I find that a look back and a look forward can enhance life in the present. To that end, I share a brief review of our house project in 2016, with hopes for the coming year.
 |
| Footer framing, May |
 |
| The Pour- critical precision work which will afffect the rest of the life of this house! |
 |
| Building up to floor level with 40 tons of gravel... |
 |
| ...and then foam. Add the floor drains... |
 |
| And the radiant floor heating before the cement slab forms first floor |
 |
| Keeping it in perspective |
 |
| Insulated concrete forms (ICF) start going up and window/door frames |
 |
| Are we having fun yet? |
 |
| Hang in there! |
 |
| Curing the concrete slab...with a kiddie pool! |
 |
| Harvesting ancient oaks from the woods where M grew up |
 |
| Exhausted after moving tons of lumber for inspection |
 |
| Walls going up, braced to be filled with concrete |
 |
| Weekend blitz: the truss went in |
 |
| ...and gable walls went up |
 |
| Ready for the first roof panels |
 |
| Upper floor joists hung green! |
 |
| Third floor loft. The 1-center-truss design provides the whole house as livable space |
 |
| M and his fearless friend finished the roof panels and gable 'ladders' |
 |
| Metal siding goes on- not as easy as it may look! |
 |
| 2nd floor boards in, and bedroom framing. Big M shows little M the doorway to her room. |
 |
| 3rd floor loft, north side |
 |
| The deck beams and joists go up with all kinds of stunts and much help! |
 |
| Porch rock |
 |
| Mandatory break in blistering heat, at nearby river |
 |
| Playing house while the building goes on |
 |
| But sometimes it goes too long! She fell asleep riding with Papa in the loll. |
 |
| The stainless roof is on! |
 |
| The spiral staircase framework takes shape inside by M and his Dad |
 |
| December: grading, back-filling, and the driveway by local company |
 |
| Year's end: Our first snow dusting |
 |
| A new gravel driveway. The new loop connects beyond the rock pile and tiny pine tree. |
 |
| A distorted-camera-phone selfie by 'whale rock' in the National Forest just up the trail from our house. |
We're
still in this together and who knows how long the building project will take...We'll
live there some day, maybe next winter? Meanwhile, we live gratefully, seeking more Grace and Love and Power in our lives...Here's to 2017!
