Turtle's pace

You are probably wondering what is going on here at Turtle Falls. It's the first day of summer already and the progress with the building is moving along at a turtle's pace...thanks to the weather!

Yes, the weather is the gift that just keeps on giving. In the fall, the snow fell fast and furiously enough to halt our construction plans by mid-December. Now, incessant rain is messing with building schedules...big time...all over the county. The wet spring has delayed all construction around this area.

One would think we are building a swimming pool rather than a house. Check out the short video of trying to keep the water out of the foundation form so when the rebar guys do finally show up they don't have to install it wearing hip waders.

It's hard not to take it personally when the trades won't show for more than a day or two before they disappear again for several. I know they are behind the eight ball trying to keep all their other clients happy as well but it still makes us want to shackle them to the rebar (is that a bad thing?) and not set them free until something...anything...has been completed. By the way, has anyone seen the sun? It's pretty much a figment of our imaginations here at Turtle Falls.

As a side note, when the sun does make a rare appearance the roads become turtle obstacle courses. I guess they get tired of all the rain too and head to higher ground, away from flooded shorelines, to enjoy a brief moment of warmth and look for a cosy(?) spot for their future hatchlings. Can anyone tell me where turtles laid their eggs before roads were built? I can't believe the distances these creatures will travel to park their abounding back ends into the gravelly shoulders of roadways countywide.

The following picture is of Ras doing her bit for the environment by moving a substantially-sized snapping turtle off the middle of the road. The turtle was not impressed with her good Samaritan ways and did its best hissing and clawing imitation to scare the living daylights out of Ras...to the point that you may notice that, yet again, a turtle is falling! Rest assured Turtle was not hurt in the making of this heroic effort. Ras nearly had a heart attack...but Turtle was unharmed. After Ras finally got Turtle safely into the ditch, who's to know if she didn't just turn herself around and trundle back to her tarmacked sunning spot.
  

Ras: "You'll be much safer over here."
Turtle: "Get your hands off me, human!" 

Enough about the turtles. On to the building. I was hoping to have much more to report by now...but I don't. So here's where we're at while we wait for the trades people to wade through their rain-soaked backlogs...
   

Installing vapour barrier over 14"(35cm) of Styrofoam insulation.

All seams and plumbing protrusions need to be taped for a watertight seal.

Rain would have filled this form like a swimming pool so
we tucked the vapour barrier under the form to allow water to run out.

Installing rebar...in the rain!

Un-installing the rain...again! The shovel method doesn't work with the rebar.

Forming the notch around the perimeter of the slab required drilling holes
every 5"(13cm) in 2x6 lumber to accommodate the right angle dowels.

By the way, about 420 right angle dowels were bent on site.
Ras did a few dozen. Go girl!

The form as it sits today...almost ready for concrete. A bit more forming
work is necessary. More bracing is required as well.

And now we wait our turn for the crew to return to us. Promises have been made and broken for return dates. We are doing our best to remain patient. It is what it is...


"I ain't coming out 'til the rain stops."

More later,
Mimi