Our Retirement Home Part Seven (Backfill and Landscaping)

After spending this past weekend in Montreal with Phil, Fer and Amy, catching up on our laundry and washing/waxing the truck - thanks to my wonderful neighbour Mark who spent the greater part of Sunday with his polisher getting it to look like new - Marie and I were back at the construction site very early Monday getting ready for another big day. The foundation contractor was there at 9am with the first of 12 big sand trucks and other heavy machinery. Last week the well contractor had put in the water line from the well through the foundation and we were ready to add the sand and insulation there.

connecting to well

It was a very hot day and we were thankful our road was dry - nothing got bogged down in mud and everything went smoothly. By the end of the day (8pm) the crew were done and we were very pleased with the day's results! Today we hope to be able to finish the septic field. ....gws

 the first of the sand trucks arrive

Jules applying the tar below grade

me and Georges, putting up the insulation

Rene starting to backfill

Jules connecting line from bathroom to septic tank

another load of sand arriving

digging out space to put sand for cement slab

backfill almost complete

Jules preparing slab

Rene landscaping

French girl in French drain

Amy - 4 months old!

Amy and Andoni, Mexico City

Sleeping Beauty

In the park with grandma

My first swing!!

Outside the daycare behind the duplex

In the lane behind our back yard

But Grandpa I don't think I can reach the pedals yet!

Our Retirement Home Part Six (Gravel and Cement)

Another week on the mountain and the house is s l o w l y starting to take shape! The concrete has been poured for the foundations, footings and walls, the French drain is in, and we now wait for the erection of the frame on the 18th. Meanwhile the pump has been ordered for the well and work continues on the septic field. More to come! gws

Truck with wall forms arriving

French drain being prepared

Gravel flowing for French  drain

More gravel...

and more...we will need another load

Whoops...next truck of gravel not so lucky!

But finally done!

Now for the forms...

Back of house with wall forms

Front of house and more forms

Pouring cement into forms

Cement set, forms removed next day

View of front of house

View to the back

the north wall

The finished form!

Muffy's Life...continued

It has been three weeks now since we said goodbye to our dear friend Muffy and we all think about her as if she is still here. Little things constantly remind of us of her and sometimes I swear I hear her toenails clicking on the tiles as she sniffs around! Whenever Marie drops scraps of lettuce onto the floor when making a salad or a sandwich for me we expect Muffy to be there as she always loved a bit of green... or walking in the morning as we have our first coffee of the day up our road at the cabin with her running ahead and savouring all the smells of the past night.... jumping into the camper van and sleeping on top of the fold down bed if I forgot to close the door... going nuts whenever Christina came over for a visit...drinking water out of a bottle cap in the truck wherever we traveled....snuggling into my coat at Phil's hockey games when she was tiny...teaching her to get into a bag and stay absolutely still if we snuck her into a hotel that didn't allow pets...what a treasure she was to whoever she met! Goodbye little Muffy.. and thanks for all the memories.....gws

And when life's sweet fable ends, 
Soul and body part like friends;
No quarrels, murmurs, no delay;
A kiss, a sigh, and so away....


Richard Crashaw 1612-1649