Tongue and Groove Ceiling is Completed!

The Last Board

We decided to write something on the back of the last board before we installed it, and add our signatures. We know that "in the old days" roofers used to do this when they thatched a roof by adding a message in a bottle and hiding it somewhere in the thatch for the next roofers to discover. We signed our names and also wrote some of the "sayings" we repeated more than once as we worked on it. ("Trim will cover that!" and "That's good enough for the goofballs we're doing this for!" are two of the sayings that Gary kept repeating if something didn't turn out perfect.) We don't know if anyone will ever see it, but it's there!

Installing the Last Piece of Tongue and Groove

The last board is installed by Gary and Charlie. There was a major celebration after this! We had promised George Kayser that when the ceiling was finished, we would treat him to "In-N-Out". Well, we didn't finish before George left for Nicaragua (as a Mormon missionary) so Charlie Kayser went with us for dinner. Yummy!

The Completed Great Room Ceiling

Here's a view of the ceiling taken from the kitchen area. Gary stood on the scaffolding to take this picture. Remember those "cloud" lights I wrote about several months ago? The county requires that we use energy efficient lights, (GU-24 plugs) and these were the least expensive that we could find. Once we get the final inspection, these lights will be replaced with something that fits a cabin decor!

The Solar Tube Lighting

One of the things we wanted to incorporate was solar lighting. We have three solar tubes in the great room, and several others around the house. The three larger lights in this picture are solar tube lights. They put out a lot of light! This picture was taken during the day, but in the next picture (which was taken at night) you'll see that the solar tubes are not as bright, but the "cloud" lights are glowing.

Lights on in the Kitchen!

Gary rigged up an extension cord so that we could see what the kitchen will look like when it is all lit up. We came home from our "In-N-Out" celebration and agreed that there is plenty of light! This picture was taken at night, so the flash came on; but, you can still see that the "cloud" lights are producing light. The three cloud lights are directly over the future kitchen island, and they will be hanging pendant lights someday.

Front Porch Stoop

The Finished Front Porch Stoop

This is what was accomplished today--the front porch stoop. There is a lot more work involved in creating a front stoop besides just mixing up concrete and dumping it into some forms. Setting it up so that there is the proper drainage and slope is one of the technical things that we left to the professional--Jeff Haskins. Gary and Jeff made a trade, and our end of the bargain is that Jeff Haskins, a professional concrete finisher, will pour and finish all six of our stoops. The county requires that each exterior door has a stoop for the final inspection.

We plan to have slate installed on top of the concrete to give the front entry a nice look. Eventually there will be river rock on the sides and top of the door, as well as in the peak above the door, but since neither the river rock nor slate is required for the final inspection, that will have to come later.

Andrew and Charlie

Andrew Eblen and Charlie Kayser helped mix the concrete.

Jeff Haskins mixing the concrete

Jeff Haskins pouring the concrete

The poured stoop as it cures

Tongue and Groove in Great Room Ceiling

Drywall is beginning to be taped!

This picture shows the drywall along the dining room wall. It is in the beginning stages of taping. We hope to finish it this week and start priming for paint next week!

Tongue and Groove in Ceiling of Great Room

The ceiling of the great room is getting tongue and groove installed this week. See the little piece of blue in the center of the picture? That is a speaker wire. Gary hunted through several boards to find one that had a knot in just the right place, and he made sure the speaker wire went through that knot! Pretty cool, huh?

Master Bedroom Ceiling

Debi is proud to say that she and Gary installed the tongue and groove in the master bedroom all by themselves! The ceiling in the great room got too high for her to help after about six rows, but since the bedroom ceiling isn't vaulted, she was able to help Gary do the entire master bedroom ceiling! The gray cement board in this picture is above the fireplace and will eventually have slate or river rock on it. We can't decide which one would look best. What do you think? Slate or river rock?

Gary and Charlie Installing Tongue and Groove

Once the ceiling got past six rows, Gary needed the help of Charlie Kayser to install the tongue and groove in the ceiling. George Kayser also helped out with the ceiling before he left for his mission to Nicaragua.

We are seeing progress! Drywall is getting taped, ceilings are getting tongue and groove, and tomorrow the cement will be poured for the front stoop!

