Three and 1/3 truckloads

 

                                                First the vapor barrier - 

Then the rebar

Here comes the first load 

What's that about being knee deep?

Little kids who enjoy playing in the mud grow up to do this job. 

 

Like frosting a cake with a really long pole

Clean your chute before you go to get the next load. 

Now we wait two week for those 33 yards of concrete to cure

What a perfect end to the day.  For your perspective, the new joint is just beyond the fence in the far back of the photo.   I stood on the deck of the house we live in now to capture this.  All that greenery is hardy kiwi, still ripening.

 Not quite at the end of the rainbow, but close. 

Quick work

 There was an old pole at Gert's that is going to be replaced so this morning some guys showed up with a workhorse truck that wiggled it a little bit then just lifted it right out of the ground like a popsicle stick. They loaded it onto that very truck, filled in the hole, and were gone in less than 30 minutes.  If only Dad could have seen it! 

                      Now the concrete vapor barrier is being laid down. 

The whole time Al has been rebuilding the cute little bitty greenhouse.  Oh, how he loves a project. 

It's a dirty job

Where should we dump it?

The first of what seemed to be a hundred loads - these trucks were coming and going for hours.  

Then Tim and Marty made quick work of shoving it around  and smoothing it out, back and forth, forth and back over and over.  It's kind of like watching a mechanical ballet but the only music was the chugging and grinding and grumbling of the tractors.  John Williams should write an exciting score for this. 

Notice Al back there rebuilding the little greenhouse so he can move his basil and tomato plants to their new home. 

See how things are more level and built up now?  Much better for the new house when it finally arrives.  Next will be the concrete, which needs to cure for two weeks, and waiting for the permit.  It gives me more time to procrastinate on deciding what we really need to keep for a smaller house.  This is very difficult for an old woman whose motto is "never throw anything away."  You never know when you might need that scrap of purple fabric or that old Mason jar.  You just never know.  
 

Another big toy

 Yesterday the team of Tim and Marty came to begin work on the new foundation. Makes me think of Spin and Marty, but only the Boomer Babes know who that is - did you have a crush on Spin? I admit that he was my first imaginary boyfriend.

See that patio of concrete his tractor is sitting on?  It was bigger, but he broke it up and then lifted the huge chunks over to the exact spot he wanted them to be, carefully arranging and gently (!) tapping them into place.  New concrete will be poured over the whole shebang.  Shebang!

Big boys have big toys

 The mover guys arrived at 11:25 - I went in to put on my shoes and look what I found when I returned - 

The first half of Gert's house sitting in the front yard!  The incredible little $90,000 remote-controlled tractor just whipped it right over there.  Here are some shots of the second half getting put next to it. 

That's the remote control in his hand.  He drove that thing like a little kid does with his sidewalk cars.  I think we need one for parking the RV. 

It was all finished at noon! 

It looks kind of pathetic, doesn't it.  Bolt it back together, slap on a coat of paint, fix the roof and it'll be ready for some serious Patch and workshop action.

Next week they will scrape away all this old base and begin building two new ones, one for Gert's house to be moved back by the garage, and one for the new house.  Use your imagination - mine is working overtime.

And so it begins

 Tuesday morning a truck and three guys showed up to begin the process of taking Gert's house apart to prepare it for moving, which they say will be tomorrow.  We hope.  Look what happened - 

John and his tractor to the rescue to remove the remaining stumps of the shrubbery.

Craig didn't want to miss out on the fun. 

What should we do with the front porch steps?

Hey, we can pee!

There goes the back porch step.

                                                   It all looks so bare.

                    They took off the panel that covers the joining seam

Then with just a little hand jack it went up enough to put wheels under there.

Mind the gap. 

                                       There is always a party to be had.

                                              It looks so very sad.

                         But is ready for some big movement.  Stay tuned.

Paul Bunyan and his Babes

Craig brought his chain saw, his wife Cindi, daughter Jennifer and his tree expertise all the way from next door to make quick work of some spindly trees.  Then he cleaned up some others and went home with a bit of firewood.  

We are very grateful.

 There will be a substantial bonfire when the burn ban is lifted.  Bring your marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.  And wine.