In which we have workmen!

It has begun...no for real this time!

In the beginning there was this:

Today, the boys started framing out the window and door openings.

And we ended up with this today.  This is the back door and picture window for the new retail space. The windows are ready to be installed, but the boys will wait on that until we get all the debris off the sides of the building...that would be dumpsters no. 12 and 13.

The guys have added this insulated plastic over the window and door openings to try and keep the cold out of the basement space.  

We had a bit of a lumber delivery snafu today, so the sides of the basement space didn't get fully enclosed.  We also ran into a problem with the window size in the basement space...one of the windows won't fit (the window that will go under the column of windows on the right side in the photo below) because the cement foundation wall was poured too high. After an initial freakout on my part, we resolved the issue by deciding to make a new window the same height and width, but shorter by 6 inches or so.  I figure with two yew bushes planted underneath the window, no one will know the difference.  Luckily, we decided to add another window to the back of the building in the addition, (which I had not ordered yet) so there is no waste on this snafu.

I spent the day cleaning up the remainder of the wall of grain.  The Southeast corner of the building is in the worst shape because of years of leaking water that just ate away the  building.  You can see how "barnlike" the walls get in the photo below.  I have left the final wooden walls in place in that corner for structural support.  It got up to about 45 today with lots of sun.  I took my breaks in a chair by the front window and felt hot sun through the glass....a veritable spring break moment!