| JUNE 2011 400 Days New Home News |
JUNE NEW HOME NEWSWe're renovating our new building at 13th and Chambers ~ Our Blog-Author Volunteer Coordinator ~ Sign up ~ ~ December 2011 December 2010
THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2011
1. Old pocket doors between the Scottish Rite social hall and dining room.
The storage room between the mechanical room and the project office was cleaned out and everything that is non-essential right now was moved to the warehouse. I asked El Viejo if he still has an office? "yes, so far." "If there is something in the BUUB that is not going to be used today or tomorrow, move it to storage or get rid of it." Those were the marching orders. When things get crazy with lots of subcontractors and volunteers in the building, combined with new wiring, fixtures, plumbing, and HVAC equipment, it makes no sense to have a bunch of stuff in the way. DATELINE TAOS: In the past week, New Mexico has witnessed the beginning of 55 new wildfires. Today the town was particularly smokey. I felt one or two raindrops late this afternoon, but that was it. Husband Ed and I had the pleasure of lunching with our UU friends of 21 years. We were all charter members of a church in Danville, IN in 1996. They moved to New Mexico four years ago and we are all comfortable as old shoes together. I worked in a small shop the wife owned called "The Bird Feeder" and the husband is the person who learned the Presbyterian Church had decided to disband and they were selling their historic 1896 Queen Anne style brick church for $70,000. Sixteen of us took a leap of faith and bought it.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 29, 2011 14 Volunteers It's 11:25 PM Mountain Time - I had just finished creating today's report and when I sent it I kept getting a message saying I had a couple of options. Previously no problems. Well, you guessed it - it disappeared into cyberspace and is nowhere to be found. So I will see if I can recreate it for you. There were still several people working at the BUUB at 7:30 PM - you just can't keep those beam sanders away! All of the flying clouds in the Sanctuary are complete. There are six more to be done in the social hall. Some of the volunteers are working 6-8 hours a day. Remember those temporary "windows" created on the north side of the building in Rooms 1 and 2? They were boarded up today and covered with siding and you would never know they ever existed. The "windows" came to be when the cold air vents were removed and at the time there were no windows on that side of the building and it was wonderful having natural light. Now that the skylights are open, we could do without the windows. The framers did miscellaneous framing and blocking, including for the doors for the corridor around the Chapel. There was NO sheetrock work today. More of the old temporary wiring was removed and our volunteers helped the electricians install conduit for control systems. The project manager, architect, and acoustical engineer had an extended meeting to discuss strategy for audio/visual systems. We will have wiring for all the components we can possibly need, all ready and waiting for the money to pay for a first class system. Our church sound crew has scheduled a meeting to discuss hearing assistance devices on Friday afternoon at the BUUB. The old boiler room, now mechanical/custodial room, was cleaned out to make room for the large HVAC units that will be delivered. The big news is we have a new outside door! It is to the mechanical room - this means when we need to get the mower in and out, we won't have to unscrew plywood panels to create an opening and then screw them back up when the mower is put away. This is truly cool.
Here is a heads up for the next few days - There will be Chinese dinner at The Fortune Inn, 1775 West 6th Street at 5:30 PM on Friday. The BUUB will be closed on Saturday and Sunday- unless you have a key or want to work if you find other cars in the parking lot. There will be a full day of work on Monday, July 4th, but we have given the Break Room Dancers a three day weekend, with no food on the weekend or Monday - in appreciation for all their wonderful donations. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "With the Hovercraft gone and no lights turned on, at 7:30 PM you can still read a newspaper in the Sanctuary." "I did so much insulation work today that when I fall asleep tonight I will see sheep running in a field of soft, gray insulation, and the fences they jump over will be 2x4s." DATELINE TAOS: We had rain! - the first in over two months. All the neighbors were outside on porches or under carports just watching it rain. A big event. Husband Ed had a treat - our two teenage grandsons, age 15 and 17, invited him to join them in their "secret house" - an odd assortment of building materials in the backyard. They sat out there for over an hour, listening to the rain on the corrugated tin roof, swapping stories, and listening to the oldest grandson play classical guitar. I have never been allowed inside that structure! I hope this report goes this time. I have created it in two places just in case.
14 Volunteers
The electricians installed two large spider boxes containing 8 GFCI plugs (Ground Fault Circuit Interceptor plugs) like we have in our kitchens and bathrooms. All of the lights and plugs from the Hovercraft will either be used in the warehouse or the plugs and wiring can be recycled and used in our permanent wiring.
The plumbers were installing toilet flanges in the male and female east restrooms. There was insulation installed in the women's restroom, the corridor around the Chapel, and rooms 6 and 7. There was sheetrock demolition in Room 4. The framers worked on doorways. One really cool thing is rather than spending big bucks for the large doors between the Chapel and the Social Hall, we are recycling the old pocket doors to save money. The attic over the kitchen and pantry was "sparkled up," dishes were done and the kitchen cleaned up at day's end so there was enough room for the BPOC to have a meeting at Momma's Table. Great food was delivered - it's always tasty, but some days someone remembers to tell me about it. Today it was a bean casserole and killer potato salad.
