looking at what is… seeing what could be. Welcome to my "Market Place" Sherry Cantrick…forever space cowgirl
Author: MyGhostinMe
I am a creative spirit, an old soul and an instigator. My introverted tendencies instigate me to actively seek and explore outside of my comfort zone. It defines me... My favorite joy's are twofold: to create something from nothing....and to look at what is...seeing what could be. I call it creative instigation.
It has been busy at North. After Bob’s arrival… family began to appear everywhere. Aunt Irena
and her tribe arrived on Wednesday. She setup down stairs in my studio, and her family found themselves settling in, all around the house… twins, quintuplets, even sextuplets.
Following her, Frank found his room right across from Aunt Irena.
I sure hope they don’t get too cozy. North is getting a little cramped.
Our last family member arrived yesterday… Uncle Peter, he will work with Henry to welcome our guests in our new foyer. Now, with everyone settled, we had our electrical and ruff inspections, and everyone was very polite. We passed both.
…the beauty of candle magic is that I never know how it will enter my evening. I only know that when it joins me, and with those with me, it changes the direction of conversation into words that we are actually learning about one another… not talking at each other.
Big Bob has been hanging out behind his “entry door” friends for quite some time. Last week we prepared Bob’s room so he could finally come inside.
This is Big Bob’s room…he will be sharing it with Kip and I. It is our new master bedroom. He is replacing the two small windows, expanding the view of the valley below and Pyramid Point/Lake Michigan. Bob is an 8′ glass door wall, which requires the concrete wall to be removed. A project not done by the “faint of heart.”
Of course, the biggest initial concern is that everything above and around what is being removed is properly supported. After considerable deliberation… the slow tedious process began.
Each concrete block is individually removed. As more block is remediated, the wall becomes increasingly fragile and unstable. The concern at this point is collapsing.
This is a concrete lintel beam. They are used to support block above windows.
Good-bye lintel…
A successful, completed job. A lot of cracked block was found so more area was removed than needed for Bob.
Here comes Big Bob!
Bob’s forever home. Our new roommate. OM Goodness… I sure hope he does not snore.
One more challenge well done. …to be continued. 07.18.2025
North, my Frank Lloyd Wright love affair… a tree house that brings the outside… in. Then… there is Henry… the oops.
double click to enlarge
As I developed North, I neglected the reality of aging, and living on a second floor.
I assumed two small dumbwaiters would accommodate our living bounty (Costco/wine/dog food). I never considered the need for accommodating us. It was our county building inspector who condemned one of our two stairways and flagged changes necessary in the other that initiated a difficult conversation between Kip and I. With our advancing age in the front view mirror… How do we get up into our treehouse if for physical reasons the stairs are not an option. This conversation caused a significant pause in our project.
Henry (the elevator) was conceived on Mother’s Day 2025.
Three weeks ago, the life of Henry began. It started with his anchor into the earth. In the area of the condemned stairway on the main floor, a 62″x73″ opening was cut into the concrete slab floor. Shovels were used to dig a 26″ pit . Five gallon buckets were used to remove the debris. It is not a common practice to incorporate an elevator into existing construction. We were fortunate that our current space could accommodate the required specifications.
Supporting rebar… preparing for concrete
the pour … 8″ deep with 8″ side walls.
Two (2), two-story rails were constructed to secure the hydraulic lifting system. Each column included glue laminated beams screwed and glued together to 2×6 wood inserts, to support a moving weight requirement of 3 ton.
ready for drywall
The shaft, that houses Henry followed. The goal in this build is twofold: the rails perfectly aligned with no movement as the hydrolytic unit moves vertically 40′ per minute between floors, and a perfectly symmetrical two story shaft that never impedes the vertical operation of Henry getting us safely home.
"walk with Me"... 