Buffet

     Monday pm decent post near final, door to door salesman - Warren Buffet's Kirby acquisition revivified - accost, computer crash, lost words.  Second pass.

     Cougar hot springs solstice road trip ready, awake, discover Gertie's front right tire low - brake check hubcap/wheel removal caused degraded valve stem leak.  165/13s - as specified on tag in wagon's glove box - worn to wear bars decide 155/13 - easy on linkage; no horse big, heavy 165s power steering - replace all four.  Young counter guy gives no ground, older gent installing new stemmed, balanced tires agrees: '78 tire sizing more random, specially SR - Gertie's type - designation.  Hour Terwilliger (Cougar) hot springs cream puff drive - straight, smooth, goat like road hold - though tire changer points out rear brake cylinder leak; degraded back brake shoes, front brake hoses: brake job soon. 
      Huge firs (above, much grander live) line half mile reservoir edge car park/hot springs walk.  Clothing optional, photography unwelcome springs - five pools native rock built, rustic log/shake changing lean to over watched - 105 degrees hottest pool soak, cold water douse alternate.  Chat, relax, one/two families, few nymphs, recognizable regulars - only been once before mind you - body: noodle.  Locs into full swing, desire leisurely homeward, depart well sunset prior.

     Underneath Swett Lodge earlier remove center post

circle saw/masonry blade score its unlevel slab to split - one pad here, one under beam house front.  Dig out slab - persuades easier than expected - make no head way breaking, reconsider: level whole slab.   Subtract earth, get slab level; double

block, cement brick cap pillar realize not centered under beam segment - for best results redo entire job move slab/pillar eight inches.  Finalized pillars will have rot resistant treated wood where wood/cement contact.  One more pillar to go!

     Last summer Kate almost single handedly replaced her lake house's extensive

wrap round two sides second floor level deck.  We load Spud's truck with Kate's

lake wants, Lakeside roll.  She's had the place few years now, continues

improvements; current project: bedroom convert two basement rooms.  While Kate attacks drywall; organize, denail slight end rot single short term Swett Lodge use perfect old deck boards behind house woodshed,

under deck ramp stashed.

Boat putter 'bout Ten Mile lake enjoy scenery, homes, sunset.
     Beautiful over boat house morn view, grab broom cobweb/cedar tree fallout

clean porch - Fourth's next weekend!
     Making Kate's taping more difficult, Dennis - RIP - ran phone wire through this under deck phone junction box's bottom; few feet over, through wall; screwed into dangling wall jack in ex work room, bedroom to be; regular phone jack wire through wall into water heater closet; taped/spliced to standard phone house wire; through wall into another closet; through wall into second basement bedroom to be; through ceiling hole into broom closet above; through wall; between drawers; through wall to jack kitchen phone adjacent.  Refine: phone wire through this box's back into water heater closet; into not yet sheet rocked stud space above 'bedroom' door through ceiling into baseboard mount kitchen phone adjacent jack.  No drill bit available, improvise: remove baseboard by phone; long shank phillips screw driver bit 'drill' through floor; commandeer heavy rotisserie spit, hammer drive into screw driver bit pilot hole through ceiling below, through 2x4 stud above door in basement; vice grips twist/remove spit; coat hanger fish phone wire: Kate's taping will look more professional sans various wires through plastered holes.

     Kate comes up tape shy boat town runs.  Perfect temperature sunny ridge top above lake few mile walk affords Kate's Ten Mile lake finger,

wildflower (purple foxglove) views.  All manner thoughts roil hiking mind: remember reading 'A Course In Miracles', info bypassing intellect, directly penetrating subconscious - penning that capably'd be nice, eh?  In the woods here!

      Denail more boards; load truck - long boards first, couple sheets ex basement door plywood, layer short boards across, web strap/ratchet secure; circle saw buck, firewood shed wheelbarrow remainders.

     Brought along Spud's float boat - two inflated pontoons supporting rowing seat - haul down, into boathouse; screw metal hooks into rafters; suspend.  No matter how many times up ramp to house, back down for some forgotten/little something: beautiful day.

