Bricks & Sweat Equity

So, we have this little addition underway.

Much of the project to date has involved some sort of concrete.  9 1/2 cement trucks later, we have footers, walls, and now a basement floor. Floors are super important. 

The farm is surrounded by black walnut trees.  Who knew that black walnut trees are the first to lose their leaves? They left us gifts sprinkled across the floor.  Just another example of that perfectly imperfect approach to life, I think.

A big thanks to Jeff Todd Concrete and his crew! Unbeknownst to some of Jeff’s guys, I was within earshot when they arrived on the job site. I got to hear their “professional assessment” regarding the fun of connecting to the old cellar. Thanks crew, for that little comedic relief. Yes, we are a little crazy, taking on this DRF renovation.

Fits & Starts

We also have a waterproof barrier now too. Another really great idea.

Brick by Brick

But my favorite most recent occurrence has been the masonry.

The mason got to connect the old and the new. He got to bridge the 1880s with the 2010s. That’s just plain old cool. We needed to shore up the walls of the original structure. Thank you, Joe Geibe Masonry, aka Brixman, aka arms like Popeye, for helping us build that bridge.

Because we are back to our roots here in Michigan, turns out Brian and I went to school with Joe’s sister.  Small world! (See that smile on Joe’s face? That is a “the last brick is in place” smile!)

Rookie Tenders

As the mason’s tender just went back to school, BJR helping was part of the requirement for the work to get done.  Thankfully, Thomas and Cooper were here this week to help too! (Even I took a turn helping with the block work.  Of course, I took exactly one push and one pull to mix the concrete…and delivered exactly one block to the scaffolding. Checked that box.) BJR, Thomas and Cooper, did the real mixing and the real hauling of all that block and all that mortar.

Of course you have to scare your momma too while you are workin’.

Sweat equity really helps you appreciate what you have, of course, but it’s more than that.

This process continues to give us a whole new layer of appreciation for the art of constructing.

The art of building and making something that will outlive us all.

The art of doing it well and doing it right.

Taking pride in your craft and helping people like us build our dream home. I could hug each and every one of these people that are assisting us along the way — but I don’t wanna weird them out.

When it is all said and done, I had to do a little chicken scratch on the inside wall of the cellar, just for posterity.

And because our precast, hollow core floor is on it’s way, the I-beam was put in place today. BJR was pretty stoked about that.

xoxo