Day 24 Saturday, August 25, 2001
Saturday is well day! I wake early as I'm expecting Mr.
Geotz to arrive at 6 AM or so. I lay in bed trying to sleep but
every noise sounds like a big truck coming up the driveway. I got
up around 8 and let Laurie sleep. I head to town for diesel and a
tap and bolt for the machine. The service manuals I had ordered
as part of the purchase of the backhoe had finally arrived. I had
been reading them at night just to get to know my machine. I
found out that one of the main pins that the backhoe swings on
was in upside down. When I went out to my machine to see why; it
was perfectly clear. The bolt that is supposed to hold the pin
in is broken off flush with the swing post. The previous owner
had put the pin in upside down to "compensate". I wanted to drill
out and re-tap the hole so the pin can be reinstalled correctly.
My tap and die set is at work so I'll have to buy some. Post
hardware has what I need. I get back to camp and Laurie is still
asleep. Good for her, she deserves it. I make pancakes and OJ for
us. We await the well guy, not really expecting him to show.
Meanwhile, I refuel and repair the machine and begin to dig the
final footing trench.
Laurie cuts lumber for forms. Forms are 2x10's in 8 and 10
foot lengths that we will make a 34 foot 10 inch foot by 24 foot
10 inch moat of concrete in. That will be the footing on which
the block foundation sits. It must be square, plumb and level
within a quarter inch. Laurie figures out the best combination
of lengths (10 footers are a lot more expensive than 8 footers).
She cut plywood gussets to join the 2x10's, using my cordless
Makita circular saw, which she says is "cute". Ugh. Suddenly,
the well guy shows up!!! He is not, however, in his well drilling
rig. We talk and he explains he really wants to wait to drill my
well with his new rig because he is sending his present rig back
to the dealer he bought it from. He says he has made $30,000
worth of repairs to it since he got it, and he is not happy.
He doesn't want it to break again as he is returning it. I tell
him a delay would be a big inconvenience to me because I need
water to mix mortar for my cement blocks next week. He says he
could loan me a 1000 gallon water tank to use. Perfect solution
for both of us. I can keep working and he can get his new rig.
We are all happy. He intends to drop off the full tank Monday.
We break for lunch, thrilled.
After lunch Laurie is going running and I dig. An hour later,
after I thought she should be back, I go to the camper and there
she is still in her boots and long pants. She is sick. Bummer.
She lays down and I dig. And then I was done digging the trenches!
Done the trenches! Yeah. Laurie gave me a weak smile. I work
on the forms and check on the patient hourly. Still nauseous.
Hope she is better tomorrow.
13 Hours, sunny and nice about 85.