STAIRS, STAIRS AND MORE STAIRS!

I know, I know, it sounds like we're always talking about the stairs, but this is, as President Trump says, "HUGE, really HUGE".  The platform for the steps from the main level to loft are finished, and Jim got the actual steps in... This next week, the steps from the platform to the loft will go in, and, I am so excited... it will then  be the FIRST time I will have made it up to the loft to see what my bedroom is going to look like!  I don't do ladders, at all, so I have never been up there... I have seen it from the great room looking up, but NEVER actually went up.. So, I am stoked and looking forward to the event...  Jim has worked so hard, poor man.  This next set of steps is probably going to be the hardest and the most dangerous, because the construction will be suspended.. here's hoping for ease and success.

Justin has been working his heart out getting the siding on the east side of the cabin, despite rain and extreme heat.  His wife Jody sent me these pictures and we couldn't be more thrilled!

And, while Jim was working on the steps, I started working on my glass project again.  I know it's terribly late, and Jim has been very, very patient with me....  But, the work is started up again.  I can't believe I took on this project - the sunflowers really are difficult to place, and this is probably the hardest project I have ever tackled.  When I was designing the pattern, I wasn't thinking about anything except sunflowers.... And, as I get into the actual placing the pieces, it's a nightmare and I find I have to really pace myself.  I work one hour on and one hour off, and during that one hour working on the glass, I am in a total sweat, and it takes me the next hour to calm down and cool down in order to start work again.  

And, it hasn't been without casualties.  My fingers usually get cut to pieces.. not fun.  When I was taking classes at BYU to learn how to work with glass, the teacher said that it wasn't IF you were going to get cut, it was WHEN you got cut, and he is absolutely right.   But, this time, I cut through the cuticle of my nail - bled like crazy.  I also stepped on a piece of glass that didn't make it into the trash bin, and hit the floor instead.. and since I work in bare feet, there was no shoe to catch the glass.. sad... (I didn't realize that I had cut my foot, until I saw little blobs of blood on the kitchen floor where I had walked...)

Little by little, we find interesting pieces of furniture for different areas of the cabin.  Because there is a HUGE wrap around deck, we decided that we need different chairs and areas for seating.  Jim found these chairs this week - I think I am going to put them on the balcony just off the loft.  I am thinking that I want to put a little table or something along those lines so we can sit and read the newspaper, or just relax and watch the sun go down... I wasn't going to say, watch the sunrise... um.. nope.. not a morning person here... and the sun can rise any time it wants without me.  And, no, I don't believe in breakfast - in my world it does not exist... Brunch exists...  Giggle.

I haven't made it to the cabin in several weeks - I haven't been well and it makes it a little difficult to survive a weekend, when you don't feel well, without running water and bathrooms and such....  So, this is how Jim and I have been spending our Friday nights... and Saturday nights... and Sunday mornings... or whenever.. on Skype! It's kind of nice and kinda fun... and a little lonely, all rolled up into one.  I like this guy.. a lot.  Still does something pretty amazing to my heart.  The ipad is our best friend...Jim bought it for me several years ago, and we use it constantly.. from skype to taking pictures...

Several weeks ago, I was at Habitat for Humanity and I found these light fixtures.. there are three of them.  They were supposed to go in a fixture that would go over a pool table, or something like that - but the actual metal work was missing.. but, I am truly a sucker for stained glass, so I bought them.  I thought they would look amazing as a shade for lamps.  I pictured them on top of  large ginger jars, but didn't know where to find the ginger jars.  I called Rachael at Habitat in Spanish Fork, and she said that they had several different kinds.. So, I made a trip to Spanish Fork and sure enough, they had exactly what I wanted.

Ok, it's not a great picture of the ginger jars, but, I think the shades will be perfect...The jars are about 18' tall and will support the glass shades perfectly... I was stoked...

If you have never been to Habitat for Humanity, you are missing something amazing...  Find one in your neighbourhood, and check it out!  Rachael, Valerie, Jenny and Brian are absolutely fantastic... have given us amazing advice, given us hope, and steered us in the right direction many times...  Couldn't have got this far with the cabin without them.

The work continues, as does the adventure.

Jim and Cheri