Center Columns

Sore Phil was up early again, and had a second productive day. The east wall was done (shown from the corner with the south wall).

It was brilliant to do parallel walls, as he ran out of bituthene after finishing the long north wall (pictured with a corner of the east wall).

He finished about 2/3 of the long south wall.

He'll need another two rolls at least to finish the south wall and all of the west wall.

He completed the header over the door.

And then, in a fun giant leap forward, he set up the center columns, both for the center divider and for the wall of windows. It helps divide the space visually, as each of those columns divide the space lengthwise, and several are room dividers.

Before he could start with joists and center beams, though, he needed to finish off the detailing on the top of the wall. Waterproofing done, the top needs flashing (gray), and a layer of foam (greenish blue), then pressure-treated lumber.

The pressure treated lumber is, apparently, ridiculously heavy. Phil drills out the holes, then somehow manhandles it up, using scaffolding and brute strength.

Hard to see, in the background Abraham is using a new push broom to sweep the floor. Isaiah and I headed to the hardware store this morning, and I had my eye on a natural fiber push broom, but Isaiah saw a John Deere green broom with the name "Super Bulldozer" and that marketing sold him. At some point, we should probably have a conversation about how names don't necessarily mean much, but with an age he can still measure on his fingers, I suppose I have some time. I can let my 9-year-old be excited about a green push broom.

And then, in a very precious moment, I walked out the door and realized my good son was holding the door open for an older man carrying two gallons of paint, one in each hand. I asked him if Phil had trained him to do that (as I certainly didn't), and he said, "I don't think anyone trained me. I just thought it would be nice." It certainly was.