What's your hoe doing?

This is my new routing, going back to the old routing. Way better at least on the left hose. That metal line was sticking way far out to the left so I feel much better about it's position now. My phone has a terrible signal, so I can't get a picture of the right side tab right now.

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A few steps forward...... and a few back...

The masons finished their work..



While they were working on that, I took the time to build the sand mound septic.. and that turned out great.


The day we had 4 yds of concrete coming (8/30) to grout cores, the truck pulls up, right on time, I chat for a moment with the driver.... walk around the back of the truck and notice liquid pouring out of the business end of the unit. Hydraulic hose popped a leak.... figures! While he calls his folks... we get some hoseclamps and old bits of hose... and get him enough of a patch to spin his load. Hour and a half later.... he says we will pour. I'm on the wall manning the chute with a shovel... two others grabbing rebar... setting anchor bolts. 80% of way finished I guess I just stepped onto air... no yell ( according to my mates) down hard (7 courses) onto broken, rocky ground. No loss of conscientiousness.... not too much pain ( adrenaline?) .... but a trip in an ambulance, several scans and some pain meds later and I'm due for a C6-C7 fracture stabilization the next day...... the two buds DID finish the pour.....!!
So not so much a step back.... rather a step sideways into the rest area for awhile. Doing well considering.
My son and I grouted the last holes this weekend using bags and a jug of water... I handled the water... Outside surface is 'tarred'... perimeter drain is in and backfilled with 2b stone.... my brother-in-law from next door has been operating the 'old hoe'.
So, should be ready for the "wood" part in the next week. Lots to do before it gets (stays) cold.

The septic 'sand' mound..



Sorry Aighead...... had to use some of those boulders around the dosing tank..... saved me quite a bit of fill...

Yikes! Do what the doctor tells you to, and don't push it. We ain't the badass 30 year old we once were.

Looks great T-town! Heal up well and quick, that injury sounds no good!

T-town...OMG, sorry to hear of your fall, but glad you are ok, and that you are making good progress!

T-town said:

Sorry Aighead...... had to use some of those boulders around the dosing tank..... saved me quite a bit of fill...

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No worries, Aighead, I can still help you out with a FULL load for the car

westerner said:

We ain't the badass 30 year old we once were.

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Neither are the 30 year olds, least not the ones I have seen .

I wish fellas! My wife did mention the pond project a few weeks ago (for which I'm using the rocks) so while I don't really have the money saved up to really work on the pond her desire to do something with it makes it more likely to happen. I just want somewhere to swim.

Thanks for the good thoughts guys....

Lucky for me the "pain in the neck" is very minimal.... compared to others I've heard of. The doctors "orders" are pretty much 'standard' release orders. Cervical collar for 6 weeks, but I don't have to wear it sleeping....well if my sleep night does not do any damage I can't see me hurting it while on site. I tend to move quite a bit as a side/stomach sleeper.

Can ride in a car but not drive.... I guess the turning to see is the issue..... well I have a pivoting seat in the hoe.!! so that takes care of that.
Lots of 'friends and family' waiting in the wings for the call to raise walls......we will 'get er done'

We started running our sill plate/seal the other day.... I got to crank on the anchor bolts.

My call to the well drillers became fruitful.... due to their 'other' sites being a bit too damp at the moment.


A few hours over two days.... 500 ft of hole later... and we have 5 gpm. Will have to trench about 25 ft for 'em to get the line into the house space and should get that done in the coming week. Looking forward to getting the backfill started as we have two garage spaces that need some interior compaction/floor drain install.
Lucky for me my "home health care gal" was willing to jump in for the cause....as we had gotten a bit sloppy with our infamous 'grout' job! Sill needs to sit level for some reason Told her we always said for better or...banging concrete.

I went out to push/pull the neighbors dozer around a bit again yesterday and my hoe had the e-brake lock up on her. I relocated the hoe for a better angle, pulled the e-brake and when I went to move again it wouldn't disengage. Was fine the time before. The neighbor started messing with it, we tried pulling the big pivot pin but didn't have much luck. Ended up he pulled the whole assembly out and shot some wd40 on the rachet-y part and got it to let loose. Took maybe an hour of what should have been about a half hour job...

Not sure whats better..... too many brakes... that sometimes keep you from doing what you want...
or mine, where you have to 'plan well ahead' to stop when using the pedal...

Glad to hear you get 'er 'loosed'

aighead said:

e-brake lock up on he

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Had the same problem, and fixed it with WD-40 too. I was able to move, but smelled burning brakes. That is what alerted me.

I use my e-brake frequently it was clear that something was jammed up in there. My e-brake warning alarm works well too. My brake was stuck enough that the machine would not move. I'll have to look in there a little better to see if I can tell what got stuck. It looks like the whole mechanism is pretty simple.

aighead said:

My e-brake warning alarm works well too.

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LOL, Mine too!!!

The reverse buzzer did as well until I unplugged it.

Yup! That was a nice, quiet day at the aighead compound!

Foundation all inspected and began backfill... 1st order was to get the porch 'hole' filled. Did not want a swimming pool.. Lowered the plate compacter into the space (4'deep) using the hoe and chain, then as I added fill my BIL ran the compacter.


...and worked our way to full..


Backfilled around the walls....

..... and graded the area.... mostly by back-dragging with a bucket load.
Pulled that off without making contact with the blocks!!

And started laying floor joists.....


Subflloor gets delivered this week and if "Ian" jogs east south of us we should get that buttoned up this weekend.

Speaking of the sky..... saw what looked like a comet this past Sat.... just after dusk... though it was moving slowly across the sky.... thought maybe a plane with its landing light on... weird...
found out today it was a rocket out of Florida making its way.

Also, dug the trench for the water line from the well casing.

Real wood too...WOW

Lookin real good. How is the neck doing?

10-4 on the wood! Have never worked with the newer stuff.... so I stick to my comfort zone.

The doctor was a bit surprised to hear of my ""therapy" work.... but said no lifting over 30 lbs. so I can move studs!!
I'm pretty lucky with the 'pain'.... none except some back/neck muscle pain as the hours go by...but that is getting better as far as stamina. Heat pads work wonders!!
Working with a "Miami collar" (??) on.... kind of a 'pain' but the alternative was not pretty.

My wife was driving me and the fuel cans to get some off road.... deer came running and she slammed the brakes.... which work real well... and I realized why I should have been wearing that belt.

T-town said:

Subflloor gets delivered this week and if "Ian" jogs east south of us we should get that buttoned up this weekend.

Speaking of the sky..... saw what looked like a comet this past Sat.... just after dusk... though it was moving slowly across the sky.... thought maybe a plane with its landing light on... weird...
found out today it was a rocket out of Florida making its way.

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Wait, Where are you building?

My nephew is visiting Orlando and caught a glimpse of the space-x falcon 9 rocket right after launch.