City Escape and Supply Run

After work today, Liz and I made our way to City Escape Garden Center. Did a little browsing around outside, in the light rain.
After work today, Liz and I made our way to City Escape Garden Center. Did a little browsing around outside, in the light rain.
Snapped this brief moment, after all the nail trimming was done. Got to see her resting and still for a few beats, where she was ok to be held for just a little while.
The Ford kids are visiting the area, and Liz and I got to take them out for a day in Chicago. We had a lot on the agenda, and really went from place to place to try to do all the things.
I had plans this morning to pick up some mulch for the front yard and parkway. And honestly, that was about it. Get some mulch, and then just relax. But today ended up turning into another house day, despite it all.
Liz, suited up to do a bit more grinding/smoothing work.
Liz got some guidance from Bob, regarding a certain attachment we needed to get for our grinder. This would help take down some of the excess mortar, and also help smooth out some of the rougher spots.
On watching her out the back door, I realized how lovely this moment was. And as much as our home is still very much in a construction-zone mode, we have the ability to just walk out back and pluck a few flowers from the garden.
The basement wall project has been… all-consuming, for several months now. While we still have some follow-up tasks remaining, the core fill was the biggest, final step in that project.
I’m still not sure I’m recuperated from that whole thing.
If you thought our concrete work was over, think again! With our concrete blocks in place, the next step we had was to fill the cores of all the blocks with concrete. Our aim was to make a “soupy” layer, to pour down each core… and to finish the tops with a more solid layer.
Bob, cutting some of the rebar down to size.
As I was checking my phone, Liz kept busy picking up here and there. Her comment was “I guess I’m going to die organizing.”
After work today, Liz and I went for a short walk. There had been rain, we had a little time to kill before needing to make dinner for the bunnies… and we’re altogether way too sedentary. So walk it was.
I left work and walked over to Liz’s office, and got to walk the floor with her one last time. She’s going in again for a final event, but this is likely the last time I’ll be up here.
It’s crazy to think that Liz has been in this office for about 15 years now, at desks in various locations. That’s an incredibly long time.
Liz and I hit it right at 5:00 PM today, after work. We got suited and prepped fairly quickly, and were able to get the short course along the driveway done… as well a full course on the wall along the yard.
You can barely see it in this photo, but we have a dirty trick: we’re using 3/8″ nuts, and placing the between each course of block. This ensures that we’ll have the proper distance between blocks, and serves as a kind of guardrail.
It’s not what the professionals do, but… we are far from professionals. So long as things are consistent, no one’s the wiser.