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Due Diligence
MONDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2011
DAYS LEFT 194
5 Volunteers
1 Architect
2 Visitors
Pizza party in honor of Mike Epperson - he put in a full day at the BUUB but will be leaving Eugene about noon tomorrow.
There was review, talk, and more review of plans for the HVAC related to receiving additional bids for equipment and installation. More measuring of the parking lot as discussions continue about the width of the entrance off 13th Avenue, and number of spaces, etc.
The ceiling for the new ADA restroom off of the southwest hallway was framed, with the job made easier thanks to the Ferrari scissor lift. One volunteer wrote under what she had done "this and that." Those comments usually mean sweeping, dusting, washing dishes, emptying trash or taking home recycling.
Electrical wire was pulled and both the upright freezer and refrigerator were moved to the north wall of the kitchen and Mamma's Table was relocated. It's amazing how much more open the kitchen appears. Thanks to Kirk Taylor for giving us a supply of sign-in sheets for March.
Be sure to check out the RED LINES on the floor of the kitchen, social hall, and sanctuary. They indicate the footprint or square footage of our present church building. The social hall at 40th is one third the size of the new social hall, plus the new social hall is an actual room with its own hallway and will not be used as a passageway. The new kitchen is more than twice as large as the 40th kitchen. And it took less than a half can of spray paint to plot out the footprint.
Seating configurations were tweaked some more - not that we are establishing a seating arrangement. The City requires that we show an estimate of how many people can be seated in various rooms. The sanctuary will seat 325 comfortably, the Chapel at least 60, with room for the wedding party and the baby grand piano, and the social hall can seat at least 100 people at tables.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"If you hear any of the following statements, the outcome is bound to be the opposite:
It's no biggie.
It's a cinch.
That's easy.
It's a piece of cake, no problem.
We are almost done."
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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2011
DAYS LEFT 195
3 Volunteers
Yesterday I announced the BUUB would be closed - and indeed it was. As you can see from the line above, three people were there, but all declared they were NOT working. One intended to work but his bicycle had a flat tire and by the time he got that fixed it was too late in the day to tackle a new job. One person was there before church and at 5 PM, but that was basically to check on the heating system and be sure everything was working. The third person, when asked what he had done, gave us the quote of the day.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"What did you do today? Nothing!"
At Church this morning, I liked what Rev. Forsey said as a reminder: "Think abundance, not scarcity. As we come to the end of this year's stewardship campaign, we will reach our goal of $420,000 so when there is something we want to be able to do, there will be money to do it! If you have not yet turned in your pledge card, please do so ASAP.
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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2011
DAYS LEFT 196
5 Volunteers
1 Break Room Dancer
Please Note: The BUUB will not be open tomorrow (Sunday) - so if you are planning to visit, you will need a key.
A Chairitable was on duty this morning despite the cold, working away on the gold chairs. Laundry and food were delivered, sawdust was swept. A vice was secured to the work bench and there were a couple of people working in the attic above the kitchen, installing electrical wires through conduit. The electricity will power refrigeration units when they are moved to the north wall of the kitchen. Once that takes place, it will give a more realistic view of the kitchen layout.
We received a bid from a Portland restaurant supply firm to build a replacement hood, motor, fan, and vent for the kitchen stove. The existing hood does not meet code and cannot pass inspection with the health or fire departments for our use or rentals. The bid was not as high as we thought it might be. We will secure at least one other bid before ordering a new hood.
New vinyl flooring and molding were installed in the pantry and some shelving moved in. The new black metal shelving is definitely "for stout" and looks like it can handle anything we put on it. Next week we will do some additional rearranging. The vinyl flooring is thick and cushiony, and really dresses up the room. The only reason this floor has covering over the concrete is because of the oily residue left after the air conditioning unit was removed. Thanks to a generous donor for providing the materials.
We are sorry that Mike Epperson is moving back to Tucson, Arizona on Tuesday. He has been a daily presence at the BUUB since before Christmas and we will miss his cheerful presence, skilled workmanship, and willingness to tackle any task. I think he even was able to convince El Viejo to switch from opera to blues on Saturdays! Now that is something!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "That no glue vinyl is really nice to work with. It certainly finishes off that room."