One of the contract framers was peeled off to do another job for a few days, and at lunch today he said, "I hadn't realized how much I missed the BUUB. Sitting around Momma's Table, talking and eating great food for lunch every day is really special." Commenting on his consultation with the OSHA inspector, El Viejo told me: "I am just a common manipulative whore." My cell phone rang here in Taos with BPOC members on the other end: "Can you tell us what the balance is in the checkbook?" DATELINE TAOS: I had a tough day today - sat outside drinking coffee, had a three hour nap, then went to a bicycle shop and bought my grandson a new bike, helmet, lock, etc., had a latte, did a little shopping, got this report, went out to dinner for Mexican food. It is still HOT, WINDY, and SMOKEY. MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011 9 Volunteers Today's main event was insulating around the skylight shafts, working on the "flying clouds" and miscellaneous framing - doorways, etc. There was a lot of cleaning and organizing in preparation for the OSHA consultation first thing tomorrow morning. Spiderman was assigned as "roof monitor" to make sure nobody fell over the edge, etc. Safety barricades were put up around the excavations in the south lobby where the large pillars will go. 100 sheets of sheetrock were delivered and moved inside. The recyclables were rounded up, dishes were done, and roof cant strips were installed. I hear that some of the 17 people who volunteered on Saturday gave a shout of appreciation to Judy Sawyer during church on Sunday morning and after becoming a "captain" she decided she might need a tool belt. Today, she was presented with a new tool belt. Because the BUUB is so large, a tool belt is an important piece of equipment - otherwise a person could wear themselves out going back and forth for tools. In three days Judy will finally be an official member of the Building Project Oversight Committee, so a tool belt is a fitting welcome to the BPOC. She has been an unofficial member for a couple of years. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "When insulating the shafts of the skylights, you have to be a gymnast." The electrical supervisor said: "The guys love working here -- it's like going on vacation because they are treated so well and have so much fun with the rest of the crew -- volunteer and professional." MY 74th BIRTHDAY: Thanks to everyone for sending birthday greetings in e-cards, Facebook posts, and emails. I had a great day and was forced to learn how to post on the "wall" of my Facebook account to acknowledge the messages. Thank goodness my teenage grandson has it down to a fine science and he gave me a tutorial. It is very smokey in Taos today because of the 49,000 acre wildfire near Los Alamos, NM. I was working outside and thought it got cloudy -- then learned that it was smoke. Tonight we ate outside and the temperature was perfect. A nice breeze is blowing in the window as I write this. Birthday cake, at my request, is angel food cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Picture me very relaxed with a pink tree peony behind my ear! SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 3 Volunteers Thanks to the visitors who dropped in to look around and donate some cookies for the volunteers. Not a big crew like yesterday, but those who came were able to insulate two more skylights - so that makes three at the west end of the building that are finished. And after working on that, they cleaned up all the debris. We might have to rethink being open on Sunday unless more people show up, although there is so much sheetrock and insulation to do that as one volunteer put it, "we could be here until kingdom come." One crew member got orders for a certain size of insulation to cut, cut it and handed up to the other crew member, which gives us the
"Coming right up!" And this was repeated over and over all day. I'm embarrassed to say that I really can't remember whether they were installing sheetrock or insulation. I wrote down insulation but it is nagging me that they were actually doing sheetrock.
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2011 17 Volunteers A plywood panel had to be taken off the old boiler room, now mechanical room, in order to get the mower out so the grass could be mowed. Glue dots were removed from the Sanctuary ceiling. I had the following quote about glue dots on Friday, but it wasn't received here until today: "As for me, I scraped P.I.T.A. chips until my arms ached. Hoping someone else will finish them. The Boss said they were mission critical, which I take to mean they have to come off in order for the ceiling work to proceed." The beams in the Sanctuary got a coat of paint remover and there was some scraping off of paint, but no sanding today. The surface has to dry first so it won't clog up the sander. The door refinishing room doors got a coat of primer, wood was cut, firewood was picked up, and lots of insulation was installed. There was some cleaning up in anticipation of the OSHA consultation on Tuesday. That was the morning crew. The afternoon crew worked at further wall demolition of the east restroom, sweeping and dish washing, more insulation, and some wire stripping. "It's bright enough in the BUUB to wear sun glasses." "Sure is easy to close the BUUB down - I don't have to turn out any lights." Spiderman was just closing up at 6:30 PM...on a Saturday! Dateline: Durango, CO ....346 miles today. Highest temperature - 98. Talked to a couple from Tucson who had spent 11 hours in a car with no A/C. They wanted their beer cold. Our last travel day is tomorrow and it will be short. The next week is with family in Taos, NM. (just a few miles from where we stayed last night, there was an attempted gas station robbery, a high speed chase, and three policemen wounded, and the robber shot.) No exciting birds today. FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011 12 Volunteers Guess what? Installation of sheetrock and insulation. The framers worked on closing in the 3rd bay for the "flying clouds" in the Sanctuary. They also eliminated the west double door that has been held closed with a chain for security. It is now a framed in wall. The lawn mower is moved to the mechanical room (old boiler room). The building got additional cleaning and everything is now cleaned off the roof. There was a field trip to Sweet Home to look at rocks. They have a good selection, and a good price, but it is a long way to haul 9 truckloads. Everything that might be a safety issue is getting a closer look - broken tools, questionable power cords, etc., and they are getting repaired or replaced. WEEKEND HOURS! The BUUB will be open from 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, and from Noon to 4 PM on Sunday - so come on down. Main projects will be beam sanding, insulation, and more cleaning. Judy Sawyer and Chuck Wagar are captains on Saturday, and Pat Hendriks is captain on Sunday.
"What are those large birds over there in the pond? Those aren't birds, they are fence posts." BEST BIRDS OF THE DAY: White faced ibis, and both black-necked stilts and avocets on nests. DEFINITION OF A CRICKET, courtesy Martha Osgood: A cricket is a ridge structure designed to divert water on a roof. Generally found on the high side of a chimney or the transition from one roof area to another, the cricket is normally the same pitch as the rest of the roof, but not always. Smaller crickets are covered with metal flashing, and larger ones can be covered with the same material as the rest of the roof. Crickets are also often referred to as "saddles" in this context. THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2011 DAYS LEFT = 80 11 Volunteers Another day of sheetrock and insulation installation - so get used to this being the lead sentence. Another young person was there today - perfect for the job of climbing around in the attic working with the insulation. He was agile and could work in a small space.
There is a lot of cleanup necessary because of working with the sheetrock. We can't stress enough how helpful it is to have a regular cleanup crew, any time of the day, to work at keeping ahead of the fine dust particles and the debris from cutting to specific sizes. There was additional cleanup in the demolished east restroom and the attic. Dishes were washed and the kitchen organized for the night. We can already notice a change in the sound level in the Chapel because of the added insulation, and we have only installed about 3% of the insulation. Just imagine what it will be like when it is all in and the sheetrock is put up. The framers worked on the roof, cutting out the large round ventilators and towers, then patching the roof. Additional striping to meet OSHA requirements was spray painted on the roof. Yesterday I mentioned there was a fork lift repairman - what I didn't know is that he was there for four hours and there was no charge. The only thing wrong with the fork lift is that it isn't being used enough and it needed general maintenance. My "dateline" today is Ontario, Oregon. It was kind of slow going because of two lane highways and so we went just under 400 miles. I gassed up - enjoying the last of having our gasoline pumped for us, before heading off to Idaho tomorrow. There was fun news passed along from El Viejo and the following: QUOTES OF THE DAY: "We discovered what happened to the cord for the radio that disappeared about two months ago. One of the contract framers (who wrote about his divorces on the injury board) didn't like having to listen to classical music, so he took the cord!" Remember - Chinese dinner at The Fortune Inn, 1775 E 6th, at 5:30 PM. That's tomorrow - Friday - we will miss being there. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011 14 Volunteers
Happiness is having the the refrigerators and upright freezer rearranged - the upside down shelves in the Scottish Rite fridge were flipped and that old unit is now the beer cooler All of our precious food and drink was transferred to the newer fridge that was donated by my neighbors and it is glorious.
