Jesse's last day and what a day

Today started earlier than usual.  Len had to return the laser level and the hammer drill to town before 8.  It was pouring rain most of the night and still going strong in the morning.  While Len was in 100 Mile House, he witnessed snow gently falling.  Despite the rain, Jesse came to work on time and the final stages of leveling were soon completed.  The rain stopped, the sun came out and the rest of the day was quite pleasant.  We were out of water in the little RV so moved it over to Amen's to use his hose.  I had forgotten how rough the move would be as  Len dug a big hole for the back tire to help level things out.  As the RV lurched forward, the coffee bodum hit the floor and broke.  While there was a mess of dishes and odds and ends strung around, nothing else broke.  Amen was generous with his hose and the water was filled in no time.  While walking back, Cathryn and Banjo noticed a big black dog coming down the road.  Except it wasn't a big dog, it was a bear!  The first we have seen in this area, although the neighbours say they do visit from time to time.  Luckily Banjo was obedient and didn't chase after it and it scurried into the bush toward Walker Valley.  On the work site, Len and Jesse began putting rebar in the first course, zap straps in the corners, and generally making sure everything was level and straight.  Jesse left at 6:30 - he will really be missed by Len, and Cathryn will have to stand in the best she can.  Meanwhile, Dad Hawkins was busy getting their RV ready for their holiday.  Mom and Dad also drove into town and brought back the makings for a lovely sole dinner with greek salad which Cathryn cooked and we all enjoyed. After a late supper, we got the first course entirely set with rebar and zap strapped together so that Len could feel good quitting a little earlier tonight.  With all that water on board the shower got a good workout.  We turned on the furnace just in case it is needed tonight as they are calling for lows of 4-6 C.  Burr.  Hoping for more sun tomorrow.  Canada Day.  You can see Mom is excited about that.

More Logix blocks

Today was a full day of Logix fitting for the first course.  Hard to believe that it took Len all day, into the evening to ensure everything was straight and level.  Working with rough concrete footings was a challenge.  Jesse came out until 4.  After that Dad was able to help out.  It was great that Mom Hawkins was there to make a delicious meal so that we didn't starve. There is one picture that shows Cathryn helping Jesse send the Logix from the top loading area into the foundation area.  Then there is the "corner from hell".  Len worked on leveling the back corner of the garage for quite a long time.  Finally got it.  You can see Len spent a lot of time shaving the blocks with the help of his hand saw.  We need to take the laser level back to the rental place first thing in the morning, so it had to be completed tonight.  Good work everyone!  The worst of the blocks is now (hopefully) past.

What day is it now?

Well I know it is Monday, but the date of June escapes me - the 28th I think.  Other than the computer, we are lacking a calendar and a clock.  Kind of freeing, but it would be good to know the date!  Today we spent doing more measuring and Len started fitting the first course of the Logix blocks.  Jesse was able to help until just after noon.  Cathryn did some errands in town but forgot to do some important things on line - like paying our property tax and setting up our post office box.  Luckily there is tomorrow.  We had a big wack of rebar delivered - ready to put into the Logix forms.  Mom and Dad Hawkins came later - about 7pm so we had a late supper, helped them move their stuff into their RV and we are now in our little unit until we get theirs back after their trip to Kimberly (about a week).  Somehow ran out of water - a leak?  One more thing to distract from the building.  Such is life.   The photos show the use of the laser level which was very cool and also helpful, and delivery of the rebar.   Tomorrow I will be able to show you how the logix looks in place - all level and correct.

The pour, footings and starting Logix

Hi, Cathryn here.  I arrived today with Banjo to stay for a week.  Since the last blog, Len had the  pumper truck here and put 4 truck loads of concrete into the footings.  Then he spent a day removing all the forms and cleaning up.  Today Jesse (a student of Len's who lives up here) was out for a bit and helped Len and our neighbour Amen bring up some Logix blocks and take some of the garbage forms to the dump.  Then the job of measuring all the forms began.  Because the footings go up in steps due to the slope of the hill, measuring includes the use of string,  long measuring tapes, pumb bob, chalk, and old nails for marking our spots.  And the pictures of the forms in the last blog don't really show how deep the basement dig is!  The picture at the top right shows the deepest part of the basement dig.  It will be brought down about 3 feet in the end.   In our measuring, we walked up and down the slope of the stepped footings many times.  It is exciting to see the foundation blocks and how easy they are to put together.  This is actually something I can help with as they are very light and easy to move.  Here are some pictures from the last few days.  Jesse sorting wood for the dump.  Amen helping us bring the blocks up to the site from the road in front of his property.

