Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Amusing Events

Every day of the past week, I have gone to the new house, taken photographs, talked to the workmen, and come home to post a blog entry.

Only I didn’t.

I looked at the pictures and there wasn’t enough progress to show, or more to the point, I just wasn’t inspired.  I couldn’t think of anything interesting or clever to say.

You could say I wasn’t a-mused.

But one can’t go on waiting for a visit from the muse forever, so I’ll just have to soldier on and try to give it a go solo – sans muse.

I’ve been watching the chimney progress.

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After the rains ended last week, the sky was as bright a blue as you could ever want, and the masons climbed atop their scaffolding and began to give the chimney its final flair.

But there was one little mishap.

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At first I thought this jolly old elf might be making hand holds for future trips up and down to the stockings below, but then he explained.

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He had dropped his brick hammer down in the one void in the whole chimney and had to knock out a few bricks to retrieve his trademark tool. 

Still, the resemblance is uncanny… red cap, spectacles, mouth just forming the ho, ho, ho…

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Soon they were back atop the roof forming up the chimney around the flues.

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They had the pulley going again hoisting bricks and buckets of mortar to the lower scaffolding.

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The “toter” then toted them up the roof to the upper scaffolding. 

Think of the money these guys save on gym memberships. Lats and delts and pecs all getting a workout every day – and they get paid to do it.  Of course, the cigarettes consumed probably undo both the health benefits and the savings on a health club, but I’m still impressed with their daily weight lifting regimen.

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By the weekend, the chimney was nearly complete,

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and today they finished it:

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And then they moved over and started working on the brick foundation,

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which is actually the bottom story in the back yard.

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It will go all the way up to the siding.  I sure hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow so that they can finish it up!

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I also hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow, because Atlanta Gas Light brought out their tractor and pipe today so they could get to work in the morning.

On the other hand, I hope it does rain tomorrow, because I have been planting like a fiend.

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It doesn’t look like much right now, but I have planted this steep bank with winter jasmine and vinca.

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They should bloom at the same time in late winter adding some color to the otherwise bleak landscape.  I hope the blue and yellow will look great together.

Meanwhile, back inside

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the hearth was laid in the family room.  I thought about not posting this picture, but then I remembered that this guy forgot to put in the key thingy for the gas fire starter.  That set us back a day on inspections.  Inspection delays are not linear.  They seem to have an exponential nature.  So, the picture not only gives me a measure of revenge, it also kinda sums up how I’m feeling about this guy right now.

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However, in spite of the delays, we are still making steady progress.

That should be enough amusement for anyone.

3 comments:

  1. I think those brick masons are pretty amusing. You gotta keep a sense of humor or a project this big will make you crazy.

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  2. I presume they threw the bricks up. That is such hard work.

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  3. Like the revenge... the chimney looks amazing and I love your plantings!

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