Nana says hi

We spent last weekend in LaJunta helping Nana get her house straightened up a bit. Thanks to Jessee there was even a trailer to throw it in and thanks to Tonya we had some help. :D Man, were we ever tired Monday morning......

Footer for some passive solar.

This was the last useable spot for the "extra" concrete. It's a footer about 12 X 4 and we'll set some windows into frames with a temperature operated fan to blow the hot air into the studio. We'll see how well it works but hey........ any added heat is a bonus.

When we got done pouring this the truck driver looked into the back of the cement truck and pronounced that there was less than a wheel barrow's worth of concrete left. And he gave me a thumbs up.

These fellas helped pour the concrete.

Nick on the left is the son of the folks that own Center Redi-Mix. He came out with the sons of one of my co-workers. They brought plenty of tools, a lot of get up and go, and just flat worked their butts off.

And the new building pad :)

This is a bit of a milestone in the project. It took upwards of 3 weeks to get the propane tank and underground lines all moved outta the way and the site prepped. The concrete went down in less than 4 hours. Above are the local fellas I hired to give me a hand. And here's the pad, with the bolts in place for the 10 X 23 foot building addition for storage and the post anchors for the covered storage (no walls since you can't have an enclosed building within 10 feet of the propane tank. :D And we're all about the safety. Now to get the wood ordered and put that sucker up!

Shiny new sidewalk :)

My dad taught me to just order a full truck load of concrete and build more forms than you think you need. Above was the reason for the project, the building pad. I figured I'd have enough left over concrete to do at least most of this sidewalk. Surprise surprise surprise, there was plenty there to do the whole thing!

Concrete is down

Friday October 19th was concrete pouring day. I got really lucky and a co-worker volunteered her son to help do the pour. He and his brother and their friend showed up. The day worked out really well. I worked at my day job in the morning and at 10:30 I went home and got started. First was to fire up the tractor and finish the forming for the passive solar against the solar house. Then I hooked up the water, moved all the cars, and pre-wet down the spot where the mud was to go.

The boys and the concrete truck got here together. We started on the 19X28 pad, the driver helped make sure we did it in a way that involved a whole lot less shoveling of wet concrete. I took one end of the scree board and the boys took turns on the other end. When we got that all in the forms, Nick and Alec went off to work on the sidewalk while I and boy #3 went back over the building pad. About the time the sidewalk got filled up the boys started in with trowels and I went with the driver to fill up the footer I'd formed up for the studio/solar house passive solar stuff. Then I went back to the building pad. We tried the power trowel I'd rented but the mud was still too wet and it just sank and screwed up the flatness of the mud. The boys kept troweling, and I set in bolts for the building and post forms for the covered storage.

About then the boys were done, driver was long gone. So I paid the kids and kept working until I was done enough. Gave the power trowel one more shot but it just never got dry enough before I had to return the thing. Live and learn I guess.

I went back to work, then the store, then came home and covered the building pad and sidewalk with tarps and every other cover kinda thing I could find. Had to steal 2 tarps from the hay for the barnyard. The goats didn't seem to mind. :D

We left it covered overnight and yesterday I pulled forms, and tarps and cleaned up the bits of flotsam concrete.

It looks pretty good. We're going to love having a sidewalk and now I can work on the building and not have to worry about the weather.

One more bit done toward our studio. That makes me happy.

We had a little campfire by the creek last night. With family. And today I ain't doin shit.

Weekend. I like the weekend.

It's been both a busy and a quiet weekend.

Crys* has done a lot of farming this weekend. She also did a good bit around the house and worked with her goats and Llama and Alpaca. They got fresh water, more treats than they deserve and lots of attention. And she spent lots of time taking care of that lazy old man of hers.

I got my pad prepped for the solar house addition. I've been working on it for a while. It took a ridiculous amount of time to get the propane tank moved and the underground lines re-routed. With that finally done it was time to dig out and level for the new building and covered shed pad. As of today it is  leveled, formed up and ready to go. This week I'll get building anchor bolts and post anchors and mark things out so that when we pour and level the concrete I can put in the bolts and anchors. A co-worker is going to loan me her sons on Saturday and we'll get that sucker poured. I figure I'll order a whole truck of mud and I'll have a sidewalk and a kiln pad framed up in case there's extra. :D Might as well save on the trip charge.

Tonight we're chilling. Crystal is knitting Christmas presents and I'm doing this. Lots of good dinner is cooking on the stove thanks to the girl.

I need a week off, and I can really get some stuff done.

Busy Day at the Rest

We got a lot done today. 

I got my pre-level done on the building extension for our studio. Crystal got the toenails clipped on the goats. We worked together and got Princess Buttercup, the alpaca, sheared for the first time. 

It can suffice to say that she did NOT like it.

We got more rocks piled up for the goats to climb on. Our last ton bale of alfalfa/weeds/grass is in place for the winter feeding. Crystal is still cleaning like a mad woman, I have no idea where she gets her strength or fortitude. 

It would appear that we are nearly ready for winter. I just need to get concrete poured so I can work on the studio, and that has to happen before it gets too much colder. It's nearly ready and that makes me happy. 

A flute was won on ebay so that our niece can learn something new. Good job Crys.

Last week we gave the bees a good feeding. Lots of tomatoes and peppers are canned and frozen for the coming winter doldrums. 

The cars are in pretty good shape.

Now if we can just get that deck sanded and sealed, the studio done and some gutters put up.........