment.

We would be very grateful for your help, and would love to have a house built partly with your labor & love!

a slab! really!

Last Thursday, July 6, Matt, Phil & Dad met with some fabulous concrete pumpers and finishers to *finally* pour the garage slab.














And, not meaning to insult the strength of the above-mentioned family members, we were very grateful for the presence of the finishers! Turns out, I've learned this year, concrete's really heavy, and screeding isn't really as much fun as the sound of its name might suggest...















But, doesn't the slab look glorious!?!














After their triumph, Dad quickly got to work cutting down tall weeds in the back.














Matt and Phil spent the rest of the weekend laying more blocks on the house foundation.















The walls continue to grow, as does the smoothness of their block-laying technique.















(And I even got in on a very little bit of the work, Sunday afternoon...)

growing stones and flowers

Many of the seeds we planted after Grandpa's funeral have grown into flowers--this sunflower is keeping watch over the garage. Matt says that since we took this shot, it's grown a bunch more blossoms! There are lots of poppies, plus mountain lupine and much more.












We poured the second batch of garage concrete, forming stem walls. We had a minor crisis in the back wall (that ol' hole we love to hate), but our fabulous concrete pumpers helped us keep it from become major.












Since this, Matt and Dad have reconstructed the forms we need, and we're ready for the next pour...

concrete progress II

Yesterday, we have a visit from concrete trucks, for the second time, pouring the perimeter stem wall for the garage.



It's gratifying to see actual concrete that looks like it will hold up actual walls. Unfortunately, we had flawed forms in back--they didn't hold up to the mass of so much concrete, so we're not as done as we'd like. BUT, we got some help from some friends, who not only helped with the concrete, but brought a yummy lunch. Thanks, Karen and Ryan!!

a solid foundation

It's been over a year since we got our building permit (and, then, we thought that took a long time...), and we're hopeful that the foundation is well on its way. This week, we hope to pour around the permeter of the garage. It's exciting to watch the house begin to finally bear obvious signs of being, well, a "house."

Our energy for the project comes because of the old house--and how it was home to so many treasured memories. This new house bears those, plus so many hopes for the future...


We've been working up there since November 2003, first just caring for the land and dreaming, and then beginning work. Clearing, chipping...


We got our building permit on March 4, 2005. (See, it sounds hopeful and forward-moving: "march forth!") Tonya and Ward agreed to work for us for 6 months, as builders. In that time, we faced a number of setbacks and slowdowns... but we DID get a lot of groundwork done. Literally. Grading, buried pipes, holes for footings, rebar.


In January, when Matt was home from Iraq for leave, we pour our first concrete in those holes. (A bold demonstration of craziness: five trucks of concrete for people who'd never done such a thing...) The spring rains came, and we were free from worried visions of mud-pools swimming in rebar and sweeping our dreams down the hill.

Now, Matt's home for good, and we're ready to launch into work. We (er, I...) think it'll be fun to blog about it--and maybe it'll keep us in touch with all the good people who might continue to come help us on occasion. ;)