Monday

Dingle

A new word came my way -- thanks Diane! It is dingle meaning a deep narrow wooded valley. Although the Grace Lane property we purchased had been mostly cleared prior to our purchase, it had been, before clearing, a dingle. Our home on Saratoga Road was dingle property too. I seem to have a love affair with dingles, seeking them out, unintentionally. Since the once wooded part of our deep narrow valley is being partially restored to wooded, is our new home's name Grace Dingle, Dingle Grace? Hum...


Sunday

Purlines on the Rafters




Today Ben and Brad worked at adding purlins to the rafters on the guesthouse. Erin cleaned the wood in preparation for turning it into purlins. Once again, as with the barn, the wood is recycled from the Tacoma warehouse. The southeast corner of this building will have large corner windows, looking out over the pond-to-be.

Conduit

Ed spent the afternoon putting conduit in place, in preparation for pouring the slab in the main living building.












Rearranging the Garden


Today plants got rearranged and replanted to start shaping the new garden. Before we sold our Saratoga home we moved some plants over to Grace Lane. We created a spot for their storage, and our pleasure, until landscaping in earnest began. Now, as we begin developing our new garden we can steal those plants from the "nursery".

Saturday

Rain!

We had thought it would be dry today until yesterday's late-in-the-day revised weather forecast. We had plans for finishing the roof, getting the electrical conduit in the main living done, working in the garden, painting, cleaning wood, and being productive in a million ways (never mind how unrealistic the list) -- all leading toward a finished project. When none of that was possible discontentment popped up. A most unwelcome visitor.

Some days it feels like we're waiting for the future. I think perhaps this is the big trap in building a new home. Despite all proclamations of living day-to-day, life does get put on hold. We'll have dinner guests when we have our new home; we'll have more free time once we have completed our building project; we'll take a vacation when we have time again; we'll get back to more biking, walking, talking, visiting, community work, and so forth, once we have a "normal" life again.

And, then, like today, it rains and rains and rains. All the work scheduled for today was cancelled. Ben and Brad worked for two hours before they threw in the towel. Ed barely got started with electrical before the rain won. And me, I'm just spinning my wheels. You'd think, after living in the NW for so many years, I'd have this weather thing figured out, and mostly I do. But still, from time-to-time, it controls the head.

The good thing is my mood will change, as will the weather, and the building project will progress as it always has --at its own speed -- with a rhythm and the beat of a good life, for which I am hugely grateful. I mostly wouldn't change any of it, except for the weather today.

The must-take photo...


This photo, with Brad on the top, is becoming the must-take photo. The on-the-top scene from the barn was common -- Brad on the top of the barn's framing, rafters, roof -- and now it is becoming the favorite shot of the guesthouse as well. It's the feel-good shot at the end of a hard day's work. Both Ben and Brad were sick for several days so now they are working as quickly as they can to get the roof up. Creating another dry space to work is becoming a strong goal with the relentless January rains.

Preparing for the Guesthouse Roof


Brad and Ben extend the rafters on the guesthouse for the east side overhang.















West View



















East View












North view, showing window seat window on the right.