Ok, ok, we give up!

The guys arrived on time, started sheeting and doing the deck.  By noon they called "Uncle" and went home.  The rain just kept on coming.  No fun, especially on the roof. 

The junk pile wasn't the only thing swimming in the wet

 Here's where we got to today

West deck

roof on the bedroom wing

Once the guys left, Len took a couple of loads of garbage to the dump.  By then the rain had stopped.  What to do?  Justin, the plumber, dropped over to discuss plumbing matters and to look at Len's digging.  Len decided to dig under the foundation, starting in the basement.  He has been digging ever since and tells me not to call him for supper before 8pm.  His back will be sore tonight.

Down on his knees in the basement

In the pit of despair

I had the easy job of running to town for supplies.  And during the rain I baked some peanut butter cookies.  Being weak and a hopeless shoveler has its advantages.
Cathryn

Shuffling the deck .... and sheeting

Today started out foggy and misty.  Shades of things to come - we had rain, sun, rain, sun.  Nothing enough to stop the work.  Len and Ross worked on the west deck while Ken started sheeting the roof.

First post up.  These are cut from trees on our lot.

Note the fog is still lingering

Ken sheeting the roof

After everyone else went home, Len and Cath moved windows, doors, and pallets of wood from the neighbour's driveway to our lot using Joe's lift truck.  Cath learned all the intricacies of strapping, chaining, and keeping your  body and toes from under the dangling load.  Also not to breathe too deeply while standing next to the truck (cough, cough).

Windows ready to be moved

When we opened the package of exterior doors to move them, we found the first damage to anything we have had shipped from Tamlin.  Looks like they were not properly packaged and screws from one door damaged the other.  Also, the lack of protection on one side meant the edge was broken away.

ouch

The cause of the ouch

Not enough protection between the doors

broken door

Hope that tomorrow doesn't bring too much more rain.  More photos promised.

Can you dig it?

We took Saturday off and went to the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival.  We left Friday evening and stayed over in Sid and Shawn's RV (thanks for the hospitality).   We took a short-cut along the Agate Bay road, along a logging road to Adams Lake, and then over to the #1 Hwy.  Saw lots of deer.  On Saturday, we started off with a wedding at 8 am - very nice- Congrats to Ian and Penny.  Saw lots of people we knew from years back and enjoyed the music.  Came back about 7 pm and decided to take the same route as it was so enjoyable and seemed shorter than going through Kamloops.

One of the babies we saw on the Agate Bay Rd

View of Adams Lake from logging road

On Sunday, we slept in until about 8.  Len started burying the pillars for the deck and decided that it would be better to dig the septic inlet before the deck goes up. So he spent about 4 hours in the dirt.  Not his favorite occupation, but he went the distance.

Looking down toward the drainage pipe next to the foundation

Working on the chain gang?

Done at last!

Could be worse, could be rainin'

And boy did it rain.  Not a good day to be up on a slippery slope so might as well continue with the concrete work.  Cath ran to town for 25 bags of ready mix and Ross brought a couple of sonotubes.  We made squre forms for the bases and, withe the concrete mixer that Ken had rented, we got to work on the three pier footings for the west deck.  The ground was a quagmire on that slope making it even more fun. After sliding around for a couple of hours it decided to hail and rain some more.  I found a dry piece of ground and spread the dry dirt over the slope. We all stopped slipping and things went smother then.  Cathryn soon had to go into town for 20 more bags which we used 18 of and the job was done.

Portable concrete truck

Three pillars ready to go

Meanwhile, to add to the fun, we had our last delivery from Tamlin homes.  This included the plywood for the roofs and all of the siding.  We also got all of the green trim to finish up the house exterior.  I had prepared a number of spots to put the incoming stuff so this unload went much smoother.  The driver didn't get his truck stuck at all, bonus.  He placed everything where we wanted it and even spotted a couple of loads up on the sloped roof to make it easier to get at.

Starting the unloading process

Very heavy concrete siding

Cedar soffit material

Setting 2500 lbs of 1/2 inch plywood on the side of the roof

 We picked up a couple of the our timbers, that we had milled from our fir trees last year, to use as posts for this deck work.  They are 8x8 and very heavy, should do the trick.  We'll be assembling that deck in Monday. We're going to a wedding and Bluegrass Festival at Sorrento tomorrow and back for Sunday, hopefully to better weather. I only have one week left up here so I'm hoping to get to the windows and doors.
Len

Rain never stops the show

Today was unsettled weather with waves of showers coming through and even some thunder claps.  The chief cook and her dog spent a great deal of the day in the RV making cookies and muffins while the work crew worked.  Much of what was done today was in final preparation for putting on the sheeting and in preparation for the truck coming tomorrow morning.  Things were straightened, shortened and made right. A platform was built to hold the sheets for the roof - one less move.

