After the morning...

Thomas and I both took naps on Monday afternoon.  We were pooped, and I bet Pop, Daniel, Andres, and Joe were, too.  After the first truck left, Thomas made me nervous when he hoped aloud that we had enough concrete.  I hoped we had enough, too, and would be really bummed if I did bad math on that account.  We had enough to fill these walls and slop it over the sides, too.  (Can you see how grey the tarp looks under the scaffolding?)

 The corner of our bedroom - still standing like the rest of the walls!  Thanks be to God!

 This is our top sill for affixing the roof trusses -

I did do bad math here and came up a little short.  Tom will fix it!

Looking into a bathroom window bucking - the holes cut out of the bottom help us to see that they filled up with concrete underneath. 

Turns out we had a lot more concrete than we needed, so we also got out of it (thanks to Pop):

 a tractor tire bird bath and another concrete slab - can never have too many slabs

 four footers for when we move the mudroom over, or maybe for some other structure

An adjoining slab to our cellar stairs (pretty flashing, huh? )

Pop also pulled the tractor out and spread out excess concrete where the drive will approach the house.  Buying a truckload of gravel isn't in the plans yet, so all that gravel means we'll have a less muddy drive - smart thinking!

After clean-up and naps, Thomas and I were back to work - on the garden this time.  We harvested  whole lot of garlic that now needs to be strung up to dry.  We have some great big heads which will give us great seed garlic to plant in a few months for next years crop, as well as good eatin' all year long. 

God beams shining down on our work...

Monday morning....

I have been delinquent on posting pictures of progress...pardon me.  The month of July was a full month.  We started the month sending off my parents from Santa Fe.  The following weekend we were in Denver.  After being gone three weekends in a row, we were here the 14th, only because Tom left for a week-long out-of-town seminar on Sunday.  And then we were gone again to Santa Fe the next weekend picking up supplies/scaffolding.  This past weekend, we were home and preparing for the concrete pour on Monday.  To say we are go-getters is an understatement, but it feels like we have rounded a corner so to speak.

All month long we have been busy with house projects: cutting and building the window and door bucking and bracing for the main floor of the house (place holders in a concrete wall for the windows and doors), trimming out the concrete from the basement wall where the doors will be, framing the basement walls between the three northern rooms, applying sealant and flashing to the cellar stairs, and always site clean-up.  There is always measuring and planning, too.  Pop has been on the scene moving dirt ~ spreading out our hills of dirt around the basement walls to give them more insulation.

Lastly, we built the east, north, and most of the west wall of the main floor.  This process was similar to the basement wall, but not at all the same.  Having confidence in how the wall assembles and fills, Tom delayed the task as long as possible, as this wall would be exposed to the wind full on, as well as being only three sided.  Friday he set to it, and I joined in when I got home from work.  Pop & Andres had been helping, and the wall was well over halfway built.  It got a little more technical because of the 9 openings the wall is built around.  Lots of cutting rebar for the inner supports and trimming block. 

We took a break Friday evening for Pop's and my birthday party, Saturday morning for our work day/potluck/business meeting for the domestic water association, and Saturday evening for mass at Philmont.  Sunday morning we we were back at it and worked through till the worst of the heat, which coincided with getting all the clock up and rebar tied in.  A little rest and snack put us back outside to work a few more hours until it was too dark to see.

Here we are Monday morning, a couple hours before the pour:

The north side - looking from east to west (left to right) at the master bedroom and bathroom, front door, guest room, and bathroom.

 A mess of scaffolding and bracing, looking in through what will be the kitchen.

Thomas put the finishing touches on plumbing the windows and screwing down the bracing inside the window bucks.  We also fit in our wall penetrations. 

Alongside Thomas and I, our inside crew included Joe (a distant cousin and really hard worker), Andres (yes, the tall guy in the middle is a 13 year old), and Daniel.  They followed Thomas with the vibrator and helped us get a nice clean finish across the top.  Pop (not pictured) was our grounds man - he handled the extra concrete.

At 9 o'clock the pumper showed up.  The concrete began arriving at 9:30 am, and about noon we were eating pizza.  A packed morning....

Still on the verge of technology....

