Santa

Seeing as Santa has a soft spot in his heart for workshops, he delivered this a couple days before the big day....(it had to come early as it was too heavy for the reindeer to pull the sleigh filled with this and everybody else's toys.  So, he makes special early deliveries for these larger items.  Or Rudolf is just a wimp!)

Gene's dream table saw.  His old one is almost as old as our marriage, it's held up well, but he finds a new one a necessity.  This one is just too cool! Besides it will save his fingers if/when he has an accident.  The dust collection system on it is magnificent...collecting 99%.  Sweet!  He's a happy camper!

And we finished the upstairs insulation...

Pretty cool!  The 4 skylights and end wall windows add lots of light...even on this dark dreary day.

It's coming down to the wire...we can almost see the end.  We're not sure what we're going to do with ourselves when it's done....aside from the obligatory martini.  Maybe Gene can finish a project or 2 in the house?  He'll finally have the room to cut the materials!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  May your New Year be eventful and fun!

Party on!

More progress, More pictures

Ho-Ho-Ho!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Unfortunately, my energy has been spent elsewhere this month and we didn't get any Christmas cards out this year.  So consider this your holiday greeting!  Merry Christmas!  May Santa be good to you...or be naughty and save Santa the trip.

The last of the framing inspections passed without issues...as did the electrical.  Now, we just have to finish it up and get both finals.  There's still much work to be done.  Siding, soffits, landing out the back door, some sheet rock around the stairs...

Anyway, here's more pics...

The stairs.

South wall upstairs.
Bet you can't guess what we've been doing!

North wall.  Like the little window?  It's mostly for ventilation, but it's a nice little view.
The upstairs looks like it's stuffed in a sleeping bag.

Detail of the railing.  It's 1" wire grid sandwiched between 2x4's.
With a 2x6 cedar cap and bolted to the floor/floor joists.
It's not going anywhere!
My idea, but we designed it on the fly.  We really like it!

Obviously, we have the North wall left to insulate.  First Gene has to put some spacers in to allow for it.  We're getting tired.  Taking more and more nights off.  But with the insulation it's staying warmer in there.   After the North wall and the 3 ceiling bays are finished off, it should stay nice and toasty!  Then I'll bake some cookies and we'll take a nap.

Wishing you all a very merry holiday!  And thank all of you for your help and well wishes on our project!

Party on!

Gene & Coleen

Another day at the Polar Ice Cap

Everybody cold?  Hasn't stopped us...well, maybe a little...or a lot.  We're still out there almost every night.  We come in to thaw and get food...good thing I have a new retainer...keeps my teeth from chattering too bad.

The progress...the stairs are in with the walls around it complete.  I'll get a photo later.  Tonight we got the upstairs rail in.  Looks pretty cool.  It's not quite finished, will do that tomorrow night.  Have some insulation in, also.  Will finish that after we get the last of the framing inspections on Friday.  Yes, we'll be ready for it on Friday!  YAY!  Then we can get on with the process of pushing for the final inspection.

Last week Gene took a day off and Chuck and Dee came over and helped put the plywood up on the end wall.  The previous week, they came over and helped Gene frame it.  Pretty cool...I mean cooooold! I think it was all of 36º this day....

Gene's out there somewhere.
I opted to sleep until noon and watch my soaps
while enjoying chocolate truffles.

The next Saturday, Gene and I spent the morning cleaning out the carport.  My car can now get back into it's home.  Ok, there's still the junk yard on the left...but, rednecks will be rednecks.  (If I didn't spend so much time watching soaps it might get cleaned out.)

Unbelievable.  

I may get more photos this weekend.  Although, Christmas seems to be getting in the way.  I've found it necessary to gain a little sanity by immersing myself in doing some Christmas glittering.  We may even find the time to do some shopping this weekend.  We were going to do some this Thursday evening, after our anniversary dinner.  But we got complimentary tickets to the preview of the new Mission Impossible movie.  We can shop later.  Tom Cruise and a hot BMW is impossible to pass up...we're weak.  (Did you notice that the BMW is 'hot', while Tome Cruise is just...well, plain ol' Tom Cruise?  I'd much rather be cavorting around with a Bimmer!)

Party on!

Coleen

Thanksgiving weekend

Greetings!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  We sure did.  It was great spending the day with Kyle and Liz, along with my Mom and Pat.

