Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 27-9 June 2011 Now that's just work

With the festivities over, it's time to take the forms down from the wall and it takes the MB two days and much heaving with pick-axe, sledge hammer and crowbar. I have a job, relieving all this wood of its nails, cleaning concrete bits of the 4 by 8 sheets and 2 by 8 footer forms. I do housekeeping. The wonder is that all the time I spent daubing oil on the insides of the forms has paid off and we can recycle all the boards. It wouldn't have been fun to see the OSB sheets ripped to shreds when asked to come away from the new wall. In fact it takes me 3 days to clean up all the form wood. Meanwhile, the MB moves on to the drainage which has to be completed before we can backfill. It looks like it will take us two days work to complete this task and then we wait for the Building Inspector to visit and see that we are following "code".
The weather is warming up to the point where the MB is prepared to plunge into his marina after work. I look at it, think about it, then opt for a warm shower...
So, the photos will show how far along we are: 5 feet out of the mud, ready to build a floor, then walls. Suddenly the plan becomes important! I'd almost forgotten that. We'll actually start building now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday and Sunday 25-26 June Birthday Party time

The concrete nightmaare is over and the wall is surprisingly good. The MB is exhausted by having followed behind me straightening the top of the wall. My hands are shredded: I ended up trying to flatten and compress the concrete with my bare hands. Luckily it it Deborah's 60th birthday and Dunn-Campbells descend on the Cape for a very enjoyable lobster party. The blue lobster in the photo and featured at the Lobsters r us pound will apparently be returned to the sea. I include several photos from the birthday girl'S celebration which, with a little help from her family, she had to manage. Ah, the joys of being the oldest child.

 

 

 

 

Friday 24 June 2011 How concrete is poured from the heavens

From 6am to 10am I paint oil onto the insides of the forms. I hope this is enough to save the 4 by 8s: it's worth $1000 if we can recycle these boards. Then the pump truck arrives and Bruce sets up his monster operation. The photo gives you an idea of what this means. Then the MB pours the 17 cu yards of concrete into the forms and I follow behind him poking a stick up and down in the grey mess. Then I am expected to flatten the concrete, take out all excess from above the level of the grade nails and generally finish the wall. Meanwhile the MB works on the three Porch posts. The concrete is drying fast and I realize that we don't have enough tools. I have to work with the trowel while the MB goes over my work eliminating concrete and flattening it out. Along the way he hammers in anchor bolts for the mud-sill. I can barely keep up with the drying and suddenly the 45 feet of the last wall looks very dry and needs serious scooping to get it down to the level of the grade. DC comes by and brings water which is some help in slowing the solidification. This is not fun and I don't think we'll get it done. The MB has cramp in his right arm, then almost smashes his fingers while hammering in an anchor. Somehow, with water, with my scratching out excess concrete, with the MB putting his considerable weight to good use, we finish. At the end I am trying to flatten the concrete with my bare hands. I would never want to do a footing or a wall without at least two more people, one of whom knows what's going on. It would also help to make sure they all have the right tools for the job... Exhausted after a FULL DAY'S work, we shower, eat a magnificent chicken and fig dish and compare our scarred hands. There'll be cramping in our sleep tonight.
BUT WE NOW HAVE BASEMENT WALL: WE ARE 5 FEET OUT OF THE GROUND.
The party begins when Anna and Frances arrive.

 

 

 

Thursday 23 June How the beer is bottled and the forms finished

Up early to try to clean bottles, having to give up on several: the fungus here is very tenacious. Still I gather together 66 bottles and it's done. Apart from two Corona bottles which I smash as I try to bottle. Thin Mexican necks.
By 9 am the MB is mowing the grass round here, obviously wanting the place in a less neglected looking state for the birthday party coming up this weekend. On his best behaviour for our mother-in-law. I go sit at the site in sunshine, do a couple of jobs to finish my contribution and wait for further orders. The MB seems to be a bit annoyed by the fact that I haven't yet called the concrete company for pouring tomorrow, but one call is enough to set that in motion. I am then assigned to smear oil all over the inside of the 4 by 8 OSB boards which we hope to recover and use as sub-flooring. This task proves to be a 5- hour marathon. We're nearly ready for more concrete.

 

 

 

Tuesday and Wednesday June 21-22 2011 How Roland comes and the building site hops

There’s no doubt that it helps to have two construction experts on the site. Roland (Roly) Lahey, husband of one of Mary-Anne’s co-paddlers, has worked in construction most of his life. He’s built several houses and many larger buildings for the school commission. Immediately you can see the difference: he doesn’t need coaching like I do. He assesses the situation, then goes off and builds something, brings it back and it’s done. I can do lots of jobs if the MB shows me what he wants: Roly knows what’s needed and can even challenge the MB, ask him critical questions. It’s fun to see the MB put in his place now and then.
Wednesday we work from 7am to 5 pm when Roly has to go back to Sydney to baby-sit. By the time he leaves we have almost finished the forms and are ready to pour concrete. We’ve even installed the 3 posts for the screen-in porch. We can probably wrap up preparations tomorrow and pour concrete Friday.
I think the MB is pleased to have an equal onsite and not be obliged to teach everything he wants done... I leave them to work together while I make sandwiches and coffee for lunch (DC is in Antigonish).
So, the photos speak for themselves. The pro came in and we finished that job!