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APRIL NEW HOME NEWS
SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 133
9 Volunteers
5 Visitors
1 Architect
The crawlway, attic, and ceiling in the new addition were thoroughly insulated by a teenage volunteer who happily crawled into a dark, narrow space and cheerfully completed the job. He also took great delight in destroying the crumbling and ineffective car arresters in the east parking lot. If you are not familiar with the term "car arresters", those are the concrete barriers to keep you from rolling your car into the building.
More attic floor was added in the attic over the kitchen (Stalag 13). This is a daily event and certainly at some point it will be completed. The plywood flooring was also fitted and screwed down over rooms 4 and 5.
A great amount of cleaning and sweeping occurred and tools and equipment were rounded up and "stuff" was fixed.....bent sawhorses, cut cords, etc. These are normal Saturday chores. There is talk of closing the BUUB for Saturday volunteers. We anticipated that Saturday would be a high volunteer day, but that has not been the case. Stay tuned for the final word on this. Two more temporary lights were added. All the excess drain pipe was bundled up and nails were picked up.
Plaster was removed in the southwest corner (old custodial room) and another inventory of the remaining lumber was done. It will be fascinating to see how much lumber was used since the last inventory was done on Thursday.
Dishes were washed and recycling hauled away. Chairs were moved into the sanctuary for a private party of carpenters. Conduit was removed and the one cupboard in the kitchen that was mysteriously sticking out from the wall was rehung. Turns out the wall has a wave in it, so no matter how many times it is rehung, one end will be slightly out from the wall. One of life's little frustrations.
The vintage two port pour through coffee system was picked up for use at church tomorrow since the 40th & Donald system is still waiting for repair. Help is on the way, just not between now and tomorrow morning when we need coffee for services, new member Sunday and all that jazz. A member of the Capital Campaign Committee met with El Viejo to get estimates of construction and finishing costs and an update on the status of our budget for the new building.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"The teenage volunteer did a meticulous job installing that installation and he did it exactly how I wanted it done."
"I am willing to take your antique church window and restore it for you."
"I want to be involved in this project. I specialize in trim work."
"Whoever did all this framing did excellent work. I have seen jobs where a crew came in and did a slap dash job.....this is not one of those jobs.
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 134
10 Volunteers
7 Visitors
5 Contract Framers
1 Architect
All four corners of the Sanctuary are framed in with ceilings. Additional blocking was added and there are seven frames for skylights in the front entry and the light chutes are beginning to take shape.
There is a lovely "walk about" in the attic space above the corridor surrounding the chapel. I climbed the pull down stairs for a look see and it was impressive. It is possible to walk all the way around on a filled in and screwed down secure surface. It was the first I realized there were two quick heat water heaters above the new restrooms. Special platforms have been built for mechanical equipment in these areas.
The addition of a floor in the attic space over the kitchen is just about finished.
It was a shock to walk in the "middle" north door near the kitchen and run smack dab into a wall of plastic and find a large opening in the north wall of the kitchen over the stainless steel counter and sinks. As soon as we get the plumbers in to move a major pipe, windows will fill the opening. It was amazing to see the amount of light this added to the dark cave of a kitchen. Having a window over the sink was suggested by someone last fall and I didn't think it was going to happen because there were metal cabinets on that wall. For now the opening is covered with plywood.
An assortment of tasks were tackled - wire stripping, brick cleaning, sweeping, stripping hinges for doors, moving pipe and plywood into the storage room, insulation of the crawlway above the storage area, and cleaning up the area where bricks were removed at the 13th Street entry. Several people received sawdust showers as they walked under an attic area being swept.
The arrival of the HVAC installation crew is predicted for Monday and electrical work will probably begin on Monday as well.
Saga of the Crutches - The Scottish Rite left behind assorted medical equipment, including two pairs of aluminum crutches. Since August, we have moved the crutches several times - they started out in the old beer room, then migrated to the office, migrated again into the kitchen island, and just yesterday were taken to the warehouse for storage. Then came a call through Share about the need for crutches! So off to the warehouse to fetch the crutches and within a half hour they were picked up and delivered to the person in need. I knew we would need them eventually!
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"Did you know --- we have a wheelbarrow with a hand brake? It arrived a few days ago, but we aren't sure who brought it to the BUUB.
"Major, major, major steps are happening."
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 135
9 Volunteers
4 Visitors
4 Contract Framers
1 Architect
The pass through in the kitchen is now covered with plastic and we have a plastic "door" from the kitchen to the hallway. This will help keep construction dust out of the kitchen. This afternoon quite a rain storm blew through and the added barrier to the outdoors was welcome.
A complete inventory of both new and used lumber was conducted. We are getting close to the end of framing and the idea is to not have any left over. The estimates indicate it will work out about right. The inventory was done at 10 AM and it would be interesting to do another inventory at the end of the day to see how much had been used. Most of the rolling lumber carts are now empty or near empty. The framing has gone very fast - today both the Southeast and Northeast corners of the sanctuary were roughed in. The plywood has once again been moved. To date it has been stored in just about every room in the building, and I expect it is not the last time it will get moved.
The lights in the sanctuary were rearranged to provide better light for framing. A couple of doors were opened and framed - one between the storage area and the old boiler room (now mechanical room), and one from near the sound room in the sanctuary that goes into the storage room. Soon the project office will be moved into the new addition so the project office can be converted and framed for the music director's office and storage.
Nails were pulled, bricks cleaned and the news comes that more exterior bricks will be coming down under the portico. Aha! More demolition!
Lots of food arrived, along with dishes and sweeping done. Not good sentence structure, but it has been a long day. Husband Ed and I went to Portland to have lunch with a woman I worked with in 1970 when we were both volunteers at the Oregon Environmental Council. And at the next table? Elliot and Marina McIntire!
Judy Sawyer, a member of the Green Sanctuary Committee tested the paint on the siding that needs to be scraped and repainted to see if it contained lead. IT DID NOT! She retested it several times to be sure. That is great news.
Food for Lane County had two UUCE Small Group Ministry teams doing their community project and Chuck Wagar was there too. We all came home smelling of dried chives!
Remember - Chinese dinner at The Fortune Inn, 1775 West 6th Avenue at 5:30 PM.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
From one of our contract framers: " I have twelve pairs of overalls, and since I have been here six of them are in the mending pile....this place is hard on clothes." Amen to that!
WEDNESDAY APRIL 27, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 136
11 Volunteers
6 Contract Framers
1 Architect
1 Electrical Contractor
3 Visitors
Design Team Meeting (5) Off Site
More demolition????? - Drywall removed from the old boiler room (now called the mechanical room). Most of the kitchen attic floor is installed using old siding and the rest will be done with plywood panels. There was wire stripping, sweeping, dish washing, and a thorough scrubbing of counters, stove, refrigerators, etc. A couple of volunteers rearranged the dumpster so that additional material could be squeezed in.
Several truckloads of stuff that was in the way of construction got carted off to the warehouse. I had never been to the warehouse before and it is a credit to our crew who managed to organize doors, lumber, furniture, equipment, and a forklift into a small space with paths for movement and still have everything visible. Very impressive. I took some photos, but they don't do it justice.
The east hallway ceiling framing is done, but one section has not been filled in to leave room for an opening to place the ductwork. The ceiling of the southwest entrance is done. The audio visual room was further defined with a raised floor and openings for glass so the technicians can see what's going on in the sanctuary. The soffits are being finished in the new addition. Once they are done, Tyvek goes up and all of the siding taken off two weeks ago will be put back up. This job made easier by the careful sorting and stacking of the team who took the siding down.
We were notified today by The Good Company that the application they submitted to the Oregon Department of Energy for a photovoltaic project on the BUUB roof was not chosen for a grant. Obviously, this is a disappointment, but we knew this was always a possibility because of the lottery style system used to choose projects for consideration. This does not adversely affect our plans and we can always apply again next year.
The Design Team met this afternoon for a final go around on the design for the entrances.
Additional office help arrived and volunteer recruitment will begin by phone.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Anything made with fresh rhubarb is fine with me. . . especially if it is a pie or cobbler."
TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 137
14 Volunteers
2 Contract Roofers
6 Contract Framers
1 Architect
1 Concrete Cutter
1 HVAC Contractor
The audio visual room in the northwest corner of the sanctuary is framed in (see left photo below, behind the Ferrari), the northeast door from the sanctuary to the storage room was moved to its new location and the new addition is now closed and secure (see right photo below). It is even storing the old cupboard that was previously in the lobby.
The coat closet off the east corridor and the four closets in front of rooms 4 and 5 are finished. The support for the ceiling of the east corridor is in place -- it looks like a very long beam. There was a lot of framing done in the attic around skylights.
Bricks are gone from the mechanical room and we will start the sizing for HVAC equipment. Snow and ice guards are installed on the roof of the new addition. The rest of the bricks on the west wall of the 13th Street entry were taken down and many were cleaned and stacked on pallets. The mechanical room got a good cleaning and more excess material was moved to the warehouse. Gravel was moved.