     Truck ready; Kate's stove top chicken breast, corn, fridge remainders dinner gobbled; speedy shower to make go to ocean when at the coast date homeward.  Both worked hard, got lots done; as you can see, happy.  Catch ocean sunset, uneventful night time 'back way' drive home - loaded, shun freeway; Florence, Veneta - well under speed limit, excessively long load red bra marked: mishaps unwelcome.

     Saturday morn retrieve truck/load,  Swett Lodge 'lumber yard' sticker/stack - get 'em good 'n dry 'fore using 'em - most raise Swett Lodge lumber needs now on hand.  Deal at Spud's truck premium refill cost.

Procure brake parts, install new back cylinders/shoes.  Finish job next day: install front brake hoses, bleed system.  Tires, brakes good; systems checked; chassis lube, replace final old heater hose will make many miles ready - good thing: summer's here!  Hubbard squash diggin' life; bean, corn replants catching earlier starts (first corn darn near knee high!), tomatoes, watermelon, sweet potatoes (yay!), lemon cucumbers, one armenian cuke healthy.  Turnips, rutabaga, beets tuber - carrots???  Good times!

 Enjoy!

Roll With It

 

     Life's story?  Expect lake trip, get word Fern Ridge Reservoir jaunt Saturday last cost Spud a separated elbow tendon odd angle cranking boat onto trailer, surgery Thursday, six weeks no work, rehab - postpone Lakeside.
      Previously temporary 4x8x16 cement brick, double 4x4, double 2x pillar

replace lowest floor system spot triple post morass (photo right).

20 ton jack either side temporary post, level 16x16 poured in place, rough bottomed cement pad - always subtract earth never add.  Loose soil fill compacts, slab settles off level under load.  Center slab under beam joint; hammer claw, wonder bar dig slab close to level - muscle slab out of way, scrape soil, replace slab, check level as many times necessary (many) - wiggle slab into final position pulverize any loose fill, slab seemingly sucks into position indicating solid final level.

Double cement block stack centered under beam joint; double 4x4, 2x cap.   Finalized - floor system completely revamped - will have cement brick cap, double four foot 4x4s to distribute weight evenly, beef beam.  Already much better, few inches higher to go. 

To certain extent house acts as unit when jacked - can only go so high in one area; move to next, raise; next, down the line then start again to get necessary height.  Center beam may not raise to final height until house perimeter is raised - we'll see.  Raising center beam low spot couple inches lifted house off east side 4x12 entirely.  Previous 'repairers': no clue.

     On doc's advice Spud MRIs forearm, learns tendon still attached - no surgery necessary - recuperate week, back to work.  He'll accompany Kate to Lakeside - they'll retrieve half dozen cement blocks/Swett Lodge center beam pillars.  Answer Craigslist porch demolition freebie ad - rather get local used wood than drive 50 miles - get response; gear up to demo porch Thursday; receive 'Changed plans' call, spend day adjusting Gertie's valves, tighten head bolts, new valve cover gasket, tune, flush/bleed brakes.  Road ready (Saturday inspection reveals new front brake hoses advisable long road trip prior - 33 year old car!).   
     Back under Swett Lodge, pillar replace three posts.  Large post under beam joint (right) sits on 40 degree cocked slab - how that came to be we'll never know - smaller double 2x4 post sits on rotten wood.  Large left post sits on unlevel slab.

Raise beam either side joint, pull out posts, level slab centered under beam joint - sweat 'bout a cup getting it right - double cement block cement brick, temporary double 2x (old post) cap.  Forces all vertical here, leveled slab/pillar should stay long time, will have load distributing double treated 4 foot 4x4 cap finalized.

4x4 pry, then bodily yank poured in place pillar slab now not needed, hammer claw level crawl space floor - easier navigating no dirt humps, slab holes.

Struggle eight inch deep bowl shaped slab into place under center beam near back wall.  Pillar here will relieve foundation load, rectify rotten beam end at foundation situation.  Subtractive level slab 'til sucked into final level non rocking position.

