A Puzzling Structure

There are no front steps. Only two boards at a 45 degree angle from the door sill to the ground. There are walls but no wallboard. There are no doors. The siding is some kind of fire rated cement impregnated board. It took them forever to put it on, probably because it is a very long drop on the back of the house, perched on a rocky cliff, to the street. There doesn't seem to be anyplace to put up a ladder safely so the whole back of the house and the three story high garage/living room are covered with scaffolding.

The painters don't seem to be painting but sanding and patching, emitting the sound of several dentist's drills operating simultaneously. It is unclear why patching of newly installed siding is necessary, but nothing about this building seems straightforward.

We were having lunch with friends awhile ago when I saw a worker teeter down those two boards balancing a twelve foot tall door. I let put some kind of yelp, causing our guests. who had their backs to the wall, to look up from their food in alarm.

One of the many things I don't understand about this structure is why they haven't put some proper steps up to the front door, sparing the workers from risking their lives (or so it would seem) on two narrow boards. They have already poured about a million yards of concrete for the foundation and the swimming pool (also in the back, a giant concrete box jutting out over the hill.)

The bare tree trunk in the middle and the dead branches to the left of the picture are not on our property. It is fairly clear that they aren't going to come back, but the woman who owns the property has moved away and has no plans to rebuild. There are rumors that she plans to sell it, but we don't think that will happen anytime soon. 

It's been very cold today and possible thunderstorms are predicted. It was 38F when I crawled out of bed this morning. The change in the weather has made my joints ache and me cranky. It's cold in the house despite what it says on the thermostat. I don't believe it....

Happy as I am that the fire danger is greatly lessened, I still find the transition from summer to winter to be a difficult one. Next week it will be our turn to turn the clocks back, and the usual arguments for and against doing this have already begun....

Thanks to StevenG for hosting this challenge