May 28
A regular visit turns into a special one today: we nail down the windows! Figuratively speaking, that is. The Window Men drop by to verify the order for 28 Pella windows and I change my mind and tell them, yes, I want all those windows BUT now I want the Pella windows facing South and West to have the mini-blinds included before they are installed. And the Window Men are just fine with that.
I am a terrible window decorator. I hate blinds and shades and curtains. People who know me would say I am all about the view outside…so blocking that view would never be something I’d be interested in doing. I’m always breaking blinds and shades (not on purpose!) and curtains just gather dust (of which there is a great deal up here on the mountain). So, having the mini-blinds installed inside the windows is perfect.
And in other special news, Steve and I figured out how the kitchen will be organized, how far the “bar” counter can stick out into the room without impeding traffic, and how high the tile in the kitchen might go (not very high because I really love the look of the exposed brick, but high enough to keep oil and other junk from hitting the adobes, because they just soak that cooking stuff up. Ugh.).
technical
Electrical continues to be drawn throughout the house. The rafters have been built on the roof. Plywood is being nailed up over the house in preparation for the stucco project. The push is on to get the roof done because the rainy season has started–this is good news, of course, since the area has been in a state of drought for the past two years, but it is also bad news for this unfinished house. Adobe blocks don’t like water…
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- Protecting construction materials from the rain
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- All of the pony and parapet walls and rafters are built now
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- The back of the house roof line
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- Guest bath walk-in shower framing
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- West End Master Suite closet all framed up–and a register in the room, too!
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- Decking for the West End Ramada is finished!
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- Insulation and plywood are finished, too.
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- Are those rafters on the roof? Yes indeedy.
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- Electrical wiring installation is still underway
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- West End Maintenance Room
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- Old tech meets new tech
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- Flexible ductwork snakes along the top of the house
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- Wood for framing closets and walls
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- Insulating the garage (because one day this garage will be the Fort Krevit Bar and Grill and we will park the trucks behind the house…!)
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- Framing my closet
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- Outside light fixtures and plugs
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- Not sure about these…
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- …but there is a lot of electrical coming out of this box!
personal
Hot. And cloudy. Rain is on the way.
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- Sotols are maturing
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- There is something mythic and ancient about these native plants…
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- Sotol berries!
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- Delicate wildflowers continue to pop up…
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- The rain has been good for them.
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- Bella seeks shade from the heat!
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- Storm seems to be rolling in
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- Goodbye for now, Sun.
technical 2
Returned to the building site after our hike to meet with the Window Men. And walked through the kitchen design with Steve. I can imagine what it will be like to stand at the kitchen sink, washing dishes and looking out at THAT VIEW. And I can’t wait!
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- What is that strange light? 😉
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- Cy Twombly’s rendition of my kitchen counter, with lights
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- Part 2. The background is actually the concrete floor.
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- This is where the oven/stove goes!
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- On this wall, the dishwasher
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- And covering the stain from the rain: the refrigerator!
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- The kitchen sink
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- Countertop height is noted with a horizontal pencil mark.
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- The rain storm really did blow in, but not until we made it home!
Read more about Cy Twombly. I find him enigmatic and oddly fascinating. Some of his drawings really do remind me of the simple design Steve created on the kitchen floor…
Hi Leah. The house is really coming along. It must be so exciting to see it take shape. I can’t wait to try out that guest shower — hint, hint. Your last posting reminded me of the time, long ago, when you took me to the Menil to see the Twomblys — you were so delighted by them and I was a little mystified, I admit. I hope you got that rain. Love K
Katy, thanks for dropping by! You are going to love this walk-in shower. And did we not see the black and white Franz Kline’s at the Menil together? I am a lover of abstract art, obviously. Rain is more frequent than usual out here, apparently, but it still seems very dry to me after years of the Houston sub-tropics…
You will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Pella windows/blinds. We have all Pella windows and sliding doors and they are the best invention since toilet paper……………………..
Enjoy!!!! The house is looking great!!!!! SO Exciting!!!!!
Kris (USA)
Kris! So good to hear from you. Hope you are well and enjoying the beginning of Summer! Yes, those Pellas are going to be great. Once they are installed, Steve the builder is going to have a hard time keeping me from moving in even though the house will not be completed until November! 🙂