Well, in the middle of March I was beginning to feel pretty stressed out. It seemed like every other hour the entire back of the house was off. The thin layer of plywood between us and the outside world was seemingly permanent and offered the neighborhood stray cats easy entrance to the basement. Grace Jones was hissing at the door and I stopped making late night trips to the kitchen for water. I was a'scared!!! (On this particular day...sorry for the graphic description...but, I essentially P'd outside as there was no bathroom wall!)
Each time we opened up the back of the house, a concrete cap was being formed and poured. This was one of Carl's favorite jobs, next to busting things up. Even though the mess was frustrating, the holes were becoming smaller and easier to cover. Closer to being able to begin the foundation!!!
The dirt pile was increasing exponentially and as we got closer to foundation pouring time...more dirt was heaped on the pile.
It was dumpster time. We filled one 10 Cu.Yd. with the wood and plaster debris. We ordered a 15 footer for the dirt, brick and concrete.
It was not a barrel full of monkeys style fun.
Each trip from the yard and down the driveway got longer and longer.
The job made everything hurt! We compared bruises and aches a la Indiana Jones and were thrilled to be done.
(I must confess, I was really into pushing the wheelbarrow...it was a first for me!)
Here is some of Carl's excellent concrete form work!
Before:
After:
Journeyman Carl did such excellent work Uncle G. decided it was'a da' time to getta' him a tool belt of his own!
It inspired great pride. I think he's going to leave the Bagel Bakery and go off and get a new job...with a drill!
The dirt pile grew again while making final preparations to pour the footings. I could not bear losing my Butterfly bush and Peonies forever. So...I dug them out. In the process I learned how crazy nature is.
I found oodles of Crocuses, Lilies, Daffodils and Tulips that were growing like albino asparagus under the heap of dirt. We dug up as many as we could and put them out front and they are doing well!
Saving the Peonies....
Uncle Guido worked tirelessly and when the inspector came to check out the footings before the pour...he gave it a double thumbs up and said it was some q-u-a-l-i-t-y workmanship!
We mixed approximately 43 bags of concrete to pour the footings. They came out expertly. Uncle Guido is good!
Each pour was 2 fifty pound bags. Here is the first one!!!
The agony before the victory...
It went much quicker than we thought. We started around 7:45 am and completed it by 12 pm!
Here it is 1/3 done...
Almost....done....
Carl...go mixa one more....
Finally done, ready for a last smoothing....
Now you...go clean up!
Now you...pass out!
The walls went up without a hitch!
It took one and a half tons of gravel to fill the foundation.
NO...GET TO WORK !