The Doorman finished removing hardware from doors and the door inventory was straightened up. The Hovercraft got it's wiring tweaked. New toilet paper dispensers were installed. The mower is experiencing some difficulties and it was being vacuumed out at 6 PM! I don't know if that fixed it. Sweeping, dishes, sweeping, and other janitorial duties were done. The cupboards taken down in the kitchen have all been rehung in new locations. The coffee cups are at home in a cupboard above the coffeemaker. With the passthrough open, more construction dust makes its way into the kitchen counters but the additional day light is sure welcome.
NEEDED: The motor, etc., for an automatic garage door opener. Please let Ed Zack asap know if you happen to have one to donate.....
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"My back really hurts...I stacked three pallets of bricks today."
MONDAY APRIL 25, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 138
12 Volunteers
7 Contract Framers
2 Visitors
1 Architect
The kitchen looked like a cyclone struck this morning about 10 AM - a pass through opening was knocked out of the west wall (behind the counter where the sign in sheet is kept). In addition to providing a way to pass food out to the corridor, it will allow for more natural light in the kitchen. The upper metal cupboards on the north wall were taken down and moved to other walls. While all this was going on there was a thick cloud of sheetrock dust on everything, counters, table, food. Momma's Table was pushed up against the stove and the island counter was shoved against the table.
Finding anything today was kind of like a scavenger hunt. Water and juice were moved to the refrigerator, extra food was boxed up and then moved to the pantry late today. I have no clue where everything will be tomorrow.
We are playing a game of musical chairs with paper towels and toilet tissue. By upgrading to a softer tissue we bought a case that would not fit in our dispensers for TP and the towels for our old dispensers are no longer made. So we have returned the paper that doesn't work and have new dispensers. The new dispenser will be installed when we run out of our existing inventory or until people start complaining.
While moving the largest section of metal cupboard, it fell on a booted foot - the sharp corner, of course. Thankfully nothing was broken, the foot was just beat up a bit.
Not enough to be written up on the white board since there was no blood!
There was de-nailing, sweeping, laying floor in the kitchen attic, sweeping, cleaning bricks, and more than half of the bricks stored in the mechanical room were stacked on pallets, shrink wrapped, and moved to the east parking lot. Thank goodness for the fork lift. Four pallets moved so far.
The new addition is getting more and more closed up. This afternoon the east side was framed and covered with plywood. A new doorway was cut in the NE corner of the sanctuary and the audio visual room framing began. Dishes got washed despite the chaos.
The bricks on the west wall of the 13th Street entry are just about gone. The coat closet for the lobby (or Narthex if you please) was done and more old conduit was pulled out. I heard some siding was removed - not sure where. The framing for closets for rooms 4 and 5 has begun. The bricks from the 13th Street entry are much easier to clean than the bricks from the chimney. And the "middleman" has been cut out - pallets were brought to the front entrance, and bricks are stacked on them as they are cleaned rather than moving them to the mechanical room by wheelbarrow for stacking.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
We keep hearing, "Demolition is done! ----- hahahahahahahahaha"
"I'm sorry for all the chaos in the kitchen."
"Not to fear, chaos means progress!"
EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 139
10 Volunteers (including two 17 year olds)
5 Visitors
 The two 17 year olds ripped right through the demolition of the brick and cinder block west wall of the south entrance. Where there was a wall, there is now a window! Ah youth! (Photo 2 below is George Carroll finishing the demolition.) They also managed to reorganize all of the usable bricks stored on pallets in the mechanical room and these will be moved to the warehouse tomorrow. Bricks were cleaned.
All of the plywood bins were dismantled (bins were made out of the pocket doors that served as our Thanksgiving Table). There is so little plywood left the bins are no longer needed. Before we know, there will no longer be a scrap of wood left from all the demolition. Yet another sheetrock wall was taken down (west wall of social hall). It needed to be demolished because that wall needs some stabilization strapping or wood bracing.
Tools were repaired and blades changed. All of the lumber carts in the chapel were organized and identified with end tags.
Yesterday I mentioned we could use rocks - I asked El Viejo what would be the largest size they could use and he said "beach ball." Some rocks have been placed in the swale if you need to see what we are talking about. No rocks have made it to the Rock Bin yet (see photo on April 23 for what's needed).
Speaking of El Viejo - with things being a little more quiet, he had time to measure some of the rooms. He is frequently asked how the size of our new space compares with our present church.
Here is what he found:
The 40th & Donald Social Hall is 570 square feet. The 13th & Chambers Social Hall is 1600 square feet - even with a section taken out for the lobby.
Room 7 (Teen Room) at 13th & Chambers is 570 square feet - the size of our present social hall.
And Room 6 is 650 square feet....80 square feet bigger than our present social hall.
There were some questions about why we needed to clean the north parking lot with a pressure washer and whether that wasn't a big waste of time, water, and energy. The answer is a resounding no. Because of all the activity in the parking lot - storage of dirt and gravel, etc., for health reasons it was important to clean up the mud, plaster and dust in the parking lot because it kept getting tracked back into the building. And while she was diligently pressure washing the surface, Nisco was also cleaning up nails, screws, and metal staples. Such items get stuck on the hard surface of the tires on the scissor lifts as they pass from inside to outside. My tires will appreciate the absence of sharp objects. We will all breathe easier with all that dirt removed.
The scissor lifts were cleaned up, and the charging cord was repaired on one. Speaking of cords - we still have not located the power cord for the radio we depend on for music. It was there Thursday night when the building was put to bed but not Friday morning. Does anyone have a clue where it might be?
I have been asked to update the BUUB Glossary - I'm not sure I can remember what's new.
Michelangelo is Chuck Wagar - so named after meticulously taping and mudding sheetrock until it was a work of art.
The Doorman is Eric Swegles - so named because he has inventoried all the doors stored in the warehouse, removing and cleaning all the hardware and figuring out where the doors can be re-used and whether they will need to be stripped, etc.
oses is Nisco Junkins who portrayed Harriet Tubman "Moses" when the Choir performed "They Call Her Moses" on April 17.
The Warehouse is 1,000 square feet of open space (now stuffed to the gils) in a building owned by Jerry and Janet Russell donated for our use prior to our move. It is between 11th & 12th Avenue on Grant. It is a lifesaver.
STALAG 13 - the Kitchen Attic, accessed through the pantry behind the kitchen by way of pull down stairs. Chuck Wagar and Judy Sawyer have been installing a floor in the attic for several weeks.
The Architect listed each day is Mark Doonan.
Let me know if there are other terms needing an explanation.
Thanks to Richard Dietzel for the generous donation of cabinet hardware, a belt sander, some pot hooks, and several boxes of Exit signs. We needed 22 pulls for the new kitchen drawers, and he donated 25 new bronze antique handles. Other knobs will be perfect in the younger RE rooms. The magic continues to happen.
Mounds of green grapes and other tasty treats arrived and dishes were washed.
And the beat goes on.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
When presented with three metal chisels by the brick demolition crew, El Viejo said: "I thank you for the steel bouquet."
"We can always use tools."
'Yesterday I looked high and low for the blades for the roto hammer. Today I found them - they were in my tool belt."
GLOSSARY OF BUUB TERMS:
The Architect listed each day is Mark Doonan
The Batwing - Was a large V-shaped structure that ran the length of the sanctuary ceiling making the room appear dark and squat.
Beer Room - A small room on the north side of the building that had a raised concrete floor and the hookup for a beer cooler when it was a Moose Lodge (the room no longer exists).
BPOC - Building Project Oversight Committee
Break (Room) Dancers - All the wonderful people who donate food and drink for volunteers. We love them!
BUB - Butt Ugly Building - (original name)
BUUB - Beautiful Unitarian Universalist Building
The Church - 40th & Donald
De-finning - Separating aluminum fins from copper tubing on air conditioning system.
Demolition Task Force and Chop Suey Society - The BUUB volunteers who get together for Chinese Food on Friday nights 5:30PM
The Doorman is Eric Swegles - so named because he has inventoried all the doors stored in the warehouse, removing and cleaning all the hardware and figuring out where the doors can be re-used and whether they will need to be stripped, etc.
El Viejo - Ed Zack - given to him by the Hispanic asbestos removal crew - means "the old man"
Ferrari - The scissor lift aerial scaffolding
First Balcony - The old soffit along the north wall of Room C - old dining room with chandeliers - now gone
Green Grape Groupies - all the volunteers - who eat a pound or more of green grapes a day
Hovercraft - the hanging platform with twelve dangling electrical outlets to power all of the equipment in the woodworking shop in the middle of the sanctuary
Howitzer - The long metal tube controlling the air conditioning in the room behind the kitchen
Stalag13 - Kitchen Attic, accessed through the pantry behind the kitchen by way of pull down stairs. Chuck Wagar and Judy Sawyer have been installing a floor in the attic for several weeks.
