On your mark . . .

If you heard a popping sound this morning, it was probably the starting gun for our dash to get the place sided and "dried in."

Ref's ad bore fruit, and first thing today Steve and Juan had shown up to finish building the pump jack and start siding.

Meanwhile, Ref and I were on our way to HARC -- the Historic Architecture Review Commission -- to talk with Diane, the staff honcho (or is that honcha?).

Those blue lines in the picture are chalk marks on the porch planks, finally squared up after all these years. But we wanted to let HARC know we probably wouldn't end up with enough usable salvaged planks, and couldn't find wood 1x6's anywhere, to cover all the old structure on the south face. (HARC guidelines allow HardiPlank on the new construction, but call for wood on everything historic.)

Diane told us to do our best -- and, by the way, gave us a green light for our exterior colors. (Even paints have to be approved in the historic district.) She knows the house we're using as our template -- even though it's a big, fancy thing, and we're just a cottage -- and loves the combination. All I have to do is submit chips or a photo for official approval. Pity I can't just tell her to look here.