July 25, 2010

Its a late night, but here are some updates!

July 23, 2010

My girls like to give me a hard time and so when I walked away with the computer this evening to write the blog, they played rock paper scissors to determine who would check up on me to make sure I was really writing and not sleeping. With that in mind, it was a long, full day.

We did a little work on the Bronco II in hopes of keeping it running a little longer. I honestly wonder if I should ever fill the tank completely since gas is expensive and the truck is likely to breathe its last at any moment. We shuffled crates around with Roger's lift... Myra learned to drive it today and she did a fine job all the while I serenaded her with "She thinks my tractor's sexy."

Myra and Romay worked upstairs today preparing the rafters for stain. It turned out a little darker than we anticipated, but it is a long ways to town for another color and we can do some things to make it a little lighter... one, we can let it dry and see exactly how dark it is going to be. The idea was contrast anyway since the ceilings and walls are going to be covered with a clear coat and left to their natural color as well as the floors.

While they did that, I tried to square up the floor joists for the arctic entry. Running diagonals is no fun on your own with a tape that keeps slipping off the corners and girls who keep calling for random tools from upstairs. "Romay, would you go and get some tape?" Sound of Romay walking down the stairs, "Dad, would you go and get some tape?" A job that should have taken around an hour lasted about a half a day. However, in the end, the joists were squared, the insulation put in place, and with Myra's help, the decking was put down almost to completion.

We had a late dinner of brats and salad (first lettuce from the garden). Romay and Myra beat themselves at a game of Euchre... I'm still trying to figure out how that works, and we are all getting for bed. Good night.

July 15, 2010

2 out of 3 exterior doors are in!

July 14, 2010

Each step is significantly closer in getting the house closed in. The windows have been packed in a crate and for the first time in Galena, saw the daylight. We started with a smaller kitchen window. We wanted to save all the fun for later with the 3 large south facing windows. Jason dreaded the roof, Dad dreaded the windows. Well, the roof is up and it was Dad's turn to question how this process was all going to happen. I guess Dad had installed a window that was a little bit challenging. You know, in a sense where it wasn't bad, just sort of a pain. The first kitchen window went in smoothly and we all wondered where the frustration and problem solving we thought to be involved had gone. So, on we went to the large living room window. That one, although a wee bit heavier, made this whole installation fiasco seem to be a thing we had built up in our minds. Our imaginations had brought on more than the reality of caulking, lifting the window to place, leveling it, and screwing the window in place. That is, until the first large kitchen window went in. Jay and I were outside, lifting the glass from both sides, meanwhile Dad was inside grabbing and holding the window as Jay and I were gingerly passing it up to him. It was a chilly day, but not enough for any kind of freezing, but it almost looked like Dad slipped on a patch of ice. Well, Tyvek is the next best thing to slip on. He had stood on a piece of Tyvek inside and brought down the window a few inches before Jay and I recovered. There was even a 'shhwit,' noise that traveled at the speed of light. Dad shuffled a bit and did an amazing footwork leveling procedure and caught the window as well. All was okay. No expensive reordering tasks or apologies needed. The rest of the windows went on without any bumps or slips. "Is the Tyvek out of the way," might have been repeated a hundred times more later on that afternoon. Its the verbal consequence Dad had to live with. Tomorrow we move on to the first floor doors and the rest of the Tyvek and insulation on the sides of the house. Electrical work is that much closer.

Fiddler on the Roof

We have not put any pictures into the computer yet, but for those of you who are keeping up with our progress, I'll give you the details in words... first... miracle of miracles... I know that people have been praying for me as most of my family and friends know that I have an extreme fear of heights. However, now I have to say that I had a fear of heights. A 12-12 pitch is something to behold let alone walk on, and I had no fear what so ever. I won't go so far as to say that I want to make my living by putting metal on roofs, but I could actually enjoy the view from the top.

So, long story short, even in the crazy wind that we received today we finished off the roof. The next time I go up on the roof will be to put the vent in for the bathroom. Let it rain. Once the windows and doors are on, the wind can blow the rain can fall, and I'll sleep just fine.

People keep driving by and it is funny to hear how the news spreads around town as everyone follows our progress. More and more people have stopped by to see what new things are going up.

We have had so much help with this whole thing. I can't help but be thankful. The joke I keep telling... if an English teacher puts up something and it turns out square and level... you know God was involved. God has been so good to us. He has also sent some great people our way... Kenton was willing to help us on our crazy steep roof, Dad has been Johnny on the spot wherever he has been needed with expertise and labor, Keith has been amazing with food, coffee, and labor, Myra... no better woman in the world as she cooks, hammers, saws, etc., the kids have been a big help. David Whightman with his equipment and expertise, Todd Brown with his metal skills, Lon just stopping by and swinging a hammer when needed, Dayton and his mad money skills, Tabatha with lunches, Jason Kopp milling sill logs... the list is never ending.

Stay tuned for the exciting photos of a finished roof... they'll probably be posted tomorrow.

July 9, 2010

I think I'm drawing a blank for writing because we have done a million things today. Between baby sitting a friend's dog, baking pumpkin pie in 80 degree weather and building stairs, its a tough call. Well, we've had several people in the village comment on how they like to take a nightly drive by the house to see what the latest progress looks like. Its amazing how hot weather keeps the mosquitoes away, but the other side to that coin is that we all move at a sluggish speed. There isn't a temperature in which you can have it all in bush Alaska, you either have mild temperatures and bugs to deal with; or hot weather and no bugs. Regarding the building aspect of today, we no longer have to labor in moving the ladder to get upstairs. Picking out the 2X12 runners for the stairs was an Alanis Morisette moment...remember the song, "Ironic." "Its like 10,000 spoons and all you need is a knife..." We couldn't find a 2X12 that wasn't damaged or had just a few knots. The common saying around the building process, all too often, "it is what it is." We make it work. Tomorrow mornings schedule includes installing the tin roofing. I've agreed to take Romay and Ethan for a jog, but I will be sure to be around to see this monumental task. Our roof has a 12 12 pitch. I suppose the snow doesn't have a fighting chance up there, but that includes the men having to work with it to get it all built. Actually, our friend, Kenton has devised a ladder that extends on both sides of the house to work off of. They plan on working at 9 am before it gets too hot. Kenton likes pecan pie and I've decided to pay him dearly with such a request of praline goodness. He isn't afraid of heights and has agreed to help with roofing, I think I can find a recipe that will make him believe his work was well worth it. Here's to pecan pies in exchange for roofing!!

Just pictures!

We're lagging behind in our posts, so my tendency is to post pictures and let the images tell the story. We're ALMOST closed in!! The roof, with its steep pitch, has allowed us to find muscles we thought we lost in our younger days, due to balancing and creeping, and stretching. Yesterday, Jason and I were up on the loft, rolling Tyvek across the small gap across the roofline. Tyvek is like strong wrapping paper, basically a vapor barrier. It took both Jason and I to roll the Tyvek, hold, and staple. I was behind him and very much in his bubble space as I was helping him balance the roll as he was stapling. Its a good thing we're married, I couldn't imagine the awkwardness involved with anyone else. The kids, Ethan and Romay, have been a huge help. They are the 'gophers,' they also remind us that it is time to eat lunch. The adults might work through lunch to finish up a particular project. Chicken mixed with mayonnaise on bread is amazing cuisine after a few hours of pounding nails!