Michelangelo is Chuck Wagar - so named after meticulously taping and mudding sheetrock until it was a work of art
Momma's Table - The food table in the kitchen where everyone gathers on break to sit and chat
Moses is Nisco Junkins who portrayed Harriet Tubman "Moses" when the Choir performed "They Call Her Moses" on April 17
Panama Canal - the area on the northeast outside corner being dug up where footings for new construction will go.
Playpen - The box surrounded by orange tape to hold the dirt and gravel dug out of the Panama Canal
Puzzlemaster - Bob Kaeser who enjoys figuring out how stuff works and how to take it apart safely. (He just happens to also be the Virtuoso of the Forklift.)
The Sandbox - Same thing as the Playpen (see above)
SRT - Scottish Rite Temple
Strippers - The volunteers who are stripping plastic casings off of copper wire - miles and miles of it
The Torpedo - same thing as the Howitzer (see above)
The Warehouse - 1,000 square feet of open space (now stuffed to the gils) in a building owned by Jerry and Janet Russell donated for our use prior to our move. It is between 11th & 12th Avenue on Grant. It is a lifesaver.
Wood Squirrels - People trained to identify types and sizes of boards and can fetch them quickly.
SATURDAY, April 23, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 140
16 Volunteers
2 Contract Framers
1 Architect
3 Visitors
It was indeed a lively place at the BUUB with the volunteer Small Group Ministry crew helping take care of business as they joined with others.
Chores were crossed off the white board, including:
* Sort wood and organize the firewood box.
* Sweep the carport
* Remove insulation from the ceiling of the front lobby
* Construct a Rock Bin
* Power wash more of the north parking lot (day #4 of this for Moses)
* Demolish the west wall of the social hall
* Move the mortar rubble from the front entrance to the dumpster
* Remove the cinder blocks on the west side of the front entrance
* Clean bricks and store them in mechanical room
* Dis-assemble the two tiered storage cabinet in the lobby
* De-nail all of the temporary framing used to support the new beam on the south wall of the social hall
* Sweep the east corridor
* Wash dishes and quartermaster the kitchen
* Break Room Dancers brought new provisions
* Cover the roof of the new addition with plastic in case of rain.
And that just goes to show what can be accomplished with a big crew of fresh recruits!
 The Rock Bin needs your help. We hope to fill it with donated rocks - and the rocks should be at least the size of a baseball, football, or soccer ball. Round rocks please, none with sharp corners. They will be used in our swale in the front yard to provide drainage from the roof. The Rock Bin is next to the dumpster in the east parking lot - well marked!
Photo to the right: this is the size and kind of rock we need - "river rock."
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"How do we keep finding new walls to demolish?"
"Everything that comes out of my son's mouth has to do with his private parts." (Sounds like a typical 14 year old to me.)
"I want a job that is easy, but rewarding."
"I got my first breast splinter today."
Photos: Social Hall west wall (left); rock pile donation box (right).
 
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FRIDAY, April 22, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 141
10 Volunteers
8 Contract Framers
1 Architect
1 Electrical Engineer
7 Visitors (two at 7 PM)
1 Wood Gatherer
13 for Chinese Dinner
Dear Fragrance Free UUs - we are well aware of the possibility that many in our midst are adversely affected by scented urinal pads and toilet hangers. The mention of these items are almost in the category of bats on April 1st. They were free samples and the temptation to present them to El Viejo as a gift overwhelmed me. I thought I could sneak it past my readers. I throw stuff like that in this blog just to see if you are paying attention! Since we have an excellent custodian who will be keeping things clean and sparkling and smelling fresh, we have no plans to mask a clean smell with "Cotton Blossom" or "Herbal Mint".
Bricks were cleaned, janitorial work was done, the kitchen attic floor added to, boiler room tidied, some de-nailing and nail pick-up, and lobby insulation removed.
As usual, the contract framers made great headway. Light shelves were constructed in the religious education office, minister's office, and library. The closet for the social hall is framed. The ceiling of the lobby, including skylight openings, are framed. The one crew was still working at putting on the roof of the new addition at 5:30 PM, and they got so carried away that one of them left a jacket hanging up like a banner. After dinner, El Viejo brought it down in case there will be rain over the weekend.
The south wall of the social hall is finished and the southeast diagonal entrance to the sanctuary is framed. The door to the copy room was framed. A photo of Kim's office shows that it is being used to store wheelbarrows and shovels right now.
There is a massive reorganization of the sanctuary because that is the next place where major work will occur. Tomorrow one of the Small Group Ministry gang is coming to work and they will be doing lots of moving of material. The rolling carts are indispensable. A pile of dishes was washed and the kitchen floor swept.
A big question: Who took the cord out of the back of the radio in the social hall? There can be no music on the job until it comes back again. If you are the cord kidnapper, please bring it back and the ransom will be paid.
El Viejo is sporting a large bandage on the pointer finger on one hand. He ran into a large metal hidden staple under the plastic wrapping on a load of lumber.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"If we don't need it, get it the hell out of here." (In reference to everything in the sanctuary.)
Nisco Junkins was expressing how happy she was to get the loan of a heavy duty pressure washer after using one for three days that had been spraying her with water. El Viejo commented that "She is stripping the tar off the parking lot...."
"I ate all of the red gummy bears"
"LOL!!! Living my whole life with brothers, sons and dad and a husband, I will say that cotton blossom and herbal mint are no match for urine. Sort of like scented deodorant; Powderfresh B.O still smells like B.O. But hey, I don't plan on venturing into that bathroom so more power to the scent selectors. ;)"
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THURSDAY, April 21, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 142
6 Volunteers
8 Contract framers
1 Architect
2 Visitors
Heavy duty framing on the NE addition with plywood covering most of it for ease in walking around on the rafters. One of the framers brought in a heavy duty pressure washer and Moses was back at it, "scrubbing" the north parking lot once again. My camera recorded her also cleaning the neighbor's parking lot. (For those of you who missed church on Sunday, Moses is Nisco Junkins.
The architect was sporting a florescent orange reflective vest which makes him much easier to find. When asked about it he responded, "Safety First." I guess El Viejo has been preaching again.
It was a pretty quiet day in terms of having a volunteer crew, but the noise level was high with hammers, saws, drills, and other power tools working away. The storage closet for the social hall is taking shape and more definition of corners has appeared.
A case of toilet paper arrived, along with scented urinal screen samples. They have charming names: "cotton blossom" and "herbal mint." The male crew will give us a report on their favorite fragrance. While purchasing the TP, I asked about pricing for towel and toilet paper dispensers. Paper towel rolls that fit our existing dispensers are no longer made and by move in time we will need about 24 paper towel dispensers and 20 toilet paper dispensers. Turns out, the company that sells a green rated paper will provide all of the dispensers at no cost. That is a terrific saving for us. We are going to get five to replace what we need right now and use them between now and when we need more. That will give us an opportunity to find out if they are the design we want. They are "hands free", but have no batteries or the need to wave your body or jump up and down in front of a sensor to get a towel.
Break Room Dancers brought a tasty soup, pepperoni, Oreos, chips and nuts. Our favorite variety of mixed nuts in a 56 ounce can is on special at Bi-Mart, $3 cheaper than the regular price, so we are stocking up. Dishes were washed by a kind soul. Reminder to Dancers - we have plenty of plates, flatware, and cloth napkins. We are trying to stay "green" and not use disposables, so no paper napkins please.
One cool thing happening is that most afternoons, a broom pusher shows up after 4 PM and cleans up the debris of the day. They are like a breath of fresh air for the crew that has been working all day and are about out of steam, except to pick up and store their tools. It might not seem like a very important task, but it is very much appreciated.
I had a good laugh on my news gathering tour - one of the rolling carts holding building plans was parked a little too close to a chop saw and was in the line of fire for a good dusting of sawdust. The plans had a half inch of fresh sawdust covering them. Prompting the
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Plans? Who needs plans to build a church!"
In the kitchen, a volunteer reported next to her name: "Aimless wandering around; flowers."
The Aesthetics and Logistics Task Force is actively planning our move, refining the inventories, figuring out storage needs, researching records scheduling, seeking suggestions for items to put into a time capsule, and wrestling with how to recognize the contribution by our many volunteers.
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WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 143
8 Volunteers
9 Contract Framers
1 Architect
6 Visitors
1 Gutter Installer
2 Wood Gatherers
8 Attend Aesthetic & Logistics Task Force Meeting
I just realized my post yesterday said day 148 when in fact it was #144 in our countdown.
The entire lawn has a haircut. My report yesterday listing all the hours involved was not accurate and we don't want everyone to think the job is never ending. Anyone with a lawn knows that the first cut of the season can be daunting and using a battery powered mower takes a little extra effort with time in-between for recharging.