El Viejo was on the roof with a spray can painting stripes indicating four foot wide "corridors" for walking, indicating when you get too close to the edge and might fall over, etc. All OSHA requirements. The following will happen to any volunteer who steps outside the lines: First offense: - A warning. There was beam sanding, more "flying cloud" preparation and sheetrocking around the beams. A youth showed up for the first time - always a welcome addition. Teens love moving lumber! QUOTES OF THE DAY: The striping on the roof will be: "Handy for people in helicopters to know where to walk." "The birds and squirrels better pay attention or El Viejo will be after them."
"Why aren't we working on insulation? HELP NEEDED: Between now and about July 7, I will be getting my report by phone and on the fly. One of the most difficult things about doing this blog on days I am not a daily visitor, is getting a feel for who is volunteering and hearing some great quotes. I would appreciate any of you who visit the BUUB to send me an email with some juicy quotes. Send them to my personal email rather than newhome.judie310hansen@comcast.net I hope I recognize the building when I get back. What I really hope for is to find that Willamette has new pavement between 30th and 42nd and there will be no more utility work or flaggers. Thanks to Susanne Giordano and Betty Hosakawa who will be washing dishes and quartermastering the kitchen every evening, and recording progress with a camera. There is Chinese dinner on Friday night at The Fortune Inn, 1775 West 6th at 5:30 PM. Now I have to go pack and make ready for the house sitter. Tuesday June 21, 2011
Days Left: 82
10 Volunteers "Did you go up on the roof today? " "No way....I am afraid of heights and I like to have my feet firmly planted on the ground." MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 83
12 Volunteers
6 Contract Framers 1 HVAC Technician 3 Architects 1 OSHA Inspector 4 Visitors Several volunteers worked at removing the last of the tiles on the old restroom wall, then the sheetrock was taken down. The whole area still looks like a war zone and probably will until it starts being put back together. More ceiling dots were removed in the sanctuary. The project office was cleaned and there was sweeping. A load of lumber and a load of sheetrock were delivered, and they were moved into the building. More insulation work in the attic and mechanical areas occurred. The framers were constructing the framework for the "flying clouds" in the Sanctuary, and with the new design using baffles we will now be able to see 90% + of the beams. Originally, we were only going to see 5% of the beams. What that means is there is a lot more beam surface to be sanded. The scissor lifts were extremely noisy, squeaking and creaking as they went up and down. The cause? -- having two grown men plus a 22 foot long 2x4 which is about the maximum load limit. Dishes were washed, outside work was done, and a new ballast was installed in the florescent light fixture in the kitchen and the volunteers can see what they are eating! Today it was quiche, grapes, juice and cookies. Two volunteers went on a scouting trip to area quarries in search of large rocks/boulders for the swale. The range in price was wide. We are fortunate to have the use of a large dump truck for transportation. Additional field trips and phone calls will do further comparison shopping. The OSHA inspector stopped by after seeing two people on the roof. He and El Viejo had a little chat, including inspection of the Injury Board, which has recorded all of the injuries since last August. Because of our diligent safety guidelines, and the safe way our volunteers and contractors work, there have been no emergency room or doctor visits. The inspector was very impressed with how well organized and clean the whole building is and we had no violations or fines to pay. A consultation for a full appraisal of OSHA rules is set for about ten days from now. TODAY'S QUOTES: "Removing dots is tedious work. I was up there for about an hour and it is mind numbingly hard. I don't know how those women did it -- and they devoted hours to it."
"All of the prep work done months ago is really paying off. It is making the job much easier for the contractors." _______________________________________________ SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 84 9 Volunteers
4 Visitors No Architect or Contractors Another "officially closed" day at the BUUB, but volunteers arrived in good number to check out the jobs board, roll up their sleeves, and get busy. Women were on elevated scissor lifts removing glue dots and sanding beams in the sanctuary. There was vacuuming, sweeping, dirt and gravel removal from the old east restroom, and insulation work in the attic and mechanical spaces. Outside, two regulars mowed the grass and trimmed bushes and got rid of those tall weeds. Thanks to all those who came to lend a hand. El Viejo and I have been playing phone tag, so I am relying on the information I collected at 3 PM. Goodness knows what happened after that! Tomorrow the professional crew will return and we hope to have a large volunteer base to work ahead of them. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I don't much like being up high, and when I first worked on this thing I was very nervous, but now that I have been up here near the ceiling removing dots, I feel pretty comfortable working on it."
_______________________________________________ SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
DAYS LEFT: 85 9 Volunteers
3 Visitors No contractors No architects The "invisible man" (project manager) was a bad boy and after just stopping by to make sure everything was okay at 7 AM, he stayed until 10 AM and was amazed to see so many volunteers show up. We need to be closed more often. It makes it too tempting and everyone wants to come in to see whether anyone else will show up. The crew got everything on the job board completed. Tomorrow a few people have already indicated they will be 'doing church' at the BUUB and plan to be there some time after 9 AM. There will be a new job list created for the officially closed Sunday. Anyone who wants to join the fun can just show up. There was beam paint removal and sanding, firewood cutting, de-nailing, nail pickup, cardboard recycling, trash removal, sweeping, and snacking. One group went to the roof and brought down tools, nails and boxes of 'stuff' when it started to rain. Another group worked at cleaning up all the dirt and gravel spread around on the floor of the east restroom where the plumbing cuts were made. Spiderman installed insulation in the attic area and had some help. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "There were almost as many UUs at the Market of Choice on Willamette at 3 PM as there were at the BUUB."
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2011 "Remember how excited we got when we put up all those temporary light fixtures on the walls of the sanctuary and social hall so we could see? " (No need for lights these days.)
