However, as a guarantee of its renewed youth, the symbolical phoenix never reappeared before the eyes of the world without having consumed solemnly the remains and evidences of its previous life.
[Transcendental Magic; Its Doctrine and Ritual, Éliphas Lévi]
End of October, beginning of November, the front entrance took serious shape – just in time to usher Summer out the door and graciously welcome Winter.
The top deck off the master bedroom got a nifty waterproof coating,
and Sasha was hard at work on the electrics, as well.
By Sunday 7 November (Samhain – Summer’s End, the Celtic New Year ), the plate for the portico lantern was in place and wired.
The day was also marked by the appearance of the frames for the double pocket doors between the den and living room.
Since November is always my craziest, busiest, most intense and stressful month at work, naturally it was also a crazy-busy, intense and often stressful time in the house-process. We’d contracted with Hanlon’s Complete Cabinet Service back in June, and I’d done my best to get a jump on cabinet design and organization throughout September and October. Despite my best efforts, it was here in November the cabinet-biz really got going. And, sad to say, the communications side of the biz didn’t always go well.
While we sorted out the cabinet issues in the interior, the exterior got forms for the curve off the driveway and into the carport,
and for the front steps.
On 19 November – the 12th night of Samhain-tide – we went up the steps fer-reals!
It was a year to the day since the fire. We’d gone from this,
to this.
A true phoenix rising.