Darryl returned to Calgary today. He had arrived from Canada on Friday, September 9 and had visited the job site.
We were pleased to host Uncle D’s visit and were very sad to say goodbye …
Darryl and Kate ...
Nik and Darryl, with the fixed gear bike that Darryl helped Nik to assemble.
After a week in Mendoza, Argentina it was time to get back to the job site.
Bryan’s flight left Mendoza on Monday afternoon and, after passing through Santiago, Chile, it arrived in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas this morning at 6:05 am. After clearing U.S. immigration and customs, Bryan had a three hour flight to San Jose, California. Then, to the job site!
Our good friend, Mike Calise, picked Bryan up at SJC and took him home. Mike is with EVadvise, and provides advice to clients regarding EV charging infrastructure and how it will evolve as the world starts to adopt electric vehicles.
After picking Bryan up and during the short drive to Monte Sereno, Mike spotted a Nissan LEAF on Highway 17 and both Bryan and Mike enjoyed watching one of the first Nissan LEAFs navigate the freeway in San Jose.
Al had completed putting shakes on the East side of the East gable, and was now starting to put our yellow cedar shakes on the South side of the South gable. This is great as our neighbors and friends can now see visible progress on our house as they drive north on Winchester Boulevard.
Finally, the day concluded with our son, Nikolas, blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. Nik turned 12 today!
After arriving in DFW, Bryan collected hsi luggage and had to clear U.S. Customs. Fortunately, the wine was wrapped securely in Mendoza and it was not leaking after travelling to DFW (via Santiago, Chile).
Three hours later, Bryan was curbside in SJC and Mike was to show up at any minute. The box containing the wine has not leaked ... Yet.
On the way home, Mike Calise spotted a Nissan LEAF on Highway 17 and quickly navigated behind it ...
The Nissan LEAF looks ok and was travelling on Highway 17 at a good clip. White looks fine.
Back to the project site! Our yellow cedar shakes are starting to go on the South side of the South gable.
Al had the roof and job site buttoned up nicely, so we will be fine with the forecasted rain showers.
The six bottles of Carinae wine that Bryan brought back from Mendoza, Argentina arrived safely (no breaks or leaks!).
The other container arrived in perfect condition. It had three bottles of wine from Finca La Celia. These wines are some of our favorites.
We celebrated Nik's 12th birthday today with his favorite cake!
It was a good day … Nik hit a home run in his baseball game, Kate celebrated her 7th birthday with 15 friends, and it didn’t rain at our project site.
Way cool!
Happy 7th Birthday Kate!
Jo-Anne serving Birthday Kate!
Yesterday, Bryan received permission from the City of Monte Sereno to remove the Hollywood Juniper from the back of the house. Essentially, a Hollywood Juniper is a bush, or shrub, and is not covered by the Significant Tree ordinance.
We like to be squeaky-clean when it comes to following the ordinances in the City of Monte Sereno.
10.15.030 Significant trees; definition.
Trees deemed significant for the purpose of this Chapter are those whose visual importance to the neighborhood is sufficient to justify special efforts to protect and preserve them and whose loss would be of irremediable adverse impact on the environment. Factors to be considered in determining the significance of trees are age, size, rarity and appearance. Notwithstanding the preceding, each of the following is declared to be a significant tree or trees:
A. Oaks or redwood trees having a circumference greater than twenty (20) inches measured at a height of four (4) feet above ground level.
B. Any tree having a circumference greater than twenty-five (25) inches measured at a height of four (4) feet above ground level.
C. Any three (3) or more trees proposed to be removed from any parcel of property within a twelve (12) month period
Nik and Bryan worked on removing the Hollywood Juniper and then they made three trips to Guadalupe Land Fill with the debris. Importantly, Guadalupe recycles and reuses garden waste so there was no land fill issues associated with the removal of the Hollywood Juniper.
Kate and Jo-Anne documented the event. Kate will have an opportunity to help Bryan next Saturday …
Bryan starting to cut the Hollywood Juniper.
Under Nik's directions, Bryan continues cutting the Hollywood Juniper.
Kate and Bryan resting after cutting down (most of) the Hollywood Juniper.
Nik cooling off in the trench and enjoying some cold water.
The Hollywood Juniper at Guadalupe Land Fill, ready for recycling.
The job site is relatively clean at the front of the property. This space will be needed to pur the dirt from our upcoming trenching activities.
The stump from the Canary Island Pine remains at the job site. We had planned to use the rented chain saw to cut the stump into pieces. It is too large so we will engage someone with a stump grinder to address this issue so we can start trenching at the front of the property.
Jo-Anne and Nik came to the site today to review our progress (Jo-Anne wanted to verify the actual progress herself, as noted yesterday). Everything looked fine to them, especially in the sunshine.
After reviewing the progress, Jo-Anne made a change to Kate’s bathroom as she would prefer Kate to have a pony wall with a full frosted glass window.
She believes that Kate’s bathroom will appear larger with fewer walls and, given there is a skylight that will provide natural light, a single frosted glass window is preferable to having a full wall with split glass (frosted glass on one side of the wall and clear glass on the other side).
The framing on the ground floor has progressed nicely.
The cabinet wall between the Kitchen and Dining room needs the post that will support the ridge beam.
Nik is pleased with how his bedroom is looking.
Jo-Anne, standing in the Wine Dining, inspected the Wine Cellar and thought it looked fine.
It was great to celebrate yet another Thanksgiving with good friends. We went to the Staab’s to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. We’re planning (hoping?) to celebrate Thanksgiving in our house in 2010. Before enjoying dinner, we had some work to complete.
Bill Brown’s team completed placing the reinforcing steel in the lower level so we went to the site to finish the PEX. Our good friends, Paul Marcaccio and Laura Watson, were visiting from Toronto so Paul joined Bryan and Nikolas at the job site.
Bryan instructed Nik on how to use the nylon ties and then how to clip the excess off. Nik was a fast learner and was soon ‘picking rice’.
Bryan instructing Nik on how the PEX needs to be positioned and attached to the steel mesh and the reinforcing steel (rebar).
Nik working on the PEX ('picking rice').
Bryan tying PEX to the wire mesh under the rebar.
Paul bringing 'two bottles' of wine to the Staab's for Thanksgiving dinner. A Rombauer Chardonnay and a Ridge Zinfandel (2004 Geyserville).
Our smiling and very gracious hosts, David and Pia Staab.
David bringing the bird out of the oven - looks delicious!
The girls - Laura Watson, Donna Calise, Jo-Anne Sinclair and Leanna Staab.
