Number 1 or Number 2?

We are so happy our dumpster is useful for the neighborhood. Mattresses, lumber, paint cans, and pipes.  The contributions keep coming...even toilets!!

Stucco Scratch Coat

Wow, it's been 10 days since we last posted to the blog.  During this time, the electrician has been wiring the house - geez we have a lot of light switches.  Also, last weekend, the stucco crew returned and applied the base scratch coat of stucco.  It's not the final finished coat with the light grey exterior color.  That goes on later.  Once the roofers finish installing the flashing around the edges, the house is weather proof.  Bring on winter!

Prepping for Stucco

The major work this past week was preparing the house for stucco.  The crew worked through last weekend to attach paper and lathing to exterior walls.  Their work passed inspection on Thursday and the stucco scratch coat will be applied this upcoming week.  Meanwhile, we walked the house with Karen and Paul, our architects, John, our electrician, and Mark on Wednesday and finalized the electrical and lighting choices so the electrical rough-in can be completed. 

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

Puma, cougar, el leon.  Whatever you choose to call it, the mountain lion is at the top of the food chain in the Rocky Mountains.  At a neighborhood party, Mary learned that the woman living four houses away, downhill, discovered a mountain lion and two cubs living under her juniper tree two years ago.  Also, a mountain lion recently left four fresh-killed deer carcasses in the yard of a house to the west of our new home.  And, last Tuesday, our stucco crew spotted a mountain lion on the ridge above our new home.  While we are not anxious to meet it, we call the mountain lion, “neighbor.”

Please Come In

Mary invites you to come into our new home through the front door.  The frame and window were installed today.  It has an alternating pattern of reed glass and black metal, with clear glass transom windows above.  The front door, to be installed later, will be the mirror-image alternating pattern of wood and reed glass.  It promises to be a gorgeous entrance.

Up and Away

After 3 attempts, the crane arrived and lifted the final large windows into place.  Yes, that is an attachment with 8 suction cups that lifted the windows.  All went well until the clouds rolled in and the wind came up, causing the large windows to vibrate and sway as they were hoisted along the north side of the house.  It was no small feat to place these 300+ lbs windows in their holes, even with the crane.  But, the finished product is beautiful.