DAYS SEVENTEEN AND EIGHTEEN AT "L" SHED

THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAVE BEEN A MUDDY MESS. WHEN IT WASN'T RAINING, IT WAS HAILING.

I PUT THE SEAT ON THE BENCH AND NAILED UP SOME SIDING ON THE WALLS.

I LINED IT UP SO THAT THE BENCH AND WALL APPEAR TO BE ONE CONTINUOUS SURFACE. 

THE CORNERS AND EDGES COME TOGETHER IN GOOD MITERED LINES. 

DAY SIXTEEN AT "L" SHED

THE MORNING BEGAN WITH A CORD OF WOOD DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE.

I STACKED IT ALL UNDER THE BACK EAVES. IT'S A GREAT FEELING TO HAVE A LARGE SUPPLY OF WOOD LAID IN, AS THE WEATHER TURNS. 

AT THE "L" SHED, I SET THE SECRET CODES ON A PAIR OF COMBINATION LOCKS FOR THE DOORS.  

THIS GREAT OLD CHISEL MADE EASY WORK OF THE MORTISES FOR THE STRIKE PLATES. 

ALL LOCKED UP! IT'S NOT REALLY 'DIGITAL'. IT JUST USES DIGITS INSTEAD OF A KEY.  

THESE ARE JAPANESE LOCKS SO, OF COURSE, THE NAME IS POETIC. WHAT WOULD YOU CALL A 'LOCK' THAT INCLUDES ITS OWN 'KEY'? YES, A 'LOCKEY'  

MEMORIES OF SUMMER

TODAY WAS COLD RAINY AND MISERABLE, BUT I REMEMBER A BETTER, SUNNIER SEASON... (CUE THE 'I-REMEMBER-WHEN SWIRL')

THIS SUMMER I BUILT A BEAUTIFUL MODERN DECK WITH MULTIPLE LEVELS AND SEATING AREAS.

IT WAS DESIGNED BY CALVERT HELMS, OF BOORA ARCHITECTS, FOR HER PERSONAL RESIDENCE.

IT WAS A GREAT DESIGN, WHICH FILLED THE AREA BETWEEN HOUSE AND GARAGE AND TRANSFORMED AN UNDER-USED YARD INTO A PLEASANT OASIS.

THE DESIGN INCLUDED A PLANTER BOX FOR A BANANA TREE AND A PLACE TO HIDE THE RECYCLING BINS.

ALL OF THE BOARDS HAD TO LINE UP PERFECTLY, SO THE DECK WOULD BE SEAMLESS. THIS TOOK A BIT OF TIME, BUT THE EFFECT WAS REALLY COOL.

DAYS FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN AT "L" SHED

I WORKED A COUPLE OF SHORT DAYS, PUTTING ON A SECOND COAT OF PAINT AND FINISHING OFF THE SOFFITS. THEN I 'FIRRED OUT' THE EXTERIOR WALLS, SO THEY WILL BE THICKER, AND THE INSET FOR THE WINDOWS AND DOOR WILL BE MORE PRONOUNCED.

BEFORE PUTTING ON THE SIDING, I LAID IN CEDAR EDGING AROUND THE PAINTED AREA.

THE EDGING REALLY DEFINES THE PAINTED AREA.

I HAD A CHANCE TO NAIL UP A VERY SMALL SECTION OF THE CEDAR SIDING. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL MATERIAL -  CLEAR WITH NO KNOTS - AND IT'LL AGE WELL OVER THE YEARS.

DAY THIRTEEN AT "L" SHED

A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR PAINTING. DID THE BAND OF COLOR THAT CONNECTS THE WINDOWS AND DOORS.

THEN I WENT TO LUNCH AT THE FOOD CARTS ON BELMONT - EXACTLY ONE BLOCK FROM THE JOB-SITE.

I GOT A CHAI FROM 'DA-PRESSED COFFEE'...

... AND A BURGER FROM VIOLETTA . 

BACK ON THE JOB, I NAILED UP THE SOFFITS AND CALLED IT A DAY.

DAY TWELVE AT "L" SHED

THIS WAS A SHORT DAY, WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY. ALL I DID WAS PRIME THE FASCIA AND THE DOOR-TO-DOOR TRIMWORK.

I MAKE EFFICIENT USE OF MATERIALS, BUT I ALWAYS END UP WITH SHORT LENGTHS OF WOOD THAT ARE 'UNBUILDABLE.' 

EARLIER THIS WEEK, I GOT A STOVE INSERT FROM CRAIGSLIST AND INSTALLED IT IN MY FIREPLACE. IT'S LIKE A BLAST-FURNACE. A SMALL FIRE RAISES THE TEMPERATURE IN OUR HOUSE BY TWO OR THREE DEGREES.

I HAVEN'T USED MY BASEMENT OIL HEATER SINCE INSTALLING THE WOOD-BURNER, SO MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO ALL WINTER WITHOUT IT...

DAY ELEVEN AT "L" SHED

I HAD A GREAT TIME IN JAPAN, BUT NOW I'M RIGHT BACK AT IT.

INSTALLED A COUPLE OF SOLID WOOD DOORS FROM PORTLAND'S GREATEST SALVAGE YARD - THE REBUILDING CENTER. PAINTED A SAMPLE SECTION OF THE TRIM/WALL COLOR.

MOCKED-UP THE TRIM PIECES TO MAKE SURE I COULD 'DRAW' A STRAIGHT HORIZONTAL LINE.

IT LOOKED GOOD, SO I PUT IN THE VERTICAL PIECES, FINISHING THE DOORS AND WINDOWS.

THE TRIM AND THIS SECTION OF THE WALL WILL ALL BE THE SAME COLOR, WITH CEDAR SIDING ABOVE AND BELOW.

BACK AT THE STUDIO, I PRIMED AND PAINTED GABLE TRIM AND SHEETS OF PLYWOOD, WHICH I'LL USE FOR THE SOFFITS. IT'S EASIER TO PAINT IT NOW, RATHER THAN WHEN IT'S OVERHEAD.