20 ton jack beam either side pillar position; center cement block cement brick, double 2x capped pillar under beam; temporary support cast iron (lamp right - heavy!) rusted through vent stack which rests on beam - eventually as beam is raised will cut out under unflexible stack.  Started in on it, realize not necessary today.  Three of five pillars now in place.  No worry 'bout getting 'em level to each other quite yet - want level pillars in place then level/straighten center beam.  Swett Lodge is moving, forces changing may cause more sagging/rot compression: feel definitely time to be doing this work, now started best keep at it.

Center post (right) rests on large off level slab.  Need two more slabs: one here for center post, one couple feet inside front wall to support rotten ended beam, relieve foundation stress.  Center post slab too large to easily level, shy one slab decide

circle saw masonry blade respirator equipped score slab.  Quit for the day - let the air clear.  Next session will exhume slab, crack in two, place/level triangular slabs, build pillars: center beam on its way.  May be a few days: plan Cougar hot springs solstice.

     Garden growing well.  Replanted corn, beans, collard greens, beets, carrots up.  Getting dry: regular watering time.  May yet hear from porch demo folk or end up Lakeside retrieving Kate's used deck lumber - who knows?  Certainty: no dull moment.  Successfully getting into nitty gritty with Swett Lodge whets make it right appetite.  No doubt some find such intimate house knowledge/connection odd: my kind of fun!  Follow ongoing debacle here.  Peace.

Germinate

     Clarity, focus may require gestation.

     1978 Toyota Corolla Deluxe wagon windshield washer monkey, render reliably operable - pretty sure '78 did a lot of sitting.  Saturday Ebay located repair manual mailbox arrives, now seriously tune 'Gertie' - last owner's wagon sobriquet - able.  Thrift store locate 4x4 flat mirror replacement for reducing fish eye side view mirror previously cobbed in, install.

     Machine pallet/bridge section demo set, bike couple blocks over easily remove foot long carriage/deck bolts.  Next day truck return Kate's party items - grill, chairs, tables - demo pallet/bridge sections ready find 2xs many screw shank power nailed, can't begin to remove planks: shelve that project, drawing board revisit.  Closer crawl space inspection, decide restore floor system to original, no embellishment/modification.  Thought block between joists over main center beam, decide only block joist span center near raise beam location.  Because center beam supports only floor, ceiling - not roof - level, straighten center beam appropriate first step.  Noodle: plan five 2 cement block high 4"x8"x16" cement brick capped center beam pillars treated, dimensional lumber topped to height - have four blocks: six shy.

Next block joists, build roof supporting stud wall above raise beam location ('bout three feet inside east/west walls).  Build raise beam, jack house.  No pallet/bridge to dismantle, lack roof supporting stud wall material.

Think out loud with Kate - she plans few day lake house July fourth prep trip now her school's done - realize whole deal inextricably sis linked: cement blocks, salvageable 2x6 torn off/replaced decking at lake house need hauled off, mine for taking.  Lakeside trip later this week.

Swett Lodge raised, cut off rotten joist ends - about 12" - 2x, double 3/4" plywood sandwich replace, double bolt, multi screw.  Repeat, install perimeter joist, treated sill plate, lower house.  Cake piece - no?

     Peas drip pods, various greens - radish, rutabaga, turnip, kohlrabi, mustard - stuff face.  Mind perambulating as it has this week have thankful for my lot time - could be better, easily worse: body/intellect (mostly) capable, needs fully met, so many other paths I'd rather not.  Way continues limned: one evening thrifting find $6 fifty 3/8"x4" zinc bolt, washer, lock washer, wing nut bag; joist end sandwich perfect - pennies on the dollar.  Blessed. 
    Unlike country's other parts summer's warmth yet to visit Emerald City, sunny days beg enjoyment.  Car fiddle a bit: serious inspection awaits coverall - maybe thrifting with Kate this week - find; would work house under too.  Enjoy covered back 'patio' beer sipping, park viewing; back way - Bethel Drive - beautiful mid day bulk food store/chest x-ray bike run.  Plant collard greens where jalapenos don't make it/driven over.  Replant car wrecked beans, bug eaten corn - in mind easy to say, do; enjoyable: requires time, sweat.