Ross and Len working on the rafters for the garage upper room

Rafters half done

Ken cutting off rafter tails

Space left to put up sheet for roof

The truck will unload some sheets up on the roof platform

After looking at the roof lines, it was determined that the west deck with the timberframe will have to be built sooner than later.  The foundation for the posts will go in tomorrow if possible.  Len used the backhoe to dig holes for the 3 posts.  Just as he started to dig things out manually, it started to pour rain.  Well it is 6:45 anyway, so time to quit for the day.  Tomorrow might be rainy - hope not.

Digging on the side hill is a bit tricky

The last hole is dug

But Len being Len, here he is out in the driving rain.  This picture is a bit fuzzy as it was taken through the rain-streaked RV window.  (Someone has to stay in and keep the dog company.)

At least he came and put on his rain coat.

On the roof without a fiddle

Chilly start but much better than heat.  Started out placing the second last wall that I had cut slots into to fit around the trusses.  The last little tapered wall will be inserted after the sheeting is up tp give access to the roof for the lumber.   Our last large beam was finally placed and hopefully safe from any damage.  Because we have decided to go with bat insulation instead of foam for the roof we are adding strapping for cross ventilation before the plywood.

Craning up the wall for the upper room beam

Strapping going up

Strapping and trusses

Last big beam

Safely in place

While building and fitting the ladder truss to the east side of the house we discovered that the gable truss was about 2 inches short.  This meant the addition of a 2x6 to the inside of the gable truss and up under the ladder truss.  Maybe we won't have such a problem on the west side.

Wedge lifting the ladder into position

The 2x6 in place

Finished the day with a small cross wall that intersects the garage wall when it is completed.

Hammerer on the roof

Trussed me

Like I said today was truss day.  Our first task would be getting the trusses out of the forest where the have been sitting and up to the house.  We found that putting them on the deck of the truck and holding the far end with a chain on the boom did the trick.  We placed the end of the truss bundle on the wall and the day began.  Sliding each one over, standing it up and, after they were all there, moving them into position.

After the garage side was done we tackled the east side. 

All trusses up and Ross got to work bracing and fitting as well as eave cuts.  I went up to the garage roof to help set up the walls.

While all of this was going on Cath was clearing deadfall and debris on the north side of the property. Here are a couple of before and after shots of her work. Pretty nice job.  She was also the designated photographer and supervisor of the truss move.  Not to mention cook and cleaner.  We finished off the day with a dip in the pool and hot tub at the Hills.  More walls and possibly roof sheeting tomorrow.


Len

Upper garage going up

Today was cool in the morning - just 5 when the Dunkley's hit the road for Edmonton.  We will miss having them, not only for their great help, but all the laughing and fun.  Ross came at 7 and Ken and Jessie at 8.  It was a busy day, and a very nice one too!  Not too hot, no rain.

moving the floor plywood up on the garage

The guys finished putting the floor joists and blocking in place,  then put the plywood tongue and groove floors on top.    Then they moved the wall sections up to the top, but didn't put them up, clever guys, as they need the floor space to maneuver trusses which will be placed tomorrow.  Some trusses were moved over near the garage for their erection tomorrow. 

One of the upper garage walls going up

sections of wall ready to be put together

Len attaching the mighty beam to the floor joists

Serious drilling happening

Mid-day we had some visitors for lunch - Myrle and Vern Sundmark and Keith Peterson ventured up from Barriere for a short visit.  Cath took them on a quick tour of the house and then we enjoyed a lunch break with them and Sabin, their little poodle.  Banjo was very excited to have company.  We were so excited, in fact, that we forgot to take their picture!  

Once the hired help left, there was clean up to do and after supper Len put up another beam in the main house while Cath made banana loaf out of the dying bananas on hand.  A productive day all around.  Even got to talk on Skype with Michael up in Fort McMurray.  Tomorrow the trusses go up and that should be video-worthy.  See you then!

Cath