August 18 to 27 2011 Back at the Cape and the walls go up

Here we are again, a good month since I last shared some of this amazing experience with you. I have felt a little guilty when friends have written to ask what is happening at Cape George: did we all drown in Bras d’Or lake or what? But I got over it quickly.

Too busy building.

The 10 gallons of beer I made before leaving in late July have all been drunk, the garden is still growing and so I am left with three tasks to perform: build the house, make the beer and blog it.
So we went back to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to clear the way for hordes of Campbells, siblings and their children. Sorry we missed Sandy and Richard at work on the site. I believe Sandy may be taking industrial action against Michael but then when did you expect a mathematician to be much with a hammer?
Sainte-Anne was hot, after Cape Breton very hot. And sunny. We saw everyone. We went to Toronto to spend time with Ben and Bea, Donagh and Kate too. I guess there was rain, some storms even but the overriding memory is of heat. We gardened: Deborah sorted out a hundred plants to bring to Cape Breton: I finally finished the footpath by the side of the house and spread out three containers of compost. And loaded the trailer again, loaded it down to its rubber pads on the axle.
And we came back, stopping overnight at the Carriage House B and B in Fredericton and eating at Brewmaker’s restaurant, not as good as the Blue Door. Wonderful heat in the evening streets of this garrison town.
To arrive back in Cape Breton with another load of IKEA stuff, three dressers and half a trailer-load of plants.
Friday, day one, back on the job, screwing sheathing onto the deck. Saturday slept all afternoon, not used to this working life. The two big walls are almost finished, just waiting to be heaved up into place. The photos show the progress.
Monday, Bernard Burke, his brother John and son Blair and truck driver Andrew came to finally install the septic system. Spent the day watching John working his excavator. Up there in the cab, he looks like he’s sitting in his front room watching computer games. Amazing machine: it easily lifted the walls into place. Michael ran around supervising. Insisted on the main tank being taken out and reinstalled deeper in the ground.
Tuesday we were flooded again, with at least a thousand gallons in the house basement which we can now empty with the sump pump Michael has installed. The septic tank almost floats away. Building the West wall now which we lift into position without an excavator.
Cara and Elaina arrive Monday for the week and we eat lobster twice this week, two end-of-season feasts with too much wine and too much loud conversation. Today is Saturday, most of the crowd has gone sailing and poor Elaina is struck down in her cabin with some bug. Will she emerge tonight to lead the party again?

Will all the walls be built before Monday?