We have been working with Carole Murray and Annie Rouse of Murray Windows & Door, Inc.  Carole and Annie came to the job site today to review where we are and do some field measurements.  Also, today is the final preparations before we pour concrete in the lower level tomorrow morning.

Carole Murray and Annie Rouse Visit Our Job Site

After meeting with Carole and Annie in their offices in Campbell, Bryan suggested they come to the job site and review the openings for the sliding doors and windows to see the issues first hand.  Although we have computer renderings of the house from various angles, there is no substitute for seeing the scale and connections in person.

Carole has suggested that we change the bifold patio door system that is at the back of our house to a large sliding glass pocket door.  This pocket door will go behind our feature concrete wall in the dining room.  We need to confirm the details on how this will work.  In addition, we will have to submit revised plans to the City of Monte Sereno as this will increase the size of the house by approximately 12 square feet.

Carole Murray (right) and Annie Rouse (left) reviewing the job site.

Annie taking notes.

Final Preparations Before Pouring Concrete Tomorrow

it seems there are always last minute things to do before pouring concrete.  Or, it seems like Bryan leaves things to the last minute.

The two remaining items were for Bryan to (1) insulate the PEX where the supply and return lines come together near the manifold; and (2) take photos of the PEX that will be embedded in concrete. 

Insulating the PEX increases the performance of the system by allowing the supply line (hot) to be insulated from the return line (cold) so the hot water in the supply line is not cooled by the cooler water in the return line.  This important task was easy to do and only took a few minutes.

Taking photos was simply a matter of going around the perimeter with the measuring tape and camera. 

With these two items completed … let’s pour concrete!

Lights on, looking left ...

Looking center ...

And, looking right.

PEX in place by the Snack Area (exit sliding door on the left).

Insulated PEX in concrete in Nik's Room/Lower Powder Room.

PEX coming into manifold in the West Air Handler room. Note the insulated PEX.

The

The site needs to be safe and the railings need to go around the entire perimeter of the atrium, including both bridges.  This was the task today - get the railings in place so the site is safe.

Cutting the Decking

We still needed to put the plywood decking over the bridge going to the master suite.  Paul and Laura were going to San Francisco for the day so David Staab agreed to help Bryan for a few hours.

Everyone had fun helping cut the plywood and then Bryan was able to complete the posts and railings by himself. 

Our good friend and Eichler mentor, Jerry Ditto, dropped by at the end of the day to review our progress.  He approved.

And, yes, it was another beautiful, blue-sky California day.

Bryan and Paul, standing on the bridge deck (with no railing), planning their work.

The boys are ready to go to work ...

Measure twice, cut once ...

Starting to cut ...

Finishing the cut.

Having fun before Paul and Laura leave for San Francisco.

The decking, posts and railing are completed on the bridge to the master suite.

Bryan has the posts in place on the bridge.

Bryan has the first railing on now.

Jerry Ditto dropped by to review our project (and, he approved).

We

Thanksgiving is steeped in tradition in our world.  Paul Marcaccio has joined us to celebrate Thanksgiving every year since 1996.  Black Friday is the crazy shopping day where we struggel through the lineups at Fry’s Electronics.  And, this will be the third annual Christmas Tree event in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

After a dreary day yesterday, it was a beautiful, blue-sky California day today.

Spectacular …

Putting a Deck on Our Bridge

With the concrete in place on the ground floor, we needed to put the deck on the bridge over the atrium.  This will be a temporary deck so we can use the bridge during construction.

Paul, Nik and Bryan went to the job site and were busy cutting plywood for the decking.  A good project for them, prior to the annual Christmas Tree event.

Our mission for the morning - put a plywood deck on the bridge from the Foyer.

Mission Accomplished - Bryan and Nik standing on the deck on the bridge. Yeah!

Cutting Christmas Trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains

As in prior years, Jo-Anne sent an e-mail to our group of friends in the Silicon Valley, inviting them to the ‘Christmas Tree Cutting’ in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  We met at Mike Calise’s house in Los Gatos and then made our way up Highway 17 to Summit Road.

We have used the same location at the Christmas tree farm for three years now.  It has a flat area close to the road where we set up tables and chairs to relax and enjoy the afternoon.  (Some may describe the event as a ‘tail gate party’ in the Santa Cruz Mountains.)  Everyone had fun and the children were able to run around, virtually unconstrained.

This year, Bryan brought our project pickup truck and brought Christmas trees back to Los Gatos that people had cut.

Cutting Christmas trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Note the group of people amoung the trees,

Everyone enjoying the fine afternoon.

Note the beautiful, blue-sky California day we had.

It was a bit cool so we had some hot food to keep us warm.

James Fulton (right) holding the tree so Nik could cut it. This tree will be perfect in our house.

Nik takes care of the trees in the back (only to the gate).