Work Day 23 - RG Project

Today I had to solve a problem. How do I get 500 + blocks from Round Grove to my home in Como, 8 miles away? There are 48 to a pallet, which weighs 1,700 lbs, and there will be about 10 pallets, which is a total of 17,000 lbs. I have no pallets. My truck is too old to haul them, and how many trips would that be and the gas for the trips, and where to put them until I can use them next year.... you see my problem.

Well I was really blessed today. Curt, a friend from grade school, has a trucking company. It just so happens it's about 2 miles down the road. I went a told him my problem. He offered to help me out. He will send a truck that we can load the pallets on. I have someone to load the pallets at Round Grove. He will unload, and store them until I need them at his truck company. I bought 10 pallets from Terry, another good friend, and can get some more.

Today as Jim and I used air chisels to take the block down, Les, yes another friend, stacked them on the pallets. I was really starting to worry about this because I had to start stacking the block on pallets today as we took down the wall. Sometimes you just have to have some faith.

And having the chance to talk to Curt again was great. I have always really respected him, and enjoy talking with him. I hope to renew our friendship this summer.

So I bet you want to see some pictures of what we accomplished today. I was slow in getting going this morning. I stopped and talked with Curt, and had to pick Les up in town. It was around 11 when we got started, had to go to Morrison for parts and lunch, and stopped by 3:30pm. So I think we got about 3 or 4 hours work in. This being Thursday I needed to be at the genealogy society at 5pm.

I had to take down more of the joists, cut through and remove some of the sill plate before we could use the air chisels on the block. The block came apart fairly easily. And there was the moving of the scaffolding also.

Before we stopped, we got everything ready for tomorrow. This wall will mostly be gone and we are gong to work to the left, towards the front of the building. The weather forecasts rain tomorrow, ending about 3pm. Maybe we can get four hours in for the three of us.