What a difference a few days can make! The last week of January found us trying to beat the rain. We had plumber problems, (had to find a new one, the first ones estimate was WAY too high!) We went with our plumber that did the house we are in now. Got estimate one night, gave him the go ahead. He bought the license, got the parts and had everything for rough inspection in place the NEXT day! So much for people who are not sure of what they are doing! He passed inspection and we moved to concrete.
The concrete was a whole other story in itself! Al and Ricky came out and got batter boards up and it rained cats and dogs after they got the clay delivered. I got a call from Al telling me that the footings could not be dug until the clay dried out some this was Tuesday January 26th. Two days~more delays...........sigh. Reminds me of the military, hurry up and wait! Thursday came and they dug out footings and had gravel delivered. They also put in the re-bar and wire getting ready for inspection prior to the pour. Inspection scheduled for Monday February 1st. Then the rains came, again.........Al and Ricky came out again to find footings partially collapsed and the re-bar completely covered in a soupy, muddy, sticky cake consistency batter in all the footings. They spent the better part of Sunday scooping out all the re-bar and squaring the footings for the inspection. Chris and I rearranged the workshop to get a delivery of lumber the next day. Monday morning found us nervous, but our nerves were unnecessary!Our inspection passed! Chris and I spent the better part of Monday unloading the lumber and stacking it to keep it dry in the shop. What a delight it is to work side by side with my husband of so many years!
Tuesday, Chris is at work and sighing into the phone. What's wrong I asked? I just want to be there with you he replied. After the pour was finished we began laying out the J bolts. In the process of doing this, I discovered we were short 10! Concrete setting rapidly and I only had a window of about 1 hour. I jumped in the car and went off to pick up bolts. The main highway was closed so I had to make a detour which wasted precious minutes. I finally arrived at the store after 25 minutes of driving and got the cargo. Back to the lot! Just in time to place the last bolts with minutes to spare. Chris called a lot that day checking on the progress of the slab. Our estimate of 24 yards went to 29 yards before the day was over. I left at about 4 that evening with them polishing the slab in preparation for stain later.
Wednesday found me and Bennet (my brother) out on the new concrete laying out sill plates and discovering I had missed one J bolt in the wrong place. (The day before during the finishing, I had caught 2 bolts way too far in to the slab and had them moved.) No worries he said, we'll work around it. We laid out all the sill plates, I drilled almost all the holes for the bolts. Before the day was done, we had all the top plates cut, marked and laid out on the slab. We left at 5:15.
Thursday Ben built headers for all the doors as well as all the corner packs, T's and I packs. Lots of work for me as I re-stacked a load of 2x6x10's that had collapsed. I put them into the corner of the shop to make room. Rainy, nasty, cloudy day. Ben worked mostly in the shop. Great day, lots accomplished and then I had to teach a class that night! The rains came down hard that night as well.
Friday found us with a lake of water where there used to be just squelchy clay. Ben built bridges that would be used that day by all of us! Steve (a cousin) came at 10 am to make our jobs more efficient. Starting to make walls with the first 12 foot one up by 10:30. We tried to put up the next 12 foot wall and ended up dropping it and breaking some of the studs. We got it up the second time with much pushing and grunting. The rest of the day went like clockwork, with all outside walls up for the lower floor complete with headers!
Wow! what a difference a day makes.
I know Chris will be like a kid on Christmas wanting to go and see the progress and lend a hand on Saturday. I am certain that he will be up at the crack of dawn ready to hit the road!
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