Supposed to be here to start front stairs Monday and Wednesday. And it’s not supposed to rain for awhile. Thank goodness.

 The walkway is taking shape.  Thank goodness that the foundation for the front stairway has been poured.    Weather was giving us fits on that.  Also the pad for the spiral staircase.

 I wish I could post a video. All of these guys working to Tejano music is fun. I need a shot of tequila. 

 The covered/screened in walkway from the house to the guest house is beginning to take shape. Soon Her Highness will be able to come and go without fear of rain nor snakes.

 The brick skirt is finished (mostly). And the Grinch oversees the wrecked front yard.

 The brickers were supposed to be finished last week. Note that all that is left is the top of the tower on two or three sides.  But rain on Friday kept them from finishing. They were going to come back Saturday and/or Sunday to finish, but Saturday was too wet from the Friday rain and it rained again on Sunday.  So they are supposed to be here to finish on Monday, but I suspect it will be too wet from Sunday’s rain. The concrete guy was supposed to be here Monday, but he got put off till Tuesday. When the brickers can’t finish on Monday, then the concrete guy will get put off till Wednesday. Ad infinitum. 

 The elevator has been operational since last Thursday.  It took some time for me to remember that it was there.  I walked downstairs once, but quickly remembered when it came time to walk upstairs.   The brick work is progressing well. 

 The garage has been bricked and more progress has been made on the elevator tower.  The installation of the elevator is supposed to begin Tuesday. 

 The beginning of the elevator tower.

 There hasn’t bee much to show lately. But here are photos of the underside ceiling whose purpose is to help protect the pipes from the cold. Also there are photos of the elevator tower. There is actually hope of a working elevator next week. 

 Mighty elevators from little foundations grow.

 Captain’s Log Star Date: 9-20.  Carrying stuff upstairs gave me a hernia.  Surgery Tuesday.

 Captain’s Log, Star Date:  Oh, whatever.  I have lost count.  Nothing is happening. We are waiting on approval of the building permit for the next phase, including the elevator. No problem.  We are just happy to be back in, living 12+ feet above terra firma. 

 We had to brick part of a wall so that the electric service can be moved to comply with regulations. This is a sample of what it will look like.

 Captain’s Log Flood Date 2,460 (at least). Spock is dead.  Scotty is dead.  Bones is dead. The bright spot is that the Enterprise is a lot closer to outer space than it was.  Spock was just an arrogant jerk, but Scotty was a genuine war hero, wounded in the D-Day landings in World War II.  Bones was a dog lover who didn’t speak to Kirk for several years when Kirk laughed about Bones’ dog dying.  Whether or not this is a coherent attempt at humor, the elevation seems to be complete.  I think the house is now safe from flood, but fire and tornadoes are another issue.  

The elevation portion is complete.  The final inspections were today. If the inspectors found a problem, Arkitectura will fix it, but they are good at what they do, so that should be no problem.  We don’t think the inspectors found a problem. Next comes the brick skirt and the front stairs.  And the elevator. Fred, Jo Ann and I are ready for the elevator.

I know I have neglected the blog, but the visuals are not as impressive. Arkitektura is finishing off the final details, like insulation and flood vents. The end is near.  I think the Elevation phase will wrap up in a couple of weeks.  Next will be the brick skirt and front stairway.  Since the Brick Company hasn’t made our brick in several years, we had to place a minimum order of 50,000 bricks.  I know that sounds like a lot, but our Guru, Fred Carter estimates we need at least 45,000 anyway. And Jo Ann plans to brick everything that doesn’t move.

Jo Ann tells me that I have been neglecting the blog.  The walls are going up on the bottom floor. Unfortunately the yard is so cluttered that a good perspective is not possible.

All in all it’s just another brick in the wall.  Note the sewer pipe, the CMU walls, and the view of the fountain as seen from the future Porte-cochere.

All of the cribbing is gone and the only thing left supporting the house are the concrete piers. The steel beams support the ceiling of the garage to avoid having to put columns down the middle of the garage.  Inspections are on Monday and they pour the foundation on Tuesday.