Construction Progress at Number Eight

In our last installment, Number Eight had a slab.  Now it has a second floor!

The SIPs arrive

Sue checks out the slab before the walls go up.

Rob and Rod put up a corner so tour folks can see SIPs close up.

Putting a SIP in place

Now it's really looking like a house!

From the south

Joe stood atop the topsoil mountain from previous construction to take this shot of the emerging second floor.

Here come the second floor walls.  These things go up fast!

Digging and Construction Progress

Everyone is digging, it seems.  Joe is getting ready for our asparagus to arrive.

Greg is digging holes for the black locust posts that will support his grape arbor.

And now, an exciting installation in our saga, The Birth of a Slab!  Plumbing roughed in, ready for insulation...

Insulation installed

The grid for the pex tubing
(Pex tubing is what the water will flow through in this radiant heat system.)

Kerrie and Rob install the pex tubing.  Kerrie does beautiful tile work, by the way.  To see more of Kerrie and Rob's work, see visit the Creative Constructions blog.

Time for concrete by Everhart & King Brothers.

Et voilà!  We have a slab.

Joe and I love the thermal mass of our slab next door.  It's cool in the summer, holds the heat in the winter, and keeps our utility bills low.  There's a lot to be said for living on top of a rock!

Big News at Number Eight

Lot 8 is reserved for Alicia, Xiaolong, Skye, Tara, & Rain.

We were very excited to look out the window and see George Van Valen, Rod Lambert, and Rob Champion conferring about Alicia and Xiaolong's house.  

George and his crew have done all the excavation here.  Rob, Kerrie, and Rod of Creative Constructions are building 8 White Hawk Lane.  Rod Lambert has designed or assisted with the design of all the homes here at White Hawk, and he is available for new projects.

Can we call this the first playdate at Alicia's?

Sue is dancing in the living room, I think.

With the arrival of machinery in the parking lot, we know digging will start soon!

Joe and Greg measure to make sure our lot lines are accurate before the digging starts.

Stay tuned for more construction photos!

Connections

I think many of us coming to community are looking for connections, so it's especially delicious when new connections pop up for me.

Amanda Jaros contacted me about a wonderful new website called Parents for a Peaceful Planet. I used to think I'd choke on a group like this because I was so darned tired of trying, but she creates such a wonderful vibe on her site that I joined right up.

And more connections!

Our sweet home was built by Amanda's partner, Rob, of Creative Constructions. The best way to sum up the experience with Rob is that he builds a house with love. He knows what he's doing and really cares. Feels like the whole house is infused with the good feeling with which it was built. Rob, quite literally, is a Champion. (That's his last name.)

Laura and Steve adopted a chicken from Rob, the very sweet Spooky.

Unfortunately, I only have a picture of her butt. All the way to the left! That Buster (the rooster) is always front and center. It's appropriate that she has her head down to eat because Joe(this guy)

has made a special favorite of her and loves to give her snacks.

So there you go. How many degrees of connection is that? It's starting to feel cozier at White Hawk. :)