California has fires and Texas has rain, rain, rain. We had another rain storm last night and more in the forecast tonight. We have had no flooding here as in Northeast Texas.
Rain again today has held up our building process. Paul went over to the property at 7:00 am just after the rain let up to sweep out any standing water on the second floor. He found the builder already on the job pushing out any water. We appreciate him.
It was hard to see the amount of work that was completed today. Then we climbed up on the roof over the garage and could see the framers work. There are many more support boards from the back to the front of the roof over the garage, and the dormers had siding on them. There were stacks of plywood that had been moved up to the top of the roof too. I assume in preparation to close in the top of the roof. We hope they start closing in the roof soon because rain is in the forecast for Wednesday.
At the end of the work day Friday the dormer facings over the house were in place. After the men left for the weekend Paul and I climbed up on top of the house to look through the dormer openings. The Attic on top of the house is a very large space! After walking around up there seeing how large the space really was we thought we might like to make a game room up there. I could see much farther from the dormer windows up there than the view from the balcony. This made me want to incorporate the space into the house some how. For now we will just keep chewing on that idea.
Today we had our very first meal in our home. How do you like our new dining table? We knew we would be working at the property this morning and planned yesterday to take lunch for the men. When I asked the framing foremen Frank Gomez and his sons to join us, they didn't hesitate to say "yes." They were very helpful to set up a make-shift table for our lunch together.
Today the framing crew worked on the dormers on the house and dormers over the garage. They also worked on siding at the east side of the house above the fireplace.
These pictures were taken on Monday after the concrete was poured on the outside patio and upstairs balcony. In these pictures I was trying to show you the progress of the roof trusses as they were set in place through out the afternoon.
We drove up to the property at 7:30 this morning excited to see how all this was going to work today. I was shocked to see this huge machine haunched down on all four legs like something ready for battle. I never knew there was equipment like this, but I have never built a house either! The pump was waiting and ready to pour the concrete on the balcony as soon as the cement truck arrived. The concrete pump operator wears a special remote control panel around his waist to maneuver the heavy machine nozzle. The concrete men completed the balcony job quickly. Then the cement truck pulled around the back of the house to fill the small outside patio. The whole job was complete before noon. 
Paul and I were talking about the flag-poles this morning and how nice they will look in the circle drive once they are installed. We had not heard from Mr. Caldwell our flag-pole contact in some time so Paul decided to give him a call. He learned Mr. Caldwell had been ill with heart problems, but was much better now. The poles were ready for delivery and Mr. Caldwell decided to drive them out to the property this afternoon. Now we have to locate someone who can set them in place!
The framers set up four of the roof trusses this morning with thunder storm warnings in the forecast. After these four were set up they installed support braces to hold them in place. I am sure they want to get them secure before the rain comes in today. These may be all they set up today due to the forecast. The house looks a little out of balance with out the balcony supports on the second floor.
I understand now why this piece of machinery is called a sky-lift. It lived up to its name today lifting the heavy trusses onto the top of the roof. There were seventeen trusses in all. The framing crew set two at a time onto the lift, and then up it went with great ease. The men quickly climbed to the top of the roof to wait on the sky-lift to delivere the trusses. The sky-lift operator carefully set them onto the roof. Then they pulled the trusses off the front forks of the machine one at a time. The trusses are presently lying flat on top of the roof waiting to be set up at another time. These trusses weight almost 300 pounds a piece. That was really something to watch today.
Many jobs going on today all at once. While waiting on the roof trusses to arrive the framers assembled some of the stairs. The roof trusses arrived on City Lumber's big truck which dropped them off with ease. These trusses will be lifted up to the roof tomorrow with a piece of equipment called a sky-lift.
The framer's building focus was on the back porch today. The first picture of their work was taken before lunch, and the second was taken later after lunch.
The house looks very much like a Southwest style home at this stage of framing with the boxy outside and flat roof. I could see how easy it would be to change our plans right now and build a Southwest style home. Our former home was this style and we liked it very much. The only thing we didn't like was the continuous repair problems of owning a home with a flat roof.
These pictures I posted today are of the framers working too close to the edge, they scare me! I am sure they know what they are doing , but they still scare me. They walk around the edge of the second story like walking on the ground. They carry heavy nail guns and tools right up to the edge of the second story and with their toes hanging over the edge they get their work done. I was afraid they would fall right off. 
"A room with a view please," was Elizabeth's request when we were first discussing house plans. Elizabeth wanted her bedroom to exit onto the balcony like ours. The plans we chose were not originally designed this way. With a few adjustments by the designer 'voila' she had a view. Today she wanted to share with you her room, and her view. The view is North towards San Angelo.
We went by the house at noon today on our way into San Angelo for weekly groceries. The weather was already hot by then with a forecast in the high ninety's today. Mr. Gomez and his crew have been on the job before seven every morning due to the weather change.
Our window and doors were delivered first thing this morning by a very large Eagle Window 18 wheel semi-tractor trailer to an undisclosed location for safe keeping. They will remain under lock and key until the builder is ready to install them. It was exciting to actually see the doors and windows. Up until today we had only seen them in the Eagle catalog. Most of the windows are 36X72 with an eight count divided light.
We went over to the property this afternoon and most of the second story framing was complete. With the second story front of the house now framed I thought I would try and explain a little of the design.
This up close picture of the front of the house is to show you the symmetrical window and door openings upstairs and downstairs. Upstairs we have planned two french sliding doors that open onto the balcony. One from the master bedroom and one from Elizabeth's bedroom. On the first floor the front door opening is on the left, which will be a french door. The opening on the right is to the study with another french sliding door.
The windows and french doors for the house will be delivered tomorrow. The manufacture has made arrangements to store them in a local storage unit until the builder is ready for them.
Last night we had a big thunderstorm roll in at supper time. The wind got up to about 60 mph and the storm dropped marble size hail for about thirty minutes. Then it rained for about thirty minutes after the hail ended. We can see the house through binoculars from where we are staying if we drive a mile down the road. Paul drove down the road when the rain stopped. He had just enough day light left to see the second story framing still standing. All was still intact. 
We watched the first-second story wall go up today. By this evening they had much of the outer second story framed and a couple of inner walls completed. This family of men work so well together. Each takes a portion of the frame to build. Then they all lift and hold it into place while one man nails it secure. We don't do much but watch them, take pictures, and yell Yee-Haw! Every time they put up another wall.