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 "It was so noisy in the social hall because of the jackhammer in the restroom that I couldn't stand it. That's why I went out and worked on bricks." WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2011 8 Volunteers The folding door and its track got cleaned and it is working like a charm. The portable planer was busy in the process of manufacturing trim pieces for the folding door. The framers were putting up plywood in the four corner skylight shafts in the Chapel. Sheetrock was installed in the mechanical areas of the attic and in the sanctuary. The walls of the new east restroom were framed in. There was a lot of insulation installed and all of the temporary lights are gone throughout the building thanks to the contract electricians. Several people worked at de-nailing boards. I was curious to know what was being demolished that resulted in more boards to be de-nailed -- turns out it is from all the temporary framing coming out, making way for the real deal. All of the ducting that was put in the cricket on the roof had to be insulated - it is a tedious job and El Viejo was squeezed into a small space working way past quitting time. Unfortunately, in an effort to be efficient, a kind soul put the ladder away for the night and went home! Luckily, I was still in the kitchen and realized El Viejo was still in the cricket on the roof and had no way to get down. I called him on his cell phone to be sure. As I was scratching my head trying to figure out how I was going to lift that extension ladder or whether I should call the fire department to get him down, the plumbers arrived to fix the plugged toilet. Oh, that's right, I hadn't mentioned the toilet. It is the brand new and only toilet! There is only a very small section of original sewer line -- about 30 feet from the restroom. It is all six inch pipe. The restrooms and water lines in that end of the building were disconnected months ago. Best we can figure, a rat must have built a nest in that location, causing the blockage. The obstruction was cleared about 6 PM and all is well. There is never a dull moment at the BUUB! ANNOUNCEMENTS: One of the people who purchased theater seats is moving to a smaller home and is interested in selling them - They are numbered 5, 6, 7 and 8 and the asking price is $100 for the set. The money will be donated to the BUUB. Let me know if you are interested. All four are hooked together. Set yourself up with a nice little home theater! Would someone be willing to return all the bottles and cans with a deposit? We have a box full sitting next to the stove in the kitchen. Is there someone out there in radio land who has experience with a corporate move? We are looking for hot tips on setting up a process to keep things organized, setting up a system, and establishing deadlines, etc. Please contact Wanda Kuenzli (wmkuenzli@earthlink.net) if you are that person. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "It is a great view from the roof." The next one appeared in the Creativity Portal in an email I received today. Makes me think of all the twists and turns in our renovation of the BUUB: “While linear thinking goes from A to B to C to D, non-linear thinking, or creative thinking, goes from Q to Venus to Peacock by way of glitter and winds up on your front doorstep at midnight with a bottle of champagne.” -----Jill Allison Bryan TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011 11 Volunteers It was a case of "Upstairs/Downstairs" -- crews working in the "upstairs" attic installing insulation in an attempt to stay ahead of the HVAC installation. Our glossary has a new entry: Chuck Wagar is now Spiderman because he stood on railings and rafters to reach tricky areas and install insulation. And for our newest member of the BPOC, a trip to the roof gave her a first hand look at the cricket. Now the search is on to learn the origin of the term cricket. Does it relate to the insect or the game? Inquiring minds want to know. The cricket has become the Battleship Galactica. There was de-nailing, dish washing, installation of insulation in the Chapel mechanical space, old restroom demolition and some new construction (to move the door). The new restroom will have an alcove inside the main door - a nice touch since the main door opens to the corridor near the Sanctuary.* Work was done tracing all the wires for the internet connection and the problem was finally located with service restored. There was office work and beam sanding, realignment of the folding door, door painting, and late afternoon sweeping and cleanup. At the BPOC meeting, it was pointed out that we need at least 6-8 more people daily in order to get the insulation installed ahead of the mechanicals. We hope to attract high school and college students who have not been able to find summer employment, and of course anyone else who can help. *The reason the old restrooms (that we thought we would live with for a while) are being demolished and rebuilt is because the City declared they did not meet federal standards and codes -- every restroom in the building has to have at least one ADA stall, and even the regular stalls did not meet minimum standards and code for non-ADA stalls.
"A mother's perspective on insulation installation: Cutting insulation is like cutting a sheet cake. Installing insulation is like tucking a baby in to bed." (The insulation we are using is soft - no fiberglas, no itch!) "I'm getting a suntan walking around inside the building." On the subject of recruiting volunteers: "Remember - the mosquitoes are bad at campsites in Oregon this time of year. Come on down to the BUUB." And last, but not least - the Opening Words from the BPOC meeting: "New life comes in only as we turn loose of the old. There must be a place for what we want or need. If there is not a place prepared, the new circumstances flow on by --- and we are left with the same things we have always had. If we think we cannot bear to part with an old way of life, we are not ready to accept anything new. Instead we can make a personal decision, a firm commitment, to forget what is behind and push forward to what is ahead." --A Cherokee Feast of Days by Joyce Hifler MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2011 12 Volunteers After almost two weeks of no internet in the project office and hours spent trying to figure it all out, it is possible to get a connection if you sit in the vault. The cable comes into the building right next to the vault! One volunteer spent the better part of today working on it, and when he finally got a signal, his computer decided it was time to download an updated anti-virus program. The best part of getting the signal again was finding an email from the City saying our electrical permit was approved last Friday. This means the electrical contractor goes full steam ahead. A couple of problem-solving geniuses worked on the folding door between the sanctuary and social hall. Part of the remodeling required an opening with two less panels on the door. The track was cut and we are now remodeling backwards. It works! What is really strange is having the door closed all day today. Moving from social hall to sanctuary requires an end run through the corridor or the mechanical room when it is closed. Now, when you want to find someone in the building, you call them on their cell phone. You know how El Viejo keeps saying "we are done with demolition"? -- well, the same could be said about "that's the last load of stuff to go to the warehouse." Today two more pickup loads were rounded up and carted off to the warehouse. This afternoon he had found a few more things to go. Additional demolition was done on tile and old plumbing in the ladies restroom and the ceiling was reconstructed. Some sprinkler pipes that were in inconvenient places were removed. Time was spent rearranging the attic space so mechanical and insulation can be installed. Sheetrock was installed in the mechanical room attic. There was lots of beam sanding, and we are about 70% done with that project. Some remaining "dots" were removed from the wall behind where the stage was located. I keep forgetting to invite everyone to bring a felt tip marker or two and write a message or your name on the north wall of the sanctuary. It is covered with old sheetrock and will be covered with a second layer, so your message will be in the building as long as it is standing. Most of the people who attended the Saturday Open House posted messages. I have yet to take a photo of them. El Viejo had estimated we would need 500 bundles of insulation. Today he walked around to measure all the areas left to do and was amazed to find that we need 485 bundles. Pretty close estimation. We will use 415 bundles that are 2x6x16 inches and 60 bundles that are 2x4x16 inches. We put out for bid today for 500 bundles. The original coffee maker (similar to the one at 40th) is working! I thought the plumbers had disconnected it, so we brought out an older pour-through workhorse left behind by the Scottish Rite. In anticipation of making 20 pots of coffee for the Open House last Saturday, I decided to plug in the plumbed coffee maker -- imagine my surprise when it heated right up and provided hot water.