 All of the rafters are in place on the new addition. Each day the framing is more and more impressive. I can't stress that enough. The old south wall of the social hall is up. The doors to the library, minister's office, and religious education office are finalized. The north wall of the RE Office was demolished and the giant header for the coat closet on the south side of the corridor is up. Half of the old insulation from the ceiling of the lobby has been removed and the ceiling joists for the south entrance are being installed. The east wall and skylight chute of Kim's office are framed (see photo above).
 All of the back breaking work of taking down the brick veneer on the west wall of the entry was completed today. Bricks were cleaned and stored in the mechanical room (photo at right: Jan Willing at the cleaning station).
A third day of pressure washing the north parking lot was evident -- "Moses" is diligent!
More lumber was delivered, and indeed the new lumber inside has created quite the obstacle course. It wouldn't be a good idea to walk around the building in the dark! It's kind of hard to find places to store 16 and 20 foot long boards that are out of the way.
A break room dancer delivered cabbage soup and mounds of dishes were washed.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Do you air dry the dishes, or use a towel?" "Air dry"
"This place was a zoo again today. I can hardly keep my head on straight."
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TUESDAY, April 19, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 144
17 Volunteers
3 Visitors
6 Contract Framers
Yesterday I failed to note that a volunteer mowed part of the lawn - 4-1/2 hours worth - and today he was back and spent 6-1/2 hours mowing! It is growing faster than it can be cut. In addition, there was weeding around the bushes. For those frustrated apartment dwellers with no yard work, come on down!
"Moses" was back cleaning up the north parking lot - this time she brought her own pressure washer which is more efficient and she didn't go home soaking wet. The parking lot is sparkling.
"Michelangelo" continues to be holed up in the kitchen attic with various crew members putting down the flooring. It is going to be so cool up there.
 The new lumber delivered this morning was hauled inside, including yet another glu-lam. Bricks, bricks, bricks were removed from the front, and then cleaned and stored in the mechanical room. Nails were removed from the ceiling of the lobby and there are still more to be pulled. Old conduit came down from the lobby and is waiting for the STRIPPERS. For a good laugh, see page 56 of the April 18, 2011 The New Yorker.
 The framers put up the west one third of the roof on the new addition. Inside many additional blocks were installed. The internal posts that formerly held up the south wall of the social hall are gone. The 42 foot long glu-lam beam is securely holding up the roof and ceiling and the southwest corner of the Sanctuary is being defined, along with closets near the south entrance. The south wall of the social hall has been lined out and will be framed tomorrow. There is lots of swapping back and forth of lumber. The inside crew will go find what they need in a stack of lumber being used by the new addition crew, and vice versa. To tell the truth, all this activity must be seen to be appreciated. I am in awe of the daily changes and am somewhat at a loss for words to give the work being done proper coverage.
The doors from the corridor to the minister's office and RE Office have been moved so the rooms and their swinging doors have better access. An almost new refrigerator was picked up and brought to the BUUB and the refrigerator and microwave got a bath.
Break Room Dancers delivered beef stew, string cheese, grapes, and chips. Late in the day a freshly baked rhubarb pie appeared with a 2-1/2 gallon container of vanilla ice cream - a special treat for architect Mark Doonan. The plan is to procure a home-made pie for Mark every week during rhubarb season.
Metal was delivered to Schnitzer Steel and we made another $77.40.
The wood bin is FULL - come and get it! Free to a good home.
There is also a pile of left over gravel that is free to a good home - great for patching alleys and low places in driveways.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"It's still all right that I can clean the bricks isn't it?" You betcha.....
An addition to the "Injury" List whiteboard - "Divorced twice, but I got the house both times."
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MONDAY, April 18, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 145
13 Volunteers
6 Contract Framers
3 Garage Door Installers (for the Warehouse)
1 HVAC Contractor
6 Visitors
 The center portion of the NE addition has a ROOF! Each day it gets more and more closed in. There was miscellaneous framing in the west end. Two more attic pull-down stairs were installed and before we are done there will be four more to access storage. More flooring went down in the kitchen attic.
That 42 foot beam on the south side of the social hall was getting framing anchors to the arched glu-lams. Lots of scissor lift work. Tomorrow a major shipment of lumber will arrive and we can use help getting it into the building.
About half of the brick veneer from the entrance has been taken down, with additional bricks cleaned and stored in the mechanical room. There are four courses of bricks left to do. El Viejo was plotting and scheming about having volunteers take down the veneer on the outside edge of the entrance area now that they have done such a fine job with the inside edge. Some plaster was demolished in the entry way and old conduit was removed.
We need wire strippers....not only for the wire in the old conduit, but also all that heavy duty wire we had hoped to sell separately is ready and waiting.
Pipe and work lights were picked up. We are inundated with firewood in the bin and it is available on a first come, first served basis. Food was delivered, dishes were done, and nails cleaned from the parking lot as a major portion of it was pressure washed by Moses.
Last week one of the Ferrari's lost a plug when the driver pulled away from the wall first thing in the morning without unplugging the charge line from the wall. It got fixed today. Those lifts are in use constantly throughout the day, so it was a high priority to keep it charged.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"I have been going since 7 AM at 100 miles per hour and I don't have a quote."
"Yesterday I was an ex-slave, and today I was one." (Moses, after working at the BUUB for 8 hours)
Tonight, husband Ed and I listened to the audio recording of the installation service for the first settled minister at our former UU Church in Danville, Indiana. The installation service was yesterday afternoon. Ed and I were #2 and #3 to sign the membership book as charter members in 1996. We were like proud parents, listening to the voices of old friends and hearing Paul Kennedy play special music on a harpsichord he built, and accompany the hymns on the pipe organ. Modern technology is wonderful. The church has just under 100 members.
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SUNDAY, April 17, 2011
Days Left: 146
5 Volunteers
3 Visitors
The order of the day was cleaning, gathering up trash, dirt, insulation pieces, and sawdust. After having a total of 40+ people working on Friday and Saturday, there was a lot of cleaning and picking up to do. The volunteers today helped round up errant tools and reorganized the premises. There was no competition for brooms, but dustpans were a hot commodity. This weekend, a brand new shiny industrial strength dustpan arrived. Joy in small things.
Some wastebaskets left over from the Clutterbusting garage sale are at home in the BUUB. One became a laundry basket for dirty cloth napkins in the kitchen. The kitchen broom got a hook for hanging. It's almost like home!
Except for El Viejo, it was an all female crew. There was cutting of bolts and plates. Potato chips, juice, and dishwashing soap was delivered.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Any surface that wheels can roll on is a good surface and I am very interested in it."
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SATURDAY, April 16, 2011
Days Left: 147
20 Volunteers
5 Visitors
The friendly competition between the Salem UU Team and the Eugene UU Team resulted in a tie! Each Team had 9 workers. (The other two volunteers were quasi visitors.) We appreciate members of the Salem Men's Group and friends who came to help out. When I asked how it went with their 90 year old member, El Viejo said he "worked us under the table...". He was cut man on the chop saw and paired with our 89 year old Ed Peara. Together they helped build two more rolling lumber carts. I have lost count of how many carts we have, but all of them are loaded with lumber.  In addition to building two more carts, all of the existing carts got reinforced so they will not collapse under the weight of stacked lumber. All of the new lumber that had been lounging in the parking lot was brought inside. The lumber that was brought in by the 12 year olds yesterday (being mentored by Ed Zack) was unstacked and re-stacked to make it more stable. At the end of each stack is a tidy printed card with the size and length of the boards. A small amount of framing was done in an area where the ceiling needed to be raised. (ID tags added by Salem UU crew.) And speaking of the ceiling being raised. That action made it necessary to move one of the vertical fire suppression pipes installed about a month ago. When the crew arrived this morning, El Viejo asked one man, are you good with tools?" and he responded "yes, I'm a pipefitter!." In no time at all he had reconfigured the pipe. Magic again!  The electrical panel in Room 5 was taken out and many of the 2 inch holes left by cut off pipes and the wine cellar were filled with concrete. Bricks were cleaned and moved to the mechanical room. Soup and cornbread arrived, dishes were washed (twice), de-nailing and sanding worked on, all the trash hauled to the dumpster, and the big steel I-beam was moved. The brackets that used to hold lumber up on the walls were removed because we no longer have that much old lumber left to store. Bolts in the floor were cut and leveled out. A new roll of toilet paper was added to the men's room. The last two pieces of recycled lumber were removed from the entry. (Photo above with some of the Salem volunteers.) Two crew members worked on the flooring for the kitchen attic.
Another starling flew into the building and was ushered out. Over late afternoon gummy bears and potato chips, there was a discussion about how the subcontractors love working with us because we are so helpful moving lumber, moving the carts out of their way, and cleaning up after them.
The Clutterbusting garage sale two-day total raised $1,773.91. At several times during the day there were as many as 20 people shopping in a two car garage - despite pouring rain all day! A neighbor and friend having a garage sale inadvertently tipped over a one year old refrigerator that he had hoped to sell. The fall resulted in the freezer door handle getting broken. He asked if our church could use a new refrigerator? You Betcha. I took a look at it and the only damage is the missing handle. We will make arrangements to pick it up this week. The BUUB refrigerator is pretty tacky, so this is another one of those magic moments for our project. Oh, and did I mention? It is FREE!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The local mailman stopped by today and said: 'You guys (and gals) are doing a great job!
