Getting Closer to Our Goal!

Our goal is to have the house "dried-in" by the end of Labor Day weekend.  I think it is doable!  Last week we worked hard and got a lot accomplished. 

We had some chilly and wet weather, so early in the week it was tough to do too much, but we went into the weekend with the all the eaves hung for the south side of the roof and the first row of decking nailed down.  The first row is key - if it is level and where you want it, then the rest all fit flush and fall into place.  Pop also got a bunch of the decking lined (so you know where the truss should hit underneath it and can be nailed), and he and Tom cut our odd length pieces.

Saturday, Daniel and Pop joined us on the south side rafters and we got all three rows nailed in before noon.  And that was even without my help part of the time (or maybe that is why it went so fast).  A neighbor arrived as we were getting ready to break to see what we are doing and how the insulated concrete forms work.  She is another owner-builder, but planned on building a log cabin.  I toured around, and then she pulled on her work gloves and helped Pop load the decking onto the tractor.

We wrapped up about noon, and I caught this slightly blurry picture from a quick rest on the "kitchen" floor of the house. 

laying on the kitchen floor, looking back over my head to the east 

After lunch Thomas and I went back out and cut the pieces of OSB to fit into the gabled end.  We managed to get the boards up the scaffolding, screwed and nailed in to place, and finished in just the nick of time.  Mom and Pop picked us up for mass in Eagle Nest and enchilada dinner to follow.  A nice way to end the day (and prepare for another day of work on Sunday).

 at Saturday's end, the east gable wall is nearly completed, and the roof is decked to within 13 inches of the ridge

Sunday, Pop came back over, and we cut several widths of decking to fill in our gap.  It was a somewhat lengthy process because we added a little extra support underneath with the narrower widths going up.  After we did that, Thomas rolled out as much flashing as we had over the ridge and added some more to the shopping list.  Tom and Pop also built a set of steps into the kitchen, which is much more secure than an old wooden ladder I have.

With the steps complete, we ate our lunch in the kitchen on Sunday.

In the afternoon Tom and I got as far on the west gable wall as we had on the east, though it was a little more trying and difficult on ladders than on scaffolding.  It was a good stopping point for the day, which then led to many more domestic responsibilities indoors, not the least of which was Tom bottling the chocolate mead and starting a new batch of plum mead.

this plum mead is actually made from the plum meat after juicing them for plum wine...

Monday I worked late and got home as Pop was leaving.  Tom and Pop hung the sheeting on the outside of the south framed wall and as much plastic as we had for covering the window openings.

 the main floor is now not only drier, but darker without the open wall....

maybe perfect for camping in with friends this weekend....

 blocking out moisture also means blocking out our views; how exciting it will be when we install the windows and get the view back again!

Friends arrive on Saturday to help with the work - a Labor Day Labor Camp in Miami.  It's getting closer and closer!