Update #7 We've been framed! Spring & Summer 2016

Update # 7 Whew!!!   Spring & Summer 2016

Its been awhile since I last updated our "Little Log House on the Hill" blog.
 Way too long! We have made progress, dare I say? 

We broke ground 3 years ago and to refresh your memory, here is what it looked like at that time when Perry was excavating.

We went from a mammoth hole in the earth to a nice solid 12 inch block basement and foundation. Over 4,000 blocks were laid on our little piece of heaven. (some days were more like Hell)

Some of the  blocks and walls were filled with concrete.

(Just a 'little' reinforcement here and there)

After that, we had to put up some floor joists and make a ceiling for the basement

That's me in the media/theater room. No roof at that time.

Framing began inside the walk out basement.

I learned quickly...how to frame and swing a nail gun around. LOL

We have not had much help with framing construction. 

It's pretty much been the Perry and Sherri show up on our little hill this year.

We did finish putting up a ceiling for the walkout basement apartment and we also framed the rooms over . The basement includes:

2 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
living room
kitchen
laundry room
water storage area
root cellar
wine cellar
theater room

My little root cellar will have a partial gravel floor for the cold storage 

of certain veggies. Guess I will need to start canning,too. 

We also put in basements windows. None got broken.

We dug and installed the line for the septic tank as well

1st story framing began above the walk out basement this summer.

Some days it was 100 degrees on that hot black roofing paper we had laid down to protect the 90 some sheets of plywood we laid down.I used over 15,000 staples in a hand held staple gun. Yep. I had some blisters.

Husband Perry and nephew Jack cutting wood for framing and 

sweating off a few pounds.

We continued framing....

and framing

and framing....

and framing at night as well.

We even framed in the rain.

Perry worked all day at the family store and then most nights until 10pm.....sometimes later.

We lost weight....and our tempers occasionally. 

Perry is a perfectionist. 

We are married.

That's all I need to say.

And oh yeah...we needed some stairs.

Stairway to Heaven?

Perry built the staircases. I'm not very good at math, so I let him handle that part. LOL   Right??

I am just excited for the elevator to go in. Who needs stairs?

While building the steps, I felt as if sometimes I was observing a

 Cirque de Soliel of Appalachian-style acrobatic construction moves.

 Perry was pretty flexible as he hung off boards and climbed up scaffolding. I told him I was glad we had life insurance and I would be sure the 

payments were made on time.

 (we have automatic withdrawal for payments now)

We began building the headers for above the doors and windows. 

Those were lifted into place with the two of us using a scaffold, a ladder, some cuss words and muscle. 

 Sometimes, I will not lie, a beer or two was needed.

It will be worth it.

The view from the Great Room looking westward will be 

beautiful as the sun sets.

Our framing the first floor?

It was pretty much finished late summer 2016.

Now its was time to put the ceiling on the first floor and work on 

framing the 2nd story....

without killing each other, having a stroke in the hot sun or falling off the scaffolding.

We started flooring and framing the 2nd story of our little log house in late summer 2016.

Yep....more to come! 

Stay tuned for the Fall/Winter update coming soon....