COURTYARD - DAY FOUR

TODAY WAS 'TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER TO WORK DAY.' SO I DID, AND WE HAD A BLAST.

THE MORNING TRIP TO THE LUMBERYARD NETTED A BAG OF POPCORN. (NOTE THE MICRO-STRUCTURE IN THE BACKGROUND.)

AT THE JOBSITE, WE CHECKED ON THE FOOTINGS, NOW ALL CLEANED UP AND FLUSH WITH THE DRIVEWAY.

SHION TOOK PHOTOS OF HER DAD AS HE UNLOADED AND STACKED THE LUMBER.

LUNCH AT NOHO'S HAWAIIAN CAFE. RIBS AND TERIYAKI CHICKEN. DELICIOUS.

BACK TO THE JOBSITE TO UNLOAD TOOLS AND GET EVERYTHING READY.

THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED AND IT STARTED TO RAIN AND I'VE BEEN FIGHTING A COLD FOR A FEW DAYS AND I HAVE A SORE THROAT AND I DON'T WANT TO BREATHE SAWDUST AND I'M KINDA TIRED AND CAN'T WE JUST GO HOME AND DRINK TEA AND WATCH CARTOONS? SHION SAID YES, SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

COURTYARD - DAY THREE

TODAY WAS FILLED WITH CHORES, ERRANDS AND THINGS-TO-DO. I GOT A CHANCE TO MARK THE POST HEIGHTS, USING A 'SELF-LEVELING LASER LEVEL.' (SAY THAT TEN TIMES FAST.)

LUNCH WITH MATT - CARNITAS TACOS.

COURTYARD - DAY TWO

MIXED CONCRETE THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY, WITH A HOE AND A WHEELBARROW.

POURED THE FOOTINGS AND SET THE POSTS PLUMB IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE.

COURTYARD - DAY ONE

I'M BUILDING A WALL TO CONNECT THE CLIENT'S GARAGE TO THE HOUSE, CREATING  A COURTYARD AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY.

FIRST, JOHN DiBONA CUT THRU THE CONCRETE.

THEN I WENT AT IT, DIGGING POST-HOLES A COUPLE OF FEET DEEP.

BATHTUB ART MUSEUM

THE BATHTUB ART MUSEUM WAS RECENTLY MOVED (BY BIKE!) TO IT'S NEW LOCATION IN NORTHEAST PORTLAND. THIS IS ONE OF CARYE BYE'S MANY QUIRKY PROJECTS, AND IT WAS FUN TO RE-ASSEMBLE THE MUSEUM WITH HER AND MATTHEW. 

THE MUSEUM IN PIECES:

MATTHEW WORKED ON THE FOOTINGS AND GOT IT ALL LEVEL.

"THE BATHTUB LADY"

READY FOR THE GRAND RE-OPENING.

READING ROOM - FINAL PHOTOS

INSTALLED THE LOCKS, TURNED ON THE LIGHTS, AND SWEPT THE FLOOR. ALL DONE!

I LIKE HOW THE WINDOWS AND THE ENTRANCE OF THE READING ROOM CORRESPOND WITH THE CORNER WINDOWS OF THE MAIN HOUSE.  

THE INTERIOR:

THE VIEW FROM THE STREET:

THANKS TO MATT, JOHN, TED, KEN, ETSUKO, PAT, JESSICA, KEVIN AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROJECT.

READING ROOM - DAY THIRTY ONE

I TRIMMED OUT ALL THE WINDOWS. 

MATT CAME OVER FOR LUNCH AND PUT A FINAL COAT OF VARNISH ON THE DESK.

I FINISHED THE TONGUE-AND-GROOVE CEDAR AROUND THE DOOR. THE CEDAR REALLY GOES WELL WITH THE PAINT COLORS. LOOKS MODERN BUT 'NATURAL'.

ALMOST DONE. ALMOST.

READING ROOM - DAY THIRTY

AFTER SANDING OUT THE LAST OF THE SPLINTERS AND ROUGH SPOTS, I SEALED THE FLOOR WITH A COUPLE OF COATS OF POLYURETHANE.

BUILT A FRONT STEP. THEN SAT ON IT AND HAD A CUP OF TEA IN THE AFTERNOON SUN.

I STARTED PUTTING UP THE CEDAR SIDING. I LOVE THE CONTRAST OF THE TWO SIDING MATERIALS.

READING ROOM - DAY TWENTY NINE

I FINISHED NAILING DOWN THE FLOOR WITH THIS SPECIALIZED NAILER. IT LOOKS REALLY AWKWARD, BUT IT FIRES NAILS INTO THE SIDE OF THE BOARD AT A PERFECT ANGLE. (THANKS, MORGAN.)

AND THEN IT WAS TIME TO SAND IT SMOOTH. THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE FLOOR AFTER THE FIRST PASS. AFTER A FEW MORE, IT ALL EVENED-OUT PRETTY NICELY.

READING ROOM - DAY TWENTY EIGHT

I GOT A LARGE BATCH OF OLD FLOOR BOARDS FROM THE SALVAGE YARD, AND SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS CLEANING THEM.

USED A SPECIAL FLOOR NAILER AND PUT THEM DOWN. I KNOW THEY DON'T LOOK PARTICULARLY 'CLEAN,' BUT THEY'LL LOOK GREAT AFTER I SAND THEM.

READING ROOM - DAY TWENTY SEVEN

PAINTED THE INTERIOR DETAILS TODAY... 

...AFTER PAINTING MOST OF THE INTERIOR ON DAY TWENTY SIX (WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM ETSUKO)...

...AND ALL OF THE EXTERIOR ON DAY TWENTY FIVE, WHEN IT WAS SUNNY. (IT'S NO LONGER SUNNY.)