Skin O' My Teeth

Well, I finally started running the siding. Let me just say, cement siding is very heavy to put up by yourself. I expected to be very sore in my shoulders this morning when I got up but actually felt pretty good. What I did was to measure up off the bottom of the sheathing to establish a level line. I put one mark on each end and one in the middle. A nail in the middle mark held one end of the chalk line and I popped the line one side at a time. Sighting down it, it looked pretty good. Once this line was established and the first run of siding up, I just repeated this process moving up, measuring off the top of the siding and allowing for an 1 1/4" lap of siding. This works only if you stay on your line well. I am going with a 7" reveal on the lap. I don't think I mentioned that before. The smaller reveals look too busy to me and seem more appropriate on a Victorian style house or similar.
Allen showed up at the end of the day to help with the cut pieces around the windows and he took these photos. It is going pretty slow as does everything around here. I am going to try to come up with a sketch or something of what the house will look like when it is completely done. It will change a lot. In addition to a whole 'nother half of house, there will be a large planter bed of poured concrete in front of all that concrete block you see. So, the block will not show at all. I am anxious to get that covered up. I am working on plans in my head about how to conceal a root cellar within this planter since it will be concrete. Of course, you will not be able to walk into it but it will be on the north side of the house and could store a fair amount of produce.
Above the block (around the windows) I am going to lay stone. I have started this process but have not gotten very far.
The title to the post refers to the fact that I swore to myself years ago that I would have my own house before I turned 40. Well, I turned 40 yesterday. But I live here and it is great. Being at home all week has really brought home the fact that there is so much here that is undone. I feel like a lot of times that I have bitten off way more than I can handle. I only have a few things planted in the garden and there are trees down all over the place from storms or construction that need cleaning up. It's hard for just 2 people to construct and maintain something on this much land, much less one. Allen has not started construction of his house yet (still working on the road) but I need to be able to help him when he does.
Some very heavy storms came through today so I had to stop work on the outside. We got a good bit of rain though, which is good. My non garden needs it. It is supposed to be nice tomorrow so I hope to get a lot done.