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2011
DAYS LEFT 197
7 Volunteers
3 Architects
2 Engineers
1 HVAC Contractor
2 Visitors
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Thankfully the temporary furnace system at the BUUB is providing a reasonable amount of heat - at least enough to prevent frozen pipes. I did notice, however, that all the people working were wearing their coats and hats, so the temperature inside was not what we would call "comfy."
Yesterday's report did not record the presence of an architect, dishwasher, the Church treasurer, or a volunteer who came to make sure the furnaces were working.
There was a meeting of the minds assembled this morning to try to work out the parking issues. Thankfully the Scottish Rite recently found the 1974 easement signed with the adjacent landowner which regulates sixty feet of common area. Obviously, the ground underneath the parking lot does not change in size and it should be a fairly cut and dried issue, but there are several jurisdictions who have to approve the plans and they haven't been able to agree (fire, transportation, parking). The easement spells it out.
There was additional plaster patching, mudding, sanding, priming, and painting, along with finishing the molding on the ceiling of the pantry where the pull down stairs come down. Two walls were lifted in Room 2 - the east wall and the one separating it from the men's restroom. Floors in the building and the parking lot near the sandbox were swept and wood and gravel were moved. The forklift is parked in the lobby.
I worked on more pages for the illustrated journal and can attest to the fact that drawing a fork lift is a challenge for me. I have considered having it moving in the drawing so it can be a blur!
The statistician reports: 155 individual volunteers, 2122 people have signed in since August 7, 2010 and have logged 24,903 hours of labor. Fantastic!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: When I put perishable food away this afternoon, I noticed the light was out in the refrigerator. Earlier, El Viejo indicated someone was replacing the kitchen ceiling light fixture. I asked the volunteer carrying electrical goodies if he had flipped the breaker. He went to the box to check and said: "I don't know if I turned them all on, or all off." After fetching a flashlight, he determined he had turned them all off. He flipped #13 and the light in the fridge is working!
ITEM NEEDED: Does anyone have a copier that will make 11x17 sheets? The Project Office has a number of items to run off of that size and could use some help. Please call Ed Zack if you have such a copier. 541-729-4500.
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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2011
DAYS LEFT 198
3 Volunteers
By necessity, this report will be short and sweet. Because of the snow, I never left home and haven't talked to anyone who was at the BUUB since early this morning. At least three of our "regulars" couldn't stay away and were working away at sanding, priming and painting because one of them could detect the barest hint of a seam in the pantry and decided to redo a portion of the wall.
Let me know if you were at the BUUB between 9 AM and 4 PM so I can include you in my records for the illustrated journal.
Yesterday four units of shelving were put together - three will be placed in the pantry after it is painted and the other unit will be separated into two sections to see how they will work as over filing cabinet storage. I can't remember what the estimated number of total filing cabinets is once they are moved from garages, basements, and the church into our new building.
I had a least three comments about last night's blog, probably the result of my foggy reporting and convoluted sentence structure. The reason the information was included about how much room is needed for a table that will seat eight people is so we can get an idea how many people we can seat when the building is rented. Granted this is information that is probably already known by the Rental Task Force, but since the information was tossed around, I decided to include it. I love trivia and just like Letterman, I thought it came under the heading of "Fun Facts." Some volunteers and the architect are looking at possible seating configurations and how many of our sanctuary chairs will fit in certain rooms, and the seat dimension was mentioned so I recorded it. In the Quote of the Day I relayed what someone said about the Advent Garden, but didn't indicate that the information was inaccurate.
Instead of suffering from cabin fever, I made headway in getting the illustrated journal caught up - I created 21 different drawings and am current to October 2nd, 2010! Good grief I have 143 more days to get caught up to today and by the time I do 143 I will be behind again.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"The place is quiet."
And in reference to the sheetrock perfectionist: "That kind of pride makes me smile."
