Here are the recent photos.

Our plan is to finish the eastern 1/4 of the building, which includes the guest bedroom and bathroom, and then take up occupancy. A temporary kitchen area will be installed. We can then stop paying rental on small apartments and storage spaces and be close to the remaining work. Here you can see the wood framing for the above mentioned rooms plus the high divider wall between the finished space and the remaining part of the building. 12x12 doorway opens in the center of the high wall, big enough to bring in delivery trucks.

The upper floor is about 630 square feet. It's designated as a storage mezzanine. We used up all the old plywood we had once used to form the concrete foundations, and bought a few more sheets to finish up.

Here is the NE corner, and the temporary living room space. You can see the scissor lift has been brought inside and is now invaluable building the high walls. There are 3 florescent shop lights hung on the framing temporarily. The outside walls will get wood framing to hold more insulation, wiring, and wallboard wall finish.

Here Justin snaps a photo of Brad as he walked beneath the opening in the mezzanine floor where the folding attic stairs goes.

Along with the wall framing we have been putting in the large piping for drains, wastes and vents. Wood framing has to be moved sometimes to allow room for the pipes so we are working them together. Another job checked off.

The week was spent making slow progress on details. The weather warmed up to almost 40 and the snow melted so we went outside to put up the metal rake trim, corner trim, and eave trim that we had put off till later. We are painting our electric meter box dark green before putting it up, and continuing on furring strips for wallboard. None of it shows up well in photos, mostly detail work that takes lots of time near the end of a project such as this.

Today the sun starts it's journey north again. For many thousand years midwinter's night has been celebrated throughout the northern hemisphere, thousands of years before the Johnny-come-lately religions. In ancient tradition people give gifts in celebration, and lit a fire, or put up candles or other lights against the dark, little lights to grow into the return of the sun. The new religion has taken over the holiday, adopted the lighting of lights and overlaid their religion on the ancient celebration. The 12 days of Roman Saturnalia became the 12 days of Christmas. But everywhere you go people still light their lights on the darkest night, a Yule fire, a candle, or 10,000 little lights against the dark.

We celebrated Midwinter's Day, Yule, by putting up a tree and decorating with tiny lights. In ancient tradition people celebrate the longest night by lighting fires, candles, or other lights against the darkness. The lights show the way for the sun to begin his return from the south.

For all you of every faith may your little lights grow into brilliance in the coming months. May you have a joyous and festive midwinter feast, however you choose to celebrate.