OUR WEDDING DAY
Susan and Scott are married in the living room of a 120 year old Montebello mansion on a small back street in the garden district of New Orleans. (Chapter One --- I DO).
Susan and Scott are married in the living room of a 120 year old Montebello mansion on a small back street in the garden district of New Orleans. (Chapter One --- I DO).
SUSAN'S BREAST CANCER SURGERY - BEFORE:
Susan waiting to be wheeled into surgery (mastectomy and breast reconstruction) at Scripps Memorial Hospital. (Chapter Sixteen--FRANKENSTEIN'S INCISION)
Susan waiting to be wheeled into surgery (mastectomy and breast reconstruction) at Scripps Memorial Hospital. (Chapter Sixteen--FRANKENSTEIN'S INCISION)
SUSAN'S BREAST CANCER SURGERY - AFTER:
Susan in room 534 of Scripps Memorial Hospital after ten hours and forty-two minutes of surgery. She came through with flying colors. (Chapter Sixteen--FRANKENSTEIN'S INCISION)
Susan in room 534 of Scripps Memorial Hospital after ten hours and forty-two minutes of surgery. She came through with flying colors. (Chapter Sixteen--FRANKENSTEIN'S INCISION)
SUSAN G. KOMEN THREE-DAY WALK FOR BREAST CANCER:
Susan has just completed the 60 mile walk - 20 miles each day. She said it was the hardest physical challenge she had ever done. After the first day of walking, Susan's feet were covered with painful blisters and she felt like quitting. The second day was even harder and more painful than the first, but there was no way she wasn't going to cross the finish line on the third day. She was all smiles. (EPILOGUE)
Susan has just completed the 60 mile walk - 20 miles each day. She said it was the hardest physical challenge she had ever done. After the first day of walking, Susan's feet were covered with painful blisters and she felt like quitting. The second day was even harder and more painful than the first, but there was no way she wasn't going to cross the finish line on the third day. She was all smiles. (EPILOGUE)
THE FAMILY CONSTRUCTION CREW
Our construction crew consisted of six women and Scott. The Family Crew came up every Saturday to help us build our home in the middle of the Cleveland National Park. We laughed, we cried, we played and at times we even got some work done. No matter what was happening in our lives, Susan battling her fears of cancer, my sister Beth struggling through a messy divorce, or the rest of us dealing with our every day concerns, we always seem to find time to leave our worries behind and come up to the mountains to work on the house. (Chapter Eleven --- THE FAMILY CREW)
Our construction crew consisted of six women and Scott. The Family Crew came up every Saturday to help us build our home in the middle of the Cleveland National Park. We laughed, we cried, we played and at times we even got some work done. No matter what was happening in our lives, Susan battling her fears of cancer, my sister Beth struggling through a messy divorce, or the rest of us dealing with our every day concerns, we always seem to find time to leave our worries behind and come up to the mountains to work on the house. (Chapter Eleven --- THE FAMILY CREW)
THE GREATEST BACKHOE OPERATOR
Susan loved operating the heavy equipment (bulldozers, backhoes, trackhoes, bobcats you name it - if it had a motor and could move dirt, Susan could run it). Here she is digging the large footings for the basement retaining walls. She quickly got the hang of each piece of equipment, figuring out the functions of the many pedals and levers and then with a little practice became very professional at digging trenches and moving dirt. While Susan operated the equipment, I performed the manual labor portion of the job or as Susan liked to call it "the grunt work"; shoveling out the loose dirt and squaring up the corners. We made a good team. (Chapter Five ---THE BEAST)
Susan loved operating the heavy equipment (bulldozers, backhoes, trackhoes, bobcats you name it - if it had a motor and could move dirt, Susan could run it). Here she is digging the large footings for the basement retaining walls. She quickly got the hang of each piece of equipment, figuring out the functions of the many pedals and levers and then with a little practice became very professional at digging trenches and moving dirt. While Susan operated the equipment, I performed the manual labor portion of the job or as Susan liked to call it "the grunt work"; shoveling out the loose dirt and squaring up the corners. We made a good team. (Chapter Five ---THE BEAST)
POURING THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS
The family construction crew had spent several Saturdays erecting the formwork of the concrete footings and installing the steel rebar - there was no way they were going to miss the concrete pour. In the foreground (left), concrete is spewing out of the pump hose. Susan (in blue) along with my sister (blond) and mother (white hair), are smoothing out the concrete and preparing it for the concrete block. (Chapter Thirteen --- WE CAN HANDLE IT)
The family construction crew had spent several Saturdays erecting the formwork of the concrete footings and installing the steel rebar - there was no way they were going to miss the concrete pour. In the foreground (left), concrete is spewing out of the pump hose. Susan (in blue) along with my sister (blond) and mother (white hair), are smoothing out the concrete and preparing it for the concrete block. (Chapter Thirteen --- WE CAN HANDLE IT)
SETTING CONCRETE BLOCK
This was the first time I had actually set concrete block, other than a small block planter around a pepper tree when I was 13 years old. But, I'd done a lot of research and was sure I would be able to do a professional job. The day I started, I got myself all set up to lay the first block and then realized I didn't know which face of the block went up and which face went down. It seemed obvious, before hand, but there was a slight difference in the top and bottom of each block and for the life of me couldn't figure out which was which. Eventually, after 45 minutes of head scratching I came up with what I thought was the logical answer. I proceeded to set 50 block around the back corner of the house, only to later in the day, be told by a "real mason" that I had set the blocks upside down. I removed the blocks and started over from scratch. Some days were like that! The block you see in this picture are all upside down. (Chapter Twenty One --- UPSIDE DOWN)
This was the first time I had actually set concrete block, other than a small block planter around a pepper tree when I was 13 years old. But, I'd done a lot of research and was sure I would be able to do a professional job. The day I started, I got myself all set up to lay the first block and then realized I didn't know which face of the block went up and which face went down. It seemed obvious, before hand, but there was a slight difference in the top and bottom of each block and for the life of me couldn't figure out which was which. Eventually, after 45 minutes of head scratching I came up with what I thought was the logical answer. I proceeded to set 50 block around the back corner of the house, only to later in the day, be told by a "real mason" that I had set the blocks upside down. I removed the blocks and started over from scratch. Some days were like that! The block you see in this picture are all upside down. (Chapter Twenty One --- UPSIDE DOWN)
FRAMING
Susan installing the steel brackets that attach the floor beams to the main beam. Our house was like a big wooden erector set, using steel brackets to attached the wood struts to each other. In the background, you can see the top of the Cedar that we cut down and erected in the middle of the house. The cedar supported the bulk of the floor and roof loads. We figured since we were in the forest, why not use what the forest had to offer. We were trying to make a connection between the house and the forest by placing a little bit of the forest in the middle of the house. (Chapter Twenty eight --- DROP KICK)
Susan installing the steel brackets that attach the floor beams to the main beam. Our house was like a big wooden erector set, using steel brackets to attached the wood struts to each other. In the background, you can see the top of the Cedar that we cut down and erected in the middle of the house. The cedar supported the bulk of the floor and roof loads. We figured since we were in the forest, why not use what the forest had to offer. We were trying to make a connection between the house and the forest by placing a little bit of the forest in the middle of the house. (Chapter Twenty eight --- DROP KICK)
FINISHING TOUCHES
Susan is putting on the finishing touches before moving in. She is completing the grout phase of the tile in the tub/shower area. (Chapter Thirty five - MIXED FEELINGS)
Susan is putting on the finishing touches before moving in. She is completing the grout phase of the tile in the tub/shower area. (Chapter Thirty five - MIXED FEELINGS)
MOVE IN