"I'm going to hide the blue painter's tape because that's what Ed uses to mark all the things that need to be moved to the warehouse." From a Sunday email to one of our members: "Just finished visiting your open house and all I can say is "Wow!". I am stunned. It is so light and incredible. What a difference from before. I can see why you must be so proud of the accomplishment." "Here's to being connected to the internet again. All I have to do to make it work is to sit in the vault (for light) and plug directly into the system. allelulia. " From a brief conversation at Hirons with a former UUCE member today:
2 Volunteers (Husband Ed and Me - that signed in by 3 PM) We dropped off food left over from the Mary Ann Rodgers Memorial Service, plus the remainder of the 800 donut holes from the Open House that had two encore appearances. Ed cleaned up the small mess left by dumpster divers looking for treasure. Tomorrow we are back at it with a full day of work - sheet rock, sanding, doors, insulation, and sweeping. So far, more than 150 individual volunteers have donated 11,920 hours and done tons of work on our new home. I get fussed at when I mention people by name or quote what they say, but I can say that several in our midst have donated thousands of hours, donated CFS lumber, charged us $35 an hour instead of the going rate of $90, contractors give us discounts for paying on the spot and because they love the work we are doing, appreciate the volunteers and love the food. A fork lift, tractor, mower, storage space, expensive power tools and the restoration of our vintage window have been donated. We have cost savings from materials reuse of $200,000. The original estimate to remodel to occupancy was $4.5 million. Because we have been able to keep 80% of our demolished materials out of the waste stream, have been able to reuse or sell so much of the material, have improved the design, and have so many incredible volunteers our projected cost is now $1.7 million. The Capital Campaign Committee announced today that 12 households have pledged an additional $255,500 and now we still need $401,600. Everyone will be getting a letter outlining this need and asking you to consider what your treasure can do. At the town hall, there was a question about designated gifts. A designated gifts policy has been adopted which states that only items which are already in our plans will be considered for a designated gift. So far we have designated gifts for state-of-the-art lighting and sound.
"We are fortunate to have the fully stocked kitchen - utensils, plates, cups, refrigerator, coffee makers, etc. -- most construction sites could not have a party without using disposables." "It was a disservice to have us tour that dark box....after seeing it now, I want to give a larger donation for a 50 foot high alabaster statute of Ed Zack!" (hear laughter....) "Make no little plans. — Daniel Burnham SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2011 143 ATTEND OPEN HOUSEDifficult to say how many volunteers today since lots of people jumped in to help make it a memorable day. Beautiful fruit was dropped off, donut holes and juice arrived, along with coffee and half and half. It was a lovely feast and as far as we know everyone found something tasty to eat or drink. Thanks to all those who brought goodies and for offering to help in the kitchen or transport food to 40th for the Mary Ann Rodgers Memorial Service. There was lots of food left over from that service and it will be served following church tomorrow to encourage everyone to stay for the Town Hall meeting hosted by the Building Project Oversight Committee and the Capital Campaign Committee. One young man I have never seen before came walking up the sidewalk. Said he saw all the cars in the parking lot and assumed we were all working. He wanted to know if he could volunteer. He said he was handy with power tools. I introduced him to El Viejo and I think they worked something out. He is available during the week. Yes! Guided tours were ongoing from 8 AM to 2 PM, and thanks to Garry Ehrlich we have a scale model of our new building he created showing the location of all the rooms. It sure helps figure out what goes where. Some of the people who visited today had not been in the building since last August. Imagine their shock and dismay to find rooms bathed in light and no longer being greeted by red carpet, gobs of heavy furnishings, low ceilings, and light blue walls. There was no hint of musty, old furnishings. It would be difficult to record all the wonderful quotes of the day - there were many. Tomorrow at the Town Hall, we will have a continuous loop power point presentation showing before and after photos and lots of recent photos for those who were not able to attend the Open House and have not been to the BUUB lately. The scale model of the building will also be on display. And there will be light refreshments. What more could you ask for? Several of those who came to the open house carted home firewood from our wood box. The parking lot was scanned for nails with a magnet early this morning and a lot of sharp objects were collected. Several people did sweeping as well. There is no volunteer work day scheduled tomorrow unless you have a key to the building and your own project. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "I really have appreciation for those who saw an ugly building and realized that it could be turned into something this beautiful. They are the creative dreamers. We are lucky to have them in our congregation." "Wow, I can't believe this place -- it is so open and light. I haven't been in here for a long time and it is amazing." "Is it okay for the kids to bring their scooters in here and ride around? -- You betcha - we love having kids come see their future home." "After seeing how wonderful this is, I need to donate more money." "It is so bright in here - even with all the lights turned off." "I bet it is really fun to work in this environment now isn't it?" "You want something done, you ask a busy person." "Everyone has done a beautiful job - I can't believe we have been able to get this accomplished using so many of our own volunteers." The following was read by Kay Crider today: Words of remembrance in honor of Mary Ann Rodgers As many of you know, Mary Ann was a member of the choir here at the Unitarian Universalist Church and Bill was chair of the Green Sanctuary Committee. We’ve heard many wonderful things today about Mary Ann and how she will be remembered. One of the ways in which Bill and Mary Ann wanted her memory to live on is through the new UU church home currently undergoing renovation at 13th and Chambers. With a generous gift in honor of Mary Ann’s life, we are able to fund state-of-the art, high efficiency lighting throughout our new building. One of the core principles of our church is to respect the earth and the web of life by creating and maintaining a sustainable place for our faith community to be together and to carry out our mission. Along with recycling and reusing 80% of the materials in the old Scottish Rite Temple, employing natural daylight, efficient heating, cooling and landscaping, this gift will help our church stand as a beacon to green building and “sustainability.” Each day as we gather in our new space, we will be reminded of Bill and Mary Ann’s commitment to this principle and feel blessed that Mary Ann will be honored with the light that her life brings to our church home. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011 4 Contract Framers The demolition crew continued work on the two east end restrooms - tiles, walls, toilets, urinals. Elsewhere, sheetrock and insulation were installed, boards de-nailed, dishes washed, beams sanded, recycling hauled, sweeping, sweeping, sweeping, preliminary setup for Open House, food deliveries, debris movement, kitchen scrubbing, and magnet sweeps. At dinner there was an animated discussion about what to do with the two matched urinals in perfect condition. Suggestions: auction off the opportunity to smash them into tiny pieces, or decorate them with decals and use them as planters, etc. Meanwhile, up on the roof the "cricket" and HVAC center were being tweaked. The weather was nice enough that the crew was able to move the kitchen chairs out back or sit on a fork lift of plywood while enjoying a burrito lunch. As the afternoon wore on, there were some fruit robbers on site. We thought it was safe in the refrigerator -- we forgot to mark it as "poison" or "For Saturday Open House." We have a functioning unisex restroom in the west end of the building. It has a door, a handle, a lock, a reading light, toilet paper, and reading material. Nearby is a sink with hot and cold running water, soap, a mirror, and paper towels. To access the sink, you have to leap over the John Deere tractor, unless it is outside mowing grass. Some suggested that perhaps reading material was not a good idea since we have only one working toilet. