All For One, One For All

Tuesday morning, it was like elves had come in the middle of the night and left us a building, only these elves are almost 6' tall and eat like lumberjacks. But man, can they put hammer to wood!

The guys started by installing the 4x4 posts in the back. Those eventually will be finished with stacked rock and painted posts. Learning how to do the rock will be my job.

Dan and Abraham started on the back truss overhang. Here they're setting the 4x10 beam.

Notice the teeeeeny board they're standing on. It was making me seasick just to watch. The guys just laughed at me.

By the end of Tuesday, the four back posts were in, the big beams were across the back and the shed roof joists were in. Tomorrow....the front. I may refuse to give Abraham or Dan a ride to the airport just so I can keep them here working....

........... or not. They were pretty bushed at the end of the day. Nobody suggested a game of tag football. After a restorative dinner, a few beverages, and some roasted marshmallows, they perked right up.

Wednesday was a repeat of Tuesday, on the front. Four posts, 4x10 beams, and shed roof joists.This time though, they were able to use the tractor to help lift stuff.

By Wednesday afternoon, the guys were at a good stopping place. The shed roof joists were up, front and back, and the posts and beams. It was just amazing how much work got done in three days. Ed works really hard on this project, but by himself, it's pretty tough to do. We are both so grateful to Dan and Abraham for coming up to help us. But Abraham had to go back home, so off to the airport they went. Dan gets to stay until Saturday.

The Three Constructioneers

Thursday it was The Dan and Ed Show. They put joist hangers and tie downs on the front soffit. Then they put up fascia boards and plywood. Those joist hangers take a gazillion nails!

After the workday on Thursday, Elicia asked Dan what she could do to help, so he told her if she would like to go topside, she could pick up the extra nails and water bottles, and help clean up. Yeah! that sounds like fun (?!) The next thing we know, she has her "construction" outfit on. Gloves, hat, toolbelt, buckskin boots. She's ready! So, very carefully supervised, up she went to do her part.

Friday and Saturday were spent working on the fascia boards on the ends. Very Scary Stuff. And to make things interesting, it started raining Friday night, and then again mid-morning on Saturday. By 1300 the guys came down from the roof. Dan and Ellen fly back to the Bay Area this afternoon. Elicia will stay another week.

What a week this has been. A lot of fun, a dicy moment or two (at least for those of us on the ground), a lot of very hard work, and an enormous amount of work done.