Last week was pretty nice. It started off chilly, but warmed up towards the end. I even started going out for walks during the week. I am hopeful that the rodent was wrong; I can hear birds and stuff in the mornings again.
I walked to the bank on Thursday and made another big payment on the mortgage. I noticed on the way home (probably because I was hungry) that the clouds looked like mozzarella pearls...
Saturday was all about cleaning up the driveway. I still hadn't cleaned the top, and it was rough parking the truck. I did have a minor casualty (one of my cheapo sawhorses from Harbor Freight got in the way when the tractor suddenly became unstuck), but the top is cleared now. I still had significant traction issues, and I had to dig with the bucket, scraping with the bucket was inadequate, but I got several inches peeled off.
Since I was digging, I ended up dumping it over behind the parking spot.
In a couple of spots, you can actually see gravel again.
Most of it though is compressed into ice at this point. I bought a thing of salt last time I went to Home Depot, and put most of it out. Hopefully it helps.
I didn't get this side done as good, but it is still a ton better than it was.
More importantly, I got the truck up the driveway in 2WD. Kinda/barely.
After clearing, I went to work on the deck design. I ended up with a deck that is around 20x20, which seems awfully large to me, but I guess not unreasonably large. I could shave a couple feet off if I find that the deck is going to cost something like 10k. I am expecting it will run about 3-5k, most of which is fill.
Sunday was even nicer. I decided to go to Otter Brook, but apparently despite them bringing a loader and clearing out the front and parking area, they hadn't cleared the road through the park yet. There was only a little trail running down the hill.
I followed it until it split, and the packed trail was no longer strong enough to support me and I started sinking in with every step. I didn't bring snowshoes because I didn't think I would need them. But I still watched the brook for a little bit before heading back.
My phone didn't really have enough zoom, but the little opening was full of stalactites and stalagmites.
On the way back the ice on the cap broke and scared the crap out of me.
I also started comparing the trailer and u-haul ideas head to head. I narrowed the uhaul options down to a 10'. I am working on a document, but that isn't quite finished yet.
Other than that, I did some more of the cleaning.
The deck design is pretty much done, though I might want to do some pricing for it before I cross it off.
Winter Projects:
Build shelving for second room- Design deck
- Eliminate cap
- Install whole house filter.
Install new faucet in kitchenInstall new faucet in master bathAccess panel upgrades in master closet- Cut trails, or at least mark paths.
2025 Projects
- Insulate the water lines
- Take scrap metal to Buffum. Clean up trash.
- Storm doors
- Gravel the driveway
- Side yard drainage
- Build Deck
- Add the roof over to rocks
- Move carport up hill
- Smooth grade to shed.
No comments:
Post a Comment