A.M., noon, P.M., evening

Ref called me over to the house early because the plumbers were there. In a few minutes, the electricians arrived, too. Plenty to talk about with all of them.

Meanwhile, he was going to town putting up two roof beams -- one each for the den and the bedroom -- and a bearing beam for the wall between the bedroom and the bath, because it has a pocket door.

Over the next few hours, while the plumbers started cutting holes and pulling pipe in and under the tiniest bathroom, he and the crew were madly cutting rafters for the den and nailing them home.

Gregory had some down time, waiting for concrete to set at his other job at the old Hyatt at the east end of the island, so he came in after lunch. Thus came the assembly line for the bedroom roof: 13 plain rafters, and 13 with bird-mouths (notches where the rafters meet the edge of the house); and yours truly learned how to use the Sawzall to finish the cuts, besides lugging much lumber.

You can see where we were by the end of the day -- about 7:30 . I think it's a V for victory. And so, said Pepys, to bed.