And we're in the final stretch

of forms that is. Friday we went up to the lot early to check on the forms, make sure they were cleared out, that sort of thing. The truck was scheduled to come at 1 in the afternoon. Well, the forms had held up well and there was little additional cleaning to do, a few grains of sand, some leaves. Two needed to be brushed down with the wire brush and then swept out again as some dirt had built up on them.

But we finished our task early and had time to kill, so began to do little things around the lot, clip branches off downed trees in the swampy area so they fall even closer to the ground. My theory is the flatter they are, the faster they will turn into dirt. And there we need the dirt. Bill mowed the little grass that we have out there. But still we had time to kill, so just sat around near the point that juts out into the lake where the black flies were better, because of the breeze.

We had lunch, rosemary chicken salad with lettuce on flax bagels, but still no cement truck. Bill started to worry that he was having trouble finding us, so drove up to the road to meet him. About 10 minutes later from our chair on the lakefront I could see the truck driving along Ardoch Road.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, there is Bill and the truck just behind him. The driver has been doing this for 20 some years and is quite helpful. We'd been hoping that the truck might fit between two rows of forms, but the measurements are so tight, the driver expresses concern of the pressure on the sand and dirt packed around the forms and that it might actually displace some of the forms. So it is decided that we will wheel barrow the cement to the forms.

The driver helps and between the 2 of them dumping the cement into each form, Bill checking for the fill line and pounding the cement with the pounding tool (a 12" heavy metal plate with a long handle) to get the bubbles out and and me leveling and smoothing, it all goes quite well.
The cement is thick with aggregate, but does not dry so quickly that it is a problem that I am 3-4 forms behind them. It was all over with in barely over an hour.

We clean up, wash down all the tools, cover the forms and head home. Saturday, we go up to check on things and spray down the cement to help slow the curing process. Everything seems to be just fine.

Bill has already ordered the blocks, cement bags and aggregate for the piers. That is next weekends project.

Forms 3

What a forlorn long weekend this has proved to be. It rained every day. We had arranged a 4 day weekend thinking we'd accomplish so much and still have time to do something relaxing.

At the cottage lot, we worked on the footing forms again, hoping to finish the forms for the foundation. It is our hopes to have the cement truck come in next weekend. We've arranged for Daniel and Amanda to come out and help us. The following week we can build the piers and by June we should be able to start construction of the frame. That's the plan anyway, but then we're already a year behind schedule. The plans took 3-4 months longer than we expected. What makes us think we'll be on schedule this time?

When we showed up to work we found a calling card from the local inspector pinned to one of the sawhorses. He'd put a date on it, so had stopped by the day before. Not good we thought. We weren't done.

Since we're building on bedrock, the rock below the forms must be cleaned really, really, REALLY well. And they were not at that point. It had rained (again) of course, but we lucked out. Having feared mud washes in the bottom of each form, we were delighted to see only small puddles of water and the odd plant material (leaves, seeds, etc). The rock is not level and in some spots we had to go quite deep. It's difficult to clean out those deep abysses. But things progressed well and we went home feeling we had accomplished alot.

Now if the rain holds off and doesn't wash mud into them again we'll be all set.

When we got home, we are pleased to have a message on the answering machine from the inspector. He gives us the green light to proceed.

Bill called the cement company to make arrangements, but they don't work on Saturdays. I have arranged to trade days off then and we will try for Friday. Not sure if Daniel and Amanda will be able to help us though.

Forms 2

*sigh* Forms again. It sure is taking a long time to get through this part. It rained again and there are mud washes in the bottom of the forms.

I have a splint on my poor damaged digit. Damn fingers sure do hurt when you whap them. I never got it x-rayed, but I'm sure I fractured the boney point. Taking up time at the doctors would have been embarassing I think and I doubt there is anything they can do for a fingertip. The fleshy part is healing well, but the bone is extremely sensitive to any movement. Thank god its not the joint at all.

The splint hinders the speed of my work, but can work around it. I keep whapping it on things and am glad the finger splint is as solid as it is. I clean the forms out and for the most part it goes well (except for those cursed black flies). Though I must admit, they seem to like B more than me. Must be his beer flavoured blood. Flies apparently don't like red wine. Remember that.

We're noticing lots of birds on the lot, saw two types of warblers, the yellow rumped and the black & white in addition to the normal chickadees and such. We looking forward to the day when we can sit on our deck with binoculars and count birdie varieties. I've put up a bird feeder and the chickadees are already used to our close proximity.

Moose prints along the path leading to the lake. Next to my 7 1/2 shoe for size comparison.

Ode to fingers

Oh to fingers still intact. Tactile wonders fingers be. Oh the pain when fingers whacked. (repeat until pain subsides)

Yup, we worked on the forms Sunday. It was my task to build the forms which B shoveled the dirt and debris off of the rock. Of course he should do the heavy work and I should have the "easy" job of hammering a few nails into the wood.

Other than fighting off the blood sucking black flies (which really love to go straight for the eyes), all went well. Until the last form, the 3rd last nail. Whammo, bammo I slam that hammer into the left pointer fingertip. Yowls and hand shaking and cursing and jumping up and down follow. Bill of course is sympathetic and offers to finsih up while I nurse my bleeding digit. But I'll be damned if I let a little finger pain get the best of me and with blood dripping onto the forms I finish my task.

This is the first blood spilled on this project. I hope it's the last or at least as bad as it gets.