September 4, 2006

• Faster, faster!

  Time again for a new song.

  You are now hearing "Les Yeux Noirs", a classic Roma or Gypsy standard from Putumayo's album Gypsy Caravan. The possibility of gypsy-like wandering hangs over our heads, with the For Sale sign still haunting our front yard, but that's not why it's on now.

  This song is a melodic parable of this summer of homebuilding for us: a too-long suspenseful beginning followed by frenetic activity, words rushing past that we don't understand, and each instrument (or trade) gets a chance to do its thing in turn. A catchy beat once it gets going, but you wish you could see more of what is going on. The musicians are playing at a good clip, but one wishes it would go even faster, though you yourself certainly couldn't match their pace... then of course there must be another episode of high drama-- and, repeat.

  I won't leave you hanging with just the song, though. After an unconscionable delay, here at last are updates and photos of the progress we've made on the house.

  The most visible change is the installation of our front door:
  
  Here is our front door from the inside.  Both those side things open, and so does the little door in the center.  I think it's called a speakeasy, because it makes it easy to speak to folks who come to your door (without opening the whole door).
  

  We also have the front door for the apartment, but it's not installed yet.  This makes it great fun for Joy, who loves "Monsters Inc."  She pretends it's a closet door.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you must <a href="http://www.pixar.com/featurefilms/inc/">see the movie ASAP.</a>
  
  
  Plumbing, Electrical, and fire-suppression sprinklers are all nearly ready for inspection.  Here are Hector and Ed installing the sprinkler system:
  

  ...and Casey our plumber, busily plumbing...
  

  One of the pressing tasks we're focused on right now is getting the windows in.  We've had problems with the manufacturer, which I might detail later, but meanwhile we are preparing the rough openings for installation.  We came up with a good way to mate the window to the hybrid wall. 
  Here is the rough opening: see the two different walls right against each other, concrete and wood?
  

  First we finish roughing in the window to the correct dimensions, in the inner wall.  Then metal flashing between the two walls:
  

  Then a layer of bituthene, carefully wrapped all over the entire opening, and overlapping the Tyvek on the outside of the concrete block:
  

  Getting this part down pat is extremely important, so Rene Rivas-Plata is doing most of this work.  That SubSeal stuff is really expensive, and Rene gets the most out of a roll while installing it just right.
  

  Here is the finished product, ready for its window!
  

  We appreciate all the hard work these guys have put into our house.  Kathryn occasionally bakes cookies or cupcakes with the neighborhood kids (building our oikos) and takes some over to the jobsite around lunchtime.  Once she and the kids make a thank-you card for the guys and delivered it with the kids. 

  A few days later I saw it nailed to a stud on the bottom floor near the plans table!
  

  I guess the guys don't see many thank-you notes for their work.

  Who goes unappreciated in your sphere of influence?  What will you do about it?

  • 11:56 am
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