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2011
DAYS LEFT 199
8 Volunteers
1 Minister
1 Architect
1 General Contractor
1 Music Director
The lost earring was found at the BUUB! The post had broken off. The same thing happened to its mate 18 years ago, so all I need is some silver solder. This news resulted in a sharing of stories with the Charitables about lost earrings. The Chairitables continue working on those gold chairs.
The no glue vinyl and molding for the pantry floor arrived, along with metal shelving that was being assembled this afternoon. A bonus of the packaging of the shelving is the material that looks like rice noodles - it can be used for packing breakables when we move. (Statistician - please note - another example of recycling.)
There was a meeting of the minds regarding possible seating and lighting options in the sanctuary and chapel, and the need for the seating of the choir and congregation and position of the pulpit to all be movable for flexibility. In choosing absorption and reflection materials for acoustics, there is likely need for additional storage. The inclusion of a projector and retractable screen is ideal but could come later. Lots of what was bantered around also took our limited budget into consideration, but requires wiring that would be cheaper to install while all the walls are open, etc. We learned that you need a 10x10 foot space for an eight top table for seating and that our present sanctuary chairs are 20x26 inches. All these little details are important when figuring out how many people can fit in our space for different events.
An air compressor was the power source for some tool, but I didn't get a chance to find out what it was.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"What will the Chapel be used for? Small weddings, senior disco dancing, teen rock bands, sleepovers, meetings, Christmas labyrinth, showing movies, overflow tables for big dinners, Sunday choir warmups......." Now that is quite an assortment. It will be fun furnishing the room. Just as Thoreau cautioned the Harvard graduates...'you are already out of date,' we realize that is certainly the case anytime 50 and 60 year olds address the needs for younger and future generations.
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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2011
DAYS LEFT 200
9 Volunteers
1 Roofing Contractor
1 Architect
Note this is Day 200 - Ed Zack will be prepare one of his regular updates later this week. Keep an eye out for it.
Also - there will be no Chinese dinner on Friday because of the special concert at church.
The pantry been painted and should get flooring tomorrow. Plaster had mudding, sanding and a primer in the kitchen, and the hallway next to the kitchen had mudding and sanding, but is not yet primed.
Lots of "stuff" was rearranged in preparation for additional framing. This has been the story of our lives at the BUUB - moving things. In anticipation of sistering joists in the Library and office of the director of religious education, everything was moved out of those rooms. In addition, the temporary wiring strung through those rooms had to be taken down and moved. The router was disconnected and stored on the floor at last report. The large pile of conduit on a shelf in front of the vault was moved to the top of the vault. The 50 hp motor was lugged into the minister's study from the Library. And the beat goes on. All the mops, shovels, buckets, and assorted brooms were moved to the southeast corner of the sanctuary - out of harm's way.
If you drove down 13th Street, you might have seen that there is white Tyvek siding near the front entrance - and just in the nick of time before it started to rain. With the winter storm warning and expected snow, things needed to be insulated and tightened up.
There is a dandy custom made work table for architectural drawings, complete with lighting on the east wall of the project office. Before we know, all of the used plywood will have become something new. The honor student working on community service was clearing out plumbing drains (plain language - moving gravel!).
I forgot to report yesterday that the Kubota tractor went home in preparation for spring work on the farm. Boo hoo. We will miss it. The only remnant was soapy water in the parking lot where it got a well deserved bath before heading up River Road. Thank you Dave and Sally DeCou for the long term loan. It prevented many back injuries or aches and pains while moving concrete and gravel.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"I didn't know there was linoleum that requires no glue. That is really cool."
The unique construction allows it to hug the floor and can be held in place with the molding. It is ideal for a long narrow room with only one entrance.
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MONDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2011
DAYS LEFT 201
8 Volunteers
1 Architect
3 Visitors
PLEASE NOTE: We are not able to do the major move of furnishings tomorrow and the new date will be announced later. The tenant in the warehouse was not able to make arrangements to move his items out as anticipated. Sorry for the false alarm.
There was sheetrock/drywall patching, mudding, sanding, and priming in the social hall, kitchen and hallway. Those walls are looking very fresh and new thanks to the diligence of our volunteer crew. None of it is new construction. All the dishes from the Valentine concert were returned and stowed and there was framing of the double door east entrance to the chapel.
