In response to popular demand, I am embedding the longer version of the tiny house time-lapse video in today’s post.  This is the same exact material from the shorter version but slowed down so that you can see some of the more detailed construction steps.

I was finally able to upload a time-lapse video of Maya’s tiny house construction.  It only covers eleven days of construction but you will be amazed at how much we accomplished in that time.  In addition to construction, you will see visits from neighbors and friends and a “loft raising” party which includes several of Maya’s friends. I prepared two versions of the time-lapse, a short version (3 minutes) which is the most fun to watch, and a longer version (9 minutes) which allows you to appreciate all the details of the project.

With record-low temperatures, Nala is all too happy to curl up in her “dog house,” an antique Japanese palanquin with one of the doors removed. Palanquins were used as transportation during the Tokugawa period of Japanese history, which ended in 1868. High-ranking Japanese nobility sat in the fancy compartments, and as many as six bearers would carry them through the streets.

Snow crews did an excellent job clearing the streets after more than a foot of snow fell in Boston yesterday.  My drive to work was a breeze. The same cannot be said for my return.  A driver trying to negotiate the roundabout at Harvard Square wound up in a snowbank. Had I left work 20 seconds earlier, he might have crashed into me. Fortunately, the driver was not injured.

I had never heard the phrase explosive cyclogenesis before this week.  Now I understand the phenomenon in very tangible terms (think winter time hurricane). We received a little over a foot of snow and intense winds.  Using a snowblower in high winds is an exercise in futility and the best you can hope for is getting 90% of the snow up. Fortunately, I have a cab on my snowblower which made the task much less disagreeable.
 

We received this holiday card in the mail today and were thrilled to add it to our collection. One of the walls in our kitchen has an undercoat of magnetic paint and this is where we display our cards (held up by small magnets) from now until new ones arrive next year. Maya (Where’s Waldo) is a member of the Olin Baja Racing Team which designs, builds, tests, and races their off-road vehicle in competition with other colleges. Members of the team can be viewed on the Olin Baja website.

The Northeast is currently experiencing an extended cold spell. When I left for work at about 6:30 AM the temperature in Concord was minus 12 degrees Fahrenheit. I have never been so thankful for heated seats. The cold weather is expected to continue and has been a real impediment to further work on the tiny house. Even though we can heat the house up, we cannot do the same for the yard or garage area where some of the work needs to be done.

What better way to start the new year than with a proper breakfast?  Nicolai invited several of his friends over for brunch which included buttermilk pancakes from scratch, eggs, and bacon. I was a happy beneficiary of their culinary efforts.  Maya was interested in making candles which she did with Karuna and Caleb’s sister, Sara. They mixed ice into their melted candle wax which gradually melted leaving behind voids to create interesting three-dimensional patterns. I spent several hours compiling a time-lapse movie of the tiny house construction from thousands of stills. The 45-minute movie is fun to scrub through but too large for me to upload to my Vimeo account.  Once I figure out a work around I will be sure to post a link to it here.

Nicolai and Karuna were in a playful mood this afternoon. They performed a number of Cirque du Soleil inspired routines requiring great strength, balance, and grace. Karuna is a former gymnast and Nicolai is just ridiculously strong.  Kyle scored a free ticket to the Patriots game and left the house with enough warmth layers to survive a Siberian winter, a needed precaution against today’s seriously cold weather.

Jeanine and I rung in the New Year at two different parties. Fortunately, I was not required to bench press her at either one.

As the year comes to a close I would like to thank all of you for visiting with us here.  Knowing you will be looking in helps motivate me to continue posting (this is my 6,783rd and I can tell you there are some days when it is difficult to find the energy).

From our family to you and yours, we hope your coming year will be filled with love and joy.

I make no effort whatsoever to promote this blog since it is primarily for friends and family who already have the link.  Occasionally, however, someone will happen upon it and reach out to discuss an entry with me.  Today I was contacted by someone who is interested in 3D printing a tabletop tripod. He found an entry I made a couple of years ago and e-mailed me with questions.  I was happy to respond and also to include updated photos of my final designs (the two taller ones pictured above).  The one on the left is entirely 3D printed. The one on the right has a 3D-printed set of legs.

A visit to the attic yielded an old picture frame that I put to good use during a photography session with the family.  Getting everyone together and in the mood for a portrait session is nearly impossible. Maya took on the task of orchestrating the affair as a Christmas gift to me; one which I appreciated greatly.  I am very pleased with the outcome, a small sampling of which is included here.  I had hoped to shoot outdoors but temperatures in the teens quickly had me considering indoor alternatives.

Nico orchestrated a local practice for the US National Amputee Soccer Team today.  Teamworks Acton was kind enough to donate field time and I attended for the first 30 minutes to capture some publicity shots.  Nico is a little out of shape but has not lost a bit of his power or finesse.

Nala has been aging gracefully but is reaching the final years of her life.  She still exhibits short periods of puppy-like playfulness but routinely has trouble coping with the ice and snow on the stairs from the house to the backyard. Despite having the personality of a cat, she has been a wonderful companion for the family and it is sad to imagine a future Christmas without her.

For reasons that have never been fully explained to me, Nico calls his girlfriend Bess.  Her real name is Karuna and the two have been together for several years now. She is also attending Colorado College and we look forward to her visits just as much as Nico’s. She is as smart as she is beautiful and a genuinely kind soul who we truly admire.