I'll listen to you Kat. Hope Ry gets a better deal pretty soon. I felt whiny today when I found out my DD's 6th grade C league team was bumped up to B league for this weekends tournament. We brought our new recreation team to play and surprisingly won one of two games today. Most of those B teams are hard core players who have been playing with each other since 3rd grade. We were the wrong team to move up a bracket but no one would answer the calls when left messages to talk about it. We are down to 5 girls and one tiny little gal for a sub. One more game tomorrow. Sports are fun to watch and totally frustrating to deal with at times. I'll send lots of mind vibes to R's coach, so he'll play him more...lol, wonder if it works???

The reason I am concerned about the roof slope is that the staircase will rise long with the ceiling, so that the vertical distance between the staircase slope line, and the associated rail, is constant. It would not look good for the staircase to rise at a lower rate. The span will not be very long at all - at most about 14'. Ideally i would love to hit the sweet spot of exactly 120" rise, as 16 7-1/2" x 10" (minimum run per code) steps, but short of cutting every wall stud (i.e., from the standard that results in a 9'-1-1/8" rough height), I'm not sure how to do it. For this, the equation must be: 120" = 109-1/8" + subfloor + joist If the joist is 2 x 10" (9-1/4"), then it becomes 120" = 109-1/8" + 9-1/4" + subfloor subfloor = 1-5/8" I suppose I could simply put 3/4" & 7/8" plywood for a really thick subfloor? Sounds expensive! There is one other thing I could do that would make sense. Presuming I go with a 7/8" subfloor, I would be 3/4" short. However, since the first 4 steps are to be winding, and thus would not be matched up to the ceiling - and as well, not in a straight line to begin with - and thus not something that could trip someone up any more than navigating the winding would. I could make those 4 risers each 3/16" less - which is allowable under code, as the variation can be as much as 3/8" for the riser - which would hence shave the 3/4", resulting in a net of 120". How does that sound? This brings up a question about the run (@ 12" from the inner edge) for the winder steps. The code seems to only say that the run must be at least 10", and within 3/8" of each other - but doesn't seem to rule out the possibility that the winder run be within 3/8" of the straight-away run. In fact, the figures for the winders seem to show that the winder run is a lot bigger than the straight-away run. Also about the winder, if I have a 4 step winder doing a net 90 degree turn, can the line along which the winder run is measured (i.e., the winder-line) be along the beginning & ending lines (i.e., that are at a 90 degree angle with each other) such that for 2 steps the winder-line is aligned with the beginning, and 2 for the ending? (The code seems to show this as permitted as well.) Or must the winder-line be normal (i.e., perpendicular) from the nosing for each step? The code does not seem to address this in text, but seems to give a lot of leeway in how this winder-line can be realized.

First, I question the steps and bench (it it's to be a fixture) as these things seem superfluous. If one is going to need steps to access the hill, why wouldn't there need to be sets of stairs in many places? ...Or a walkway at an upper level? The idea of them going up the hill ... but to nowhere in particular will look odd. Things must look like they make sense in order to be accepted as reasonable, and ultimately, as attractive. The bench sitting there now doesn't look the least enticing. It's in a position of looking like it's trying to be a throne. If you want a place to sit and observe the view, place the bench on the level of the grass. I would use small trees to extend the height of the wall screening. A multi-trunk system, fanning out in front of the wall, will carry a lot more weight (interest) than single trunks. Since there is no ornamentation where the wall changes levels, I'd hide that change with an evergreen "punctuation mark". It doesn't necessarily need to be as skinny as I've shown it. The bordering hedge at the front edge of the slope (which shows up in the picture directly above the picture of the plumbago) seems unattractive to me. Instead of incorporate such an "edge," it would look better if the slope has groundcover (like a jasmine could be) and that it was its own edge for the sake of keeping the overall scheme uncluttered and visually stronger. If you're going to use boulders, they need to be BIG. Average "rocks" will be lost.

My son's fiancé is an RN at a long term health care facility. They have been in lockdown since March and had their first case two weeks ago in a patient. The virus was transmitted from an asymptomatic aide. There are now 19 patients and staff affected, with one death. My son's fiancé began experiencing a fever 6 days ago, and has tested positive. Thankfully her symptoms remain mild with minor body aches and fatigue, low grade fever lasted 3 days. She and my son live together. Two days ago he started feeling ill with totally different symptoms of a body rash and headache. That is what's so frustrating about this virus, it can affect people so differently. He was tested on Friday and should hear within 3-5 days. Being that his fiancé is a health care worker, her test was expedited and she was notified within 24 hours. Terilyn and Jewel, I'm hoping symptoms remain mild and all have a quick recovery. Hugs!