Ah well, in California one never knows for sure. One week after the September 14 post below, we had rain, heavy at times. Thank goodness, most of the roofing was on, and we had only a few spots of floor that were drenched. It could have been worse.
For now, we are at the phase of construction where some things go very fast. The roof is on, the windows are in, the exterior doors are there, and we're almost buttoned up. Today, the exterior plasterers (stucco) people were slapping chicken wire all over the exterior, and the gypboard guys were slapping their stuff all over the inside. This going very fast.
Today, 2 pm, partly cloudy (fog remnants), about 70F.




And, for those who know the Piedmont manse, you will quickly notice that HiltonHouse is quite different. Here's a shot of the living/dining area under construction. Quite a difference!




Those are Mieko's 3 square windows over the main window. Ask her about them (she's very proud!) :-)

More later. . .

One week later and the windows are in, the roofing is going on. We'll be ready for the rainy season when it comes in November. Taken today at 10:30 a.m., 75 F, cloudless skies.

Pretty darned warm around here this Labor Day weekend. We even had to blow off a 9-hole golf game with the Rudy Winnackers inside the race track at the Alameda County Fairgrounds this afternoon. The golf was scheduled for the end of the 2004 Scottish Games with 2000 kilted bagpipers marching down the track playing "Amazing Grace!" Now that's the way to play good golf! (We did it last year.)

Meantime, HiltonHouse was partially cleaned up, with only one truck in the courtyard and the paper cut off to reveal most of the window openings.

Whew! The roof trusses were placed quickly and the overhang is almost complete. This thing is beginning to look like a house, finally. This shot is today at about 3 p.m., temp 84F, cloudless sky.





And this was last Sunday, the Robinsons' traditional Sunday Wine Tasting at the Pool (Orinda Country Club.) A bit warm, but a nice breeze. The wine was all French Burgundy, which I found quite undistinguished, and undistinguishable, but perhaps that's just me. Sorry about the contrast, but I haven't figured out Picasa and I don't have Photoshop. Betty, Rudy:




And finally, we got in 18 holes of golf at a new course out in Dublin. It's a par 63, which is quite comfortably played in 4 hours. I took this shot showing an old Tri-Valley ranch building with the new houses crawling up the hill toward the ranch. This is the way the valley is going, more's the pity, but we Californians do not like to live in highrises. (I've saved a larger version of this same shot as wallpaper on my computer. If you want one, just ask me at winnacker.com)