Anyway...back to the project.  While Gene didn't make the progress he had dreamed, we still got a lot done.  First, the back door.  Hoping it would only take 1/2 day, with one annoying issue after another we managed to spend the entire day on the installation.  At least it fits well and all issues could be dealt with.  Not the least of which was fixing several factory mistakes, but we managed and really like the finished product!...beats the plastic sheeting!

Gene's enjoying a well deserved rest.
Of course this was taken the morning after...it was dark by time we finished on Friday.

The next project was the last piece of plywood on the North end.  It was a bugger to get in, but, again, he did it.  And now the shop stays much warmer with the warm air not just blowing out through the hole!  We actually got the shop up to 61º today!  A 15º difference from outside!  YAY!

And then onto the stairs.  He was hoping to get it done this weekend, but with the door and plywood taking longer than anticipated...as well as the obligatory trip to Jerry's for more nails.  God, for what we've spent on nail and screws Gene could pay for 1/2 a new table saw!

The landing in place just time to practice  modeling...my next career.
This he actually got done yesterday.

Notice the paint ont he block...primer.  We're just going to primer it to brighten it up a little.

And here it is with the first flight done.  Pretty exciting!
He does good work!  He learned from his Dad, what else would you expect?!

We'll be working on the last part of the stairs over the week.  Lay out a stringer one night; cut it out the next and then 2 more stringers on the subsequent nights, by the weekend, it'll be ready to install.  Can't wait to just run up the stairs to get up to the attic.

Ok, that was it for our weekend.  Wish we had the whole next week.  But, life as it is there's something called 'work' that's always getting in the way of our fun!  Paa-shaw!

Party on!

Coleen

Ps...oh, yeh, with all the mess, does it look like a shop yet?  He'll clean it up (organize) eventually...

We can see the light!

Need I say more?  Complete with a kitchen in the back.  (Refer and microwave)  Obviously, Gene even got some of equipment moved in.  Still have the door in back to do.  We wanted to do it this last weekend, but it was too stinkin' cold!

But, we did get the 'front' door in...

Complete with my stacks of 2x10's to create a stoop...works great!
The back door(s) is a double door set of this door style. 

Anyway, that's it for now.  Although the electrical inspector just showed up and informed us that we HAVE to get sheetrock or 1/2" wood equivalent on the short side walls upstairs to get the electrical approval.  Ugggg...that's not on our building permit.  Oh, well, we get to insulate sooner than expected.  Gee, too bad.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  May your day be filled with blessings and lots of fat calories.

Party on!

Coleen

Upstairs

We not only got the floor down in the shop, but thanks to Dee and Chuck, the upstairs floor went down Sunday.  We haven't posted a pic of the upstairs attic storage yet.

Is that an amazing space or what!?  I'm going to do a white paint primer on the floor.  So, it will have a white-washed effect.  There are also 2 more skylights that don't show in this pic.  They're toward the camera.  I'm up on a ladder in the stair well taking this at floor level.

The electricians are here.  Right now, I have to run out and tell them to forget what I just said about the height of the outlets up there.

I'm back.  but, seriously, is this room too cool?!  Wait until you see how I'm going to finish the stairs....

Oh, and thanks to Dee for coming over yesterday and helping me sweep the shop floor.  Well, here's the story...the finish we put down is an oil base.  The directions have you putting down a small dose, leaving it for 30 min. then wiping the excess off.  Labor intensive...yes.  But, what I discovered by accident is that if you then put a light coating of sawdust on it and let it sit for a while and then work it with a broom and sweep it off, the sawdust absorbs even more excess oil.  And it makes for a wonderful satin finish.  (If you don't get the excess oil up, it will coagulate and leave a tacking film that will be there forever.)  Anyway, yesterday was the last push to get it done before the cold weather hits (it has to be 45º or over for the finish) and I was exhausted with my arm, shoulder, hand, etc. in pain.  So, knowing Dee likes to sweep, she came over and swept to her hearts content.

Hopefully, the next entry will show working lights!  YAY!

Party on!

Coleen

Is that a floor, or am I dreaming?

Yes! Toto, it's a floor!

Kyle came down and helped on Sunday.  With the 3 of us, we got it half done.  And were exhausted.  But, we also moved a pile of 3/4" plywood for the upstairs floor and the other half of this plywood, 1 1/8", inside out of the weather.  Then Gene and I worked at it a few sheets at a time every evening this week, until finishing it last night...after Gene took 1/2 the day off.

We couldn't have done it without you, Kyle!  Thank you!

I'm now waiting for the weather to warm, just a little, so, the finish can go on.  A few sheets at the far end have some finish, but it requires 45º and well, it's not!

So, Chuck and Dee said they'd come over this Sunday and help get plywood upstairs.  That's gunna be fun!  or not.  Maybe Chuck and Gene can get the doors in, too.  Or maybe Gene and I can do the single door tomorrow.  The double door in the back is way too heavy for just the 2 of us!

And Monday...P O W E R!  The electricians come.  I picture them swooping in putting up some fixtures, snapping their fingers and voila', light and power!  No more cords getting in the way every time you move!  Ok, reality...maybe it will take a day or two.

Whatever, Gene's starting to dream about getting his table saw dug out and set up, while I'm fancying a small kiln in the top right corner.  Hey, I could take up ceramics!  Or he could get a new table saw....

But, for the rest of the afternoon, I get to go out and sweep/vacuum the sawdust on the new floor.  Then if it gets warm enough...throw some finish down.

Party on!

Coleen

Joists!

Well,  here it is...the completed floor joists...

The bright light in the far openings are from the plastic sheeting over the end.

Gene and I started on Sunday by putting in the posts and beam.  That beam is a 6x10, in (2) 15' sections.  It was all we could do to manage them.  But with the use of a Farmer Jack, ingenuity and team work, we got them up.  Then on to fitting/hanging the joists.  We planned on it taking a full week, but it really only took 3 evenings...and we only worked a couple hours a night.  So, tonight we finish nailing, tomorrow it's inspected and Sunday we start laying decking.  Then the electricians come in and wire the joint! 

So, there you have it.

Party on!

Coleen

Mega :-)

Finished roof....

Through the trees.

And, from the back...again.

We're thrilled with the roofers work!  Great work and a great group of guys.   It's the first time we've ever hired roofing done, and glad we did!  Gawd, we're just getting too old for that piece of construction!

Garage

BEFORE
(after tornado)

AFTER
Ok, the door still isn't that stylin' but unless we wanted to spend
thousands on one, this is it.

Ok, I have to admit...this is not only a new garage door, but we got the first garage door opener in our lives...unless you count Gene and his biceps.  And, being the first, we're having a little trouble figuring it out.  So far, we're blaming the electric safety eye at the bottom because it won't close easily.  It'll come down only so far and then go back up.  And the level it comes down to before returning changes every time.  Even the 'override' button doesn't work.  Gawd.  Those of you who know us know we're techies, but this has us baffled.  The manual?  Puuleezze, an AutoCAD manual is easier to make sense of!  It doesn't make sense even when turned upside down!  Now, that's BAAAD!  Maybe it was the paint fumes...

The garage is all done except for a detail on the front and one along the right side.  But, the painting is done!  We spent all day Sunday painting...while the weather was warm enough for paint to dry!

Gene meets with the electrical contractors today to talk wiring.   Gutters tomorrow.  This week we'll get the last bit of plywood up on the North end of the shop (you can see the space in the top pic). Then we'll move inside to start the floor structure...and the electrical!  YAY!  Oh, yah, and to move those 2 big piles of plywood into dry space...not so 'yay'.

We're so thrilled to have it a dry space!  OMG!

Party on!

Gene and Coleen

Whaaaa? Can this be real?

Ok, here it is folks....roof.  Real live roof!  Not quite done, but come Monday, it will be.  They just have the other side and some details to finish up.  YAY!

Nice skylights!  The furthest one is deeper because it's an opener.
The roofers still have clean up...Monday.

And, can you believe it...WINDOWS!  Yup, Gene and I went out this morning at 8:30, had all 7 windows in by 9:45.  (There's 3 more 4x4 windows on the other side.)  The openings were beautifully square and perfectly sized so the windows slipped right in.

Don't you like the plastic sheeting?  Adds an air of..well, red neck vulnerability, don't you think?  Hey, it's keeping the upstairs dry, sort of, we just couldn't get it to the top to seal it completely.  That wall is low priority right now.

Oh...and we got the new garage door in yesterday.  No pictures yet, because, well, it's nothing short of butt ugly.  Ordered brown, figured if it worked it worked, if it didn't we'd paint it.  I started painting it this afternoon.  Looks a lot better even with the first thin coat on!  Gawd, it was horrible!  The roofers tried to spin it to make it better, but, they weren't convincing.  Their 'spin' capabilities fall short of politicians, but we give them credit for trying.