Susan and Scott finally moved into their new home. It had taken three years of doing most of the work themselves. The house was not completely done - notice there are no railings on the deck. But the house was warm, and dry and comfortable. They figured once they were in the house, they could take their time and finish the rest. (Chapter Thirty five --- MIXED FEELINGS)
Susan and Scott finally moved into their new home. It had taken three years of doing most of the work themselves. The house was not completely done - notice there are no railings on the deck. But the house was warm, and dry and comfortable. They figured once they were in the house, they could take their time and finish the rest. (Chapter Thirty five --- MIXED FEELINGS)
THE FIRE - DAY ONE
The view from our back deck on the first day of the Cedar Fire. At this point the fire was approximately four miles (as the crow flies) from our back door. Over the next few days the Cedar Fire turned into the largest recorded forest fire in the history of the state of California - burning over 281,666 acres and destroying 2,232 houses. Fifteen deaths were recorded. You can
see, in the foreground, a plastic bottle of fireproofing gel connected to a water hose. Our plan, in case the fire turned our way and we were forced to evacuate, was to spray the fire gel on the exterior of the house and then pack up our cats and high-tail it out of there. (Chapters Thirty Nine and Forty ---THE FIRE)
The view from our back deck on the first day of the Cedar Fire. At this point the fire was approximately four miles (as the crow flies) from our back door. Over the next few days the Cedar Fire turned into the largest recorded forest fire in the history of the state of California - burning over 281,666 acres and destroying 2,232 houses. Fifteen deaths were recorded. You can
see, in the foreground, a plastic bottle of fireproofing gel connected to a water hose. Our plan, in case the fire turned our way and we were forced to evacuate, was to spray the fire gel on the exterior of the house and then pack up our cats and high-tail it out of there. (Chapters Thirty Nine and Forty ---THE FIRE)
THE FIRE - DAY THREE
The winds had shifted and the fire was headed our way. The flames were shooting hundreds of feet into the air, and the wall of smoke reaches up thousands of feet more. The heat of the fire was creating its own weather system, high above, with billowing clouds of smoke and fierce winds. At this point, the fire is approximately one mile from our back deck. Notice how small the helicopter (lower left) looks compared to the fire. Susan definitely wanted to leave, but I convince her to stay a bit longer. (Chapters Forty One and Forty Two ---THE FIRE - DAY THREE)
The winds had shifted and the fire was headed our way. The flames were shooting hundreds of feet into the air, and the wall of smoke reaches up thousands of feet more. The heat of the fire was creating its own weather system, high above, with billowing clouds of smoke and fierce winds. At this point, the fire is approximately one mile from our back deck. Notice how small the helicopter (lower left) looks compared to the fire. Susan definitely wanted to leave, but I convince her to stay a bit longer. (Chapters Forty One and Forty Two ---THE FIRE - DAY THREE)
THE FIRE - DAY FOUR
The fire is within a couple hundred yards of our house. It was time for us to spray the house with fire gel and head out. We hoped the gel would do its job. (Chapter forty Two ---THE FIRE - DAY FOUR)
The fire is within a couple hundred yards of our house. It was time for us to spray the house with fire gel and head out. We hoped the gel would do its job. (Chapter forty Two ---THE FIRE - DAY FOUR)
TWO DAYS AFTER THE FIRE
The main roads back into our small community were closed, so Susan and I took the back roads to see how our little valley had fared and specifically to see if our house had survived. Along the way, all we saw were one burned out rolling hill after another burned out rolling hill. Susan was crying for most of the trip, convinced that our house had not survive. I however had faith in the fire gel and felt strongly that our house would still be standing. (Chapter Forty Three --- THE FIRE - DAY SIX)
The main roads back into our small community were closed, so Susan and I took the back roads to see how our little valley had fared and specifically to see if our house had survived. Along the way, all we saw were one burned out rolling hill after another burned out rolling hill. Susan was crying for most of the trip, convinced that our house had not survive. I however had faith in the fire gel and felt strongly that our house would still be standing. (Chapter Forty Three --- THE FIRE - DAY SIX)