Who would have thought dial-up would be so complicated to set up?!?!  Turns out we are in a vicious cycle of bad customer service, and it's looking like there is no way out if we still want internet.  The account that was set up for us over the phone by a CentruyLink rep doesn't exist; therefore, we cannot even try to access dial-up because it wants our account username and password.  A customer service rep can't help with this unless we know the secret question and answer, but we didn't even set one up!

 

It has become a chicken and egg situation - have to have internet to set up dial-up! 

Keeping our heads above water!

We're not entirely drowning out here, though we did get a tremendous rain storm on Monday.  And though we didn't get rain at home, it did rain on us Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - we just weren't at home.

It's bee a whirlwind since my parents left on the first.  Thomas finished cutting the stringers and hung them and the interior stairs - very cool!  A nice way to spend Independence Day, sleeping in and getting an extra day of work in around the house.  Pop has been doing some more backfill as the dirt mounds slowly smooth out along the north side of the house.  And we've been shopping. 

We've spent the last three weekends out of town, and that trend is about to change.  The go-go-go is definitely taking a little toll, though we also have our eyes on the prize - a roof by Labor Day - is it even possible? 

After a fantastic midweek celebration of the Fourth of July at Daniel and Julie's, complete with slushies and glow sticks, we jet-setted back up to Denver for the weekend.  It was a social call turned shopping trip and delivery service.  Some friends commissioned a wooden sign that we needed to deliver, so that was a good excuse to head north.  Thomas hadn't seen the Denver family since January, and I hadn't since March.  And we found such great deals at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, that we tried our luck again.

Sunday, we rolled home by 8 pm - still light out.  We didn't bother unloading till last night, but we felt accomplished and pooped.  We visited with 19 friends - went to bed in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday - enjoyed three terrific special meals with friends - held one baby (Baby Kiri was so cute and in her tie-dyed onesie!) - purchased 6 doors (including a brand new sliding door in a great color, perfect finish, and at probably less than half the cost!) - and even got to have a nice sushi dinner with just the two of us!  We did miss getting to see some friends - actually a lot.  There's just only so much two people can cram in 48 hours, but we always do a good job cramming!

What people do in Santa Fe...

After a shower and lunch, after bags were packed and loaded, Abba hopped in the truck with Tom, and I hopped in with Momma.  We headed for Santa Fe.  "Santa Fe" means "holy faith", and indeed, it is a central place for the Catholic Church in the New World.  It is also prominent in the state for its arts and native cultures.  We tried to take in a little of everything, and our time not working wasn't so restful.  I am sure my parents slept the whole flight home!

After checking in and allowing my parents a little rest, we regrouped and drove to Canyon Road.  It was a pleasant afternoon, and we were even sprinkled on - such a change!  My mom amused me with an impersonation describing "the inspiration for a $28,000 painting and here's another more affordable one at $12,000."  It wasn't snobbery by any means, but as my dad put it so well - a little over my price point.  Of course, it is fun to look at, and the exercise walking up and down the hill is great.  My parents definitely liked more of the Native American art and the sculptures.  A few outdoor sculptures were photo-worthy by my mom, as she thought they looked like something the school kids would have fun making.

 My favorites, which also caught the eye of my parents, are the metal sculptures that twirl in the wind.

 Comfortable as they look, these two weren't hauling home chairs made of rock.

After making it back to the car just as the sprinkling picked up a little, Thomas guided my dad in the direction of Tomasita's for dinner and a pitcher of margaritas.  We enjoyed the food, if not the crowded restaurant.  The sopapilla and honey finish was just right!  Thomas next guided us up to the cross of the martyrs, and we enjoyed views and stories.  Poor Tom, ever the tour guide in the city he lived in so long!  But he does have such a variety of stories - the extravagance of homes he worked on, the pranks and memories of growing up, and history.  We all really enjoyed them, and driving around wasn't such a bad way to see things when you're tired.

Sunday morning we got up early to go to The Pantry for a delicious breakfast before mass at Cristo Rey.  The service was nice - the church much cooler than we're used to in Cimarron.  We got in some shopping and wandered around the plaza.  We visited the Cathedral of St. Francis, the Palace of the Governors, the Loretto Chapel, and even browsed the row of blankets holding silver and turquoise and other trinkets before slipping into Blue Corn Cafe for a late lunch/early dinner.

