Today was the day we have planned for, dreamed about and often thought would never come! But it did and it was fantastic - better than anything we ever imagined!
We got to the site around 8:00 am and, much to our surprise, the two main bents that were assembled the previous day were already up and standing! We walked around the entire foundation admiring the bents, completely in shock at their size and beauty. They looked so different from when they were lying on the plate, almost as if they had come to life when they were raised!
With the assistance of a very talented crane operator, the crew was raising the next bent (assembled the previous day after we left), perpendicular to the two standing bents. As large as the structure was it seemed to glide into place with minimal assistance from Art or one of the others. One thing that particularly captivated me was watching them slide the posts into the holes in the plate. Despite their size it reminded me of putting together a jigsaw puzzle or assembling Lincoln Logs! Everything has to fit in just the right place!
We couldn't have asked for better weather. The day started out cool but the clouds cleared by mid-morning to reveal a crystal blue sky with temps rising into the low 60's - a gift for early November!
Assembly continued all morning with the crane picking up the huge pieces of wood and guiding them into place, directed by Art and the architectural plans. The crew climbed ladders or were lifted up by the Traverse to connect the beams and braces. There were some tight fits and difficult joints, particularly when the steel plates were involved. The large beams were surprisingly maneuverable and the guys were very creative at getting them into position. I found myself holding my breath on more than one occasion! Just when it looked like a piece wouldn't fit, it would pop right into place. I loved seeing the joints coming together and watching the pegs being pounded in. To, me the pegs meant success and completion! Art even let us pound in a peg and, as I found out, it was harder than it looked! There were some bumps and knocks and a few adjustments here and there but the assembly went very smoothly. It certainly spoke to the incredible accuracy of the cutting done in Blissfield as well as Art's experience with the assembly process!
By 3:00 all of the wood that could be installed was in place and the crane was sent on it's way (also interesting to watch!). The remaining beams in the great room will be finished tomorrow when the new pieces arrive along with the SIPs. We took a walk up to the RV garage to get a view of the whole house and marveled at how much work had been done in one day! It really was starting to look like a house and as impressive as the wood looked sitting in the open we could only speculate at what it will look like when it's enclosed!
As we walked back to our car we were shocked at how tired we felt; it was as if we were the ones doing the lifting and the moving. Although we were on our feet a good part of the day out in the fresh air, we agreed that the excitement and anxiety were the real causes of our exhaustion.
What a day, what a day! I really don't have the words to describe how it felt to have a dream come true before our very eyes! Although watching the SIPs being installed will be interesting, I doubt tomorrow will begin to compete with our experiences today.
We got to the site around 8:00 am and, much to our surprise, the two main bents that were assembled the previous day were already up and standing! We walked around the entire foundation admiring the bents, completely in shock at their size and beauty. They looked so different from when they were lying on the plate, almost as if they had come to life when they were raised!
With the assistance of a very talented crane operator, the crew was raising the next bent (assembled the previous day after we left), perpendicular to the two standing bents. As large as the structure was it seemed to glide into place with minimal assistance from Art or one of the others. One thing that particularly captivated me was watching them slide the posts into the holes in the plate. Despite their size it reminded me of putting together a jigsaw puzzle or assembling Lincoln Logs! Everything has to fit in just the right place!
We couldn't have asked for better weather. The day started out cool but the clouds cleared by mid-morning to reveal a crystal blue sky with temps rising into the low 60's - a gift for early November!
Assembly continued all morning with the crane picking up the huge pieces of wood and guiding them into place, directed by Art and the architectural plans. The crew climbed ladders or were lifted up by the Traverse to connect the beams and braces. There were some tight fits and difficult joints, particularly when the steel plates were involved. The large beams were surprisingly maneuverable and the guys were very creative at getting them into position. I found myself holding my breath on more than one occasion! Just when it looked like a piece wouldn't fit, it would pop right into place. I loved seeing the joints coming together and watching the pegs being pounded in. To, me the pegs meant success and completion! Art even let us pound in a peg and, as I found out, it was harder than it looked! There were some bumps and knocks and a few adjustments here and there but the assembly went very smoothly. It certainly spoke to the incredible accuracy of the cutting done in Blissfield as well as Art's experience with the assembly process!
By 3:00 all of the wood that could be installed was in place and the crane was sent on it's way (also interesting to watch!). The remaining beams in the great room will be finished tomorrow when the new pieces arrive along with the SIPs. We took a walk up to the RV garage to get a view of the whole house and marveled at how much work had been done in one day! It really was starting to look like a house and as impressive as the wood looked sitting in the open we could only speculate at what it will look like when it's enclosed!
As we walked back to our car we were shocked at how tired we felt; it was as if we were the ones doing the lifting and the moving. Although we were on our feet a good part of the day out in the fresh air, we agreed that the excitement and anxiety were the real causes of our exhaustion.
What a day, what a day! I really don't have the words to describe how it felt to have a dream come true before our very eyes! Although watching the SIPs being installed will be interesting, I doubt tomorrow will begin to compete with our experiences today.