Every visit is a little like XMAS.

This post is late because it is the second time it has been written. I actually wrote it Sunday, but eblogger hiccuped and I lost the whole thing. I was too p-----ed off to re-write it until today.
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Marlys and I didn't make it up to Pinion Rock until Saturday afternoon. We knew things had changed by the view of the place from the curve at the entry to AC. Marlys noticed that a big white thing appeared above the trees at the building site. I tried not to drive faster then normal, but damn, I wanted to see the progress.

Once we had the truck parked, we had to unload it and get things squared away at the Encampment before going up to the site. This was just like waiting for Christmas morning when you are a kid.

I was first down the stairs, actually up the road. Wow, we had a main level starting to take place. Much of the material pile now seems to have gone. David and Kevin were straightening things up and getting ready to head out.

Now that we walk through the walkout level the rooms are taking form and we can start to picture the "real" layout vs. that which we had pictured from the design. Some areas seem larger and some not as large, but all were as we had planned them.

I noticed that David and his crew knew their way around "stacked framing", in that all walls, interior and exterior where stacked. I have gotten the moonbeam stare a number of times when bringing this up to others, but David gave me the "would there be any other way" look, when we talked about it a few weeks ago. His workmanship shows the difference between a framer and a true carpenter in that exterior and interior framing has all been stacked.

So what it stacked framing? It is a method by which studs, joists and rafters are all aligned so that downward force moments are transferred directly through the structure to the stem walls. It makes for a stronger more stable structure. It also means that David needed to spend more time in the framing layout before putting up the structure. There are a number of framing techniques that carpenters employee, but this is one that I felt should be employed in the majority of the house.

We also discovered what the garage will also have an exposed glulam beam and post. We have a couple of thoughts on how to best use the space (besides just parking cars).

The fireplace placement may also have some challenges in getting the zero clearance flue out of the wall and have the necessary clearances. Stay tuned on this one.

Hopefully, the main floor will be completed this week and the roof framed, and maybe sheathed.

With all that seems to be done, we are realizing how much more there is to do. Marlys is finalizing the kitchen design with Jack at Persnickity, but he needs to know the dimensions of the stove and refrigerator. Decisions on those items seemed to be along way off, but now we need to get going on it. The plumbing fixtures were finalized last week with Johnny's, but here again we thought we could wait until August to order them. But since we will have a large tub in the master bath, we need to get it ordered and in the room, before the interior framing completes and we can't get it through the door.

After our inspection with David, we went down to see how Pete is coming on his house. We noticed that the "My Name is Cecil, But You Can Call Me Eddy" gulch curve has been widened so as not to have any more adventures in semi off-roading. Pete's house had all of the exterior walls up and the roof sheathed. The clear span interior is HUGE. But the coolest item was the echo when standing right in the middle of the floor under the roof peak. If you moved a foot either way there was no echo, but right in the middle the sound seemed as if it moved around the room.

We will be going up on Thursday evening this week, on our way to Gunnison for Derek's orientation at Western State College. With getting Derek ready to attend college and move out of the house and looking forward to the surprise on each weekend's visit, time is flying.

We will need to manage our progress expectations when the work moves in side and is not as noticeable. In that regard October and the finish line seems a long way away.

Until next time.