Practice, Practice, Practice

The telehandler came on Tuesday. On Thursday while we were purchasing forms and rebar our Log supplier called and is sending half our logs on a truck tomorrow. So today, I decided I better practice running the Telehandler. When I was in High School I drove a forklift for the Aztec Lumber Yard. This is a lot like a forklift except it has a telescoping boom, big wheels that can be set several ways to move in different directions and it has been 45 years. I moved the rebar out of the trailer. I unloaded the plywood forms. I moved trees the same length as the ones we have coming tomorrow. I think I am ready for the lumber truck. The concern I have relates to the ability of the truck to make the turn into our property. If he can't make it we will have to take some fence down. Then if he still can't make it, I guess we will unload him on the road and move the logs onto the property one or two at a time. Stay tuned.

FALLING BEHIND

Here They Are

We had a productive week, but we don't work fast enough. On Monday our logs came. Or at least half of them came. We thought we were getting logs that were 17 inches in diameter at the big end, and 14 or 15 on the small end. That was the dimensions in the pile of logs I looked at in January when I made the purchase. Well when they came, they were 17 inches on the small end and up to 30 inches on the big end. After we gulped hard, we decided we are going to have really big logs in our house. 

Backing In

The Truck got here about 11 and it took me until 5 to get them unloaded. I was learning to use the Telehandler as I went. I think I can unload the next truck a little faster. It is coming Thursday July 5 or the 6th.

Getting the first Log off the Truck

Little more than half done

one fifth of the footings formed up

The rest of the week we spent getting started on the foundation. The number of rocks in the soil made for very sloppy ditches so we are having to form up the footings. It took us a while to get the right materials and method together to get going. Our calendar was to have the foundation ready to start stacking logs when we got back from our Class Reunion next week. Obviously we aren't going to make it. So we are a couple of weeks behind, at least.

Our attitude is good. Jen keeps saying how happy she is and how much she loves me. I hope she isn't just trying to convince herself of either one. We have a few arguments about how to do things, but in the end we get it accomplished. It is somewhat inspiring to know, "We are building our own Log House!" Our bodies are taking a beating. They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I hope I am getting stronger, I sure am getting tired by the end of each day. I am glad for this weekend, we are taking a few days off. We have a 45th high school class reunion to attend, I hope to play some golf with my dad,and I am preaching in Vallecito, Colorado on Sunday. Three days without lifting that sledge hammer will be a nice respite.

Starting At The Bottom

Flint and Jubilee construction is underway. It has taken a while to get to this place and I intended to keep you all up to date. But too much going on and no internet at the RV made it near impossible. The last week in May and the First week in June I was teaching in California. Jen ended her time with Primary Children's Hospital the end of May and joined me in California. During May I was able to get 35 Ponderosa pine trees, cut down and stacked out of the way. I hired two men, one with a John Deere Excavator the other with a Bobcat to level us a building pad. We were able to get water and electricity hooked up, but no internet. Then the two weeks in California. Since we have been back we have installed the septic tank, took a weekend out to celebrate with Derek and Amy at their reception in Salt Lake City, and now we are working on the foundation. We had the footers dug on Tuesday and today we started getting ready to form them up. I am going to post a few pictures, I will attempt to find a place to upload all the pictures for everyone who is interested to see. This is our log lifter. It weighs 20,000 pounds and will lift 6000 pounds 33 feet. It is an old one, 1982, but I think we got a good deal on it. I have already had one person show some interest in buying it when we are done with it. These are pictures of our house pad. The chair is for Jennifer to sit in while she supervises my work. Ha! any of you who know her knows she doesn't sit down while work is going on. She goes out at night and watches the stars. That is the best place because I cut down the trees. Finally, for tonight anyway, this is one of the piles of rocks we have collected as we have dug utility lines and leveled the house pad.