We started out on our own, making wall sections and stacking them up on the subflooring, as we needed some extra pairs of hands to stand them. Luckily we have had better weather recently, so we managed to get quite a lot done by the time Mum and Dad arrived with Hannah and her boyfriend Andy (for anyone who can get their hands on a copy of 'Pick Me Up' magazine from 17th July 2008, you can read all about them!).
Having got the four of them out to the building site on a Saturday morning we discovered that we appeared to have union labour on site. They decided that lunch was probably a good way to start, and I was concerned that that might set the tone for the whole build. My thoughts didn't change a huge amount when I saw Andy pushing Hannah around in the wheelbarrow........
However, once we had got the food out of the way, and Hannah and Andy stopped their games we started to make some real progress. Everyone seemed pretty comfortable with the array of power tools on offer, and by the end of the day we had some walls standing. This was a huge moment for us, and really gave us the encouragement to get on with the rest of the main floor.
It seemed that we were enjoying some good fortune with the weather as well. Saskatoon was hit by a huge storm that night, and we lay in bed worrying that the walls would be blown down, and everything would be under water when we returned the next morning. Surprisingly, Grandora had been missed entirely by the storm, and the walls remained standing with not a drop of rain in sight.
During the week that the family were staying with us we continued to make progress each night, raising a bit more wall each evening, but we still had a lot to do when they returned to Calgary so Hannah and Andy could fly home. Huge thanks to Hannah, Andy and Mum and Dad for all their help during the week. And we are hoping that Mum and Dad will return some time in August to help out once more.
Still, with a lot more work to get done we remained busy. Luckily we have great neighbours, and they turned out to help us stand the remaining wall sections. Thanks to Brett and Arlie for coming over to get the north wall raised (and also for the willow and pine trees which they gave us earlier in the year). After Brett and Arlie had returned home it was the turn of Stanley and Nicole to help us get the east wall raised. They also turned up with a barbecue, and some home made burgers for us which was much appreciated as we now have the possibility of hot food while we are out there. I must admit that my diet of crisps, cookies and dr. pepper was starting to make me wish I was eating a bit better!
Having got all the exterior walls raised we were only left with the interior ones, which we were able to do ourselves, so we became slightly more self reliant. It was at this point that the weather changed slightly, and we arrived one Sunday morning to a very wet site. We spent an hour sweepinf the standing water from the subflooring in a desperate attempt to avoid too much warping of the walls and floor, only for the rain to start once more when we had finished. Luckily the sun soon came out and started to dry things out, but we are starting to become concerned about getting the house closed up as soon as possible (although this is probably still going to take a couple more months).
One surprising delivery in the last few weeks was our windows, which we weren't expecting for a while. The sharper minded amongst you may have noticed that we don't yet have a house to put the windows in! Not only did the windows arrive early, but we were not even informed that they would be arriving until they were about an hour from being delivered. Cue much stress, and leaving work at very short notice in a desperate attempt to find somewhere to keep the windows. Luckily we managed to get everything sorted, but discovered that the whole order had not been delivered. It was something of a shock to arrive on site a few days later to find some extra windows dumped on the floor, with no phone call to even tell us that they had been delivered.
Our geothermal contractor has finished driling the holes for the geothermal system. Now that is all in place we hope to have someone in as soon as possible to pour the basement slab. Once that is done we have someone coming round to measure up for some stairs so we may even be able to make use of the basement.
We have the Tuffs arriving on Sunday so are looking forward to putting them to work on the first floor. Lea plans on taking lots of time off in the coming weeks, while I am trying to get time off but have very little holiday so far in my new job.
Our only other news is that we have received a request from the Canadian High Commission in London for our passports. It seems that we have both passed our medicals (which means that neither of us have AIDS or syphilis!!!!!!), and we should soon receive our visas. Our passports are currently in London, so we look forward to getting them back and making the 'trip round the flagpole' (some bureaucratic nonsense where we have to leave Canada in order to become permanent residents). I am considering a trip to Mt. Rushmore as it is 'only 1000 km from Saskatoon and I figure we might do something touristy in the USA.
That's pretty much it for though folks. Tune in next time for news of the first floor and hopefully the roof, Tuff labour efforts and Lea's very attractive outfit for the upcoming 80's party.
Take care,
Rob and Lea
