It's fall. Time to go swimming!

      So we are now half way through September, which means that summer is coming to an end and most folks are thinking about pulling out the winter clothes. Not.
      We're thinking about filling the pool. The tile man has been busy making his magic. The knife edge is being refined and we're almost ready to plaster the whole pool. If we can pick out a plaster color. Much debate. Blue, green, white, grey? Pebble, quartz, smooth finish? After looking at tons of photos on the internet we're in visual overload. Mr. Pool-man, send us some samples please.

       Inside the house the work is moving at breakneck speed. The washer and dryer showed up. Tile is climbing the bathroom walls. Closets are being installed. All the floors are finished and base-board tile is starting to run around the rooms. Door knobs? Who has the door knobs?

      Even the kitchen cabinets have been delivered. But where to put them? How about a big pile in the middle of the great room? Where's my screwdriver? Oh, it's somewhere under there. Now, do the door pulls go horizontally or vertically? Hey, where are the counter-tops? Still in Florida?

      Back outside, the stucco guys are working their way around the house. They may have the whole first floor finished this week. We are anxious to see the darker color applied downstairs. How about a sunset reflection in the windows. Nice. Let's order some outdoor furniture shall we?

                           Turn around and there's the 'ol sunset again. We never get tired of it.

Labor Day laboring?

       We thought that Labor day was supposed to be when everyone took the day off and celebrated with a bit of rest. Not. The guys were out working on the house today! There seems to be a lot more crew at the site too. Roofers, tile people, plumbers, electricians and plasterers. We had to dodge people coming from every direction.

    
      The floor tile is going down quickly. Here the fellow is placing the first interior piece of travertine. It's wild to watch how they do this. First a mastic is smeared on the floor . Then on goes a pile of cement. It looks kind of dry. Then they smear mastic on the back of a tile and place it down. What follows is a lot a tapping with a rubber mallet. All very slow and carefully done. Look how thick the cement layer is. Whatever.

      The travertine is just about finished outside. But only on the main level, they haven't started downstairs yet. We love the look. The outside tile is a rougher version of the interior stuff. So when you stand inside and look out, it all seems to be seamless and all the seams line up. Of course they do. We are both art directors after all!


     Notice that the windows are in, and if you look closely you will see the sliding bug screens just at the right side of each door. The screens slide across the whole opening. Solar panels will come down from above, hidden in a valance that is yet to be built. Have we forgotten anything?

      Meanwhile, the roofers are hard at work overhead. They are laying down the shake shingle roof. Actually it's not true cedar, but it looks like it. This is a composite material from Canada that is hurricane rated and enviro-friendly. Part wood, part tires, part 'who knows'?



      Shake rattle and roll, the roof is flying on. They have managed to finish the whole job in just over a week. You may notice that there are no downspouts on this house. They are hidden within the walls. All the water that falls from the sky goes down through the wall system and into our cisterns. Pretty cool, no gutters to mess with.

      Jim is checking out the rear patio. You can get a good idea of the finished roof from this shot. Even the flat roof that connects each pavilion catches rain water.
      Back here on this patio will be the outdoor grill. The forms for the grill are behind Jim at the left. Then go to the right, inside the door and you're at the kitchen. When it gets really windy we will sit outside in this patio. If we close the windows to the den there is no wind. It's a small patio but we think we will welcome the relief from the sun and wind.

      Here I am back out front on the main deck. Hey, where's the railing. It's coming soon I hope. It's a long way down to the first floor.
      We need some water in that pool. It's averaging about 85 degrees every day.

       Don't jump Bob!