Well, if all my respondents would come to Ann Arbor and dig, I'd make
soup, steak, and apple pie. Yesterday's distraction was USA Today. A
reporter and photographer were in town to interview, Marshall McLennan,
our academic expert on vernacular construction, and they thought they
might as well include our contractor, Steve Steir, who is the hands-on
Michigan expert in barn restoration. They went on a tour of local but
interesting barns. The article should be published some time next week.
My husband has joined the guys in the trenches. I, however, remain an
observer and photographer.
Yes, Ralph, 40 degrees is still considered mild weather to them, and
they are still promising to finish before real winter.
Martin, you are right-on about working conditions. We started in
September, when there was still too much 80-degree weather that made
them look for the distractions - school, conferences, barn raisings -
and the pattern has been established. I've offered food, but not
brought it to the site, probably big mistake, I think I'll try food
next. Thanks for the advice.
Dan, the haiku may be just right for calming us in the face of adverse
conditions. There should probably be one about waiting for the City
inspector's approval before we can order and pour the concrete.
Ilene R. Tyler, FAIA
219 1/2 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
[log in to unmask]
www.quinnevans.com
v 734.663.5888
f 734.663.5044
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 08:07:10 EDT
From: Ralph Walter <[log in to unmask]>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 06:32:00 -0700
From: martin skrelunas <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Digging
--0-1532984390-1035379920=:9896
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
No wonder they don't want to dig, 40 is almost too warm if they are
doing it by hand! The best way to dig something unpleasant is to
increase the number of diggers. I would try to have at least 6 guys
with atleast 4 in the trench and two at the wheelbarrow. You also have
to show up with lots of donuts and coffee and make sure there are
garbage cans or something for them to sit on rather than the cold wet
ground during their coffee break! The other thing to keep the guys
spirit up is to mak sure no one is running power tools during the coffee
break! Marty "Ilene R. Tyler" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:Re:
production...and motivation to work.
Martin Skrelunas
[log in to unmask]
P.O. Box 184
New Canaan, Ct 06840
ph.:203.966.4483 / fax:203.972.1767
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 09:58:46 -0400
From: "Becker, Dan" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: production
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ilene R. Tyler
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 7:42 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: production
>=20
>=20
> Ken, what I know is that our carriage house foundation is not=20
>going to be done before winter. There is a lot of thinking=20 going
>on, and no one likes digging the trench. =20
> Today temperatures are in the 40s and=20
> rain is in the forecast. Help!!!
I feel your pain. Excerpted here are four haiku from my Rehabilitation
Haika, previously posted (only this was North Carolina, season of
January):
Shovels slice the earth
Cold rain sludges the footing:
Concrete is delayed.
Shovels scrape footing
Rain scrape rain water freezes:
Footing scraped again.
Icy rain fills hole
Drudgery sludgery gone:
Sunshine dries the soil.
Hole swallows concrete
Low sun brightens smiling face--
Mason happy man.
_________________________________________________________
Dan Becker, Exec. Dir., "Help me, Mr. Wizard! I don't=20
Raleigh Historic want to be here anymore!"
Districts Commission - Tooter the Turtle
[log in to unmask] =20
919/890-3678
--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>
|
