November, 2004, Week 3.

One eventful Saturday, the last circuit was wired into the box, and the box was ready for inspection. I thought it would never be done!	I left the wires long for a few weeks while I worked out just the order I wanted to organize the circuits in. It's a whole lot easier to find things without all those extra yards of wire!	There are said yards of wire bits, all over the floor. I work in the panel like I cook . . .
Andrew came to from the Germany to see the progress (and, well, maybe us too)! It's been about 1 1/2 years since he went there to work as a customs agent for the Army. It was great to see him. He seems to be the same old Andrew. I'll have a few more pictures up here soon (shoulda taken more pictures, shame on me.)	Vent in the ceiling of the kitchen.	I know it seems like there is never anything new in these last few weeks. The electrical work dragged on and on. I think everyone is happy that we finally finished. Rick and company were ready to string us up by the 12 gage wire we insisted on using everywhere :).
Sssh, don't tell the inspector, but this window is not, uh, strictly speaking, uh, original. It sure is a nice extra light source in the back bedroom, though!	This is the other window in the same room.	They had to put in a soffit for the venting which travels up to the upstairs north bedroom.
In order to accomodate the new window, the closet was moved to the north wall.	Casement window over the stairs. You can see the 4" electrical box for a sconce.	At last, hope for installation of true trappings of civilation: a doorbell transformer. Can't wait, can't wait until the lovely thing is chiming the arrival of guests for a party!
Yes, indeed, more hopeful signs: blocking for a handrail.	Our sliding glass door which looks out onto the lovely view from the top of carport. The plans originally called for a 5'0 x 3'0 window there. Rick suggested the sliding door instead. We have dreams of someday expanding over a new garage, but for now we are happy with the view as it is!	The lovely picture window in the closet.
Brian contemplates his new view from his castle.	Recessed light in the guest bedroom closet. A necessessity, no?	There it is, again. Don't have to turn on the main overhead light and wake your partner when you're looking for your clothes!
Same light.	Ceiling of the guest room. Wires to the smoke detector box. Yay!
Fan in the bathroom. It's a combined flourescent light/fan to please the city's florescent light requirement (whatever).		Did I mention the light in the closet?? There are two in the master bedroom closet, as well.
Box and brace for the ceiling fan we plan to put in (actually, it's already been scored from Costco).	Brian dreaming of smells of dinner coming form the kitchen.	For now, though, the only smells of dinner come from the kitchen in the Santa Cruz Diner. Ugh, are we tired of eating out!
After going up and down a ladder a few million times, going down stairs at the end of the day becomes a very leisurely affair. Brian doesn't ever show it, but he works damn hard!	Ceiling over the stairs.	Ding Dong!
Grey clouds threaten our little house and her new scratch coat (stucco).	Rick and Tony's (below) trucks face off. Brian stops to talk to Tony's fan.	We wait for the stucco to dry and for an inspector to come sign off before we can move forward with drywalling.
	This is the preliminary coat; the final coat must wait until after drywalling is finished, or the stucco may crack when they nail up the rock.	Introducing . . . Tony! Tony was working on the house across the street, and Rick thought his work looked pretty nice, so he encouraged us to go take a look and see if we liked Tony's work.
Turns out, Tony is a good friend of Janette, who is a very nice friend I used to work with in the Graduate Admissions Office at UCSC. He seems as conscientious as Janette, and I know he will do nice work. Tony introduced himself to us, and looking at me with my tool pouch on, said, "nice to see a lady in the trades" :). Turns out, his wife works with him and his company, Phase 4, part-time. It's hard work -- not for the faint of heart! Tony says you get used to it.