Finished with the pit run...

Earlier this week, Richard finished distributing the rock and gravel (pit run). It is about a foot thick covering the dirt within the footings.

We just received the stuff (that's a very technical word!) to build the basement walls. But before that gets put together we must measure and mark the footings for where the walls will go.

The work continues...

Strip off the wood supports from the footings... remove all the nails...

Loads and loads of rock and gravel...

Next task:
Distribute rock and gravel inside of footings. Rich has already started on this huge task.

The boys, our niece Jennifer (age 8), and I were helping with this. We decided to pay the kids to help. They each earned enough to buy their way into movies to see Sponge Bob.

Footings finished!

Finished the rest of the footings today. Actually, we were done shortly after noon.

It went much smoother this time because we weren't worried about the footings blowing out.

What a nice day for cement work. It's about 60.

We had a little extra cement left over... so we ran down to our little house and put in part of a walk way to my back door. We'll finish that off in one of the next pours.

What a joy it will be not to have all that mud and dirt tracked into the house by the kiddos.

The Cement truck comes...

Oh my goodness...
Yesterday the cement truck came at 1pm. We were still putting together the footing that runs down the middle of the house....(thought we could get it done before 1pm!).

We poured the cement for the footings on the East and part of the South side of the house...
Helped came just in a nick of time to help us brace the forms... need I say more?

I could barely get out of bed this morning I am so sore and achy from yesterday! I'm not used to all that manual labor!

Today...
Brace... brace... brace... brace... the forms...

Lessons.

• Brace forms really good! Those wooden stakes are useless! (At least the ones we used!)
• Have the cement truck bring less than 12 yards the first pour... Brace the forms...
• Next time, if there is... a next time... or if anyone asks... Hire someone to do the cement work! Oh, did I mention... Brace the forms really good?

Our new house...

Here's what it will look like!

http://www.williampooledesigns.com/SearchEngine/results_Plans.asp?ID=187

Footing casings are level

Rich has spent the last couple days leveling out the footing casings. We're using this neat Form-A-Drain stuff.

I was joking with Rich the other day that he was just playing with big leggos. The forms go together really easily.

The plan is to order cement this week for the footings!

markers for footings/foundation

Spent all afternoon determining where the stakes should go for the footings and foundation. Tweek a little here and there to make them square.

Got more pit run the other day. Still needs to be spread out on the west side.

waiting on more rock...

Today we'll receive another delivery of rock to be spread out...
Footings may begin Friday... or Saturday....

fingers crossed!!! Help we're running out of good weather!

Heard a funny sound under the tree stump...

the kitties who found us "down at the property".
Back in July, Rich was clearning brush off the land when he kicked a tree stump. Heeekkk. Hmmm.. He kicked it again... HEEEEKKK.

When he looked under the stump... there was this tiny black ball of fur kitten, not more than 4 0r 5 weeks old.

Home came the kitty.

The NEXT DAY...
Meow.. Meow... down at the property. Another little black kitty!

I said OK... but if you find another one tomorrow... it's not coming home to MY HOUSE!

It's been 4 months now. We love those kitties! One for each boy!

the view West from our property.
another picture by Toni

the drain.
another picture by Toni

We struck water...not gold

The basement is all dug but we struck water in the process. Rich just finished putting in a drain. No small task!!!

We got a delivery of rocks and gravel that needs to be spread around the dirt floor....

Footings next?