Next step???...gutters.  Wednesday.  And Gene's going to start laying out the floor system inside the shop tomorrow.

It's taking shape!  Gawd, that roof looks good!

Now, my martini is waiting.  Oh, wait it's not 5 o'clock yet.  Pfffttt...too bad.

Party on!

Coleen

Mountain Chalet?

Some think it looks like a cottage.  But from this view we're thinking more mountain chalet.  We're considering bric-a-brac on the back wall, complete with window boxes under the windows (that will be there eventually) to complete the illusion.  If we can't really live in Oberstdorf, Germany, we can at least pretend!

Do you also notice...the shop roof is papered and has roof jacks sitting on it?  YES!  It's all sheeted and papered.  We're in the dry!  The garage/carport/breezeway is tarped, although in this pic, Gene has it pulled back to paint the new barge rafters.  Now, we're waiting for the roofers to return and put the roofing on.  Depending on the weather it may be a few days or a week.

 You might also notice the very top of the shop wall is still waiting for the last sheet of plywood.  There's a little hole in the truss there, too.  It's waiting for a little window.

Well, now that we're in the dry, everything else will move a little slower.  Gene has a little detail to take care of before the roofers come and then he's going to install a temporary power plug out there.  Right now we've been working on extension cords from the house as when the garage was demo'd the power lines were cut out there.  Ooops.

Here's a couple more pic's of the place yesterday....

All papered and ready to roof!

The windows with window boxes will be in the gable end on the second floor.

Oberstdorf, Germany

Since I referred to our love of Oberstdorf, here's a few photos from our trip, almost exactly one year ago.  Maybe you can see why we almost stayed.  It's a gorgeous little town at the base of the Alps, bordering Austria to the South.

The entire trip was amazing!  Mostly, getting to see Sabine, gad, how we miss her!  And her family.  They are like an extended family!  So, thank you again Seebers for all you did to make our second trip to Germany as stupendous as the first!  We can't wait to return...again.

Looking our over the Alps from our window in the B&B

Downtown Obertsdorf

'bout says it all.

And now...looking down on Obertsdorf

Oberstdorf is in the valley below.  This area is a winter ski mecca and a summer hiking hot spot.  A gondola takes you up to 3 levels.  This is level 2.  Obviously, a popular spot for hang gliders.  It was a beautiful day and we witnessed about 5 or 6 taking off and gliding down.  While the weather was great then, we had to wait until the very last morning to be able to get to the top.  Forty five minutes after we got to the highest level, The Nebelhorn, fog engulfed us.

The town at the base of the mountains

Gene looking out over the valley below.
This is on top of the Nebelhorn

Our self portrait.
We look a little different without our hammers!

Sigh.  You know, forget the shop...I'm going to Germany.  You can all meet us there!  The B&B was a 300 yr. old (or so) working farm house.   Wonderful.  The owners spoke no English, my German is, well marginal at the very least least, but we managed.  I'll make reservations....

Party on!

Coleen

What is it?

Do you know what this is?

Yes, that's right....PLYWOOD ON THE SHOP ROOF!  We've worked ourself to a frenzy getting this ready for today.  Actually, Chuck and Gene had the last barge rafters on by 10:30 yesterday morning.  We still weren't sure we were going to make it until Gene decided that if he cut the overhangs down to 12", he could manage the barge rafters from the inside.  Thus not needing to build a 3 story high scaffold on the outside.  (Barge rafters are the fascia on the gable ends.  Notice they are pre-painted.  I'm not a fan of hanging from the trees to paint them.)

Anyway, they finished this side today and will do the other side tomorrow.  They put the roofing paper on as they went, so it's 'dry'.  We're so looking forward to it being under cover tomorrow.  Then Monday they return to roof the entire project.  Chuck and Gene a still busy finishing details on the garage roof structure.  The breezeway, garage and carport roofs are now totally sheeted.

You might also notice that it's been backfilled.  I forgot to put those pic's up....well, honestly, I can't find the photos.  Ooops.  Maybe because that was my 'melt-down' day.  Watching the cat work in such tight quarters (along the back here) barely missing the truss tails, was more than my nerves could take.  I had to walk away, call a friend and have her help me process my angst.

That's it for today.  Dee and I worked our little tails off today...not.  Watching and second guessing Chuck and Gene in the garage roof working on a detail where the top of the breezeway roof joins it, was exhausting.  Besides, it was cold out...sitting and doing nothing in the cold just drains a person!  Sure, we could go inside in the warm, but what fun would that be?  There's housework in there!  I've had the perfect excuse to ignore, dusting, vacuuming and cooking for almost 2 months now!  Aside from it being obvious, it's been great!

