Sometimes we use the backhoe, Lighter; but most of the time it's chainsaws and brush hogs (for the one field that has tall grass).
Last Wed, got the news on the studio... that it's a miracle it's still standing. The huge 10-12 ft wide deck off the back wasn't really attached to anything structural on the 2nd floor - because the builder DIDN'T BUILD ANY STRUCTURE in, at the middle of that wall. No beam, no ledger under 3 french doors... NADA.
OSB instead of plywood used, and it wasn't completely covered in house wrap. None of the doors or windows were flashed so all the rain/snow rotted out OSB at top & bottom. And as they replace this, no telling what ELSE will be found that HAS to be replaced. Contractor isn't happy; I'm not either - but the work HAS to happen or it will still fall down in about 5 years and the contents of the building are all at risk of exposure.
This impacts contractor's scheduling and I haven't gotten an estimate from him yet. Maybe Monday. It's rained all this week and will rain Mon & Tues next... and they don't work in the rain. Maybe they'll come put the house jacks in, though. Studio was built by previous owners, not the people who built the house. So, around 2008-10; building's not "old" at all. They obviously went lowest bidder and got someone who obviously wasn't qualified. No point in trying to seek out the name of builder - he's probably no longer in the area nor in business.
In a way - it's better to have found this out NOW. And we'll address the situation before it deteriorates any further.
It's an important building! Downstairs is climate controlled auto shop/wood shop/good storage. Upstairs studio is a huge room and we've had large parties there. It's Hol's & my weekly hang out space & compare notes/plans room. It's the indoor dog playpen, too. My library is mostly there; all my sewing; art stuff too - there's a makeshift kitchen & of course music - complete with the CD library. Big sectional couch complete with double sleeper. One big open 20 x 40 space. We're going thru withdrawal not having that space... LOL. There are no steps up anymore and not even any joists left - they're rebuilding that whole deck - and NOW, probably removing the extra wide lower deck too (which is pretty bad shape as well, even though it was better than the upper one).
Hol & have been discussing all the changes we want to make to this space for YEARS. The exterior work is just phase 1 and then all the interior stuff we can do ourselves, one step at a time. This discovery will probably add another month to the progress of work... but I think we all want/need it done.
It was just a LOT to process and this weekend is devoted to moving stuff out of the shop so the guys can set those jacks next week. Fortunately, B's here until at least July 7 - he has some paperwork to go over with his surgeon for the fedgov. And he has to rebuild the trailer that's here, to take back with him so he can move the BIG tool for his shop next time.
Hol's been going through a LOT of inner work lately, and as a result we're kinda tapdancing gingerly around each other. She's eager to help still and keeping herself extremely busy, since S is working full weeks away - long ways away - for about the next month. But she's planning some more "ladies only" get togethers with her friends. That really is helping her a lot and takes some of time demand off of me. After 45 years, I should be able to "retire" as mom a little bit, ya know? She's fun to be around when she's not picking lint out of her navel "window" on the past. I understand it's something she HAS to do - but honestly, she doesn't need me to do that and I think other people would be more useful than I am.
I'm also drowning in baby herb plants... have already dedicated my last load of topsoil to beds... and the weeds are taking over the veggie garden, since the rain. Such is my life right now!
So B & I are sleeping well lately; taking one thing at a time. New top is on rubicon... and he needs to get back on backhoe so we can do road maintenance before winter. Had two dead trees in awkward locations taken down Friday, and those need logged & split. Should be enough wood for winter - but we still have logs left from the 92 trees removed at driveway entrance a few years ago if we need them. We're trying to save deck materials (posts primarily) for building a woodshed.
No fun roadtrips planned - but we're looking for things to do close to home. Lots of that to take a break and go and enjoy. So much history here! and B is a history buff.
