Electrical Frenzy

Not everything about building a home is pretty. People get sweaty, muddy, get cut, bleed, fall off ladders, break ribs, etc. Of course there is bound to be multiple spousal brawls. When Gene first told us to get our electrical fixtures, we had no idea how much time it was going to take...because usually the architect has drawn up all the places for the switches and fixtures, the homeowner just needs to pick out the lights. Well, we have to do it all and make our own mistakes. Already we have blown the location of a ceiling fan and have to cover the wires with molding. Tonight we frantically finished our electrical plan and Karen heads to the lighting place tomorrow to finish picking the fixtures (by herself to avoid spousal brawling). I think the drawings reflect our emotional state well.


Now we just have to position each fixture exactly where it needs to be...only about 60 to do. Maybe spend 5-10 minutes deliberating about the spot for each (if Karen and I are both there)...maybe 10 hours? We've only just begun....

Luka's Birthday!

Jan 25th. Luka's 3!!!!

We took our kids and the Pacheco kids to the zoo for Luka's bday. On the way home, after picking up Ra'am from school, GB mentioned that Gene said the road was fixed. So we stopped to see how it was.

Road was great. We made it down in the van- loaded with groceries and children.

We found:

inverters installed in the shed

and truly best of all.....

waterproofing roofing material!!!! the true roof comes after this. But what a start! We need to get the place water tight!

There are now.....

Lots of windows

like in the TV room
and our bedroom

the dining room

the kitchen
the living room (standing in the pool)

GB is thrilled!
Here's some lovely framing..... looking towards the master bathroom from the kitchen

And 2 cute nudies saw an opportunity to go "swimming" and "dove" right in!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKA!

Saturday work fencing

We decided some time ago to get some goats. We have a couple of hillsides that are really too steep for us to maintain- and one of them is just crazy with hau and is too hard for humans to keep clear.

This day GB wrangled us all to prep for fence (i.e. put up posts).

I dropped him off at the land and went to town to fetch a child and materials.

On my way back I scooped up Silas and brought Lena out to see what's been going on at the property.

First we had a looksee at the house

still wet

and the pool

and the hot tub

Then it was time for work. Tom and John came to help. Tom's been fencing all around his property, so he's an "expert" (esp compared to us). Lena oversees fencing at work all of the time.... another "expert".

Ra'am watched

(in his defense- there were too many people working at once, and Tom kept telling him to sit down)

I took a few pictures between catching up with Lena.

post holes were dug with the auger.... which got stuck in the mud, of course. Just after this photo was taken, as a matter of fact.

look at the nice line of posts!

finished product

More posts and fencing to come soon!
and then...
GOATS!

Mid January work

These pictures are from 1/16 and 1/18.

We've been working on lighting stuff, since the electrical rough-in (particularly things related to the ceiling) was happening this week.

The 16th was a nice and sunny day and the house was looking so beautiful and DRY! what a relief!

We found rose beetles had eaten holes in a couple of the trees we planted recently :( darned bugs!

The inverters are ready to go in!

The 18th we went back to meet Scott, the electrician. I think we made him a little crazy, but looks like we got most of the kinks worked out.This day was wet again- GB is standing in one of the boys' rooms

kitchen

Batteries are here!

Picture Heavy Post Ahead!

We've all returned from our journeys. Luka and I went to LA to see my family, and then to Key Largo to see the Hajim's (notably, new nephew Leo).

We got back last night, and today GB and I went out to see the progress.

1st off, we ran into Tom the solar guy. He was planning on putting the panels up on the roof, but a short passing squall turned the roof into a scary, slippery slope.... so perhaps tomorrow.

In any case.....

It's starting to look like a HOUSE!
That's not the roof.... but the ceiling.... Hemlock tongue and groove. It looks fabulous!

It's amazing what a roof over your head does psychologically. While the house was open to the sky, we felt so vulnerable. Now there's a cap overhead... and it feels nice.

We also have a new stairway.

The purple beams don't look all that purple anymore... But they do look GREAT against the hemlock.

Looking down from our bathroom to the two stairs

GB looks happy!

AND!!!!!

the weather cleared up enough for the pool to be sprayed! Now we're ready to order tile.

GB poses ala Noam

This is the view standing at the far end of the pool. It's shallow there so you can stand there and look at the ocean.View of the house from the pool

hmmmm.... why am I sideways?? View out of my bathtub window

More ceiling with windows

Hole

Are we happy?? You betcha. We're really thrilled. We can't WAIT!

On New Year's Day

The rain paused, so I decided I'd get some pics before we left on our trip. Karen is already in LA with her folks.


Both of our interior stairways are in place and they are very solid. This one goes from our front lanai and media room to the entry landing.


Our purple roof beams look great.


Not all is wonderful though. The rain takes its toll on our sub floor.


Looking down the main stairwell the future koi pond is on the left. I think it is going to be cool to see the koi from above.


Here is the south hillside.



You can look at what it used to be here:
http://islandplanet.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html