Drywall is Installed

The Dalmatian Room

We have sheet rock! Drywall! Whatever you want to call it, there are walls in our log cabin. And...the building inspector signed it off today. The next step is taping and painting. We are hiring a professional to tape the drywall and "mud" over the nail and screw holes. In the meantime, Gary can install the electrical outlets and switches all over the house.

Entryway looking toward the guest bathroom and guest bedroom

Great Room Ceiling

The great room ceiling will eventually be covered with tongue and groove, but we just wanted to get the ceiling in sooner. We knew it would be a slight added expense, but in the meantime, Debi can clean up the tongue and groove that got the black mold. Then Gary and the Kayser boys can put up the tongue and groove as they have time.

Great Room looking toward master bedroom and kitchen pantry

The wall that you see to the right of the pantry will be Debi's "Baking Center". The counter will be slightly lower so that rolling out pastry and bread dough will be easier. There will be cupboards above the counter to hold pie pans, cookie sheets, and all things associated with baking.

Wood Stove Hearth

Where you see "cement board", there will be river rock on the walls, and slate on the flat part of the hearth. There will be river rock on the face of the hearth. About five feet up (where you see the cement board go from four sheets to two sheets) there will be a log mantel.

Death of Our Favorite Tree

The Death of Our Favorite Tree

Our favorite tree on the property was cut down today. For over a year we have been watching it lose its vibrant green color. We've watched it become less full. We've seen needles all over the ground. When we touched the branches, needles came off in our hands. Gary talked with a student in one of his classes, and he told Gary that he had lost a Redwood, too. Our friends, Ron and Roz Chamberlin, lost two of their Redwoods this past year. Despite all of our watering attempts, we knew that it wasn't coming back to life after this past winter. So, today Gary cut it down. It was a sad time for us because we loved this tree.

Favorite Tree in December 2008

This is what the tree looked like after a snowstorm in December 2008. It is nice and green and very full. You can see how tall it is when you compare it to the 5' 2" person standing next to it.

November 2009

This is when we realized it wasn't doing too well. Gary said to wait one more winter and spring before we cut it down, but I think we both knew that it was already dead.

Gary "Vacuuming" the Tree

Gary's brother (Stan) suggested he use a shop vacuum to take the dirt away from the roots. Gary is hoping to use the tree stump for a really cool sink base in the half bath.

Clutch of Quail Eggs

When Gary was trimming the bottom branches of the tree (prior to cutting it down) we found this nest of quail eggs under a box, which was next to the tree. Debi had seen a quail fly out from under the tree when Gary was cutting the branches, but we didn't know the mother quail was on the nest. We hope she will come back and finish sitting on them. We hope we haven't scared her off.

Concrete Board Installation

Concrete Board on Hearth

Gary began to install concrete board in the cabin. The concrete board must be installed in areas where tile or river rock will be placed. This is a picture of the hearth in the corner of the great room. We will be purchasing a new wood stove later this year. The concrete board will go up the wall, too. There will be a mantel about five feet above the hearth. Gary is hoping to build a mantel that will incorporate a log.

Pantry

This is the kitchen pantry. Concrete board is installed where river rock will be placed. The river rock doesn't have to be installed to pass the final inspection, so when we move in, it will still look unfinished for awhile. You'll just have to use your imagination and pretend that there is river rock there!

Tongue and Groove Installation

Master Bath's Water Closet

Last week, Gary started to install tongue and groove on the ceiling and interior walls. It's starting to look like a real cabin! This is our master bathroom's "water closet"--just the toilet will be housed in this little room. It has a pocket door, but the interior will be all tongue and groove. Gary is partly done with one of the walls in the picture above, but you can imagine how it will look when it is finished.

Entryway

This is the entryway. The picture is taken from the end of the hall looking toward the front room--also known as the "piano room".

"Powder Room"

This is the half bath--so named because it is just a toilet and sink. (Some people refer to these bathrooms as the "powder room".) It is in the hall of the entryway (to the left) as you first walk in. (You can see the front door opening into the entryway in this photo.) We used half-round logs on the exterior wall of this bathroom and added a full log on either side of the doorway to add a rustic touch. The concrete board you see in this picture shows where river rock will be added later. The trim hasn't been installed around the door yet, but it is looking good!