We have been missing our scale model of the inn for the last few weeks. We packed it up and sent it down to Florida for the IAAPA Attractions Expo. It is the largest show of its kind (in fact, it’s the largest trade show of any kind I have ever seen) and people from all over the world will be attending.

The model will be on display in booth #856 with the Imagination Corporation. Hailey and I are heading down to man the booth during the show this week. Feel free to pop by and introduce yourself if you happen to be attending!

The Hazelnut Sign is almost finished now. One of the last things to do is to apply the 23 karot gold leaf to the lettering. Gold leaf dates back to at least ancient Egypt and there is a long tradition of gold leafing signs here in North America. The leafed letters really catch the light — as my father says, “nothing shines like gold.”

When I was a child, my father would tell me a story. It was much like the tale of King Midas but everything this king touched turned to a black sticky substance called “oobleck.” For some reason, I grew up thinking it was a traditional Inuit story, but I think the original version might actually have been written by Dr. Seuss!

At any rate, the fellows from Fraser Damp Proofing have coated the Under Hill’s roof in something remarkably like oobleck!

Yesterday, I finished off the last little bit of the Avellana’s concrete. The ship is now watertight (or should I say seaworthy?) for the winter. Come spring (when the weather warms up a bit) we will climb back up and finish off the painting. By then the rest of the North Star Suite will be finished up and we will be able to paint everything all at once.

When I designed the Avallana’s transom, I intended this spot to have a bit of filigree. There are a few squiggles on the model to indicate the designs. When it came time to carve the concrete I decided to repeat some of the elements form the North Star’s sign. Guests who happen to look up will also notice two monogramed letters. No, they are not an ode to Harry Potter! The H is for my wife, Hailey, and the P stands for myself. If guests look closely they will also see a heart between our initials.

Hailey ♡ Peter forever.

The Copper Crown’s bedroom turret is looking a little orange these days. It has been coated with a real copper embedded in resin. Next week we will give it a good polish and it will shine right up. Next we will shingle the bulk of the roof and add the sculpted concrete to the crenellations under the copper roof. I can’t wait to see it come together!

My dad (Peter’s Grampa) was a carpenter before he retired. I remember well with each and every house he built the most important thing in his mind was to get the roof on as soon as possible. On more than one occasion he would tell us of his dream to build the roof first and build the house underneath it. That way the workers would stay dry and the house would too. He felt the quality of the house would be better as a result. Unfortunately, he never figured out a way to do it.

As we designed the castle, we were looking for ways to built the more complicated parts in the shop and on the ground. We knew we could do a better and faster job and be safer too. Experience has taught us that it always takes longer if you have to climb a scaffold to work on a project!

We have completed the bulk of the work on the large castle tower roof. The cone roof measures more than seventeen feet across, plus the turret on the side. It is built in one piece but breaks in half to go out the shop door. We’ll bolt it back together again on site before we lift it into position. Most of the shingles will go on while it is on the ground as well.

Each time I see my dad and show him pictures of our work he asks me where we learned to do all the amazing things we do. I answer that I was watching and listening to him when I was growing up. He had many great ideas which I use every day.