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Friday, April 15, 2011
Days Left: 148
21 Volunteers!
6 Contract Framers
1 Architect
13 Visitors
2 Twelve Year Olds Being Mentored
2 Wood Gatherers
12 For Chinese Dinner
More bricks were removed from the west side of the front entrance, then cleaned and stored in the mechanical room. Use of a power tool helped with this chore.. Sweeping was done, dishes were washed, and the new woodshed is a great success. The wheelbarrows are so happy to have other things to carry. A little sheet rock was removed from one wall of the lobby.
 Only the skylight framing is left to be done in the west end rooms and restroom. Another trap door was installed for access to one of the new attic areas. The third post was installed in the social hall (see photo right). The most exciting thing accomplished today was the installation of a 42 foot beam along the south wall of the social hall. It required using Egyptian techniques, 1 rolling scaffolding, 2 modified scissor lifts/fork lift, and an array of colorful words. At one point Mark directed a scissor lift to go up a notch, but the driver went down a notch and the beam did a little jiggle to the gasps and groans of those assembled. But alas, the lift went back up two notches and all was saved! It is a mammoth beam and beautiful.
The NE addition has taken on more structure. The center rafters are double strength because they will support the mechanicals for the sanctuary.
 
The seasoned crew was praising the energy and enthusiasm of the two twelve year old boys on hand all day to learn some building skills. It seems that a type of nail gun utters sounds that resemble a noise sometimes made by humans and dogs, and is just the sort of thing that turns boys that age into great gigglers. Despite all the giggling, they managed to move vast amounts of lumber and ripped out sheetrock.
At dinner we were regaled with tales of all the good work being done with doors, finding a welder certified to make custom brackets for that heavy beam, the need to fill numerous two inch holes in the floor left from removing conduit with concrete, closing up the "wine cellar" hole (photo below right), raising the ceiling in the east corridor and how Chuck Wagar will soon be able to escape from the kitchen attic.
 
Let the Competition Begin - Nine Salem UUs are arriving at the BUUB tomorrow morning and will spend the day volunteering.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"The munchkins were pretty happy working today."
"I can't come down from the kitchen attic unless it is to get something to eat."
"Are you planning to fill the croquet holes? "Yes." "No, no, no - it is more important to have the croquet holes than it is to keep the safe." (If you are new to this list, you will not have heard about the uprising and threat of a strike by volunteers at the suggestion to get rid of the vault/safe. That idea was abandoned.)
Fortune Cookie of the Day: You will receive unexpected support over the next week. Accept it graciously!
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
Days Left: 149
6 Volunteers
5 Contract Framers
3 Visitors
1 Architect
This afternoon as I drove into the northside parking lot, I was once again amazed to see the progress on the new addition and a firewood shelter full of new wood! Inside, two of three main columns in the social hall were in place. It was a cool trick to get those 16 foot long 6x6 inch posts into place. It really changes the appearance of the social hall and helps define where the corridor and lobby will be.
The steel track for the sliding door between the social hall and sanctuary has been cut to allow for the third support post to be installed tomorrow. It took only 8 minutes to cut that steel beam, using a special saw with a very sharp blade. The person who did the sawing said it was, "Boom, boom, hang it tomorrow." New support brackets have already been fabricated, painted and are ready to be installed tomorrow and then the new beam that will support the corridor frame will be put in the brackets. Things happen quickly. Some readjustment will be necessary to the track for the shortened door. (At least with a few sections missing, maybe the door won't be so hard to crank open and closed.)
Room #2 is completely framed and the entire west side of the building is 85% complete. The corridor wall is done and the ceiling has been started. The large hole in the south wall of the attic over the kitchen is stuffed tight with insulation. All internal walls will be getting a hefty supply of insulation to help buffer sound.
Removal of the exterior bricks is slow going. The veneer bricks should just pop off, but folks working on scaffolding today found them to be stuck tight. Another door was stripped of paint and that too is going a little slower than anticipated. Very labor intensive. Volunteers ate gummy bears, moved lumber, ate gummy bears, washed dishes and ate gummy bears.
 The used lumber pile in the sanctuary has all but disappeared and is pitiful. That's a great credit to the framers who are letting nothing go to waste. There are almost no boards up on the supports on the wall. Photo: Ed Zack's hand--this is all the lumber that is left from our demolition. We have used the rest of it. Older photos showed it stored on the wall and stacked very high.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: A framing supervisor was walking around the job site late this afternoon, and when asked if we could help him find something he said: "I bought 2x10 lumber for blocking and can cut that if I have to, but I am trying to use old stuff first and was just looking to see if there was any left."
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Days Left: 150
11 Volunteers
10 Visitors
6 Contract Framers
1 Electrical Engineer
1 Model Maker
1 Service Auction Sign-Maker
1 Acoustical Engineer
The stabilization of mechanicals above the kitchen is almost done and we are about ready to install the flooring in the attic. That has been a long and tedious task for the volunteers who have worked in a cramped, dark space for about two weeks. I'm sure they will be delighted to switch to another job.
You have heard of being "sent to the wood shed?", well, we now have a designated wood shed on the north side of the building. The framers are generating so much firewood scraps that all of the wheelbarrows and large boxes are constantly full of wood scraps and we need those wheelbarrows for hauling bricks and other materials. A covered area was constructed on the north side of the building just east of the kitchen outside door. That way firewood can be dumped there and anyone who needs wood (in addition to the person who comes to get it almost every day) can stop by 24/7 and help themselves.
Room #2 is about half done with framing. More head scratching occurred as work was planned for putting in supports for the large beam in the social hall. It goes in that heavy duty support concrete area we poured recently and will support the span into the lobby -- a nice clear open lobby. Blocking continues in the existing framing. El Viejo drew me a nice diagram, and I understood what he said, but it is difficult to describe.
I find that sometimes I report things that are not right. I had it in my head there would be garage style doors on the NE addition - not so - wisdom dictates that way too much cold or hot air would seep around a garage style door. The largest items we are likely to need to fit through the doorways in that section is a grand piano, and the people who move pianos are masters at maneuvering through standard doors. Today the outside wall of the new addition looked different than yesterday. The openings had been closed up and the rafters are ready to be installed. If you blink your eyes, the space will be different every time you open them for a second look.
Two more lumber carts were constructed - I can't remember how many we have now, but it must surely be more than ten and they are all occupied all of the time! As I arrived about 2 PM, a new load of lumber was being delivered and there are stacks of new lumber everywhere you look, inside and out.
Bricks are coming down from the west side of the front entrance. The first layer is veneer bricks, and the second layer is needed to support the roof. The bricks are being cleaned and moved to storage in the boiler room. There are in excess of 2,000 bricks to be cleaned.
Dishes were washed and recycling was picked up by two volunteers.
On Saturday, a team of seven volunteers from the Salem UU community are coming to volunteer at the BUUB. They plan to arrive about 9:15 AM - Let's have a friendly competition to see if we can generate more than seven volunteers from our congregation. Salem has gone through two major building projects and worked with a combination professional and volunteer crews. It will be fun to share stories of our experiences building churches.
I have previously written about the wood carving hanging over the front door of the BUUB. The sisiutl design depicts the eruption of Mt. St. Helens and was carved by my friend Ray Losey, a UU in Portland. Ray has donated this art piece for us to use as a fundraiser for our new building. A similar sisiutl by Ray sold for $6,000. Because we are soon going to change the configuration of the front entrance of the BUUB, we need to find the sisiutl a new home. I will have photos of it at the garage sale this weekend and will be placing an ad in the Register Guard to find a buyer. We are asking $2,500 or best offer - it would be a handsome addition on the side of a barn or similar outbuilding. We could use help in spreading the word about it being available. It is a one of a kind piece of art, carved from a 480 year old plank that came from the same tree as a large totem pole on display for years in Longview, Washington. If you know of anyone who might be interested in owning this work, please let me know.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Things are a buzzing. Hammers hammering from one end of the building to the other. It's very exciting." "You should have some of that black bean soup -- it is really tasty." "Please remind everyone that bottles to be recycled need to be rinsed and have their caps removed. Some of the items in the recycle box contained garbage."
REMINDER: There will be a Chinese dinner at Fortune Inn, 1775 West 6th at 5:30 PM Friday. No reservation necessary.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Days Left: 151
7 Volunteers
4 Contract Framers
2 Contract Plumbers
4 Visitors
1 Architect
1 Electrical Engineer
8 Attend BPOC Meeting
Va Va Voom! What an exciting day.....the north wall of the Northeast addition went up - it is beautiful. I have been under the weather and hadn't been to the BUUB since Saturday, so it was a big surprise to see all that new wood when I pulled into the parking lot. Be sure to check it out.