Len struggling with the heavy block (not!)

Rebar rebar will it ever end?

Well I spent all day getting ready for the inspector. Had to change some rebar and I found a mistake in the forms that were put up.  It's been hot hard work and I'm ready for a nap.  We are hoping to pour concrete tomorrow late in the day but I think it would be better first thing Friday morning when everybody is fresh including me.  The foam foundation blocks will be arriving Friday as well so  another busy day.  I'm hoping to create a time lapse video of the pour.  We'll see how that turns out.

This first picture is where Cathryn wants a garden. This pile of dirt covers the pile of garbage tree stuff that was left there after we did all that chipping.  There is a chipmunk living in here.  The second picture shows ground zero.  A lot of forming.

This last photo shows the mistake in the forms.  The second box down on the left should be in line with the jog in  the footings just to the right of it.  I moved the box 16 inches to the left and we're good to go. I'll check again tomorrow for any other surprises. By for now.  Len

Well I did get to the lot and found the forms completed for the footings.  I have been slaving at the rebar installation and am now ready for the inspector tomorrow.  We are hoping to pour concrete on Thursday. This note is going to be short because it is the second time I am typing it out.  The first went away somewhere.  More tomorrow.

Day one of Len's summer of house-building fun

Well this morning Len finished loading up the truck and headed out for a summer of house-building fun.  He was gone about 2 minutes when I noticed he had forgotten the computer which is going to be our communication tool.  So a quick call to the cell phone and a dash down the road to deliver the laptop and he was really off.  Looking a lot like Sandford and Son I must say.  I took a picture, but Len took the camera so we will have to wait until Tuesday when the Shaw Cable guy is going to hook him up to the net.  Then I expect to see daily updates, complete with pictures!  I will be joining Len next week and then I will take over the documentation duties since I am not much help otherwise.  I always say that my role is "clean-up", and I do a dang good job of it too!  Got a call from Len reporting that he made it in one piece, unloaded a bunch of door at the storage unit and was headed up to the lot.  Stay tuned!  I hope that Tuesday will be the day that Len will be connected.  Until then . . .

Doors to the future

Len has been spending countless hours building some huge doors for the shop. They still need to be finished with glass, insulation and backing, but they are essentially doors. Len will be leaving for the summer soon and is working hard to not forget any important items. We now have a power pole and it should be hooked up anyday. Then we can get cable hooked up. Len will take the laptop, complete with webcam so that we can communicate using Skype. Our foundation blocks have been ordered and will be delivered Tuesday. The foundation is to be inspected and then will come our first concrete pour. So things are about to happen in a big way.

Gone to the Dogs

Up to the lot for another look at the hole in our property... this time with four dogs in tow. Would that be a herd? Daughter Kyla was the dog wrangler. It was a rainy, sunny, cloudy kind of weekend and we were forced to park the little old RV in the lower part of the new driveway the first night when things were more than a little soggy. Chris (hard-working son-in-law) joined Len in cutting up the trees Len felled last time we were up. We met (again) with Ken who is doing our foundation and (finally) with John who is doing all the final digging around the site, including the basement, septic, and a hole for the hydro pole. Sounds like things will start up in earnest within the next 10 days. All the clean-up of the lot is impressive, but we are getting tired of looking at a hole without a house in it. At least it is not full of water!  Here are some pictures of the dogs starting with Jack (upper left), Asia (upper right), Deuce with Chris, and Banjo (bottom). Kyla is demonstrating the value of the peaked hat yet once again. It was a short visit, coming late on Friday and leaving after lunch on Sunday. We had brought 2 pickups full of stuff plus Chris and Kyla's trailer full. We unloaded them into our rented storage locker. There was a bunch of stuff I had no idea we owned! A lovely drive home via Little Fort. The hills sure are green with all this rain.  The next time Len goes up in 2 weeks it will be for the duration of the summer and hopefully there will be some action in our "hole".