 The miraculous stairs in the Loretto Chapel were built by an unknown carpenter without screws or any metal before he disappeared - the banister was not part of the original stairs.

the Cathedral of St. Francis

There is still so much more for my parents to see in Santa Fe - another trip!  After lunch they dropped us off at the truck in the Home Depot parking lot.  I hate saying good-byes, but I was able to hold back tears.  (Too distracted by the lack of helpful customer service agents inside the store!)   The little Kia drove away and headed for the Sunport in Albuquerque, while Tom and I negotiated lumber and foam insulation.  We weren't home so late this time, but we sure felt every bit as tired.  A very productive few days of work on the house and a lot of fun with my parents...maybe we'll just take it easy a few day...

Fords Arrived in a Kia

(I only mention the car because my dad kept saying he was renting a Hummer, which didn't sit well with me.  I didn't, however, make any comments to him about it.)

My mom and dad arrived Tuesday, June 26th after many last minute household cleaning chores were completed.  Phew!  Tom and I walked them around and showed them the work in store for them.  Abba was impressed and showed Mom the corner of the basement that he dug a year before.  A lot had changed!

Their gracious hosts, not Tom and I, awaited us with enchiladas and cold drinks and hospitality like no others!  Mom and Pop had a fine feast spread for us, and we ate and laughed and enjoyed ourselves until we were all ready to crash.  Wednesday was a work day!

Wednesday Mom and I did many odd jobs, not the least was making dishes for our family dinner that evening.  Our first house job was mixing and pouring concrete, a job Pop and Abba refused.  Boy, we showed them!  We also popped all the concrete out of the top grid of styrofoam block, so the next row can nest into it.  We also put up a little shade tent with Pop's help, which made taking breaks nicer.  The men were driving tractor and backfilling around the basement walls.  This made it a lot easier to pull up the truck with decking, as well as enabling us to get close to the edge for popping the concrete.  I didn't think I was that cruel - we stopped for a nice lunch Mom prepared and took lots of water breaks, etc.  We even got a little rain shower (that Abba and I got caught in walking back to the house from lunch - oops!).  We enjoyed a family dinner, though we missed Julie and her parents.

Once a grandma, always a grandma, even if they aren't yours.

 Sofia was the center of attention, and for good reason - so cute!

Thursday we got busy laying decking.  Thomas laid out the instructions, and we just rolled with it.  I was dubbed "grasshopper" because I kept hopping from one thing to the next.  Pop & Abba kept repeating, "I just pick things up and put things down;"  truthfully, they did a lot more than that - loading/unloading decking, lining it all up perfectly, marking it for screws, driving in the screws, and starting all over with the next piece. 

Pop and Abba standing in the living room! 

Mom slaving away in the shady basement sweeping up piles and piles of dust and mud left from the flood of our last pour.  We also got to make homemade pizzas - meaty and all for our hardworking guys.

We were only able to go so far with the decking.  It was hot, so we needed to take breaks.  It was hot, so we - oh yeah, got that part.  We also needed to hang the last of the joists and frame in the stairway.  This would require Tom's help on Friday when he had a day off.  Once we hit our wall, or lack of it as it were, we enjoyed homemade pizza, salad, watermelon, and beer.  A neighbor joined us, and the while us ladies chatted inside, the gentlemen smoked cigars and drank scotch out on the porch.  Stinky!



Friday the rest of the joists were hung, and the stairs framed in.  I can only comment on half the work, as I had to go into Cimarron to do a little work.  Someone had to cut the paychecks.  Mom accompanied me, and I showed her a few other places in Cimarron.  We got back as the men were wrapping up.  The heat was really zapping everyone, so we ended the day early enough for showers and naps before going out to eat in Cimarron.  Tom and I finished up the last of the big sheets of decking, so we only had a few inches to go on Saturday!

The last gap in the floor...we got this far on Friday and finished the last edge Sunday.

Saturday morning the guys made quick work of the last edge of decking, and then it was time to install the tarp.  Mom & Pop got a 30' x 40' tarp to keep out the water until we can get the roof up.  It will go far to protect the decking.

Unfolding the tarp looked like a game of parachute from my grade school days.

The tarp was screwed into the walls to keep it in place and weighted in the middle with pallets.  It proved not to be strong enough for the wind storm 8 hours later, and Pop found the pallets floating on the tarp in the wind.  Gratefully, he added some concrete blocks on top and cardboard over the windows to keep out the draft.

Me and my wonderful, hard-working parents - don't I look like a lucky girl!