After lunch, Steven climbed the ladder into the storage loft in the garage — and began passing down to Jacquela boxes stuffed with holiday ornaments and lighting.

Working under the eaves and in the trees into the dark, surrounded by a herd of nearly 20 incurious and incautious deer, Jacquela and Steven hung white string lights at the eaves of the house and thee red-lit wreaths at the oak trees in the forest outside the front of the house.

It’s a start on the first major holiday in the house on Emerald Hill.

Above, the plumbers installed the pot filler at the cooktop. But it needs an escutcheon. Ron said he will ask Jonelle at Ferguson … Ron also reports that one of the faucets in the master bath does not shut off correctly. He suspects the cartridge needs to be replaced. He asked Barry at Custom Plumbing to work this question.

As Steven arrived this morning at Emerald Hill, he met Christine, who said she lives around the corner. “Is this your house?” she asked. Yes, said Steven. “It’s beautiful. We’ve been watching all the work. Are you happy with the work?” Thank you, said Steven, and yes we are happy. “Good,” she said, “there’s a lot of remodeling now in this neighborhood, and new families with kids moving in. It’s a wonderful neighborhood and now we know who to ask if we decide to remodel again.” Steven pointed to the Ranserve sign at the fence. Call Ranserve, he said.

In the late afternoon, Steven got a chance to relate this story to Ron; it’s the first feedback on this adventure from a neighbor.

Ron reports he stepped on a nail while inspecting another job site. “It was the side of my shoe,” he said.

Steven approved change orders 21 and 25. $5000. CO 21 addresses the additional costs for lumber during framing after we sliced into the framing budget to help pay to replace the oak flooring that could not be saved. CO 25 addresses the additional concrete for the pavers that will comprise the front and side walks, removing some of the original front walk, and the survey needed to calculate impervious cover if we pour the concrete. According to the surveyors, we are good to go with City of Austin rules that limit impervious cover to 45 percent.

Matt from Ranserve picked up from Lights Fantastic three shop lights that are needed to complete the electrical install in the garage.

Steven delivered the third exterior light needed for the back, side and garage doors, caps that Ron needs to close off irrigation lines that will otherwise run under the new pavers for the new walks, floor stops ordered from Amazon, the Ring door chime needed for the front door.

A team from Celis Drywall walked the house looking for ceiling cracks to repair. There are cracks in the kitchen ceiling, at the top of the stairs, in the train room, in bedroom 4, and other minor repairs. The weather cycle — warm and humid alternating with cold and dry — is opening and closing joints because of expansion and contraction. Steven was told, “this is normal. We know how to fix it.”

By Steven’s count … three vans, two trailers, a small mountain of dirt — and there’s still room for at least two more trucks.