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "I actually enjoy pulling nails." "Those picking up nails with the magnet are like ball picker-uppers at Wimbledon." "We have the King Canute team of sweepers" "Using the magnet is very satisfying -- hearing the click, click, click as nails and screws hit the bar." Upon hearing that volunteers had eaten all the forbidden fruit: "I am shocked, I cannot believe they would do that.....*grin*" "The eye cleaning faucet gave me a wake up call. I wanted to wash my hands, but got sprayed instead." El Viejo's fortune cookie: "You will be making many changes before settling." "It's Friday, did you all put in your time sheets?" Hope to see you at the Open House tomorrow - 8 AM - 2 PM - Light refreshments, coffee, tea, juice, and guided tours. Enter through north door next to the kitchen. 13th Street entrance to parking lot is closed. THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2011 15 Volunteers We have all the skylights framed - oh happy day! The cricket design is complicated and a real head scratcher. It somewhat resembles the Merrimac or a spaceship, but is improving the appearance and drainage and allows extra room for the HVAC ducting. "Thanks and appreciation these come in so many forms! Today I was dropping off a spaghetti and one of the workers (a pro, not a volunteer) asked me,'Were you the one who made that corn and potato ?' Nope, I'm not, but I can find out who it was. I won't get specific, but one of you lovely people brought the soup that made this lad's heart sing. He LOVED IT! ("I don't usually like soup very much, but that was terrific!") You know who you are. The self-same lad had brought in a large box of doughnuts, saying, "Well, I eat a lot of the food here. I thought I should contribute something." Sheesh! I assured him that A) it wasn't necessary and B) we appreciated it! What a nice treat!" WEDNESDAY JUNE 8, 2011 13 Volunteers Lumber was hauled to the roof or moved into the building from the parking lot. Boards were de-nailed, dishes washed, paperwork sorted, flowers delivered, beams sanded, mowing, raking, and trimming the lawn, blocks cut and installed, general cleanup inside, tiles chipped out in the old restroom, and insulation and sheetrock installed. It was a happening place. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "Expose yourself to art." TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2011 13 Volunteers The number of volunteers is a bit misleading. Up until 1:30 PM there were only two and then things definitely picked up. Tomorrow begins the serious installation of insulation and sheet rock and there will be plenty of work for everyone who shows up. In addition to doing the installation, we always need people to help move materials, gather up the debris - scraps of insulation or sheetrock, etc., and cleanup as the team moves along. From one of the electricians: "I thought my aunt's egg salad was the best, but this is better!" CORRECTION TO YESTERDAY'S POST: "Not dry rot! If it had been, there would not have been a scrap of plywood or stud left intact in the wall. This was a brown rot - not very invasive since it took several decades to finish off a 12" by 12" piece of plywood."
11 Volunteers Meetings - with mechanical systems inspector - with structural engineer
Without the bricks, daylight could be seen through portions of the plywood siding. Never a dull moment for sure, but always a happy day when the volunteers have something to demolish!
Photo right: Fancy front door. QUOTES OF THE DAY: "I discovered an apple crisp in the kitchen. I ate some. It was lovely."
SUNDAY JUNE 5, 2011 1 Volunteer
1 Architect at 9 AM Service *grin* HELP NEEDED: The grass at the BUUB seems to be a job larger than either the battery or electric powered mowers can keep up with. We need someone with a gas powered mower to volunteer to mow the grass on a regular basis so we don't get cited by the City for an unsightly lawn. It doesn't work to have someone offer the use of a mower with the idea of storing it in the building. That will not work. And we don't have any utility buildings to store a gas powered mower. If you can help with this, please let me know ASAP. Once again, we don't want to pay someone to do this job. Judie 541-335-1637 NORTH NEIGHBOR PROPERTY: Recently I mentioned there is a public meeting regarding a possible change in use for the building to our North. Looking Glass Youth and Family Services, a private non-profit organization has a lease agreement for that building. They want to use it for a school for some 65-85 students. No outside activities are involved and no exterior changes to the site are planned. The current zoning is General Office which does not permit public or private schools to operate. This proposed rezoning request is consistent with both the Metro Plan and the Westside Neighborhood Refinement Plan. There is a public meeting on Thursday, June 9 from 5:30-6:30 PM to provide an opportunity to ask questions about the school and comment on the proposed change in zoning. At least one member of the Building Project Oversight Committee plans to attend, and certainly anyone who lives in the neighborhood can attend. The meeting will be held at 1666 West 12th Street. You can park at the BUUB and walk over. ED ZACK'S SUNDAY MORNING PRESENTATION - If you were unable to attend church this morning and are interested in the content of Ed Zack's presentation today - here it is: My dear friends, Today is the 5th of June…. Six months ago the 5th of December I spoke to you from this pulpit and gave you a report on the state of the project to build our new church and my vision of where we are headed. Ten months ago, ten months ago to the day…the fifth of August we started the demolition work on that squat, dark, smelly building we call the BUB. We have been working on our new home for three hundred days. We have accomplished so much. We have come so far. Congratulations. I am so proud of all that has been accomplished and with each of you. I am so grateful to you. I am so lucky to be part of this. We are so lucky to have this opportunity to see the vague, hoped-for future of our community becoming concrete reality. We are so lucky to be part of this process. Initially, I had planned on giving a written report to the congregation every fifty days or so. That plan like so many, so embarrassing many, of my plans have changed, shifted or been discarded.. Judie Hansen, your daily blogger and my steady right hand, chides me that my report is now more than 150 days late. So I hope to rectify the omission by including the much delayed report of your project manager to you, my 350 bosses. In the totally fluid cosmos that is the BUB, the most fixed , if not the only fixed, point I can report is: the target date for the move-in to our new Church, our new home, … sometime in October. I will do my best to be more specific as this project unfolds. I will not tax your patience with a lengthly self-congratulatory list of what has been accomplished to date. Indeed, I encourage those who are interested in specifics to check the daily blog at 400 days at WWW.UUEUGENE.ORG Or better yet you simply need to come to the open house at the BUB next Saturday (the 11th) between 8 and 2 and see the reality for yourself. I would rather use this opportunity to approach other topics. But first, I need to thank you for your unstinting support, especially in light of the lack of predictability, the many twists and turns, the constant changes, the false starts… and all occurring lately at warp speed. I assure you that some of this is the nature of construction… especially remodel… especially a remodel of this size (18,000 sq ft.): but some of this is just the peculiarity of this project. Often, I just shake my head utterly flummoxed by the unpredictability of even the daily schedule, and am continually astonished by the latest development. At times, it has been like a high school date, wrestling in the back seat of a V-W Beetle to get to base with Lottie Peidapulska. It is a frustrating and confusing experience and utterly surprising in its outcome. It’s been one hell of an adventure so far, and there surely is more to come. But as for predictablity or certitude: