Spent the morning erecting the steel rebar bundles for the final six columns. Though we worked right through another 90+ degree day until six o’clock swim call, we only got two of the concrete column forms constructed (out of the 18 total that will be needed – and, no, I didn’t miss count – two of the columns are “doubles”, i.e., in each double form there is steel for two columns). Now these first two forms were for the two most complex corner piers (what would be the point of starting with something easy?), and the first time you build something always takes twice as long while you figure out how to screw things up most efficiently, but still in all, building the forms for the column construction is going to take a LOT of time. Also installed the horizontal and vertical rebar that will keep the south-end wall from falling down. That done, Steve gladly returned his rebar tying tool. He thinks this is the last time he’ll ever use it… Sitting out by the campfire, trying to ignore the mosquitoes this evening because it’s still 86 degrees inside the RV, I called my sister, Lynne Pirkkanen, to see if she had heard a local-area weather report. “Supposed to be a nice night,” she said knowingly, “with a chance of showers tomorrow afternoon.” “Great!”, I replied, “’cause we have lots of stuff uncovered that I really don’t want to get wet.” Feeling another swim call coming on about 8:30, I repaired to the dock for a refreshing dip. “Hmmm…”, I thought, looking towards the north, “that looks an awful lot like a thunderstorm… but maybe it’s just heat lightning… but that does look like a classic cumulo-nimbus cloud formation…” Returning to the RV, Steve and I made a quick trip around the site throwing every tarp we could lay hands on over all the construction materials, finishing just as the storm came roaring in. In the midst of the mêlée Merry Lapidus called and offered us shelter and a bed for the evening. We hadn’t noticed that the flow of electrons from the power grid had ceased… because the RV automatically switches to the coach batteries whenever 110 volt power isn’t available. We declined her offer, but it was a very nice gesture from the Lapidus’. Eventually the thunder died away and so did we.
26 May 2010
Spent the morning erecting the steel rebar bundles for the final six columns. Though we worked right through another 90+ degree day until six o’clock swim call, we only got two of the concrete column forms constructed (out of the 18 total that will be needed – and, no, I didn’t miss count – two of the columns are “doubles”, i.e., in each double form there is steel for two columns). Now these first two forms were for the two most complex corner piers (what would be the point of starting with something easy?), and the first time you build something always takes twice as long while you figure out how to screw things up most efficiently, but still in all, building the forms for the column construction is going to take a LOT of time. Also installed the horizontal and vertical rebar that will keep the south-end wall from falling down. That done, Steve gladly returned his rebar tying tool. He thinks this is the last time he’ll ever use it… Sitting out by the campfire, trying to ignore the mosquitoes this evening because it’s still 86 degrees inside the RV, I called my sister, Lynne Pirkkanen, to see if she had heard a local-area weather report. “Supposed to be a nice night,” she said knowingly, “with a chance of showers tomorrow afternoon.” “Great!”, I replied, “’cause we have lots of stuff uncovered that I really don’t want to get wet.” Feeling another swim call coming on about 8:30, I repaired to the dock for a refreshing dip. “Hmmm…”, I thought, looking towards the north, “that looks an awful lot like a thunderstorm… but maybe it’s just heat lightning… but that does look like a classic cumulo-nimbus cloud formation…” Returning to the RV, Steve and I made a quick trip around the site throwing every tarp we could lay hands on over all the construction materials, finishing just as the storm came roaring in. In the midst of the mêlée Merry Lapidus called and offered us shelter and a bed for the evening. We hadn’t noticed that the flow of electrons from the power grid had ceased… because the RV automatically switches to the coach batteries whenever 110 volt power isn’t available. We declined her offer, but it was a very nice gesture from the Lapidus’. Eventually the thunder died away and so did we.