There were wheelbarrows full of firewood inside, but not a stick of it larger than six inches. The contract framers we are using are in full swing and on board (no pun intended) with using every scrap of lumber that is big enough for blocking, etc. As you scan the framing, you will see thousands of blocks being added in all sizes and shapes. Most job sites would not find this kind of diligence to avoid waste.
In other framing:
Room 1 is 85% complete.
Room 2 - the work has begun on framing the ceiling.
The Copy Room is done
They are preparing to frame the ceiling in the lobby and social hall.
Some miscellaneous sheet rock demolition was done.
Meanwhile, at the warehouse doors are being stripped of their hardware, and the hardware is being cleaned and ready to be reused.
To help meet the new code which calls for a certain number of restroom units, the urinals in the accessible restroom are being reactivated.
The other thing that made a major impression on me was how clean and tidy the entire building is. No more sawdust on the windowsills, no piles of gravel, and it was obvious that the Sunday crew had been beyond busy with brooms.
Last but not least, the Break Room Dancers are terrific. Not only have they given us an ample supply of gummy bears but there is not a single day in April open on the signup sheet for food delivery. They are keeping the locomotive moving on a daily basis.
Thanks to everyone who has been washing dishes - much appreciated. One thing we could use regularly, is helping pick up the items for recycling in the kitchen and social hall. I have stuffed my big blue container tight as a tick this week, and the box at the BUUB is overflowing. It helps to bring an empty container to haul stuff out.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: These were the opening words for tonight's BPOC meeting:
"Virginia creeper spreads through the lush compost of the woods like veins in soft skin and climbs through the rough bark of the post oak to the very top.
"We have spent many months weaving through rough places trying to reach the top of our new property tree. The fog has now lifted and we have begun to climb the tree in earnest.
"How many times has the creeper been snagged and pulled from its growing place--as often as we were delayed in getting permitted plans. Keep in mind that we are hardy individuals that will not be chopped out of our tree. Now we can celebrate plumbing hookups, new concrete, and the smell of freshly sawed lumber.
"It's about attitude, all attitude." (Adapted from: " A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler)
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Monday, April 11, 2011
Days Left: 152
7 Volunteers
4 Contract Framers
1 Welder
1 Architect
3 Visitors
Lots of activity at the warehouse (a.k.a. storage locker). I think some of the volunteers go over there to hide *grin* because I seldom get details!
At the BUUB (Beautiful-to-be Unitarian Universalist Building) the framers worked on the ceiling and walls of Room 1, and did major blocking for fire and to serve as supports. Plywood was moved, some demolition was done in the RE office, and more attic floor was installed above the kitchen. A vent pipe in the attic was reconfigured so it is no longer necessary to crawl on your hands and knees to go under it or make a leap of faith to get over it. When mechanicals are installed, the reconfiguration will be very much appreciated.
Because we are shortening the distance the folding doors cover between the sanctuary and social hall the mechanics of moving it needed some engineering work. This leads us to the:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It was a real head scratcher."
I have a "small world" story. Forty years ago, our El Viejo was studying 16th Century English Literature and was living in a apartment. There was a small cottage style home across the street being remodeled, and in his spare time El Viejo would go over and serve as an apprentice for the boss man. I bet that is why he enjoys being a mentor to young people. But back to my story. One day, a carpenter/ cabinetmaker named John Jones came to the work site. Well, watching him work with wood blew El Viejo's mind. He got to help Jones and even has a scar to prove it on his left hand where Jones' chisel went through his finger! Now here is the magic. John Jones, woodworker, is the other tenant in the warehouse where we have been given free space by Janet and Jerry Russell to store spare parts from the BUUB. When El Viejo left college, all he wanted to do was to be a carpenter. If it hadn't been for John Jones lighting a fire in his belly to be a carpenter, we wouldn't have him these 40 years later building us a new church. Thank you, John Jones!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Days Left: 153
25 Volunteers
10 Visitors
1 Architect
How wonderful to have members of the Breakfast Club come volunteer today - and fun to have the kids who jumped right in and helped clean up the building. The youngsters got rides on the scissor lifts as a bonus. They were pushing wheelbarrows full of wood scraps, and other odds and ends.
The Project Office has never been so clean! It got vacuumed and swept and dusted. Several volunteers worked at refinishing doors. All of the insulation piled on the floor in the minister's office was put back into the ceiling where it belongs. The library was swept and cleaned as well. What I heard in my over the phone report was sweeping, sweeping, sweeping, etc.
Scraps of lumber were rounded up and stored. A very large stack of plywood was moved to form a floor for the corridors surrounding the chapel. This will help keep the mechanical equipment supported. The defunct electrical panel in Room 5 was removed. Outside, the north sidewalk area was pressure washed. Miscellaneous plywood that had been used for forms was cleaned and moved to storage.
The dishes were washed and old metal obstacles that could cause tripping were removed. In general, many small details were accomplished. Snack foods arrived and were consumed.
Rafters in the lobby ceiling were moved up so an atrium with a higher ceiling can result.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"There was so much work being done, I had to just keep erasing jobs off the whiteboard."
"It was great having the help of young kids -- they were very workable and fun to have around."
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Days Left: 154
8 Volunteers
5 Visitors
A rolling cart was built for nails and fasteners, and then it was rolled around the building so that all the partial boxes of nails and brackets could be found in one place. Nail guns were scattered around and they were rounded up and refurbished.
The ceiling of the lobby was demolished, de-nailing done, and lumber was moved and sorted. More insulation and flooring was added to the kitchen attic. Tomorrow the Breakfast Cluub will be on hand from 1-4 PM to lend helping hands.
It was disappointing to have only 8 volunteers on a Saturday. Things are going to have to pick up if we plan to get our new home completed and ready to move into without having to hire others to do the majority of the work planned for volunteers.
Last evening, our architect Mark and one of our framers were stopped at an intersection in Mark’s pickup truck when a van coming up from behind failed to stop or even slow down and slammed into the back of them. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt, but our team was pretty banged up and the truck doesn’t look so happy either.
When husband Ed and I went to the BUUB after hosting bingo at the church, we found everything locked up tight and it was darker than the inside of a cow in the building. It was still daylight outside so I didn’t take my flashlight. Thanks to the person who washed the dishes!
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Friday, April 8, 2011
Days Left: 155
9 Volunteers
1 Architect
1 Electrical contractor
1 HVAC contractor
6 Contract Framers
2 Contract Plumbers
8 Visitors
10 for Chinese Dinner
NEEDED: A pickup truck for El Viejo to use for the remainder of the project. We need everyone to put on their thinking cap and help figure out how to find a pickup truck for Ed Zack to use for the next six months. He finds that his van is inadequate for the job - especially carrying lumber. The BPOC is working to help find some reliable transportation for him to do the church project work. He has put hundreds of miles on his van running errands. We hope someone in the congregation has a spare pickup they are not using that could be on long term loan, or purchased at a bargain price. Perhaps you know of a dealer that needs a charitable deduction that would donate one to the church off their used car lot, etc. We are thinking as creatively as possible to find a suitable vehicle. Please let me know if you have any ideas - 541-335-1637 (Judie).
More lumber, materials and the 50 horse power engine were moved to the warehouse and a door was built to help segregate our "stuff" from the other tenant. Work was done on setting up the cabinet workshop.
At the BUUB, work continued on the kitchen attic insulation and flooring. Mounds of firewood were created as the framers did more framing in the library and minister's office and defined the skylight openings. The layout for Rooms 1 and 2 was done for a simplified ceiling package. Gobs of blocking was installed. A new contract framer is agile and is enough of a contortionist to move around in tight spaces to do blocking in difficult spots. The plumbers continued hooking up lines between the kitchen and mechanical room and we now have an up to code grease trap under the dishwashing sink. There is no longer a garbage disposal, so scraped plate debris will go through the appropriate hole in the stainless steel counter. Of course that will require us to put a garbage can underneath the hole!
All of the 1-1/4 inch copper cable was rolled up and is ready to sell. Wire strippers found a little more to work on. One stripper said to a framer - "We're the strippers, but I am just an apprentice," and he replied "I can tell that. You are much too young to be a professional stripper." The more the contractors are around our volunteers, the more good natured teasing occurs.
I learned that the rumored "lunch" offered to the carpetbaggers yesterday was actually just pretzels and juice. Also, the amount of carpet was closer to 1,400 square feet. In order to maneuver one roll of carpet from an upstairs bedroom, it was pushed out the window and allowed to roll off the roof. Thankfully there were no broken windows or torn off gutters!
SATURDAY: The tools of choice will be brooms and vacuums. Lots and lots to be done. And over the weekend much rock wool will be re-installed in the newly framed ceilings.
QUOTES OF THE DAY (of which there are many):
"Feeding the volunteers is like a swam of locusts......or being at a frat house."
Plumber to Framer: "We don't need any dirty framers in the kitchen."
