New Stairs, more rain

The week's big story was the installation of the first level of new stairs. These stairs are not as steep as the old ones; there's a landing about 2/3 up and a much smaller landing at the top by the 2nd floor door. First, obviously, the old stairs were demolished and removed, along with the side walls of the stairway. D. had previously dismantled the red-doored coat closet that had resided on the 2nd floor landing - those red doors and solid wood shelves might be reincarnated somehow upstairs. Then the stringer - a center tube design - was hoisted into place. Then the steps were individually placed, leveled, and welded into place. Assembling the entire structure off-site would have been too heavy and unwieldy. Eventually there will be a new side wall as well, but the right side of the stair (looking up) will remain open to a new hallway that will lead back from the front door to the elevator.

Unresolved Question of the Week: what color should we paint the stairs? One color, or a contrasting color on the center tube? One color on every level, or change colors as we change floors? Reader suggestions welcome!

In other news, the final piece of structural steel arrived this week. It will hold up the new roof of the north section of the 2nd floor. That roof can't get here soon enough, as D. is getting really tired of bailing out rain buckets in the 2nd floor construction zone (the middle third of our former one-room loft). I hesitate to jinx things by writing this, but miraculously there have been no leaks in the storage zone (the north third).

And of course, it continued to rain. The water infiltrated the tarps and soaked the plywood floor of the 3rd floor. The humidity (perhaps) provoked the hatching of two or three enormous nests of termites. We felt generally embattled all week and are looking forward to reaching the downhill side of this project: the day when all the new walls are enclosed and new roofs are installed (date t.b.d.).

To end on an uplifting note: the crew started framing the PERCH! This is the elevator and stairway bulkhead, what protects you from the elements when you reach level 5 on your way out to the observation deck (roof of the 4th floor). The observation deck itself is completely plywooded and railed, so guests and I were comfortable going out to admire the view.