nope. But then again we should be comfortable with that, we’re Unitarians. We are not a tradition of simple facts, or reinforced surety. Our anthem should not be “Spirit of Life, rather it should be Charles Ives, “The Unanswered Question.” The most important fact is that our new church, our home, is being built…day after day taking shape and definition. Daily, I have watched it develop as if it were a living organism ... and in a way it is. This congregation toiled for months to demolish, remove and salvage most of the insides of the building: electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing, framing, doors and trim, the very floors and ceilings and walls… And when we were done, we were left with the gutted shell. Then three months ago we started to build in earnest. First, its skeletal shape arose, and now comes the great systems… its nervous system the electrical, the enormous circulatory systems of plumbing and heating/cooling, the electronics will give it speech and hearing and sight. Layer by layer it is filling out and becoming the beautiful, useful home for this gaggle of pilgrims. And then, when this congregation moves in, the final and most important part, its heart, the great heart of this congregation, will be in place. I’m sure you are weary and impatient, because I sure as hell am. We have done so much, labored so long and hard and yet there is more. We need to do more, much more. This summer I will need your help. I am calling for even more volunteer work. You are an indispensable part of keeping this project going - keeping this project within budget, keping this project on schedule. We cannot do this without you.The slow time for volunteers is coming to an end. The framing blitz is almost over, soon there will be calls for large crews, because we have to get things done quickly and that means lots of bodies, concentrated in time. And lots of support crews too. So I personally ask each of you to decide how you can support this sprint to the finish. Often you minimize or dismiss the importance of your contribution to the project or it is overlooked in the glare of dramatic construction events. I assure you that everyone’s contribution is important, and required, and appreciated. Earlier I referred to my right-hand woman. I need to acknowledge another arm: the unheralded Break Room Dancers and their indomitable organizer. Unnoticed, they provide food and drink to the crew… and yet much more. Their contribution of time and skills, the bounty of their kitchens and pantries are much more than gracious hospitality. They personify the spirit of abundance and sharing of this congregation, and the crew (volunteer and professional) relish this sense of appreciation beyond words. Thank you for making the work all the lighter and more enjoyable. However, It’s impossible for me to possess enough limbs to acknowledge and thank each of you for your part in this great venture of the Church. The ten-armed Hindu goddess Kali does not provide an adequate image, nor even Kali with ten times ten arms. Each of you have my deepest appreciation for all you have given …time, money, ideas, errands, nourishment, research, committee work, sweat and blisters, telephone calls, words of support. What each of you has done, what each of you do, insures the ongoing progress of the project, and hastens the move-in day. When I took on the job of project manager for our new Church last April, I sought the advice and counsel of others who had held similar positions in the remodeling, relocation, or building of their Churches. Their collective wisdom distilled into two insights: first, this project was going to be a unique (even transformational) adventure that nothing could prepare me for, and second, that in the course of the project, at one time or another, I will irritate, anger, and/or alienate virtually everyone in the Church. The former I know to be absolutely true (and in December I spoke of a small part of my personal transformation, my personal journey, as I participate in this project). The latter I think probably is, or will be, true. Let’s explore this a little: This project has at least a little something for everyone to have issues with. ~ For orderly, control-freaks (like me), the entire project is and has been happily out of control. I have compared it to that childhood experience of inner-tubing down that big, icy hill. Momentum will predictably get you to the end, but control is, at best, vague. ~ For those who are most comfortable with predicable schedules and time lines, I have none to offer. Any attempt at such regular construction procedures has been remarkable only in the speed at which the BUB has disabused me. ~ For those who want a detailed, strategic budget: absolutely, I stand behind that question 100%, but to be candid, the budget is a work in progress, I think we will have it figured out in October…probably. ~ For those who prefer the known, a nice, comfortable church, I direct to the current Church text, The Almost Church: Revitalized. There is a quote in the beginning, and Walt Whitman is laser accurate. “However sheltered this port. However calm these water, we must not anchor here.” This is not a call for playing it safe in our comfort zone, it is a call for us to be comfortable with our discomfort as necessary change happens. ~ For those who think that once we move into the new church, we will be done with all this confusion, and uncertainty, and change, I remind them that once we move in we still have to figure out how to be in the space, how to use the resources to promote the mission of our Church. The last time you moved, how long did it take till you were settled. The challenges are just beginning. ~ For those who are territorial… we will have to learn how to share. Every room is intentionally multifunctional. No one has any claim to any space or resource or room. This is especially true because we will be sharing the building with groups and renters. This is a call to bravery, not fear. This is a call for greatness of spirit, for bravery and for compassion. From the Christian canon there are those oft-quoted lines (you’ve heard it at a goodly number of the weddings you’ve attended): Love is patient, love is kind… Paul is outlining for the Corinthians the qualities, the virtues of church members. Verse 13: “And now abides faith, hope, and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” I think he got it a little wrong. None of these are possible without bravery, not love, nor hope, nor even faith. It is bravery that allows us to hope, without bravery our personal and collective leaps of faith would never happen, and it is by being brave that we open ourselves to love. This Church exists because of the beliefs, the dreams, the vision the powerful manifestations of that requisite braveryof its members, past and present. We are at our best when we honor that living tradition by acting upon our convictions, by being brave. Making our vision concrete is our strength. I’ve seen this bravery over and over again. People stretching their limits, growing in confidence and experience, saying “I’ll try” rather than “I can’t”… “yes” rather than “No” — that’s bravery. When we sing, Spirit of Life, our impossibly saccharine anthem, the one song that invariably touches my heart and often brings me to the point of tears: we don’t invoke the Law of life, nor the rules of life, nor the actuarial tables of life, nor the cost-benefit ratio of life: it is a paean to our vision… an evocation of our better and braver parts. To have vision, to hold that vision, to realize that vision, to be brave. And bravery will be required: we are moving to a new home, to a new style of church governance, in a new neighborhood, to new patterns of movement and relationship. Remember the last time you packed up and moved to the new house. Oh, yes by the way, were you at the same time building that house? You do remember that last remodel, or building the house? There will be strong emotions, strong opinions. The potential for hurt looms. When I was at GA a couple of years ago, I discovered universal agreement that the most trying and damaging aspect of moving a Church was not the money or budget, nor the schedule delays, nor flaky contractors, nor the weather… but the emotional distress the move engendered in the members, even among the staunchest supporters. Well, yes. But not here. We are different... Really? A couple of months ago, was it February? All I distinctly remember is that it was a Tuesday. I lost sight of the big picture. In a disagreement about my handling of the firing of the architect, I