10.17.2024

Whew - it was a day!  It started early - Jim got a call about 7:20 this morning that Lowe's were going to deliver all our wood, and that they would be at our house at 8:30.  Jim figured he had time to eat some breakfast, but before 8:00, the truck was here and honking the horn! 

Jim had to scramble outside, get the Bobcat out, put the forks on (which he had smartly left right by the turnaround), and get out to the truck...

Jim wanted to first get all the treated lumber up to the shed area, so after finishing his breakfast, he loaded that up on the forks...

He put all the treated lumber on boards near the shed site...

Taking all the white wood off the plywood...

He put some boards down and then we stacked the wood up and out of the way.  He wanted to organize the wood in the pavilion by what he will use first.

Plywood and OSB are next...

Taking it up the hill...

We moved each of the pieces into the pavilion on top of boards, separated in piles...

Next, Jim went back for the pile of white wood...

He brought it up to the pavilion...

And we started unloading and stacking...

Looks like the lumber aisle at Lowe's!

He cut the posts in half...

Using a piece of wood the same size as the front dimension, he attached it to the front posts to keep them the right distance apart...

First step - the front posts are in their holes...

Jim cut another post in half and brought one to the back hole...

Repeated the same procedure to get the back post positioned...

Then all of a sudden, we heard a truck backing up - our gravel arrived!  Jim didn't get a phone call so we weren't expecting that it would come today.

Jim will use this for the shed foundation, to grade around the pavilion for our brick staging area, and whatever's left will go on the driveway.

Once we got the driver paid and he left, it was back to work.  Jim placing the other back post in the hole...

The corner posts are in the holes and positioned pretty well...

Checking some initial measurements...

He got the last post cut up and brought into the shed area...

Jim had a lot of tools and equipment to put away, and then had to do trash duty.  Lots of blocks checked today - now we have all the material we need to make some good progress on the shed foundation this weekend.

High 59/Low 29.3

10.16.2024

Today marks the three year anniversary of Mom moving to New York to live with us!  Amazing that it's been that long!

Jim had more project management issues this morning.  Our Lowe's order of wood and miscellaneous was scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, but he got a call this morning saying that their truck was broken and they wouldn't be able to deliver it until Monday.  That really sets us back because Jim was hoping to get the foundation work done so that we can pour concrete before it gets too cold.  He called them back and it turned out that the machine they use to offload project on the back of the truck is what was broken.  Jim said told them that he has a Bobcat with forks and could get everything off.  They had to check with the powers that be, but they called him back and said that would be okay.  So we are still on the schedule to have delivery tomorrow - whew!

Jim also put in an order for gravel.  He asked for the driver he likes by name, so we aren't exactly sure when that will come, but it will be soon.

Jim continued doing some maintenance around the house - still seeing if he can bleed any air out of the heating lines... 

He had the Bobcat out of the auto bay yesterday, but today he lifted up the cab and cleaned out underneath the seat area.  He is going to be doing some additional work on the hydraulic system, so it will be nice to have it clean.

Jim is also starting to make some steel pieces that he is going to attach to the underside of the pallet that the power trowel sits on.  He'll put wheels on it and be able to roll it around that way.

High 54.1/Low 38.4

10.15.2024

Jim and I had computer paperwork to do this morning, including renewing our passports.  We fit the requirements for their new online program so it was a good time.  

Then Jim spent the rest of the day doing his pre-winter maintenance.  First was cleaning the heater underneath the kitchen sink.  He had made this panel at the bottom of the cabinet that gives him easy access to the unit.  Then he can vacuum and clean it...

Next up was the refrigerator - he moved it out and took off the back vent and vacuumed.  He even used the vacuum in reverse mode to blow air through the back and out the front to get dust that he couldn't reach.  

The beverage cooler was next...

Then the nasty job of cleaning the septic filter...

However, for the first time, the filter was completely clogged.  We just did it in the spring, so Jim has no clue what's happening.  We're going to check it again in a couple weeks and go from there.

High 51.3/Low 35.6 

10.14.2024

 Jim worked this morning and submitted the Lowe's order for the wood for the shed as well as for a garage door.  The wood will be delivered on Thursday!  He also made touch with his rep for cold-formed steel; he's retired now but is going to call Jim.  Hopefully he can put in a word with his replacement to get him the best prices.

In the afternoon, Jim spent time working on and cleaning up the Bobcat.  Draining oil into containers for recycling...

High 44.7/Low 42.5 - cool and drizzly

10.13.2024

It was an all-day light rain day with temperatures never getting out of the low 40s.  So a perfect inside day!  Jim brought the Bobcat into the auto bay for winter maintenance...

Checking the tread tension...

He did an oil and filter change and greased everything...

High 43.6/Low 40.4 - rainy!

10.12.2024

Jim had some computer work to catch up on this morning.  He's hoping to get an order into Lowe's this weekend for the posts and other wood needed for the shed.  Plus, he helped me on a computer issue too!

After lunch, we headed outside - taking off the last form on the back side...

Cleaning up the edges - again, the sides look beautiful with no voids.

The pavilion looks amazing all finished!  

Done with the forms, so getting them out...

Jim put the sawhorses in the pavilion as well as some of his tools to keep them out of the weather...

Loading up the steel forms...

Chipping off any concrete now while it's soft so the forms will be ready for their next use...

Back to working on moving the brick cubes.  This one had partially collapsed in the back, so Jim new it was going to be challenging...

Kind of a mess...

Jim did a lot of work to get this cube back together...

Still working...

But finally success - moving it back into the woods in our stash...

Time for one more...

As hard as the previous one was, this one was easy - Jim didn't have to adjust a thing or even get out of the Bobcat!

Moving it into place.  They just look much healthier back here.  We have 11 moved and only 5 more to go!

We are supposed to get some rain over the next couple days, and Jim has some Bobcat maintenance planned. so he wanted to give the Bobcat a cleaning...

High 64.8/Low 51.6 - beautiful!