BMN TheShell Project Begins

Possible-Hailstorm-June2012

Good Morning
Leo, Jack's home health care helper was the first to notice the roar from Sapello. He asked, "Do you guys hear that?" Honestly, getting old blows on a number of levels, one minor level being hearing loss, in the spirit of the thing, I nodded, "Affirmative." As soon as I saw the massive turmoil moving through the neighboring valley, I heard it. It was powerful, appearing like a hurricane or tornado. I rushed sore foot and all to cover my new plants. I watched as the storm moved toward Sapello and out into the plains. Thank goodness, still I absolutely need to buy some hail screen, for peace of mind. Yeah, put that on the list with about a gazillion other necessities.

(TheShell-Project-Excavation-June2012)  Anyway, we got one heck of a excavation started. This makes the problem of how to install plumbing in TheShell less difficult. I was so thrilled to see the ground level drop down below the trailer that I pulled a hundred screws out of the aluminum to get a look at what was underneath. Once I had some of the rotten skirting off it exposed a fairly clean area beneath with only hay which I had stuffed under for insulation. 

(TheShell-Project-Excavation-June2012-Leo)  Leo was a great help, indeed we can see that we need more young folks to help. If you fit the bill, and have a little time to help let me know by text or phone @ 505-659-1375, as us old timers are bound to say, "We'd be much obliged." I still want to recycle the aluminum, but there are many many screws holding it in place, I can see from this little section which I peeled off partially that recycling the siding is going to be time consuming.

TheShell-Project-Excavation-June2012-Leo Martinez 

(Excavation-Trailer-June2012) We didn't need to do this end of the trailer, except to create a nice flat area to work and stack materials. It was a little scary moving the dirt over the utilities, and even more so when we pulled up a disused gas line. I did a double take, it shouldn't have been there, I think it was from when we first moved the trailer in. I had thought I could have a copper tube from the propane tank to the trailer. Not. It never did hold pressure, and we had the Gas-Man install a real line only a month or so afterward. That much I know, but what it was doing at a higher level than the replacement I do not understand. Regardless of my grasp of the reality you might guess we were relieved when the loader operator heard me say , "It isn't in use, I think."  At that point I shut off the gas, just to be safe.

Leo-Buddy-Jack-Brians-new-hole-project.  I don't know if you can see the rock in Jack's trailer. It was a ton-weighing-mother to be certain. As I mentioned yesterday morning the thought of another day of gout was depressing me. To my relief, when I learned the backhoe operator was on his way, I got dressed and forced a boot on my swollen left foot, at which point it hurt less.  

Jacks-truck-giant-rock-June2012 

(Buddy-trimmed-June2012)  During one of the many breaks I took because of my gout affliction I gave my dog a hair cut. Poor guy, I don't know if you can tell from these photos, but under the wiry long fur, he's got a super thick layer of what looks like sheep wool. He seemed to understand that I was going to make life a lot cooler for him and he let me take my time trimming him with a pair of scissors.  

(Buddy-trimmed-June2012-right-side) Pretty nice trim, if I don't say so myself

Okay, a couple final images and I'll let you go

(TheShell-Project-June-2012-excavation-Trailer-cleared) Everyone that has moved ought to relate. Even though we only moved the "stuff"a few feet, it was still a matter of sorting through stuff we've collected since 1999 when we put the trailer here, knowing we need to rid ourselves of crap we don't need, which is most of it. We've all got a little hoarder in us don't we?

(TheShell-Project-June-2012-excavation-Bear-Window) Yes, believe it or not this is the window the bear removed for us. One of the major catalysts for getting me started on this project, thank you Mister Bear.

(TheShell-Project-June-2012-excavation) There was a lot of dirt and rock there beside the trailer. It is mostly out now, we've got a little more cleanup, then I can begin to build forms for a foundation, yippee!

It is going to be so cool, at least to me, it already feels pretty cool

See ya same time tomorrow, K?
Brian Rodgers