Late yesterday, after I had collected my report, a volunteer strung wire to extend the service for internet and phone to the project office and it should all be complete in the next day or so. I was shocked to see how the project office was rearranged. Extra work tables were set up and a special surface for storing and reviewing plans was constructed to clear the conference table as meeting space. The coat rack which said, "Judie Do Not Sell" was dismantled so I am not sure where it will end up. Even with more furniture, the room appears larger.
A meeting was held with the mechanical engineer to review the first HVAC bid, etc. There was wire stripping, dish washing, and sweeping. Days with a lot of paper pushing don't generate much of a report but somehow the hours fly by!
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Every time a new stick goes up, the room layout makes more sense." (In this case, a 'stick' is a board in the framing.
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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2011
DAYS LEFT 202
3 Volunteers
1 Visitor
An extremely quiet day at the BUUB, which can be a very good thing. Time for sitting and thinking about what will be good things to work on during the coming week, but also taking a mental inventory of all that has been accomplished with a mostly volunteer crew. There is now a land line telephone with a dial tone on a chair next to the vault. Early this week wire will be strung to move the phone to the project office. We don't plan to publish the number because it will only frustrate those who might try to call it and expect someone to answer the phone. It is good to have a phone available in case someone without a cell phone needs to make an emergency call, etc.
I keep forgetting to mention that four inch high brass numbers were attached to the front of the building recently. This is stipulated by the current city code. Did you know we also have a mail slot near the south side entrance? Mail dropped into the slot is stored in a locked box inside the building for safekeeping. It pays to check the box every once in a while because mail does show up there. The top of inside box makes a handy place for the wire strippers to store their utility knives.
Tomorrow time will be spent organizing the project for Tuesday -- when a rental truck with a lift on the back will arrive and three pianos, an organ, tables, chairs, desks, etc., will be hauled to the warehouse for storage. I overheard El Viejo recruiting volunteers at church this morning. Come join the fun!
A little plaster patching was done today. When there is a large hole to fill, a nifty system is used: spray foam into the hole, let it set, and then patch over that for a nice smooth surface. I hear there have been a few doubting thomas volunteers who have been won over after seeing the results. A Chairitable came by to experiment with covering up knicks on the wooden parts of the gold chairs, and declared it a success.
There was a variation on "Beating the Bounds" at the BUUB - briefly noted in the first paragraph above. No sticks were used and there might not have been any praying. I had never heard this expression before, but was interested in its history. Here is what I found, and I thought others might find it interesting:
The custom of 'beating the bounds' has existed in Britain for well over 2000 years. Precise origins are unclear although it can be found as part of ritual celebration within many different cultures across Europe and beyond. In simple terms it involves people in the locality perambulating their farm, manorial, church or civil boundaries pausing as they pass certain trees, walls and hedges that denote the extent of the boundary to exclaim, pray and ritually 'beat' particular landmarks with sticks.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"The iPhone is amazing. It has a GPS dot that shows where I am. And if I move from the parking lot to the street, the dot moves too. Modern technology. Wow. It is really something."
That phone sounds pretty cool. I might even be a little envious - but if I had one, I would have to learn how to use it.
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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2011
DAYS LEFT 203
7 Volunteers
1 Architect
A wire stripper found a thick strand of copper wire buried in a gray casing and was quite excited. A Chairitable is now refinishing the wood arms on the gold chairs by applying wood stain and it really makes a difference. Additional drywall/sheetrock repair was done and two gallons of 1-2-3 primer arrived. The "Personal Shopper" was kept quite busy buying paint, an iPhone, and linoleum and molding. Put a few miles on the Prius in the process. The linoleum will be fetched on Monday to cover the floor in the pantry. This room needed help because the floor surface could not be completely cleaned after taking out the howitzer (outdated air conditioner). Suppliers for a nine foot range hood were researched, and a photo taken of the stove area so a Portland firm can bid on a hood. Thank goodness for email and digital cameras.
