Wow.

I'd been wondering how James gets these joists upstairs by himself.  I knew it involved the roof, a window, and lots of muscle. I caught him getting one upstairs. Thought you might like to see...

the joist is propped up against the side of the house

he CLIMBS up the joist to the roof

...lifts the joist up...

...sends it through the window...

...then climbs through and smiles for the camera.
What a man...

A sweet surprise!

I came home Saturday about noon and saw a very happy man in my entryway.  That's right -- James was smiling, something that doesn't happen often during this process...

He had started about 10am tearing out the sheet rock in preparation for getting another beam in place -- another MAJOR beam.  He assumed he would encounter some unexpected fun, but it turned out to be just what he was hoping for -- simple!  Uncle Dane came over JUST IN TIME to lend a helping muscle or two to get THIS into place...

WOW!  THANK YOU, Dane, for your help.  That put us quite a bit ahead of schedule! James quickly got the rest patched up, and cleaned up. Then it was time to move on to more joists -- which were now being secured to this beam. Are you lost yet?

See that metal piece? That's a "hanger."  And the weight of the joist is sitting in the hanger attached to the beam. Crazy, huh?  Here's another view of the beam...

Monstrous, I say. And here's my man, playing Twister on the joists...

By the end of the day on Sunday, the braces downstairs were GONE!  8 joists in place.  Moving on to the kitchen joists. 

P.S.  Uncle Dane ALSO helped James carry SIX huge sheets of plywood upstairs Friday night.

THANK YOU!