Framer to Plumber: I 'm not a dirty framer, I am a carpenter and I'm well dressed, if I may say so myself."
"I'm tired of being cold -- where is the warm weather?"
The rest of the quotes are from tonight's fortune cookies:
For the person who forgot to pay for dinner a while back: "The strengths in your character will bring you serenity."
For the person preparing an emergency preparedness kit: "The wise thing to do is to prepare for the unexpected."
For the person who lost her hammer and then it was found: "Tomorrow you will find the item you have been searching for."
For our project manager: "You will be successful through innovation and determination."
For two volunteers: "Your hard work is about to pay off."
For the writer of this blog: You have a charming way with words. Send email to a friend."
I often have people tell me they would like to come help, but they wouldn't be able to spend all day at it. We can use people who can give all day or just an hour. There are many days when the regular volunteers have been there all day and at 5 PM there is a cleanup job to do, and of course we still have a lot of work to be done on scissor lifts. Since the contractors use the lifts between 8 AM and 4 PM, we don't schedule work for volunteers needing lifts during those hours. But the contractors are done by 4 PM and El Viejo and Mark Doonan are there almost every evening until at least 7, and sometimes beyond. They would be delighted to have people show up after hours.
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Thursday, April 7, 2011
Days Left: 156
12 Volunteers
4 Contract Framers
2 Contract Plumbers
1 Mechanical Engineer
1 Architect
3 Visitors
Today, El Viejo and a team of five women removed, rolled up, and stored a house full of wall to wall carpeting (about 1,000 square feet) that was donated to the BUUB. They carpooled at 8:30 AM and had the job finished by 1:30 PM. (I heard a rumor they were treated to lunch, but could not verify the report.)
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the concrete was poured in all the open plumbing cuts and it is beautiful in its dark, smooth surface. The "wine cellar" hole in the kitchen is still there and I am wondering if it was forgotten. The plumbers were running new lines in the old boiler room, now dubbed the mechanical room, so when I went by at 4:30 PM to wash dishes, the sink was not available. When the new line was installed, the extra pressure dislodged a mineral deposit the size of a small rock, so the faucet was getting some first aid.
The framers worked on the reception area walls and skylight and the minister's office. New insulation was installed. One volunteer worked in some de-nailing and did some sweeping. I noticed the firewood box was full and overflowing. Insulation and flooring were added to the attic above the kitchen. One crew continued cleaning up and organizing the warehouse, and special electrical hookups were installed. Another volunteer hauled all the toxic chemicals to the Glenwood Station.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We had an all woman team tearing out the carpet and they were awesome. Women really work well together and are very efficient." I have heard this comment before, and one way they are unique, is that most women volunteering on this project are not trained to do jobs the traditional way. They look at what needs to be done and then figure out a way to do it that is often more efficient! Way to go!
Great casserole delivered by a Break Room Dancer -- tomorrow's lunch menu includes a chicken, vegetable, wild rice soup.
Remember - Chinese Dinner at Fortune Inn, 1775 West 6th Avenue at 5:30 PM.
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Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Days Left: 157
7 Volunteers
1 Electrical Engineer
1 Structural Engineer
7 Contract Framers
3 Electrical contractors
1 Architect
1 Office Manager
5 Visitors
The plates are installed to begin framing the new addition. Also, the studs are cut, with angles worked out to join the roof of the existing building and the new addition. The boards are pre-cut to the exact size and stacked inside the building, ready to go. It's like a kit. All of the short end pieces were cut in 12 inch pieces to use for blocking. When you visit, be sure to look around the framing at the ceiling level to see the tremendous amount of blocking already installed. Some of it is structural to support sheet rock or ceiling weight, and some of it is fire blocks. Rooms 3, 4, 6 and 7 are 85% to 90% framed and Room 5 is mostly done but not as far along as the others. The framing of the chapel is also about 90% complete. The very high pile of stacked blocks is all but gone.
All of the cement cuts for plumbing were filled with gravel and ready for concrete the week for the two new restrooms. Thanks to those who helped with the shoveling this afternoon. More rock wool insulation was carried to the attic over the kitchen, and there is still a lot more to go. The office manager recently returned from vacation and spent a good part of the day filing and reorganizing -- especial the master calendar.
Another two electrical boxes were eliminated and a huge pile of several hundred feet of heavy copper cable was removed. Turning on the power is controlled by four major power cords. We have come a long way from the nine boxes we started with in August.
I gave the wrong number for the amount of metal and wire sold to Schnitzer yesterday - the actual total was $468.40. And that was just odds and ends.
A number of piping hot pizzas were delivered by a Break Room Dancer, along with a very large fresh salad and it was happily consumed. Dishes were washed and some of the recycled material was hauled home. If you would like to help provide food for volunteers, contact Marina McIntire to get on the schedule - marina.mcintire@comcast.net 541-434-2315. TOMORROW we could still use a few more people to help pull carpeting. If you can meet at the BUUB at 8:30 AM to carpool over that's great. If you need to drive on your own, the address is 925 St. Andrews, north and west of Oakway Center. St. Andrews runs into Oakway Road. If you need to find out if help is still needed, call Ed Zack at 541-729-4500. Also, remember there will be a Chinese dinner at The Fortune Inn on Friday evening at 5:30 PM. The restaurant is located at 1775 West 6th Avenue. No reservation needed.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"The framers we are working with are awesome. Nothing is wasted. They use every scrap of lumber."
I hope your weekend plans include volunteering at the BUUB. The job list is long and varied. On Sunday we are delighted to have the Breakfast ClUUb coming to volunteer. We welcome any other group or individual who can lend a hand. Some young bodies would be especially appreciated. On April 16 the men's group from the Salem UU Church is coming down to help.
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Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Days Left: 158
12 Volunteers
7 Contract framers
1 Architect
1 Structural Engineer
1 Electrical Engineer
1 Plumbing Inspector - WE PASSED!
1 Garage door estimator
1 Mechanical Engineer
1 Worm Bin Woman
2 Firewood Gatherers
5 Electrical Contractors dropping off bids (deadline 4 PM today)
4 Visitors
As you can tell, it was a very busy day. The morning crew brought in a lot of lumber and plywood and there are still two bundled loads outside. Much of it was extra long and some was wide. The framers did a lot of fire blocking, light chute framing for skylights, Kim's office was started and will be the next to get major attention. Every scrap of lumber is being used with only very short lengths going in the firewood box.
There is a small amount of plumbing to be done first thing in the morning and then concrete will be poured, so gravel shovelers are needed. Our "Doorman" has finished the inventory and is now taking off all the old hardware. Women began stripping paint off of the doors and want to have a Geezer Challenge to help clean up all the doors that will be reused. It requires using the citrus stripper which is not toxic. It doesn't requires brute strength and a volunteer could come in and work an hour at a time. There is a good supply of doors - the only requirement is "no gouges" - the doors are all solid core with small even grain.
A crew of five began tearing all the siding off the north side of the building at 4:30 PM and had it completely stripped, de-nailed and stored inside, with the new concrete quartermastered and tools put away by 7:30 PM. A couple of the volunteers will have very sore backs and probably not be able to walk by morning, but it was great exercise and gave a feeling of accomplishment. The framers want to start constructing the new addition tomorrow and all the siding had to come off first.
I misspoke when I said someone was removing graffiti from the west side of the building - it is actually removing paint that looks like it was thrown at the bricks that is being worked on. One volunteer has found a way to more effectively remove it. Inside, the second and final coat of paint was put on the kitchen ceiling.
Metal frames from florescent lights and all of the remaining copper wire was hauled to Schnitzer and we made another $400. Recycling pays!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: You might notice that the architect is listed as being on site every day. He is actually there at least ten hours a day and usually 7 days a week. When told that he needed to take a day off, he said, "Okay, I will take off May 17. That's the first day I have available!"
TOMORROW there is a new list of chores on the job list. Something for every skill level. Also, we still need carpet baggers for Thursday.
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Monday, April 4, 2011
Days Left: 159
13 Volunteers
6 Contract framers
3 Contract plumbers
1 Architect
1 Garage door estimator
1 Solar collector scout
1 Structural engineer
6 Visitors
TOMORROW MORNING: We need lumber movers. A shipment is arriving and needs to be brought into the building:
30 sheets of plywood
60 2x6" lumber
60 2x6-1/2" lumber
30 2x8" lumber
HEADS UP FOR THURSDAY: We need 6 to 8 people to help remove and roll up new carpeting and padding, and to pick up the tack strips at a home near Oakway. Meet at the BUUB at 8:30 AM. If you live near Oakway and want to meet at the home on St. Andrews call Ed Zack to make arrangements 541-729-4500. The carpeting is in 4-5 different rooms throughout the house, so we can use more than one team.
TODAY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Take down and dismantle florescent light fixtures from lobby.
