It was kind of a strange day. It started with Mike and one of the volunteers (sorry, didn't catch his name) preparing the biggest freaking forklift I've ever seen for action. Why?

That forklift is big enough to stand on the ground and place pallets of cinder blocks on the ridgeline of the house. That's damn impressive, but again I ask WHY is he doing this??

It turns out that the inspector had stopped by, and though he thought the roof was just fine, he wanted to check it under load to be sure...you see, we hadn't installed the concrete roof tiles yet. The problem was that the roof tiles weren't scheduled to be delivered for weeks yet, and major construction couldn't continue until that inspection was signed off. So Mike calculated how heavy the roof tiles were going to be, then arranged for some cinder blocks from another Habitat site to be transferred to here, to load the roof down so the inspector would be happy that a heavy load of concrete roof tiles wouldn't overload the roof framing.

Coal is the resident squirrel chaser, stick fetcher and mascot.

Mark belongs to Coal, and she occasionally brings Mark by to help out with the work while she searches for someone to throw her stick for her. There's usually someone on site willing to help her out while Mark finds something to keep himself occupied. Here Mark is snaking some Romex (electrical wire) through the wall studs above the concrete wall.

There were several people on site today who were looking around at the work we were doing. I'm not sure whether they were associated with Habitat for Humanity, personal friends of Rosemarie's, or both, but Rosemarie was giving the grand tour all day. She's obviously very proud of her house even before it's finished.

Stacking pallets of cinder blocks is hard work, even with the heavy equipment helping. Here the guys on the roof take five. It's nice to have such a great view to look at on breaktime!

Really hits like a ton of bricks, doesn't it? Actually I'm sure it's several tons of bricks. It amazes me that concrete roof tiles add up to the same load...it's clear that the inspector is right to be concerned about the framing holding up under such a load. But Mike told me later that the inspector showed up later that week and everything was fine.

All the action wasn't up on the roof though. We were keeping things moving inside too. Mark continues to route the wiring which the electrician would hook up later.

After the boyz were done helping Mike load the roof, they had to leave (they were on loan from the Navy and had to get back to base). Mike then convinced Mark and I to go up on the roof to install a couple of things; a vent on the east side of the roof and a Solatube (basically a small round skylight) on the west. Here Mark and Mike are working on the vent.

It looks like they're standing on the ground, but I assure you they're 20 feet in the air puzzling out how to punch the hole in the roof for the vent. It's important to be VERY careful to put a hole the roof in the right spot, since a patch is sure to leak at some time in the future.

Uh....guys....not to disparage your work or anything, but I think you've got it kinda upside down.

Meanwhile I was on the other side of the roof, installing the Solatube all by my lonesome. It looks pretty small, but it brings a surprising amount of light into the room below. It always amazes me how much better sunlight is than artificial light.

"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." -- Arthur Ashe

September 22, 2004: A frame rises from the rubble

September 28, 2004: Finishing the roof framing

October 5, 2004: Roof sheathing goes on

October 6, 2004: More finish framing

October 12, 2004: Framing the back porch

October 26, 2004: A slow, wet day

November 2, 2004: Bricks on the roof?

November 30, 2004: The walls get sticky

December 7, 2004: Plumbing and wiring the pump house

December 14, 2004: Paint goes on