Foam and Flashing

I know there are people around the world who work in horribly polluted conditions. Who work six (or more) days a week. Maybe there are even some who work that much hauling and hoisting 150 pounds, all day every day.

I salute those people. I think Phil does, too. He does admirably, for working alone, at 40. It's amazing to think that, when the building is done, every pound of it will have been lifted into place by him.

But all day every day labor eludes us. Sunday morning, after several days straight of dealing with bituthene fumes, he had a funny head and complained of not feeling well. He still did the Sunday routine, but did it exhausted and ill.

This morning we woke to a light rain. That was perfect, really. Although we're past the stage of construction where a rain means no construction until the site dries, we're not yet to a point where there is much we can do during actual rainfall. Once the roof is done, we'll be there.

So Phil slept off his funny head and continued exhaustion all morning. And when the sun came out at 1pm, he was ready to go.

I learned a bit more about flashing. This thin metal layer will help drive water away. The boxes said to store, "This end up," but Phil hadn't seen that. Hence, the long north wall's flashing was a bit warped from lying on its side. There's a few waves, despite Phil's best efforts to pull it taut. Happily, the other packages appear to be intact.

To put it in place, Phil cuts out a piece of the metal with a utility knife. We don't know how construction companies do it more efficiently, but it's not a lengthy process, happily.

The foam goes into place easily. And then the pressure treated lumber, bolted into place with the bolt set in the concrete. Somehow, on that long wall, a few bolts ended up a bit too low, so Phil had to carve out the lumber in order to fit on a washer (or something like that). They are all bolted into place now, but it wasn't quite as easy as it could have been.

By nightfall, he had finished the north and east walls, and had done enough of the south wall to start framing the roof. Yay!

And as I was admiring his work, I noticed, from my terribly neglected garden, some new flowers I hadn't seen before. The digitalis I planted last year actually flowered this year, at least a bit. Purple and peach. I can see why that peach is popular with brides: what a striking color, for those who can wear it!