Last Windows (sort of)

JH came by the other day and we managed to get the last of the windows in, sort of. The dormers, which have become the new bane of my existence, are still in need of work, but if you can just find a way to ignore them, then you can say that all the windows are in. The shop window was easy, and I might have even been able to put it in myself, though I must confess, having another person there not only makes the work quicker, but another enjoyable, as well. Besides, JH knows his stuff, and offers expert advice that makes the job more efficient. For the shop window, I had made a framing mistake, and followed that with yet another mistake.

The RO was too big, so JH and I added some boards, which made it too small. We ripped out one of the boards and finally got it right. Once the shop window was in, we had to tackle the upstairs gable window. I wasn't sure how we were going to tackle this one, because the window is massive and heavy, not to mention breakable.

My first thought was to secure the window to a rope, have one of us on the second floor pulling the window up while the other lifts it while climbing a ladder. Kind of sketchy, but what else were we going to do? I was perfectly willing to do the dangerous ladder part, but in the end, JH though it would be better for both of us to pull the window up. We had to do it in two stages. First, pull the thing up and see if it fit properly in the first place. It didn't.

I was ready to whimp our and call it a day, then do the framing on my own, but then we decided to do it then and now. We had to cut boards and then a strip of sheathing to finish the RO, but again, with two sets of hands, the work is much quicker. We got the RO ready, and were about to check the RO again before caulking when we took a leap of faith and just went for it. Fortunately, we got it right this time and the window fit just right.

JH went around and climbed the ladder while I shimmed and leveled the window. He secured it with a few nails and we were in business. Suddenly, the windows were all in. Now, all we have to do it get the door in the other side and finish the (ahem) dormers, and we are well on the way to getting that barn sealed.

Then again, those dormers could take years. Until then, thanks for reading.