A temporary line and router was strung down the east hallway and the project office now has a good solid wireless internet connection. The router is mounted above the door to the ladies restroom. The new land telephone line does not yet have a phone connected, but that will happen in the next couple of days. Boards for sistering were cut and a lot of office paperwork got attention.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Welcome to the 21st Century - now all you have to do is figure out how to use your new phone. Verizon asked if you wanted to transfer your iTunes.
Response: "What is iTunes?"
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2011
DAYS LEFT 204
7 Volunteers
1 Architect
2 Comcast Installers
1 Excavator
1 Acoustical Engineer
2 Visitors
10 For Chinese Dinner
The phone line and internet are inside the building and the router is installed. Unfortunately, between the service and the project office is a vault with two 12" thick concrete walls, so the signal can't quite make it. Arrangements have been made to get temporary wiring installed to make life easier for the project manager. When we say "temporary" we mean at least ten months. Despite the ineptness of the commercial saleswoman, the two installers were extremely nice, efficient, and helpful.
The excavator was not there to do any additional work, he just wanted to stop by and see how things were going. It was a busy day with a variety of balls in the air. There were discussions with the Bertolini Chair Company regarding chair anchors, drywall repairs continue in the kitchen and social hall, a little wire stripping was done, lumber was sorted, walls lifted, and fans for resale were cleaned up and made more presentable. All of the chair parts were moved out of the east office area into the minister's study in preparation for sistering the ceiling. The library ceiling will also get sistering added. The description of "sistering" was included several days ago.
The parking issue was resolved thanks to receipt of the letter from the Scottish Rite regarding the size of their membership. Thanks to the donation of warehouse space by members of our congregation, next week we will be able to move all of the chairs, tables, doors, etc., that are taking up floor space, out of the building. The warehouse is only two blocks away. So - we need volunteers and trucks/trailers on Monday and Tuesday to help move stuff. Questions? See Ed Zack.
I forgot to mention that we have acquired 30 rolls of newsprint in various lengths for free. They are available from the landfill where they are segregated out and kept clean and dry for anyone to pick up. They will be used to wrap breakable items when we move.
There was a lively discussion at dinner about renaming this blog because so many people still think we are moving to the new building in September. That is definitely not the case, but right now we don't know exactly how much longer it will take to get the remodel done. It's always interesting to be in a group of UUs when a subject like this comes up. Out of ten people assembled, there were ten different opinions -- so for the time being, suffice to say we are not moving in September but we don't have a new date for you. I plan to keep counting down....when we get to zero then we can start adding if necessary. Pry my boney fingers from 400 Days!
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"Tomorrow we have to go over to the BUUB to see what they have been doing!" Good idea.
Fortune Cookie for El Viejo -- "You will be selected for a promotion because of your accomplishments."
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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2011
DAYS LEFT 205
5 Volunteers
2 Visitors
1 Scottish Rite Member
See if you can find my earring! Somewhere, I lost a round silver earring with the head of a Cardinal (as in the bird). I had it since 1980, and would hate for it to be gone. I was many places today, but I am hoping it is at the BUUB. Husband Ed and I moved the last of the dishes back into the gray metal cupboard. Thanks to one of the new rolling carts, the job was made much easier.
Disturbed plaster in the kitchen, hallways, and social hall was patched and the process of mudding and sanding was begun. The north wall of the kitchen, and all of the pantry got the primer coat of paint. Wiring for two 110v outlets in the Project Office was installed in preparation for the arrival of phone and internet service tomorrow.
Dale Vanderpool, the personal representative for the Eugene Scottish Rite stopped by to drop off a letter we needed to document the number of members they had while occupying the building. This information was needed as part of our permitting process and to satisfy the grandfathered and continued use of the parking lot as is. Dale has been a joy to work with from our very first contact with the Scottish Rite, as he and other members suffered through our many visits and unending questions about everything from how to turn on the stage lights and lighting the pilot lights on the stove, to operation of the dishwasher and learning the combination to the vault. He reports that they have enjoyed driving by and trying to figure out what we are up to based on the Honey Bucket or heavy equipment and dumpsters parked outside. He was interested to see all the changes inside and looks forward to seeing the finished product.
