DAY 10 THE MESS

THE DRY MESS, NOT A GOOD SIGHT, IT GOT SPREAD THIN SO WE COULD CHIP IT UP AND TAKEN OUT. KEEP IN MIND IT IS NEAR OR OVER 100 DEGREES.

DAY 7, 8 &9

WELL WE GOT THE WALL FORMS UP AND SET. THEN WE ATTEMPTED TO POUR THE WALLS. THE WEST WALL UNDER THE HOUSE GAVE US A LITTLE PROBLEM....IT DIDN'T HOLD. OUR LAST TRUCK OF 4 1/2 YARDS SPILLED OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE FORM. LETS SEE, AT $125 A YARD, THAT'S $562.50 WORTH OF CONCRETE ON THE FLOOR AND ON THE YARD THAT WE, AND WHEN I SAY, WE, I MEAN, I, HAD TO SPREAD ALL OVER THE PLACE SO IT WAS NOT JUST ONE BIG BLOB. GOOD TIMES....

DAY 6

WELL THE FOOTINGS ARE POURED. WHAT A MESS. TO SAVE MONEY, WE DID NOT RENT A CONCRETE PUMP, AND GOT TWO WHEELBARROWS WORKING TO RUN THE "MUD" ACROSS TO THE OTHER END AND DUMP IT IN THE FORMS. NOTHING LIKE CONCRETE SPLASHING IN YOUR FACE AND MOUTH, IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER.

DAY 5

THESE ARE THE FORMS FOR THE FOOTINGS. THEY ARE 10 INCHES TALL AND 24 INCHES WIDE. OUR WALLS WILL SIT ON TOP OF THEM.

DAY 4

IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE MUCH, BUT IT TOOK 6 LONG HOURS TO JACK HAMMER THE STAIRS DOWN AND INTO SMALL ENOUGH PIECES TO BE TAKEN OUT

DAY 3

WELL THE HOLE IS DUG. AND WE NOW HAVE OUR VERY OWN MOUNTAIN IN OUR BACK YARD. WE LOST TWO TREES IN THE PROCESS. THE PEACH TREE GOT RAN OVER, AND THE APRICOT GOT BARRI ED. I NEVER IMAGINED WE WOULD HAVE SO MUCH DIRT! THANKFULLY THERE WAS A LOT OF SAND TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, I THINK I HAVE HAD ALL THE SHOVELING I CAN TAKE.

THE HOUSE DAY 2

WELL, IT IS NOW A MESS! DIRT DIRT DIRT.....THE ONLY ONE THAT THINKS IT IS COOL, IS ANSON! WE HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS, ALMOST LOST OUR POWER LINE MANY TIMES, AND WE NOW HAVE A NICE BIG HOLE IN OUR OUTSIDE BRICK WALL. AND NO, WE DIDN'T WANT IT THERE, IT'S CALLED A BACKHOE! AT DAY TWO (OF WORK BEING DONE ON THE HOUSE) 1/2 THE HOLE HAS BEEN DUG. (NOTE, NO MORE PRITTY GREEN GRASS, LOTS OF DIRT!) DOES ANYONE NEED SOME DIRT?

THE HOUSE DAY 1

WELL IT HAS STARTED! I HOPE TO POST PICTURES OFTEN, SO LOOK FOR IT. THIS IS HOW OUR HAPPY LITTLE HOME LOOKED THE DAY BEFORE...(NOTE THE GREEN GRASS, AND LACK OF DIRT!)

TROUBLE

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

NEED I SAY ANYTHING MORE?

Our Fire Place

Well we did something major with our living room. We were offered a wood burning insert for our open fire place. We had originally went shopping for an insert a few years ago, but never got one because they are so expensive!

This one had a price tag that could not be turned down....Free! It took dome doing, thankfully we had Anson right in the middle of everything to help us out, and we got it in.

I had a cop buddy that does rock for fire places, and he gave me a good deal on the rock. And is for the most part done. I still have a little work to do with the mantle, but it turned out great.


Our November/December bill was cut in 1/2 from 2005! So in 1 month it saved us $90.