Clothes wash, shower burn Friday compliments Kate; we coffee shop check out Tracie's bluegrass harmonies before home grilled burger dinner.  Saturday still figure block joists over center beam, procrastinate: under house unready.  Hard start truck monkey: scrape/file ground connections - hopefully! - rectify.  Wild goose chase thrift sale lumber, run out of gas, enough in can station putter.  Home again take Gertie over to Kate's - she hasn't seen car, curious 'bout Spud's ongoing new used 65hp outboard for Kate's lake boat revivify battle.  He's finished,  they're Fern Ridge Reservoir - large (5x7 miles??) picturesque, wooded hill surrounded man made lake 5 miles west of Eugene - test cruise bound, make it three: beats under house work any day!

House under crawl Sunday blocking prepared, study, decide against center beam joist block; note front bedroom floor 2x10 between original joists strengthened: carry pot growing soil weight? - rumor but why else so beef floor?  Water bed?  Don't know.  Stretch line, level along beam reveals serious issues - no surprise! - to manage; center beam supports center wall, ceiling - not roof - appropriate starting point; need more cement block: lake trip!
    Ultimately not much Swett Lodge done this week, work ahead clearer: less arrival anxiety objective in sight.  Current joist end rebuild formulation extremely cost effective - 'specially when bolts come for pennies 'stead a bucks.  All in all restful, rejuvenate.  Seems new time locally regarding drunks/tweakers relating to MLK park: haven't been around as much remarkably improving life quality sense - hope lasts.  Some one said 'Oregon's beautiful - just frame out local color.'

     Gestation may refine, clarify.

     Likely next week house work wise slow, regardless keep record: reminder, continuity.  Be well.  Enjoy.

Deluxe

Unmown, sweet little white flowers grace MLK Park rills: SwettLodge west view.

     Regular reader comments blog follow difficult - hope don't lose too many: understand chopped/article free language, quasi technical mumbo jumbo, lurching segments seem convoluted - folks eyes glaze over when conversation leans SwettLodge technical not surprised reader's brains cloud: take what you like, leave the rest.
     As promised house under.  Repair rain coat zipper to stay shut crawling down under; don rain pants, coat, gloves, knee pads; tie lamp/extension cord;

remove cookie cooler/crawlspace east opening grate; squeeze in.  Thyroid hormone replacement prescription (Synthroid) renewal doctor visit learn weigh less than ever in adult life - 160 lbs: ease under house slither, lower medication dose. 

Look toward back of house/bath (plumbing by wall) shows bath renovation/floor shoring/old wiring detritus: 

crawl, cleanse east side, throw all toward entry, push all through, huge trash/rotten wood pile.  Yellow gaping spherish thing atop pile upper left center only cat skull - other bones showed - skin still attached, found.  Separate/bag trash - kitty, broken glass, multiple Bic shavers, ancient linoleum squares, bunch stashed black waiter aprons; circle saw/front porch haul firewood/rot; garage scrap metal - curtain rods, wire, range/water heater flex conduit, conduit, galvanized water pipe, rusted needle nose pliers

add couple found useful tools: pipe wrench, tire pry bar.  West side trash/wood/rot pile 'bout half east side.  Locate one active termite nest fire hasten, nits 'pop' like corn - will treat under house post construction.

In east crawl space entry, look back/up at joists: about nine inches deep initially, trimmed to eight inches during construction at bearing points (center beam, perimeter cement foundation), rotted/compressed to about five inches.

Every joist rotten about foot from end - wherever wood touches cement.  Perimeter joist (atop cement foundation perpendicular to joist ends) rotten, 2x4 crawl space entry 'trim' now supports rotting joist.  All not good.

Toward house front along east wall best SwettLodge repair work seen: 4x12 beam/4x4 treated posts/cement pads keep east side middle/front bedroom floors from sagging beyond where they've rotted/compressed to: of course no raise house to original height attempt.

House south front east side main galvanized water line dangling precariously off main center beam supports: quickly cement block support.

Front room 3" floor sag cause: rotting, shoddily repaired 6x6 main beam supports. 

Debris clear, bath plumbing at back of house easy to see: cast iron soil stack looks original, some plumbing renewed for tub, water heater. 

Water heater flex conduit coiled/removed/scrapped back east house corner completes crawl space east side look see: plenty rot mostly joist ends, perimeter joist; few joists require replacement.

