Dear Putz, NEVER EVER!

Putz & I were out at it last night.  He showed up around 5:30 and we went until 9:45.  Not sure what the temperature was, but the wind was ripping around at 33+km/h.  I've never had ice flakes blow off the snow and sting my eyes like that before.  It still feels like I've got stuff stuck in my eyeballs today.  I may have to start wearing my Bono glasses more (just some protective glasses that are blue shaded).  You are always welcome to show up & wear them - I will guarantee that they will make you feel cool (and probably look a little goofy too).

Walking around with the subfloor sheathing & getting it onto the main level was interesting with the wind.  We lifted & moved about 25-30 of them onto the main level.  They must be around 4ft x 6ft.  It's like walking around with a sail up in that wind.  Or having wings.  Putz tried flying - he tied one to his arms & back and jumped off the main floor.  Kidding.  I pushed him...

p.s. Putz - guys never tell another dude to 'just grab it outta my pocket'.  I don't care if it's your insulated overall's.  NEVER EVER.

I was finally able to get someone over with a skidsteer to put the crushed rock over the weeping tile (a friend of Pansy's).  It looks like a lot to me, but I've been assured by a good friend that it's good.  He's been in the house building business for a while so I trust him.  He still needs a nickname for this blog - he's been a ton of help so far - I'll just call him Expert for now.  It's probably a good name since he knows a lot about random stuff.  Except about Mt. Everest.  My oldest daughter (Sparkles) showed him up once on the subject and she still remembers it.  Who knew that Mt. Everest actually gets slightly taller every year?  Tectonic plates baby!

And p.s. - I'm an idiot.  Up until a month ago, I honestly thought that weeping tile was more of a brittle tile.  It's actually a perferated tubing that runs along the footing of your house.  What idiot named it 'tile'? Not this guy.  There must be one other out there.

Still trying to catch up on pictures, so here are a few more:

Here's putting in the footing & pads (for the teleposts) with Expert in early November.  To be totally honest, this was the 2 days after I learned what an 'impact driver' was.  I now own two of them (both cordless - a light 12volt & a 18 volt).  Guess which guy looks like the expert and which looks like some guy without a clue?

Putting up the ICF (mid November) - what a great product to work with for an idiot.  I could help with a lot of it and I had someone with a lot of experience showing me how to do it & directing the pour (with some hired help).  The metal is temporary scaffolding - to work on & also adjusts really easy to straighten the wall.  Expert told us to anchor them by driving 3 ft pieces of rebar into the ground.  They then froze into the ground and are still stuck there.  My boots are getting ripped up because I keep tripping on them everywhere - yes I have bent a bunch of them over until I can figure out how to get them out.  Expert doesn't have any ideas about how to get them out either, so I don't feel so bad.  Somewhat related - I am positive that the pump truck operator tried to pour concrete on me when we filled the blocks.  Using the remote control, he lifted it just out of reach & kept the cement pouring... while he positioned it over my head.  Thanks man.
















The house just before Christmas so you can see Putz's launch pad (as you can see, there is nothing cutting the wind):





 Maybe in my next post I'll talk a little about Wonder Lulu & the kids.  This isn't suppose to just be about the house!

Until then, I am...
The Idiot Builder