Day 52 Saturday, September 22, 2001

We were up early and out to the hole. My friends Dave and Darrin arrived and I put them to work. I laid block and after a team meeting they mixed cement and filled cells of the block. I wanted to put in rebar on the long walls and around the door opening. They filled up the cells and put in the rebar. Dave asked if I was worried about the structural integrity of the basement and wanted to know why I was reinforcing everything. I'm not, I just want it extra strong. We also put in the concrete lintels over the door opening. They are heavy, it took three of us to lift them into place. When we were done they started assembling the girder beam on top of the long wall. While it might be easier to build it on the ground, the long wall is the right length and flat. That will make the finished beam flat, a good thing, so your refrigerator doesn't roll across the floor on its own. The beam is made up of sections of 2x10's glued and nailed together (Stanley Bostich pneumatic nail gun--yeah baby!) 33 feet 6 inches long. Yes, it is heavy. It carries the floor load to the concrete piers we poured with the footings. When the beam was assembled, the four of us slid it along the short walls into position in the pockets I had left in the block wall. Excellent teamwork and execution.

Darrin and Dave are excellent workers and do quality work. They also rib me for being a stickler on the details. I can take it. The beam looks great! Thanks to Darrin and Dave for the effort.

12 hours, sunny and beautiful.