After the Rain

A Rare Yellow Ohia Tree

Well after a month or so of rain we finally are back in the sunshine of course I try not to say that too loudly as we are still deep in the middle of the rainy season. The little green house is still pumping out the occasional veggie and landscaping has been a source of relaxation in the midst of trying to build this home. 2 steps forward 3 steps back is how we seem to progress. The downturn in construction has many suppliers operating with skeleton crews and dwindling inventories. It has been a struggle getting a complete order that is all usable. We've been sending back and back pieces that simply won't work or look like they had been laying around for months all greyed and weather cracked. Sorry, not in our house..... so we walk a fine line looking for acceptable goods without burning bridges to our completion. Pictured below are some of the framing details of our grand cabin. I must admit it is starting to feel like a home. The work has been heavier work than I'd hoped because we have had to make so many changes along the way. I find myself taking things apart because the plans call for one thing and suppliers sell something else. Am i making this sound like a bad experience, it is not really just frustrating being in a new place not knowing all the good avenues relying on others experiences to make your own good choices. Of course those of you that know me know i can't drive so running around looking and seeing before buying is almost impossible.

Here are shots of raising the ridge beam I'd been scheming how in the world I would get this beast up 16 feet in the air so we could have a ridge from which to build a roof system. I finally decided to spend some cash and hire a crane to come lift it into place. Good Plan took 20 minutes but i fussed over this for two weeks prior to. Had I known, before the guy showed up, there was a two hour min fee I would of waited until I had all the rafters cut and had him lift them as well because they have all but worn me out. This roof system will be impressive when all done we upped the size of the rafters because of two reasons one cosmetic the other structural. The plan called for a 4x6 rafter spaced every 48 inches but we went with 4x8 so we would not worry about any sagging should we choose a wood ceiling. Well the main house section has all it's rafters in place and the lanai portion is underway. Still all the while we are unsure of the siding as the plan called for one thing and suppliers sell another jeez go figure. Well they actually sell it just not treated for bugs and I want everything treated that is structural.

The rain continues to come and go, as you have seen we keep this project completely under cover. The borate treatment, the wood has gone through, will simply leach out if it is allowed to be exposed to such rain continually. The lanai portion is now under way, a much smaller ridge beam for it is in place along with the headers that will carry the rafter tails (ends). We will have a three foot overhang along the sides of the house and a four foot overhang on the ends so rain will never be an issue as long as the wind isn't very strong which it hasn't been till now. The wind is my greatest fear and has been the cause of extra bracing, again that the plans did not call for so more of the two step three step shuffle. With the last posts in place and all headers and beams now positioned the lanai railings have been my focus these past days. Again I find myself struggling for quality material. As i type I also wait on a call from suppliers that were supposed to get back to me in fifteen minutes two hours ago even the dog is like whats up with that......

Some photos of the lanai progress

The railings are providing the support for the lanai posts and beams, once complete the final rafters go in place

Time for some fun stuff Mz P just had a birthday! 59 and holding This might even be more unbelievable than us having moved here from Maine. These are the kind of things I miss the most with regards to driving. there use to be a time when I could hop in my truck and go make birthdays and holidays something special all on my own now I have to make other arrangements which just isn't the same. Well I asks the lady of the day what she might enjoy and typically, from an aging woman I get nothing ! just another day......Holy ole cranky pants glad I asked. Well be that way you old poop! So I puts on the ole thinking cap and come up with a gate for our driveway. It just so happens that we were in need of one as well. The three little pigs and the two little goats that live across the street have decided that things at our place are looking pretty yummy and being it is the country the proactive thing to do was a gate so here is the birthday gate simple but effective and I didn't even have to leave to get it done.

She loved it........laughed but loved it as did many that have come by

We'd been clearing and adding more plants here and there and came across this little feature in our front yard the amazing part of it is that it was a falling down tree at one time who's roots turned into trees and branches that turned into trees and then mother nature carpeted it in the most beautifully covered moss we'd ever seen, 6 or more inches thick feeling like an expensive hand woven rug

oops wrong picture this is our Ti plants and edible nasturtiums

ok here is the right ones

undisturbed since the tree fell over hmmmmmm wonder why it fell over........hmm I don't like the wind....

Last but not least and possibly the most exciting is our recent acquisition of land line phone service which hopefully means a dsl computer connection, they will be telling us soon. I'll give you a reason why so important it has now been 6 hours that I have been working on this post our wireless broadband service simply works for email anything else takes way too long.

So this concludes This update and as always we appreciate your viewing and look forward to your comments no matter how they reach us.

Till next time Buckaroos

This is Dave & Peggy in Hawaii !!!!