// We are zooming along. The endcaps were repainted and treated after their damage during transit. At night though, the rain really started to come down. Some people came to work next to me underneath the house just so that they could escape the rain! Sad part was that we hadn't connected our downspouts to the pool yet, so in doing so, we all became plenty wet while working with the rain catchment pipe.

The pool is going well under construction, and the deck is totally complete now. It is really cool to see how it pokes right up to decathlete way. Make sure you come by and say hello! For new pictures of our home while it is in DC, click here.

To get our twitter feed as new things are put in, go to our twitter page.<

// Day1 Construction was going extremely well. By midnight we already had most of our solar panels up, our pex was going in, and the deck was already framed. On top of that, he house was connected and the interiors were safe. Yet there was always a catch, some of the ABS pipe fittings Erica and I needed had been left behind in Santa Clara. That means a home depot run (they are not our sponsor, we are just a very frequent client).

Except, in DC, we don't have a car. Yet we had the metro! So we went on our merry way to the Home Depot, missing a stop along the way and getting the school photographer's arm stuck in the train car doors (we got it out and saved his camera). When we arrived we were shocked to find out that the ABS pipe we had come to love was not carried in the DC area, so we had to use rigid PVC in some places instead. Then the shock set in: We had to buy 30 feet of pipe, and take in on the metro!

When we checked out, we asked to be taped up. They asked why, and we said "we are going on the metro", and a clerk gave us a look as if we had just sworn. "Yeah, best of luck to you. I don't know how this is going to go." We passed the three taped together pipes over the entry points into the metro and then walked to where the train would arrive. The first train was nice and roomy, and with some minor adjustment, we were in. When it was time to leave, we did frustrate one man in a suit, but other than that, we left without comment.

The second train was a different story though, it was completely packed (remember, this was at 5:15pm rush hour). We apologized for the inconveniece, but no one said a thing. They looked as if this was a completely typical thing, and no one mentioned anything. We exited without comment.

So this says one of two things:
1) Public transit is so well adopted that people expect anything on it.
2) There is just a culture difference between coasts and people are more private.

Either way, it was an adventure!

// With the house completely down now, many things are happening to bring the home to beauty. I, along with Jeff Seago, Erica Fieger, and Tim Sennott, began work down in the joist spaces. The solar panels started going up today, and tomorrow we should have the deck put in place. I'm super tired now, so good night

// Working through the night, our first shift of students fought against the generator setback and still got the house placed. For DC pictures of the process, please go to our photobucket account. But, of course I won't leave you hanging. Look at the picture below, who wouldn't want to live here?

Also, don't forget our twitter feed at www.twitter.com/refracthouse to get little updates sent to you

// Construction has begun on the National Mall and we already hit our first problem: the generator did not show up. In some mishap, the generator to provide us light on our lot didn't appear. After much desperate searching, during which all of the piers were being placed anyway, we resigned to the fact that it must not have been delivered. After that, I was sent back to our hotel where our construction managers think I'm asleep. Bruahahaha, I'm here instead chatting with you.

We are already under judging regarding our overall web design, which includes whether we are code compliant. We should be, but there was a logistics mess up that we couldn't get a second opinion. In the coming week, we should have our interactive virtual tours in place, and after that live chatting with team members. More on this to follow!