We have discovered some new opportunities for storage as the framing begins. One place we hadn't thought of previously was the space above the vault! There will be six different pull down stairs scattered around the building to access small attic spaces. We are also going to add 20 square feet to Kim's office.
More meetings today with the architects and engineers as we prepare a response to the questions raised by various city departments related to our permit application. We had one "ouchy" code issue related to placement of sanctuary chairs that was resolved today.
Food was delivered, dishes washed, and kitchen shelves cleaned out and scrubbed.
Reminder - Chinese dinner at the Fortune Inn tomorrow at 5:30 PM - 1775 West 6th AVenue.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"I can't believe all the work you have done with a volunteer crew. It's great to see how you have been able to reuse so much of the material from the demolition. Be sure to have an open house so we can come see it when it is done."
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2011
DAYS LEFT 206
8 Volunteers
3 Visitors
Meeting of Aesthetics and Logistics Task Force
5 Task Force Members
3 BPOC Members
While I am thinking about it - does anyone reading this need 1/2" or 3/4" conduit? Could be used as plant stakes if you aren't doing any wiring. We saved it in anticipation of possible reuse, but will not need what we have. If there are no takers it will be sold to Schnitzer. Call me if you can use it.
Great News! While I definitely do not recommend ranting and raving over the telephone I am happy to report that by some miracle Comcast has decided we are serviceable, and will arrive on Friday afternoon to hook up our telephone and internet service. I was amused to see that the last four digits of the phone are the same as the last four digits of our statistician's phone. She will have no excuse for forgetting the number.
The framers continue to recycle the 20 foot long 2x6" lumber taken out of the hallway ceiling and cutting it into 10 foot studs for walls in the office area. They spent time mapping out walls and figured out a way to provide some extra room in the office, and save a window to provide a view and the possibility of fresh air from the outdoors.
Mudding and taping continue in the pantry and kitchen, and I heard a rumor that the pantry will be painted tomorrow. I had a look at the wood tool box created for the Ferrari. It has holes drilled that will hold screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, etc., with three side bins for hardware. Very inventive.
Conferences were held with the landscape architect and engineers to look at defining the design and landscaping of the south entry to make it more lovely and inviting. Green and red grapes arrived and homemade vegetable soup. The volunteers were joyous.
All of the inventories have been received from staff and committees related to storage and the Aesthetics and Logistics Task Force will walk the interior and exterior of the church to take an accounting of things like bulletin boards, artwork, display cases, mail boxes, banners, etc., that would not have shown up on anyone's inventory. Bids were received on the cost of cleaning and sanitizing the sanctuary chairs and BPOC will be gathering an expanded list of not only skills of members of the congregation, but also what vehicles or equipment they can donate for the move to the new building such as trucks, etc. Let me know.
BPOC is also interested in identifying everyone who has an expertise in the operation of audio visual equipment. We have a large projection TV, several DVD players, a power point projector, etc., and anticipate having state of the art wiring and capabilities at the new building. We would like to have a "go to" person or two when those of us who are audio-visual equipment challenged need help. Please let me know if you are one of those people.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"We wanted to get light, air, and more elbow room for our favorite church administrator!"
"Rolling carts are the only way to move stuff in the building because of its size."
"We need to quantify tubness" I think 'tubness' is a new word.
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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2011
DAYS LEFT 207
9 Volunteers
5 Attend BPOC Meeting
1 Firewood Fetcher
The large metal cupboard in the kitchen was moved and some of the dishes and flatware began their migration back into the cupboard. I am taking time to think about which shelf will be the most convenient for certain items, based on how often they are likely to be used. For instance, right now soup bowls are the dish of choice, so they need to be handy. Once all the dishes, etc., are returned from the concert, it will all be sorted out. Volume will also be considered.
Now that the metal cupboard is moved, the north wall of the kitchen is getting a facelift. It had always been covered up, so the sheetrock had never been finished or painted. Also, we are adding a triple plug so we can have electricity handy for the cooling units. The pantry is just about ready to paint. A surprise was seeing a new cupboard built on the south wall to accommodate all the drying racks from the dishwasher. And it is on rollers. Slick! This crew can build everything we need.
