Preliminaries

I don't think I moved the steps in front of the JayBee's door last year at all. As you might imagine, having the steps in place makes it a whole lot easier to run in and out the door all day long while building.

I moved the step sections to the driveway, but they looked to be in rough shape. (I spread out the particle board in the background because I think I might use it to help support new piers to level up the JayBee.)

The edge of the front step was also very beat up. I thought, "I'll just sand and re-stain all of the steps before I put them in place."

After sanding for hours and still having more sanding ahead of me, I thought: "Oh, right. Just about every step I take with this project takes me way more time than I ever anticipate." Finally, everything was sanded.

I paused working on the steps when my friend arrived to help me with this tree. I noticed after the last wind storm we had that this tall, very-straight tree was leaning across the driveway.

Closer inspection revealed a lot of dramatic splitting in the base of the trunk.

Observing proper physical distancing between us, my friend used his chain saw to cut down the tree, while I hauled away the branches.

The middle of the base of the trunk was completely rotten!

The rot didn't go very far up the tree, though. The logs are very straight. I wish I had a way to use them for something.

We were surprised to have it all done in under an hour. We left the heavy trunk pieces for now; at least they are not blocking the driveway.

Back to the steps, the staining didn't take me that long. I even remembered to put the gritty stuff in the stain so the steps won't be too slick when they're wet. It shouldn't take me long to assemble the steps. Maybe I can get that done tomorrow before the rain moves in.

...

The next morning, first thing:

All assembled, but not yet leveled up. That's it for the next few days. (I am very grateful to be working full time [at a job I love--added bonus], especially now, but it does limit my house building time. :-)

AWOL: Season Lost

Sorry, regular followers... I can tell that people have been loyally checking my blog all summer looking for updates. In spite of all of my plans and intentions back in the early spring for making great progress on my build, many other things intervened and took priority.

Below is my new daughter-in-law(!) standing in a canola field in England with her dog. Motivated by love (and no shotguns involved :-), my son got married. I had two weeks advance notice; yikes--that felt like a scramble, and I really had no responsibility for pulling it off.

Other family-related things and projects leap-frogged everything else and took priority and filled up my summer. Below is my last photo of George. This sweetie died during the third week of August. He had a good long life, but I do miss my companion of the last 19 years. When I feel up to it, I'll post a George tribute.

Now I'm trying to sort out some health-related things of my own. I'm not going to turn my blog into a litany of my health complaints but, so no one worries, just know I don't have anything life-threatening--just a shoulder that does not work, and a poorly-functioning thyroid. Both of these things really get in the way of making progress with house building.

It turns out that, if you leave anything alone for any length of time, nature tries to re-claim it.

While some of those photos may look like kudzu is trying to take over the JayBee, the worst culprits are actually grape vines.

I did finally manage to clear out the vines and shrubs that were crowding the JayBee.

I replaced the tarp on my tool/storage shed, so it no longer leaks.

I haven't yet repaired the interior of it, however.

Remember the latest/newest nest? This masterfully-built gem appears to be abandoned--finally. When I feel really confident I won't be displacing anyone, I will be removing the nest and crafting some kind of new nest arrestor to install...

I'm not really sure how much progress I will be able to make with what's left of the fall. After all, I will have to prepare the old wreck-of-a-house to survive yet another winter... I'm trying to keep breathing, put one foot in front of the other, take things as they come, and not get too discouraged.

Interior Walls 12

That row of boards at the top of the side walls was incredibly hard to cut and install. So difficult, apparently, that I neglected to take any in-progress shots. Not only did each top edge have to be cut at an angle, I also had to carve out spots on the back side of each board so it would lay flat over the hurricane ties that come down off the rafters and onto the walls. Glad they're done! I immediately moved on to installing boards in the north and east gable peaks.

All of the pieces of tape show me where the studs are underneath. I thought I would have a permanent map of them in my brain but, it turns out, as soon as I install the wall boards, I immediately forget what the framing underneath looks like.

Here are some of the odd shapes I cut for the north and east gables.

Once I finish up those gables, I will move onto the south kitchen wall. Ugh--I guess I need to do another huge reorganization project before that can happen!

Also see:
Interior Walls 1
Interior Walls 2
Interior Walls 3
Interior Walls 4
Interior Walls 5
Interior Walls 6
Interior Walls 7
Interior Walls 8
Interior Walls 9
Interior Walls 10
Interior Walls 11
Interior Walls 13
Interior Walls 14
Interior Walls 15


I took a photo of this mushroom I found sitting on my deck because it puzzles me. How did it end up on top of the deck? I didn't put it there. George didn't put it there. What creature would bother to do this?

I was so absorbed in my thoughts about the mushroom that I did not see George under the edge of the deck. Amazing that I did not step on his tail! Did my stumbling around wake him up? Nope, not a bit.

I glanced out the window over my desk at work last Thursday and saw this cutie! She's not a baby any more but she's young enough to still have her spots. No sign of momma.

I snuck out of the building to take some more shots.

Interior Walls 7

More boards installed on the north wall...

Progress in the bathroom...

A stack of boards finished and ready for the east wall.

The boards will go around this corner.

Installed.

The first ceiling boards installed! This is inside the east-end bumpout. It's only three boards, but it's a start.

Also see:
Interior Walls 1
Interior Walls 2
Interior Walls 3
Interior Walls 4
Interior Walls 5
Interior Walls 6
Interior Walls 8
Interior Walls 9
Interior Walls 10
Interior Walls 11
Interior Walls 12
Interior Walls 13
Interior Walls 14
Interior Walls 15


Irises out in front of the JayBee.

Exterior Finishing Touches

We have had lots of rain recently. It helps make up for the lack of rain during the spring and summer seasons, but it's been getting in the way of my finishing up the exterior of the JayBee. After a pounding rain last weekend, I opened my door to see this: close to a hundred pears on the ground. Added to what I'd already collected, they helped me make a few gallons of pear sauce. Yummy!

It was blustery today but not raining, so I got the caulk applied around the upper loft window on the west end of the JayBee.

Since the lower window was already done, the west end is now completely done!

Then, I applied the caulk to the upper loft window on the east end.

The east end is now completely done!

All that's left to do: apply the caulk to these two south-side windows. May the weather hold...

On an entirely different note, I also recently installed this grab bar in the JayBee's shower.

Putt, putt, putting along...