Tuesday: Windows (5/3/11)

On Tuesday, they did more exterior sealing of the windows.  So the tarps are finally down!  Very refreshing.  Here I'm standing just inside the gate-to-be looking into the courtyard garden.

So this is the view from the dining room...

This is the view from the hallway...

We just didn't get a sense of how you get views from one space into another when the windows were covered in plastic.  Here I'm standing just inside of the new front door, looking toward the dining room.

Speaking of the new front door, this is one drawing of it.  It will be made of Douglas Fir to match the wood in the windows.  And yes, it will have a handle.

And a picture of the front, just because I haven't taken one in a while.  A neighbor very kindly commented on how much she likes that you can see through the front window out to the greenery.  Those darned architects...  they do seem to know what they're doing, don't they?

Monday: Cedar trim (5/2/11)

The stucco base coat is essentially done, with a little touching up still required to smooth it out.  So now they were able to put up the cedar trim boards and flashing.  I confess that I didn't really understand how this would look from the drawings - I like it.

Here, the trim and flashing continue around with the hallway windows on the left and the dining room windows on the right.

Trim around the top of the dining room...  And the roofers were here as well.  I think they're done with the exception of the flashing around the chimney, but I'm not completely sure.

They also started sealing the exterior of the windows.

And we got our sink!  It's starting to feel a little bit real...

Sunday: Happy Easter! (4/24/11)

They just took the plastic off these windows.  Perfect timing as the dogwoods are now blooming.  What a pleasure.

A few more flowers down the same wall...

Wednesday: Bring in the big cats (4/20/11)

We decided to give up on waiting for workers to show up at the house and headed downtown to the zoo to see the lion cubs.  The zoo was an absolute zoo today.

It was so crowded that they shut down all the parking lots and we had to park in the nearby neighborhoods.  But this guy made it worth the trouble.

Tuesday: Lighting progress (4/19/11)

We finally came to a decision on a light to hang in front of the fireplace wall.  We all seemed to like the white light on the right in this photo.

I drew up a sketch, with the Bruck monopoints installed in the elevated ceiling and the newest pendant idea in front of the fireplace wall.  Whew.  One more thing past us.

Monday: Color conclusions (4/18/11)

We met with a local guy who does all sorts of decorative finishes and Venetion plasters on Saturday and are considering a switch in direction on the colors.  (And I'm trying larger photos just to see what it looks like...)

Both of us liked this color, which is quite a switch from our previous direction.  It ties in well with both the stone colors and the Douglas Fir of the windows.  And it should look good with the cedar on the exterior as well.  I suggested we might ask for a sample a shade darker, as long as it doesn't head toward peach or yellow tones.

And Jack had earlier had a lofty career as a hand model, but thankfully decided to forgo the jetsetting lifestyle for family life with Sheila and me.

Sunday: Stuff I forgot (4/17/11)



I realized I'd forgotten to include a photo of the new back door yesterday. We suddenly lost the old exterior wall and gained a back door, so now Reuben has a much larger world to inhabit.  The end of the new hallway is now secured for the first time, so it's good to be able to let Reuben out of the bedroom hallway.  The exterior is still covered with plastic as the finish hasn't been completed.





And I like it next to the stone wall in the dining room.



So now Reuben has assumed his permanent sentry position at the other end of the new hallway, looking out for any and all action happening on the street.  We never had any windows looking toward the street, so it's a whole new world for him.  (And a little noiser/barkier world for us.)

We'll be watching for you...