Party on!

Coleen

What a weekend!

Ok, it's been a few days...again.  I'm tired...and what little energy I have is spent on either spreading mulch over the mud or painting or playing support crew.  On occasion I may even clean the kitchen enough to find enough counter space to make a sandwich or try to find the M&M's.  And if Gene's lucky, I may take a shower.

Enough of my whining...

The weekend was filled with mad framing.  On Satruday, Gene's nephew, Brad, and Chuck's nephew (Brad's cousin...are you confused yet?), Jarod came and led a framing frenzy.  The valley connecting the breezeway and garage was framed.  Well, first they set the end truss on the shop and sheeted it, so they could set the breezeway trusses...then they could frame the valley.  Boy, are we grateful for their help!  We'd still be their scratching out heads if it weren't for them!

Brad in orange, looking through the end truss with Jarod comfortably
standing on the 6" wide beam.  They're discussing the in's and out's of quantum mechanics.
Maybe it was their next hunting trips, I dunno.

Chuck and Jarod putting starting the second row of sheeting.
This is the 'sub-wall'.  Primed only to protect it from the coming rains.

Gene's directing the show.  Actually he's cutting and handing the sheets up.

How high can he reach?

Breezeway trusses are set!

YAY!

Sunday

Fast forward to today, Sunday.  Pretend that I actually took pictures of Jarod and Brad framing the valley yesterday.  Actually, there's no good angle to get a good shot.  So, use your imaginations and trust that it's there!

So, today, gawd, what did they do today...oh, yeh...Brad, again, kicked butt and with Gene and Chuck put up the 2x10x20' 'jack rafters' (a rafter between trusses that don't carry the roof, are merely a nailing surface for the roof sheeting.  This is because of the opening created by doubling up the next to last truss with the third to last to allow for the stairway) and floor joists.  It required some tricky climbing, cutting and...well, it was tricky.  It took Chuck, Dee and I to get one of the rafters through the window and up to Brad and Gene.  Ok, here's the pics....

Gene sitting up on the 'rat run' (connecting trusses).  With Brad back at the
double truss.  The peak of the truss, at Gene's head, is 12' off the top of the wall.
This is when they declined lunch because they were afraid they'd lose their breakfast!

Gene hanging on while nailing something. Oh, the ridge beam
which the jack rafter attaches to.  First things first.  Gene wanted down
but I told him, "He that designs it, nails it."

Brad's enjoying the view.

Ok, that's it for photos.  But, suffice it to say, the day had lots of rain and lots of progress!  They actually got one side of the breezeway sheeted with plywood.  Which, of course, required more blue tarp.  We're thinking of investing in a tarp factory.

Hopefully, by the end of the week, we'll have some roofing started....or more tarp.  This time on the shop.

As always, we are so grateful for all the help.  Brad, Jarod you rock.  Dee and Chuck, what can we say, you're a blessing.  Thank you!

Party on!

OMG! The Big Trusses Are Set!

Yes! It's true!  The Truss Co. came through yesterday and set the last bundle of trusses up on the roof!  Our amazingly wonderful crew (try getting 3 busy guys together on a Saturday!) came back today for a 2 hour window in their day and that's exactly the time it took to set the last 9.  What a challenge!  The next to last one was a double truss, to allow for the stair well.  Then the last end truss couldn't be easily tied to that next to last one.  But, their up.  I had a couple videos, but they're proving to be to big a pain to load on Blogger.  So, here's some stills of the finished project.  I didn't have a chance to take intermediary ones, as I was ground crew and they kept me hopping!

Gene's got his back to the camera on the far left.  That's Chuck in the middle on the ladder.
And Fred at this end.  They're nailing in the end truss.  The LAST one!

Finished!

And then it was time for some good ol' fashioned...

Redneck Roofing

The rains are coming so, it was time to cover everything up.  Gene and Mike worked for about an hour getting the garage under cover.  Then Gene and I worked for another 2 hours getting everything else covered.  No, we didn't get the shop trusses covered.  Too big.

Now seriously...can you think of a better use for a can of paint thinner!?

All set for winter!

After all this work covering everything, it sure as heck better rain!

Gene hopes to take tomorrow off...if it's raining.  It's much needed.  He's been working dawn to dusk for over a week and is exhausted.  Me?  I've been baking cookies and picking tomatoes from my garden...all to feed the guys.

