Mixing the Old with the New

Actually, I’m not sure there’s anything that isn’t old up here on the property. The Tin Can is an ’84 model, I was birthed in ’59, the dirt, rocks and lava are all…mildly…older than me. I guess BB is pretty new; still☺ Nothing about this ‘new’ house is new. I love contrariness--especially if I’m the one who gets to perpetuate it.

So, it’s fitting that my new pumphouse looks as it does. Isn’t that a hoot? It only took the guys three days to frame the footing, enlarge it (I tried not to, but did whine about the original footprint size), pour it and attach the tin sheeting and blue foam insulation to the metal frame. And the well-disguised door actually swings properly. I’m sure Mr. Tighty-whities at the bank is gonna pitch a fit when he finds out that this was built, vs. putting up more blocks on the house. But, as I will explain to him when the time comes, which it will, there were no blocks to build with. AND my well tank had blown over in the winds, with little to no damage to the plumbing, and I am not about to risk another chance with that little disaster happening again, and with lousier results. The dang pumphouse was gonna be built somewhere along the line anyway. WHO CARES IF IT’S NOW OR LATER??

Dang this bank guy rankles me!

Rex and the boys loaded, transported and unloaded (kinda) 225 blocks on Monday. At least 30 of ‘em busted in their hands as they were unloading ‘em into the garage. The rest were of the poorest quality we’ve seen yet and there are more and more inconsistencies in them (varying weight among the blocks, color variations that seem to be indicative of the mixture not being mixed properly to cause the weight changes, rougher and sloppier pours into the mold, etc.)

Yes, I called Ken. Every day this past week. I don’t have a problem relating my concerns to him about the block (I have paid for them in advance), but I do struggle with having to be firm and ‘demanding’ of an elder. It didn’t stop me from saying what I had to say, however. I just said it waaaay nicer than I’m used to doing. (See! I AM growing up!!) Ken told me NOT to use that load of block as it had frozen as it was curing and was no good. Ummmm…DUH! Given the expense I incurred of the labor on both ends, and the transportation of the block up here, I’m out an additional bunch of money. Ken and I will settle up later. The other 195 of the block were dispatched to the recycling heap.

Since the guys didn’t have anything much to do, I had ‘em build the pumphouse. How’s that for punting? OK, it wasn’t really punting, it was pretty obvious, but I’m trying to get into the banker’s head and think like he does; but it’s way to vacuous in there, so I’m back to trusting my instincts and making my own decisions and damning the torpedoes. How unusual, huh?

This pic is of the curved living room wall with the lintels (headers) installed, and the block piled up as far as we could go given the lack of materials we had. I included it because every time I look at this wall now it totally reminds me of a cathedral ruin left standing after the slathering hoards of barbarians got done ‘pillaging the willage’. It warms my heart to see it. (YOU decide how I mean that last statement, heh heh heh. There’s an English lesson in there, kids.) I also really like this pic of the kiva with all the monotone hues of the block surrounding it and it’s dirt brown color stands out as the only ‘readable’ color in the pic. It’s pretty cool, artistically. But, y’all know that.

Aside from having no building material with which to build, Rex and I are humming and scratching our heads over the transition between the 12-foot clerestory section of the roofline down to the 8’ walls of the rest of the house. Seems that detail was not addressed by the draftsperson. But, I’m going to review the plans today to see if I can find if it has or not.
Rex managed to get 7 20-foot vigas finally! Many of the sources for such huge timbers are all in chaos, it seems, or they want $8/foot for ‘em. I think Rex got ‘em for about half of that. He and the boys will be kept busy stripping them of their bark, as that’s why we got the reduced price. Not to mention some shady, backroom wheelin’ and dealin’ to even get them. Ahhh! New Mexico’s machinations: Greased palms and slippery eels. Now Rex’s conundrum is how’s he’s gonna get these massive hunks o’wood up atop a 12’ wall. They’re 12” in diameter at one end and 10” on the other, times 20 feet plus the density of the pine, times the pull of gravity, minus the weight of the bark equals…HELP! (Mathematically: (7x20) x [e=mc2] / Newton – 7x + 20y (11a)= ▲ ✖ ❁ ✖❁✖❁✖❁❋ + 2 pies

{This is why I teach anything BUT math! I DO know that pi r round, but when squared there’s more of them;)}

OK, I’m losing it. Time to venture out and see how much rain has fallen. The mountains are covered in low clouds and a light layer of snow. It’s supposed to heat up to 60 degrees today, so all that I just told you will be short-lived. I’ve got to go enjoy it now whilst it still lingers.

With the sounds of the three resident coyote packs howling, singing and yipping nudging at my cochlea, here’s to ya, Y’all!

Manana, sometime.