Inventory tools
Remove sheetrock in lobby
Sweep
Remove graffiti painted on bricks (more to be done - it is slow going)
Move rocks
Power wash parking lot
Inventory doors
Relocate drain pipes
Sweep
De-nailing
Pay bills
Wash dishes and quartermaster kitchen
Paint kitchen ceiling
Sweep
Eat a six foot long Subway sandwich in under an hour.
Work on a materials list and engineer the skylight framing
Begin installing pull down ladders
Move gravel from where it was dumped into the ditch along the new addition.
The framers worked on sistering the joists in the minister's office, RE office and library. They worked on walls and ceilings in Rooms 6 and 7, framed the new women's restroom, and worked on roof system supports from inside in order to do it during our wet, green, spring.
Because of the new commercial codes effective January 1, the inspectors are being extra careful inspecting the plumbing. The code now requires a clean out system for each downspout ($100 each and the new addition has six), so the inspectors will be back tomorrow to re-inspect and we hope to pour concrete on Wednesday. Many jobs are a moving target.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"What happened to all that sandwich??? That's the end of it."
"I power washed the concrete. I was the power."
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Sunday, April 3, 2011
Days Left: 160
4 Volunteers
5 Visitors
1 Contract Framer (information gathering)
1 Wood Gatherer
OK, OK, the bat story was an APRIL FOOL prank. Someone suggested I put this at the beginning today since many did not read to the end of yesterday's report.
THURSDAY we need a special crew to remove, roll up, and store the 1000 square feet of carpeting donated to the BUUB. If you are available - please call me at 541-335-1637 so we can be sure we have an adequate crew.
TOMORROW there is a long list with a variety of jobs on the white board. We need YOU!
Today a new volunteer demolished a small section of wall in the southwest corner to expose plumbing and shoveled gravel. Three more loads of gravel were delivered for filling in plumbing cuts tomorrow. I forgot to mention that the women's restroom was cleaned yesterday, and today the accessible restroom was cleaned. A handrail for the folding stairs to the kitchen attic was fabricated.
That was it! There were so few volunteers there were not even any dishes to be washed.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"I am officially concerned about the lack of volunteers." -- El Viejo
"I think we are all bats for doing this project. I am proud to be one of them." - A volunteer
I talked to a volunteer at church this morning who is willing to call every one of our members and friends to get firm commitments to volunteer. We are mindful of all that many of you are already doing - serving on committees related to the new building, bringing food, running errands, and working at hard labor. And that probably includes most of the people reading this blog. Our intent is to step up the commitment a notch and to recruit some new bodies. Thanks to everyone who is already a regular - you are greatly appreciated!
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Saturday, April 2, 2011
Days Left: 161
10 Volunteers
2 Contract Plumbers
1 Architect
1 Volunteer carpenter
8 Visitors
We are grateful to those who showed up to volunteer, but it was a very disappointing turnout for a Saturday. More and more the bulk of the work is being done by people 65 and older. All are cheerful and happy, but keep waiting and watching for additional people to come lend a hand. All ages welcome.
Up to now, we have treated volunteering more like a "free will offering", but if we want to get our new church built without spending large amounts of money for labor, we have to have more bodies. Our next plan of attack is to have a telephone bank like NPR/PBS. Everyone in the congregation will be getting a phone call asking what they are able to do to help and for a specific commitment of time they will "pledge" during the next six months.
Part of our reason for taking this approach is that during evenings and weekends, there are no subcontractors using the scissor lifts and other tools. We still need daytime volunteers. All of the contractors have expressed their appreciation for having a crew handy to move lumber and materials out of their way or shovel gravel into holes, prepare areas for work, etc. This means we are paying contractors to do skilled labor, not paying them to move lumber and gravel.
So far we have more than 150 individuals who have volunteered in some way toward the completion of the building - be it demolishing walls, moving lumber and other heavy objects, sweeping, or supplying food. All of it is important. Two weeks ago 26 people showed up and gave us great hope that we would be able to attract that number on a regular basis - not every day, but regularly. Since that time, our highest count has been 15. Today we had no more than three volunteers at any one time.
Okay, enough preaching. Here is what got done today:
Trimmed the hedges on the west side that were beginning to hide our sign.
Scraped the mud off of boards and sheetrock used in cement forms outside.
Putting together junction boxes for electrical system.
Hosed down the new addition concrete.
Swept rooms, hallways, and the parking lot.
Shoveled excess gravel and dirt from the parking lot.
Delivered tuna salad for lunch bunch.
Moved insulation to kitchen attic and did sistering of boards in preparation for laying the flooring.
Completely soaked one volunteer while hosing off the concrete.
Washed dishes - hot water heater working today.
Measured blocks and installed the first of 2,000 fire blocks. (All done by volunteer carpenter not affiliated with our church.)
Worked on lights and power - redistribution to make power available throughout the building
Remember - Work Hours are Monday through Saturday - 8 AM to 5 PM (later if you want) and Sunday - Noon to 5 PM
The entry yesterday about fumigating to remove 500 bats was an APRIL FOOL PRANK......We have no bats in the building now and never have to our knowledge. Thanks to those who expressed concern.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"Where are the volunteers? I thought we would have a crowd."
"Dear Judie,
If we are a "green" outfit, we ought to be able to get the bats to leave without killing them! They are helpful for killing mosquitos, for one thing. Anyway, I hope the church can get some ideas about getting rid of them without poison, which seems a bad idea all around. "
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Friday, April 1, 2011
Days Left: 162
15 Volunteers
8 Contract Framers
2 Contract Plumbers
1 Architect
1 Electrical Contractor
1 HVAC Contractor
5 Visitors
10 for Chinese Dinner
El Viejo and Mark Doonan were in for quite a surprise when they opened up the BUUB this morning about 7 AM. There was in excess of 500 bats flying around inside, evidently coming out of hibernation with the warm weather. They called exterminators to see what they should do. They are hopeful none of them are rabid, but the company recommended we fumigate the building just to make sure none of our volunteers or the subcontractors are in any danger. We have no idea how they got in and it is odd that we never saw any last fall.
It was a very busy day, with de-nailing, sweeping, sawing, moving wood, cleaning out the sump in the parking lot drain (one to go), rebar cutting, boring holes in concrete for rebar, doing an inventory of all the recycled doors and making assignments of where they will be used, ordering door hardware, wire stripping, shoveling gravel, bringing in 55 sheets of plywood, cutting 103 rebar holes, removing the forms from the newly poured concrete outside, going over parking lot with a magnet, and filling in the ditch around the new concrete. The framers have completed the ceilings in rooms 6 and 7 - and the friendly competition came to a halt because they temporarily ran out of material in one room, so they pitched in and helped the competition. The water heater played dead in the afternoon so all of the dirty dishes (two tubs full) were taken to a home dishwasher and returned. The laser leveler was taken down and 5/8" plywood was moved to the kitchen attic to support the water system.
El Viejo continued to check the new concrete last night, and by 11:30 PM declared it hard enough to walk on. No initials or graffiti was added. Today, a chance encounter with hardware bins at Bi-Mart resulted in a treasure trove being acquired. I guess Bi-Mart is no longer selling things like nuts, bolts, screws, nails, etc., in bulk. El Viejo was thrilled to hear about them and we managed to get enough to stuff a Prius to the gills for a mere $8. If we had purchased them at a hardware store, they would have been $8 EACH. I think we ended up with about 75, including the flat trays they slide into, turning them into drawers.
I learned today that every time the ferrari's come out to the parking lot, they distribute nails that are stuck to their wheels. That's how we end up with sharp objects that make tires go flat, so going over the parking lot with a magnet regularly is a good idea. If volunteers would sweep the parking areas close to the building where there is accumulated dirt and rocks, that would be helpful too - nails and screws would be more visible.
IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT TO DO TOMORROW? You Betcha!
We are going to be going full tilt for the next several months, and each and every volunteer who shows up will have a job. We need more people. Tomorrow the contract plumbers will be working to prepare the last of the plumbing for inspection.
On Monday we will have water line inspection. We are getting three loads of gravel delivered over the weekend and by Monday afternoon we need shovelers to fill the holes.
But back to tomorrow - We will be putting insulation in the kitchen attic and nailing down flooring. We need blocking teams to install at least 2,000 fire blocks in the framed walls (measuring and cutting the blocks, and then screwing them into place). We need people to sand the beams in the sanctuary, and especially need someone to thoroughly clean the bathrooms - scrub sinks and the floors. We need strong backs to move boxes of fire suppression system parts from the women's restroom to the sanctuary. The entire building needs sweeping. We need someone to organize those new bins we just bought today. And there is more. . .
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
Two people carrying sheets of plywood into the building. One facing forward, the other walking backward. "Are you tired being the one facing backward? Nope, I will just pretend I am Ginger Rogers."
A volunteer drilling holes for rebar - "I'm just doing the holy work."
Drilling 57 holes in concrete for rebar: "I realized how old I am. I need to carry a fork lift with me." And after she left, another 46 holes were drilled, so there are two people that need a fork lift with them.
One of the contractors was heard to say, "I have to watch my language. I'm working on a church now."
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