The Missouri Journal by Mark Chenail continued

page 8

 

HOORAY!!!!! WE FINALLY BREAK GROUND

JULY 11, 2001, WEDNESDAY

A nice cool night's sleep. Awake at 6 a.m. Partly cloudy and a bit humid. Jeff arrived at 9 a.m. and we laid out the building fairly quickly. Jon now has a better idea of the
actual layout and is picking up my excitement. Posthole man is coming around noon. So we should have posts up by tonight. Yeaaahhhh!!! The NE corner of the house is right up on the driveway but a bit of widening and clearing will solve that. We will probably have to reduce the loggia to 14' depth, which will help avoid the big tree and make the front facade less long and flat. More later..... 

Jerry, the posthole man, arrived with his new toy, a Belarus tractor with a power auger. Costs $13,000 compared to $33,000 for comparable John Deere. Can we say "Thank you, Detente"? Jerry and his power auger made quick work of 24 postholes, 9" by 3'down, as if he was cutting butter. By 12:45, we were chewing the fat and settling up. The bill came to $325, $8/hole for 24 holes, plus the previous use of his backhoe for the trees that had to come down. Jeff came back later and took down the last tree in middle of my bedroom. I can't wait to see the posts in the ground. T.H. Rogers delivered all the wood and concrete. Guess who will be getting the rest of my business? Jon went to town and while he was gone Yucky Lumber came back and the order is still not completely right, but in my favor, so, to hell with it.

Jon came back with some news. He called home and Roger is moving into a new house with Laurie. Also Jon found out he might lose his insurance at work if he doesn't have 15 hours in the pay period which ends Saturday. Soooooooooo... Jon's gone back to Champaign to work for two days and will return on Saturday. 

Wheeza's a bit freaked to be here alone with me, but we will manage. It does leave us short handed here, but Jeff says he and Matt can help me set the joists and if I take it slow, I can lay the floor on my own. If Jon can stay from Saturday to Tuesday, we can finish the framing.  Simple supper and a cool evening.    

 

 

 

 

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