I finished the electrical a week early, and to my surprise, the trusses arrived a few days latter. The street had to be blocked off so that the trusses could be lifted over the fence and placed on the studio. Unfortunately, they were placed in the wrong order. Each truss is designed to sustain a certain load and it is critical that they are placed in the right order. Therefore, we had to unload all of them and put them back in the proper order. This time by hand! While they were not overly heavy, they were very awkward to handle due to their size. When they are in place, they are very strong. However, until they are placed and secured, they are very wobbly...especially the long ones.

The truck driver that delivered my lumber turned out to be one of my best friends that I grew up with. We hadn't seen each other for over twenty years. Kevin and I used to build skateboards together and as it turned out, it was his slow season and just in time too. I soon enlisted his help and we picked up right where we left off, thoroughly enjoying each others company! Kevin and I had a blast.

We took a drive down the street where there was some construction going on and realized that we needed to brace the trusses. This led to some awkward and hair-raising positions at times.

With the roof trusses in place, the studio was starting to take shape. At this point in the project, I am feeling so proud.

Kevin found great joy in teasing me, because I avoided getting on the roof! I was a little spooked about standing on the roof with such a slope.

My dad came over to help lay the roof tiles. As I placed the tiles, he cut them. At times, he had to hang over the edge to make certain cuts! I would have definitely had butterflies in my stomach. This was another highlight point in the project. I got to share one of my most proudest moments with my Dad. I had to carry the tiles up the scaffold and stack them. For all of you who would like "Abs of Steel," this is definitely one way to get them.

Chapter 4 The Finished Studio