Water Off a Duck's Back (originally posted on LiveModern on February 5, 2006)

This is just a quick mini-update since the last post. But it has been a challenging couple of weeks, to say the least. The push is on, but I've been beset with exterior trim issues, a totaled car, and budgetary concerns. I've spent a couple of restless nights fretting about the unknown, fretting about finances and the feeling of being stranded without a car. But then I keep reminding myself how worry is such a useless emotion. Everything happens for a reason- good or bad, so this is all just one more lump I had coming to me. I just have to let this all happen and get past it- like water off of a duck's back.

The good news is that this winter has been incredibly mild, which has been a godsend for getting the exterior finishing started. The bad news is that it has also been annoyingly rainy. Especially on the weekends. It's yucky duck weather.

The windows and one of two Nordic Doors are in while the curtain wall installation has been scheduled. Here are some shots of the house with about 80% of the siding up:













And here are some shots from the garage roof deck. The windows seem a bit "random" right now, but I'm confident that they will become more "coherent" when the roof coping and "rim band" fascia are applied. Ugh, the rim band! After lots of aborted concepts, I came up with a design that incorporates wrapped metal profiles and planks of painted cedar board. Jose the roofer, who happens to own sheet metal forming equipment kind of sighed when asked to give a proposal on the rim band, but he ultimately stepped up to the plate. In addition to the rim band, he will be wrapping the exposed joists above the balconies with the same aluminum sheet metal. This should be interesting! Anyway:




And here is a close-in detail of the Nordic door. I'm still not sure if I am exactly thrilled with the door hardware, which came with the door. I really didn't have the option to install my own hardware since the door itself is of a rather unusual thickness, which would not be compatible with most commercially available hardware.



I was rather relieved to see the curtain wall material that had been staged in the garage. It looks really sleek and seems like it will match the H Windows perfectly. I have a feeling it will look amazing when it is installed.





And finally, the true inspiration for my post, shot outside of the Sag Harbor 7-Eleven: