Year's End

Well, we had really hoped to be in the dome by now, but we obviously didn't get anywhere near finishing this year. Everyone always uses the best-case scenario in planning, I guess, but we didn't allow anything remotely like enough time for weather delays & problems with contractors & slow deliveries of materials & all the nine zillion little things & big things that come up on a project this size. So, we continue.

Ali told a funny story about a school project yesterday -- the kids were supposed to mark the approximate location of their home, using a topo map, which they were learning to read. C., a classmate of Ali's, noted her pin near C.'s own pin and said, "Hey, I didn't know you lived near ___ road." Ali launched into her usual explanation of no, actually I live in town now but my dad is building a new home, yada yada. The following exchange ensued:
"Hey, we'll be neighbors after you guys move in! Where's the house?"
"You know the round house off Hwy __?"
"Wow, you live near the round house?"
"No, I'll be living in the round house."
"COOL!"

Snow Dome

A winter storm dropped some snow on us Wednesday & Thursday; it won't last long but it looks lovely at the dome site right now. Too bad you can't work on stucco until the temperatures get up above 40° or so.

Stucco

A spell of fine, fair weather means that we can get the stucco finishing work done around the windows & doors in the exterior dormer spaces. I believe this is the last step before painting the exterior. We'll keep our fingers crossed for clear weather!

Hiatus

Work is at a total standstill on the dome, because....

...it's hunting season! D'oh! I should have anticipated that we wouldn't see anyone this week. Next week should mark a return to actual activity.

Attic & Front Door

Clearly we have hit one of those lulls common in building, when nothing much seems to be happening because everything that actually is happening seems too trivial to photograph. There's still a bunch of little things that have to be done before drywall, but the main thing going in right now is the second-floor ceiling. We'll have some storage space up in the attic, but it will be only partly useable because the dome curve is flattening out pretty sharply by the time you get that high up. Still, a good spot to stash those boxes of seasonal decorations & the like.

The other big development: We have a front door! It is an unfinished wood double door, actually; it will be finished with a medium-oak stain, making it darker than it looks here. I have no idea why Mike looks so grumpy in the picture. Perhaps he is contemplating all the painting/staining/finishing work looming in the near future.