Stair Grinds Today

For some unknown reason the Internet connection tonight is screaming... I was able to upload all these photos in about 10 minutes! Unheard of rapidito speed, man!

I don't know if Greg and Connie were able to get a new antenna for their wireless router, or if the thing is just positioned better or what. Anyway, I really appreciate it. It's fast!!!

Also, you may have noticed it, or maybe you missed it - there's a new slide show on the blog. It automatically cycles through all our pictures that have been uploaded to Flickr (a photo-sharing and storage site). Since I have over 1,900 photos there so far, you should find something to entertain you for a while. I'm not sure what kind of control (if any) you'll have using it, but I'm still working on giving you access to all the photos, so those of you hooked on browsing them will be able to to your heart's content, soon - I promise!

Here's where we have gotten to as of today. Hey the stairs are being framed up and will hopefully be "cast" as they call pouring the mix here, tomorrow.

We start off the series with the canal-side or front door stairs, even though they were the second set worked on today. Here you can see the initial landing being formed up, which will be on the same level or so, as the porch.

The next picture shows the guys sorting out how to position the middle landing and trying to do it so as to not impact the septic tank. It is getting a little crowded there, so I hope we can get this put together right.

Initial Landing

Working Out the Problems

More shots of the technical side of stair figuring out stuff. I'm glad I'm not doing it. I did stairs on our deck at the old house on Rogers in Olympia... What a mind game doing stairs can be. It's about as bad as doing crown moldings in a room. Reverse Miters - Arrghhhh!

More Figuring Out Stairs and Landings

Still More Figuring Things Out

This morning as I was heading in to pay the electric bill, I happened to see the fleet of pelicans taking a break from their job of trailing the fishermen.

The Fleet At Anchor

Need I remind you I see this view every day as I ride my scooter or drive into town. I know, I know... It's rough duty...

Here the guys are putting the streetside or back stairs together. Slightly different layout than the front stairs, but still complex and requiring a lot of concentration.

Setting the Forms

More Complicated Than You'd Think

Here they're measuring the angles for the stair rise and run (7" and 12" respectively).

"Let's see, it's seven divided into twelve, no... it's..."

Still Plenty of Opportunity to Get It Wrong

Here's the upper part of the back stair. it ends up being repositioned as the lower part and a new piece made for the upper. I don't know why, I just take the pictures.

More Form Shots of the Back Stairs

Showing the Central Column Rebar

Nailing into place the backing supports for the forms. And the mini-forest under the stair forms shows the weight of the concrete when it's poured.

Nailing Supports

Stick Forest

Now, this is actually beginning to look like a set of stairs. I think it just might work.

Back Stairs Forms Nearing Completion

Still Working on that Rebar

I think I showed this plant before. I don't remember what it's called. Eugene says it's a great security plant. It grows stiff and long spikes that are really sharp - and it grows fairly tall and dense too. It's a member of the aloe family, I think.

Local Security Plant

Here's Eugene, sporting some new threads, thanks to a fairly steady income, since he's been our night watchman and has worked for Isidoro doing the fence during the day.

Nice young man, quite knowledgeable regarding folklore, medicines, plants, moon phases, and superstitions.

Eugene and His Threads

 Eugene and His New Ride

Here's one of the prettiest woods in the area. It's a Ziricote (Cordia dodecandra) tree. Quite young, as you can see, but given a chance, it will develop into a nice wood product, much sought after by artisans for carving and furniture pieces.

Ziricote (Cordia dodecandra)

All right. How's that for a quick run-through of the day's activities? Not bad huh? Especially since the work day just ended four hours ago. Too cool. Would that our Internet connection was always like this.