got my knickers in a twist. I let my small emotions, my selfishness, my hurt feelings take precedence. So I quit. I packed up the office and left. How un-brave. How cowardly. How hurtful. How destructive. How stupid. I broke my promise to this congregation to work until the Church was done. I nearly missed out in sharing in this project, this great adventure in our Church, because of my bruised ego. This work we are doing, our collective vision for this church is too important, too precious to be squandered on selfishness and hurt feelings. We have a church to build, we have a dream to realize and it will take all of us, each of us, being brave and nurturing that vision. Vision… and bravery. From the very beginning, This whole project has been, and is, about Vision… and bravery. Indeed, one man, ten years ago, asked the question: “What are we to do about all the growth in this congregation?” “What is our vision of our church for the future?” One man had the breadth of vision to ask the question and the bravery to do something about it. Our new Church is the fruit of that seed. From that starting point, this church has embarked on a continuous, collective act of bravery, a congregational leap of faith, a months long toboggan ride. And what has been the results of our collective vision so far: As to schedule, our goal is October. A month later that initially predicted. An inconvenient but acceptable delay for most construction projects, but certainly not the “possibly by Christmas” that I wrestled with as a result of the near collapse of the project in January. As to budget: The previous architect initially based his compensation on the basis of the project costing $3.2 – $3.4 million. The work of the volunteer crew got that figure on those plans down in the December estimate to $2.4 to $2.6 million. The current guesstimate / projection is somewhere around $1.7 million… and that figure is for the redesigned building which is more refined, more thoughtful, more elegant, more practical than the initial design. It’s as if we were going to buy a Nash Rambler, but somehow we spent 40% less and got a Mercedes. That “somehow” is the support of this congregation, each of us doing a part, each of us being brave. As to what the tangible state of the building itself is, I repeat my invitation to see for yourself next Saturday. At night when the crews are gone, I walk through the building, tucking my demanding mistress in for the night. Often I’ll sit in the stillness of one of the rooms organizing my thoughts, savoring the wonder of the day’s accomplishments, planning the next day. What happens most often is hard to describe in my accustomed framework of practicality. I don’t know beans about religion, even less about spirituality, and have a visceral dislike for “New Age” mysticism, but I have no other vocabulary, no other context, to describe my experience.
This space, unfinished though it be, comes alive to me. It no longer a work site, it becomes the home for our congregation. And I see this congregation, I see us in the building. I get an ever-stronger sense of how we will be in our new home. I see in ever growing detail how each room will be used. One night, I even imagined I saw the congregation moving from the sanctuary through the Social Hall, coffee cups in hand, talking, laughing, embracing. This is the dream we are building, this is the unfolding reality of our collective efforts. I know we can do this. With your continued support we can realize this dream. I know we can be brave together. I know we can do this. You betcha we can do it. Oh, and by the way, let’s do this again in October in our new home. -- Ed Zack And that is "my" QUOTE OF THE DAY! Judie _______________________________________________
SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2011 3 Volunteers
In response to my tongue in cheek comment about a 10% raise for volunteers and vision insurance - this one is great! Thanks to Maren Peterson-DeGroff:
15 Volunteers _______________________________________________ THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2011
_______________________________________________ WEDNESDAY JUNE 1, 2011 7 Volunteers
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A trip to the mezzanine level of the mechanical room gives a great view of the amount and quality of the insulation work done. El Viejo declares that we will do all the hard insulation stuff first. Sort of like not getting your dessert until you have finished your dinner. He makes a run to Jerry's every morning to stuff 7 bales of insulation into his van (all that will fit, even after removing the seats and all his personal belongings). At the end of the day, all 7 bales have been installed by our awesome crew.
The big news of the day is that we passed the OSHA consultation and inspection thanks to the diligence of everyone who has helped keep things safe and clean. We received NO fines for infractions! The only things of concern were the spacing of the support for the reinforced plastic sheeting on the skylights, the temporary light and power system for the power tools (the "Hovercraft"), and unprotected form stakes on the east side of the building where we will be pouring concrete. We will receive a written report with the inspector's findings and be given a period of time to correct things. Plywood panels will be stored on the roof so that the skylights can be covered any time someone is working on the roof, plastic "mushrooms" in some fluorescent color will be put on the form stakes, and the Hovercraft has already been dismantled. Enough of the professional electrical work has been done that we have plenty of outlets to run equipment and lights.
Sheetrock and insulation continue (daily report). Ten of the 12 "flying clouds" in the Sanctuary are done, and there will only be another 2-1/2 days of work on them (see photo right). The crew is getting really good at installing insulation.
When we are done, there will be five "flying clouds" in the sanctuary. Two are finished. The framers have figured out the system and they are going faster now.
The plumbers were working on the east restroom. There was installation of sheetrock and insulation, de-nailing, wood moving, sweeping and "booger picking" (aka removing glue dots). Don't blame me, I just record what is written down on the sign-in sheet for volunteers. A load of lumber was delivered and moved inside. The framers were working in the east restroom and putting in wing walls in Rooms 5,4,3 and 1. They also worked on the roof - cutting the hatch for roof access. It is in the southwest corner near Room 5 where the pull down stairs are to the attic.
The Framing Inspectors gave us the A-OK on the west half of the building, and will likely do the inspection of the east half on Friday.
The "floor" in the old east restrooms (see photo right) is now a deep hole - it looks like someone was trying to dig to China. This was necessary to install all the new plumbing. The floor was "scored" to make it easier to remove all the floor tile and grout. The whole room looks quite disturbed. Remember yesterday I wrote about how noisy it was? That was because they were using 90- and 60-pound jack hammers and a 12-pound saw all at the same time. 
In addition to the restroom destruction, the most noticeable change was in the Sanctuary where four men on scissor lifts were constructing supports for the acoustical panels that will cover the HVAC ducting. The ducting has internal sound baffles. El Viejo refers to the panels as "flying clouds." (see photo right)
The brick facade on the exterior of Rooms 6 and 7 were torn off today when it was discovered there is extreme rot in the walls under the leaking windows (see Tuesdsay blog about the rot). (photo right and below.)
Sheet rock installation continues in the attic areas which are getting a double layer for extra insulation. Dishes were washed, boards de-nailed, janitorial duties and sweeping, sweeping, sweeping performed.
More of the men's restroom was demolished (photo right) - walls, tile, insulation, plumbing and sheet rock. Gone. Did they miss anything? Guess not.
Photo right: Mirror from the bathroom moved to the minister's office.
Demolition of the men's restroom continued and there is now no wall and no door -- but as the framers say "modest, useful, and friendly." For the near future, that means the only functioning restroom is unisex. Unfortunately, the existing restroom is not accessible as far as I know. I haven't actually gone behind the door to be sure. The door facing the hallway is clearly marked unisex. The door does lock. (photo right)