9.27.2024

Mom had another doctor appointment this morning.  We combined that with dropping some things off at the Salvation Army Thrift Store near where we had to be.  They seem to change their acceptance procedures all the time, but we have a lot of stuff that we need to get rid of, so this is the first of many drop offs in the future!

Jim had computer work to catch up on this morning, but after lunch he headed outside for the first job with the new air compressor.  He loaded it in the bucket and took it up to the pavilion...

Stapling foam around the bottoms of each post...

All done - another step towards concrete!

Jim cut some more plywood pieces to help stability the brick cubes and get a couple more moved...

Trying to get the forks through...

Success...

The rain we had over the last couple days compacted the gravel and made it a little uneven, so Jim did some hand shoveling...

Setting the cube in place...

This pallet of loose bricks has been sitting on top of these cubes for so long, that Jim really thought it would fall apart if he tried to move it, but he gave it a go...

So far, so good.  He just set it to the side for now.

He got another block loaded up on the forks...

In its new spot...

He started working on this next cube, but it was kind of collapsed in the middle, so it will take some more work another day...

He finished off the day with some grass cutting.

High 73.5/Low 54.2

9.26.2024

Mom had a checkup on her foot today so we were gone most of the morning.  It was another on/off light rain day - everything looks greener and happier after a couple days of much-needed rain!

Jim continued on furnace maintenance today.  He purged all of the water out of the different zones and then he'll put in the cleaner that stays in there until the next time it's purged, just to keep the lines healthy.

He put in a special valve just for this purpose...

Doing some tweaking...

More before-winter maintenance - taking down the dryer vent and cleaning it...

We went to The Local tonight for a beer and a burger - it was a nice night out!

9.25.2024

We finally got a little rain in the early hours and on/off during the day - we sure needed it.  It's supposed to rain more tomorrow too, which will be good.  

So it was a good day for inside work.  Jim unpacked and assembled his new air compressor, put oil in it, and charged it up.  It works great, so it will be ready to use up at the pavilion when we are ready for it.

Time for some furnace maintenance.  Jim has a few things planned, but today he wanted to put new neutralizing pellets in so he got lines drained...

Container cleaned and new pellets installed!

High 57.2/Low 52.9 - on/off showers

 

9.24.2024

As promised, the township started repaving our little section of road today.  Jim got to talk to the guys working because he left for a doctor appointment right when they were at the end of our driveway.  They will come back tomorrow to finish. 

View from the other side (love the way the trees are along the road in front of our house!)

When I was out yesterday, I picked up some semi-transparent colored (Cottage Gray) stain to use on the pavilion posts to protect them from weather.  Jim tried out a sample on some scrap wood...

Starting to roll it on the posts...

Lots of edges and hand painting...

We took a look from the grass area to see how we liked it - and we really do!

Working on the complicated corner...

And the other corner...

Looking good!

Back side all done and moving to the front corner...

Working on last post!

Gorgeous!  It really looks finished now - can't wait to see a concrete floor too!

High 69.9/Low 46.8 - lovely

9.23.2024

Jim hand shoveled a whole bucketful of gravel that was piled up on the driveway edges by the concrete truck.  He used some to pile behind the back forms...

He also cut some trial strips of plywood that he's hoping he can use to help stabilize and then move the blocks of brick...

He moved the first one over to the new area in the woods...

This was the first time that Jim lifted up the whole cab on the Bobcat!  He did some cleaning in this area...

High 65/Low 55.4

9.22.2024

 

Wish we could slow down time a bit, but Fall is our favorite season, so we'll definitely enjoy it!  The leaves are starting to change and the temperatures are going to be going down as well.

Jim got tools and equipment ready, and after lunch we headed outside to work on gravel.  First job was to spread the gravel in the pavilion area to get it level and ready for concrete.  Jim put wood extensions on the forms to get them to the right depth...

Last form extension on the back...

Putting stakes in to hold everything in place...

Starting to spread gravel...

Once enough was spread, Jim went up to our pile to get a piece of steel to use as a level guide...

Using his concrete depth blocks, he set up the guide...

Bringing in more gravel...

I cleaned up the front of the pavilion area and then Jim brought up gravel for that area...

Spreading it...

More gravel behind the forms...

Continuing around the pavilion, spreading gravel, getting everything to the right height...

Scooping out extra gravel...

Done!  I'm sure there will be tweaking, but everything is flat and to the right level for concrete.  Looks great!

Once that job was done, Jim worked on spreading the rest of the gravel.  He took some back into the woods where we are going to move our brick stash...

No more piles of gravel - just a driveway!

High 74.1/Low 51 - lovely first day of fall!