This entry dates from the weekend of 6/2/03




Greetings Web Log Readers

So you noticed that this wasnt adressed to Bob and Patty....

Fact is, this weekend (6/22/03) the construction site was graced by the architect himself, and together we framed the cantilevered bumpout which will be the bed space on the second floor. I detailed the 1/4 inch drawings done by Bob at a scale of 1"=1' and used trig to calculate the lengths of all the parts of this excursion into abnormal framing. It turns out that a 9/12 pitch roof creates a perfect 3/4/5 triangle and the trig functions are quite elegant numbers... .6 .8 .75 and 1.33.

Of course, an architect on site will play with the emerging structure and Bob improved the execution with the addition of horizontal members notched into the bents which connected from the cantilevered floor framing to the roof rafters. It was part of the layout of the floor that the openings for the windows were set by the placement of the floor joists. Not that anybody reading this will care, but it amused me.

I guess I should mention that it rained again so the weekend opened with tarp magic.

This entry was originally sent 7/14/03


Dear Bob and Patty

Three day weekend. Rain in Vermont. Build a roof by first conjuring a roof with tarps and mirrors. Invocations to shelter. Actually the tarp did much to offset the sense of terror that goes with standing on a scaffolding plank with head in the air about 30 feet above ground . The combination of framing drawings annotated with complete trig calculations and the architects trick of self centering ridge made thje primary rafters a piece of cake, once they were done. Of course it stopped raining shortly after we got the tarp up, but we had brought dry clothes and we enjoyed dry construction when the afternoon rain squalls hit.

Had a campfire on the mountain and the world's best tasting hot dogs cooked on cherry sticks, over the open fire. Saturday we got the stairwell roof up, enjoyed a lunch with our friends the Days from Peconic, who were touring New England. Sat in the dry living room and watched an afternoon rain squall out a very large array of almost windows, and gave thanks.

Actually had dinner in said living room that evening.....ok ok it was McDonalds, but food under a dry roof. Saw a display of fire works done by nieghbors that lasted an hour and a half. Nice evening in Vermont.

Sunday Louiise nailed in the Kitchen rafters while I did the gable infill. I was prepared to declare the exterior primary framing done, but I see in the photos that I left out a jack under the second floor East window.

I am issueing a call for volunteers to play scaffolding monkey when we do the plywood sheathing and the three roof overhangs when we are next up on July 25 and 26. Lodging and meals are included with the non wages. Yutes with a sense of adventure, a willingness to transcend fear, and no particular skill other than physical coordination are preferred, but if push comes to necessity, Louise aned I will do it by ourselves.

It is Monday and I do have to go to work........love to all....BSB

This entry was originally sent 6/15/03


Dear Bob, Patty et al

So are we crazy? Sunday night it sure feels like it. We were joined by our kids this weekend. Good father's day present! After 11 hours of construction, nobody wants to cook. Chineese....not take out....delivery......oh the virtues of rented student apartments......there is a karmic lifestyle in the walls in which we shower and sleep.

I realize that these weekly reports represent only two days construction time, which make this project profoundly over documented.... but sometimes things change in two days. Next weekend under your tutelage we will coax an enclosed space out of those proto-cantilevers. I've drawn the details at a scale of 1"=1' and done the trig calculations for all the lengths. It'll be a piece of cake, a walk in the park, an easy weekend of gentile construction....the moon will no doubt fall into the sea.... I am going to fall into unconsciousness. God bless architects of vision and a generation of helpful yutes. Thanks Barak, Thanks Jen, Thanks Chris. Bless you all, love and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzBSB

This entry was originally sent 6/9/03



Dear Bob Patty et al

So the lightening bold of sanity did strike in Peconic with reverberations all the way to North Adams, Mass and six miles further north in Stamford Vermont, where we worked an eleven hour day saturday in the rain, knowing that we would return in the evening to a summer rental of a student apartment with a dry roof, showers, kitchen, table, sofa, electricity, mattresses......sanity! Thanks to Barak and Jen for the idea and connection to the nice landlady who being mother of Jen's maid of honor is practically family. Got that one figured out?

Not alot of big changes in the form of the Bear Ass Mountain Camp, but two courses of 5/8 ply go a long way to give box beam stiffness to the whole structure. Waring joined us friday night and worked Saturday like a nailing fiend, before having to return home just as the rain stopped. With his help we got the double 2x8 girders that define the second floor framing in place. The following day Louise and I got the cantilever set and did all the temporary infill over the srtairwell and vaulted space. Used joist hangers in the stairwell space, but left the joists loose, so we could pull them for feeding up plywood and framing materials and people on ladders. The temporary framing over the livingroom was nailed off with the teco joist handers and the double head (duplex) nails, that pull out easily later

Louise has developed a real fondness for her 22 oz framing hammer.

We are doing a three week in a row marathon, but having stayed home for an interum weekend I was able to work out the cutting lists and materials order lists for all three weekends, so I am able to be a zombie in the evenings during the week. I'm glad the sculpture gods ordered me to take a sabbattical for the duration of this project. In answer to a previous question.....I believe the architecture /building gods do punish acts of hubris, and rain is the chosen form of retribution. But despite that, I feel we are doing okay for having only had 8 days on the jobsite this year....love to all ......BSB

This entry was originally sent 5/27/03


Dear Bob and Patty

Our high speed cable connection is down , so this will be going via aol at snail speed, so not too many pictures.

We arrived Friday night in a drizzle to do the tent thing. Remembered the drill just fine. Woke up to the first morning on the mountain this year.

Proceeded with camp set up...got the big tarp back up over the picnic table area. Then we broke last fall's tarp shelter down..if it could survive a vermont winter it deserved to be moved to the construction site as a cutting/generator station.

About noon we actually got started...laid out the cuts together, then Louise cut while I moved the piles. Louise made the corner posts while I laid out the sills and plates and made the doubles and jack combinnations. Louise made a few runs down the hill to have cell communication with friends who were staying at the Wigwam cottages, and said friends arrived in time to help finish nailing off the west wall, lift it into place via one foot lifts, and to enjoy (suffer through?) fresh flounder dinner and campfire amid the cold drizzle showers and fog that characterized the day.

Didnt see friends again the next day untill we crashed their shower before dinner at the Golden Eagle Restaurant at the Hairpin turn on Rt 2.That was about seven pm. In the interum Louise and I finished and raised the other three walls. Actually saw blue sky briefly and stripped to t shirts.

This morning we finished the window articulation and built a scaffolding support system to access the second floor framing whenever that rolls around (the 21st?). Rained all day hard. Gortex got soaked through. Friends had split, without meandering up the hill, promising via cell message to mail our flashlights back.....hummmmm. Used up all the wood we had...missing the double top plate, had sausage and egg sandwichs and decided that we didnt want to spend the evening in the movies, so we broke camp, drove home, ordered pizza, opened a bottle of champagne , took a hot soak bath, wrote this note and are going to bed.


Nice design, sir architect....love BSB

Louise sends love and thanks