The bright summer heat has given way to a muggy breezy overcast – perfect weather for stripping formwork. Gordon is now tending to his own nascent business – but he’ll be back for the house-assembly in mid-July. Austin brought his friend Eddie to work today – and they did a splendid job of removing braces, stakes and even some of the forms themselves. Yes, the concrete looks like it’s been burnished and polished to a high sheen where it was in contact with the black plastic that protected the formboards. And this side of the formwork is coming off like muffins in a greased pan. (more pics) And for those of you wondering: Therese left for California Thursday morning, after finding out that her sister was rushed to the hospital with a brain aneurism. Andrea is slowly slowly recovering – but is still sedated and on life-support systems. It’s been harrowing for everybody involved. I still find myself leaving the jobsite every few hours to see if Therese has called with the latest update. This close brush with death certainly puts the rest of life in perspective. And thanks for all your well-wishes and prayers. My fingers are still crossed.