Party on!

Gene and Coleen

Trusses Continued...

Ok.  We found a crane, or my brother did, on Craig's List.  And in Scio of all places.  Only $65K.  Not a problem.  So, I'm going to go to heavy equipment operator school and start a new career.  Not!

Actually, there's a crane place here in the area.  He came out yesterday and looked at the situation.  It wasn't good.  It didn't matter which end of the building he set up at, he couldn't have reached the other end of the building.  He also didn't think he'd make it up the driveway.  We thought we were sunk.  I was looking at Plan C...making these trusses firewood and getting some smaller pitch standard trusses which would weigh about 1/2 as much and be more manageable.  I was sick about it.  Thought I'd loose what little breakfast I had eaten!

But, the crane operator came through for us.  As we had the crew there waiting for the crane to show up, he walked around and around and finally said to Gene, "You know.  These aren't so heavy, really."  And proceeded to show the guys how to scoot the ones that were up there over and then using a 'pole' tilt them up.  It worked!  They proceeded to set the 8 trusses that were all ready on the building.

The crane guy left to get the crane and try to get up the drive way to set the others that were left on the ground.  But, he was right, he couldn't get up the driveway.  He had to back up (no room to turn around once he's up here) and he just couldn't make the corner.  Argh.  So, the Truss Co. will come up either today or Monday and set them up there.  The just couldn't get both bundles of them up there at the same time.

First truss in place!  A big Woo-Hoo! broke through the crowd!

Truss #2..obviously.

Looking in the door.  Killer room up there!

All 8 Set.  Ready for the next 9.

We have to thank our intrepid crew!  Mike, Chuck, Fred and Chris.  Without them and the crane guy, this wouldn't have happened.  They have all earned themselves some shop time!

Today, Chuck and Gene are madly trying to get plywood over the garage/carport to get he humungous blue tarp over it for the coming rains.  There's no way we'll get it roofed this weekend.  The breeze way trusses have to be set and plywood and inspected before roofing can start.  And those can't be set until the Truss Co. has gotten the next bundle of the shop trusses up, as they'll interfere with the process.

We also have to thank Chuck and Dee's oldest son, Mike...also Gene's nephew...for the suggestions for some of the bracing.  Namely the vertical wall bracing on the end.  Mike's a construction manager for a large commercial firm in Bend and has set many large trusses.  These are babies for his crew!

Ok, off the the races today!

Party on!

Gene and Coleen

The Trusses Are Coming!

And they arrived.  What a day.  But, we hit our first snag....here's the story...

They're here!...Barely.
Barely made the turn from the street.
Then barely made our corner.  Taking out those 5 trees made it possible.

 Breezeway trusses.

They'll be turned 90º and sit on the beam and wall in back.
Cantilevering out over the little wall in the foreground.

Existing garage trusses.

Garage trusses in place.

The big 'uns.  These are the first batch for the shop.
Attic trusses for light storage upstairs. (Not approved for habitable space!)

Mid air.

Placed....well, not quite.

Here's the snag...the boom truck has a reach of 80'.  It was out to it's maximum and the trusses were only 1/2 way back...they needed to go all the way to the back.  So...after much debate and a few deep sighs...they were laid down at the front.  The second batch was 'placed' on the ground.  The plan is that we'll need to hire a crane, have them come up the back way and place them, one at a time, from there.  That's when I added the shot(s) of tequila to my pepsi.

So, we are now trying to find a crane that's available.  Actually, we're going to call the Truss Company tomorrow and see if they can bring up just the crane and do it.  We'll pay extra.  

On a lighter note...much lighter, seeing as those big attic trusses weigh 250 pounds each!...we heard tonight that the sky is falling...or at least an old satellite.  Therefore, we will be spending Thursday through Saturday in our new bomb shelter.  Or until it falls to earth.  

Yes, you know when a structure is over engineered when even the Building Inspector calls it a "bomb shelter".  Ooops.  Now all our neighbors will want a piece of the action!  Fine.  Call it a big ugly gray elephant and then try to duck in!  Take a number.

I'll be back tomorrow...maybe.  I may be out shopping for a large crane.  I wonder if there are any on Craig's List?  If you know of one...it needs to have at least an 80' boom...let me know.  We'll have to call Kyle and see if Hillsboro's firefighting heli is available...we're exploring all options.

Gene and Coleen