Shingles Are Painful

  But so far I'm not experienced personally with the medical condition.  I wanted wavy shingles up in the gables.  I couldn't find what I wanted, and have extra HardiePlank material.
  I started by cutting boards into 23" lengths---5 boards at a time. 

Next, lined them all up and snapped two chalk lines---at 10" and 13".  At each seam made a mark as sort of a target-- so my free hand wavy lines wouldn't get too crazy

First time doing this, with Byron here, we learned the importance of numbering the shingles.  There was still an issue with the numbering system since I went up one side and back the other---so when we added more, had to get into negative numbers.  This time I did odd near me and even away, so I can just keep adding numbers.  When it's time to install I'll just do all odds then all evens.

Then it's just cutting and stacking.  Next they'll get primed and painted, front, back, and edges.  They're all moved inside so when the snowstorm hits tomorrow it'll still get done

Livingroom and my Commute

  It's been too cold and windy most days to work outside so I've been mostly getting the spruce up on the interior.  Even a small fire will keep the place very warm.  The wood's beautiful---AnnaMarie says it's all getting painted gloss white though in keeping with the 'cottage' theme.  Wood is 'cabin'.

    The commute is a one minute walk.  The turkeys all start to congregate this time of year---they seem fond of my building site.

Slimy Chicago Style Politics

   It makes me angry that they do this----it makes me very angry that people do their part to fall for it, too.
Darrell Issa (R, CA) was chairing the house oversight committee--“to assess the impact of the healthcare mandate rule on freedom of religion,” and see whether the executive branch of government had overreached its constitutional authority, which of course it had.  A very serious accusation when you think about it, particularly with a devisive election coming up. 
   Here's what the Democrats did---they had a black woman there all coached, and they asked if she could address the panel about contraception.  Wrong committee, wrong topic---so Rep. Issa said 'No'.  It's his job to keep the meeting on topic, which this clearly wasn't.  So the Democrats stormed out to the waiting cameras, and the story out now is Issa won't allow women to testify about women's health issues.
   Slimy.
   I believe the Democrats are fully aware Obama is way over-reaching his constitutional authority and it's a toxic topic for them.  Preventing government oppression plays well with a huge part of the population, so they HAD to change the focus here to make it sound as if it were a hearing about contraception.
  If you are reading this, and you disagree, see if you can focus on this question----Does the president of the united states have the authority to require churches to pay for abortions?  If so, where in the constitution is this power listed?  

  

Building in the Snow

   This time last year, when the weather would turn, I could get a little bit done but before too long the elements and common sense would get the best of me.  I'd have to go home and be underfoot for AnnaMarie while the framing would be getting snowed upon.  Now, I have options.

     You're supposed to use the fireplace a few times with the house open to burn off any oils and contaminants from the manufacturing process.  This airtight fireplace drafts air from outside, and has a thermostat controlled blower.  It really puts out the heat.  I'm just tossing construction cut offs in as I go.

Also---here are the shutters I salvaged from a dumpster.  They have some 'character flaws' that I'm going to leave in place, just some little gouges here and there.  They go well in the bedroom, I think.  All the wood is going to get painted gloss white.

Working Up High

  Working up in the gables over the porch roof has proven to be difficult.  I moved my triangle braces over and screwed them to the wall.  I have to work from the top down, remove the braces, then from the bottom up, being careful the boards space out correctly.  It would look odd to have a half width board

Some pics from the Cuyamaca Cabin project

  This was the first owner builder project, 2000-2003

Fabric Formed Foundations

   Both of my owner/builder projects were built this way.  As far as I can tell, it's never been done elsewhere.  It solved some problems with building over expansive soils on a slope over boulders where there's frost and earthquakes.