 

Beautiful, fragile, emerald lichen subsisting in minimal west side under house light.

West side crawl space toward house front, west entry at right, post below kitchen range hiding post below wood stove lamp right, another 4x12 support beam along wall toward house front.

Closer look (wood stove supporting post left).  Same deal here: no raise house attempt just keep from going further down.

Toward front, center beam - looks worse from this angle: better do something about it!

Glance at west side back wall under kitchen confirms foundation reasonably useable condition; joist ends, perimeter joist need replacing.  That's it for crawl space west side.

     Discover quarter size toilet sewer pipe rust hole, black plastic bag tourniquet temporarily staunch leak.  Main beam/beam support rotten at wall/foundation pocket clear here: helps cause 2" floor drop.

Best slowly start raising floor, begin at lowest point about eight feet from house front: lay 2 4x4s down, steel electrical box stress dissipater cap jack, raise/press against hardwood plywood, beam. 

Second 20 ton jack raise beam other side of joint, level cement pad, install more sound still temporary support.  Will cement block, treated wood finalize when at proper height.  Need to: procure cement block, cement pad; 2x4 block between joists over center beam, halfway to walls both sides to keep joists vertical under raising forces; raise/resupport center beam to original height.

    
     Four plus mile Gateway Mall hike; enjoy 'Hanna' - Kate Blanchett/team show smart nonexplicitly violent, beautifully crafted films still to be made; Sizzler sup; dusk walk home.

     Respond 1978 Toyota Corolla Deluxe station wagon Craigslist ad morning after post; surprise: get call.  Hitch ride to Creswell - five, six miles south of Eugene - with Spud on his way to work, check out car, buy for buck fifty less than a grand: have to return with cash.  Beautiful warm Oregon countryside homeward trek on I5 parallel road to Lane Community College, meet Kate just finishing work, bus downtown, walk home.
     Fortunately not vindictive - my first thought - neighbor Doc relates driver talking on cell phone T-bones another ends up SwettLodge front yard, other plows field of beans,

peppers, okra - car day I guess.  Beans'll come back; peppers, okra, corn car/bug decimated will collard green, radish replant.  Karmic corner!

     Gather cash, call car seller let him know 2p Saturday will pick up, him: 'OK'.  Walk mile plus Eugene bus station, Creswell ride, get to his place: no car, none home, no phone response.  Wait.  He calls: Eugene shopping with wife.  Wait.  Wait.  Hour, half later son shows, exchange money, title; go to street parked car - always a story with old cars - now proud 1978 Toyota Corolla Deluxe wagon owner!

Seller, year in OR from MN, gets kick out of buying old cars - can't find 'em in mid west all rusted away - bought car to resell from owner of a year relocating to Costa Rica.

Think prior was one owner meticulously maintained vehicle.  No 100k digit odometer shows 84k - car could have 84k, 184k, 284k miles or more: unknown.

All lights work, doors/wiindows work.  Remove few stickers, clean up a bit, tighten couple arm rests, reconfigure various hoses etc. to original under hood: ready to rock!

Back slumber capacious, carpet!

Toyota simplicity/reliability.  Car feels lots of life left - maybe only 84k.  You can be sure will be visiting a town near you with this baby.  South America anyone???

Nearly new distributor cap, rotor, spark plug wires, radiator/heater hoses,

water pump (fan belt left), fuel pump/filter, battery/clamps/cables.  Think original owner hearing newer cars have timing belt replaced around 70k thought 'Should have it done on the old Corolla' even though '78 has rarely need replace timing chain.  Conjecture but timing chain cover surely removed/cleansed/replaced.  Oil down quart, water down half gallon at first: previous owner clearly ignored vitals over year's ownership.  Will replace oozing valve cover gasket; check valve lash, head bolt torque; change oil; check transmission/differential fluid; flush/replace brake/clutch fluid: good to go for years.  SwettLodge Deluxe limo - lucky man!     

   Truck returned from extended clan move expedition, next: part out/haul home bridge sections to use for blocking between joists, stud walls for raising roof when floor raises - in depth explanation/pictures as we go.  Keep tuned!   Enjoy.