Leveling cinder blocks...

video monday

63,69,50,0,B

around the block...

Took the morning off then spent the afternoon setting block by the future office/workshop container.  This side was much easier.  No rock to move - just dirt, and didn't have to go as deep.  70,82,39,0,C

blockchop

Cut 7 cinder blocks in half the long way to fit them in for the last foundation pour. Lots of noise and lots of dust but my trusty circ saw did the job.  Me thinks the masonry blade is just about spent.  Looking forward to the last big pour of the season along the NW edge of the greenhouse - and getting it over with.  60,82,37,0,B

Next Phase...

no place to go but plenty to do...

Had some nice looking light on the old shower stall this morning that I just had to snap. Got about a half inch of rain over the last 24 hours. Just enough to give my desert a nice soak without a lot of runoff. Humid and cloudy for half of the day - then some patches of sun and h0t...but only made it up to 91 today.

Called Chuck this morning to meet the delivery of my generator. It was still drizzln here in the morning and didnt want to chew up my road. Swamped in and happy about it. Perfect excuse to get something done here. Just before I clocked in, I did a phone interview about the Field Lab with an Austrian writer. The piece will be published in the July issue of the Austrian economics and science magazine - Economy. That done - I got to mixin and layin. Finished up setting the first course on all 4 entrances by 5:30PM. Leveled, plumbed, and ready to go - now I get to stack blocks just like I used to as a little kid...

over the learning curve

Started the day at 4AM for a change...not really by choice. I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. Nice to have your body tell you, " Hey man!...you've had more than enough sleep lately." My first real job back in my NYC days was at a catalog photo studio. One time I had a schedule of 8 still life re-shoots to look forward to the next day. I dreamt about them all night and woke up at 4AM freaked out about the stress of the coming workday. I much prefer waking up early because I've had enough sleep...that's one of the bonuses to this lifestyle.

Well as long as I was up, I did 3 hours of coffee and internet....my own little desert internet cafe. Thanks to Benita's inspiration yesterday - I mortared in parts of the west door and the south door. I fought a bit with the first couple of blocks but got the hang of it quickly. Satisfied with finally getting started on this phase - I quit when it started gettin hot at 10:30. Took a MUCH needed shower that felt absolutely wonderful ( my beard was a mess ).

Had a great couple of guys out to tour the Field Lab this afternoon. Ed and Tom. We did the rounds then sat'n'chatted in the shade of the front porch. They left around 1PM just when the sky started getting dark SW of me. We have a couple of 40% rain chances coming up over the next 48 hours. I shot in to the GrubShack to grab a couple of bags of ice just in case I get shut in by rain over the weekend. I kind of hated just stopping by and heading right home because I love to just hang out there. Stayed close to the phone much too long waiting to hear from a delivery driver. He finally checked in - I have a generator coming tomorrow morning. I have avoided buying one until now because I need it to power my welder out here. I don't reckon I will ever need to charge my systems with it as they are set up well to function using just the sun and the wind.

Got set up to set more block then it started to drizzle - packed up and battened down. As we are due for a cooler/cloudy day tomorrow - hope to finish the first course for all four entrances tomorrow. Just getting ready to upload my weather data for today to the NWS. High 100 Low 71 Temp at 8PM 72 Rain accumulation .07".