Damaged acoustic tiles were removed from the kitchen ceiling. Unfortunately, that style of tile has not been made for over ten years, so there is no chance of matching it with something new - the design of the holes, etc., is all different. Dishes were washed and floors were swept.
I asked about some of the larger holes cut in the concrete that are still open and what is supposed to happen there. They were opened when old restrooms were demolished, old pipe removed and lines capped. As soon as the plumbing inspector approves our system, the gravel will be put back in the holes and we will pour new concrete.
Some fill in framing and floor layout for future framing on the south side rooms was done. There will be a small attic area above the custodial closet in the southwest corner. It will get new fireproof pull down stairs to provide access for storing paper products, etc.
A new task force was appointed by BPOC to oversee the floor plan for the sanctuary to determine the placement of stage, risers, pulpit, ramp/lift, etc. The decision was made to purchase 25 metal shelving units for closed storage areas and bulk pricing of bins is being researched. The decision on the shelving was made after pricing out the cost of building wood shelves. Using recycled wood for the frame was desired, but the cost of the hardware and new shelving didn't pencil out.
It was a frustrating day trying to pin down the phone/internet provider on getting service connected. At one point they said we were "non-serviceable" and they couldn't provide phone service for at least three months. What on earth that was all about I have no idea, but after talking to a number of different people (all in Colorado), I was assured they would have an answer for me once they found out why. Not good for the blood pressure to have those conversations while being put on hold and getting disconnected several times in the process. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
A number of people have been dropped from the 400 days list serve. We have no idea why. The only way we know is because people ask me if I quit sending it out. I send it every day without fail, so if you don't receive it, you have been dropped.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
For those of you who get The New Yorker the latest issue has the perfect cartoon and is the source of today's quote. It is on page 62. It features a couple talking to a contractor who is holding a set of plans in the middle of a remodeling job. He says: "Worst-case scenario? The renovation goes three years and two million dollars over budget, one of you bludgeons me to death with my own hammer, and you both get the electric chair."
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MONDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2011
DAYS LEFT 208
11 Volunteers
3 Visitors
1 Contract Framer
3 Storage Owner/Tenant
1 Roofing Contractor
The south wall of the kitchen was painted. All of the dishes and flatware were moved out of the gray metal cupboard on the north wall of the kitchen in preparation for moving it to the south wall late this afternoon. It was challenging to find temporary storage elsewhere in the kitchen in cardboard boxes and crates. The job was shortened because all of the utensils and dishes used for the Sunday concert and dinner had not yet come back. The job was decidedly easier thanks to a new rolling cart marked "Judie's Cart". The latest cart can double as a work platform or stairs! It was on clearance at Jerry's. After the cupboard is moved, the ceiling lights in the kitchen will be re-installed.
Moulding was added around the folding stairs to the attic in the pantry, and then the area got it's first coat of joint compound (mud). A pot of turkey bean soup and the makings for sandwiches arrived for volunteers and dishes were done. A concerted effort was made to clean up the cardboard recycling area in the social hall, and all the recycling from the kitchen was hauled by a homeowner. It sure mounts up.
The pipe salvaged from a demolished area several months ago was moved closer to the back door. There is 200 lineal feet of 2 inch pipe that is being recycled into a fence project. A large box of firewood was removed. (Statistician, please add this information to our recycling spread sheet.)
There was framing on the southwest corner restroom and conferences were held with architects and engineers regarding the permits under review. Head scratching focused on the layout for the sanctuary and meeting code requirements for seating in rooms with an occupancy of more than 200 people.
Does anyone within earshot of this blog own a home or cabin at the Oregon Coast that is available during late February or early March? BPOC has a special need. If you think you can help with this, please contact me directly at 541-335-1637.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It's amazing how quickly we have accumulated an assortment of plates and plastic containers, left and unclaimed at the BUUB." There is a Tupperware pie saver, two glass pie plates, four assorted dinner plates, and odds and ends of plastic food savers. If any of these belong to you, please come claim them or they will be added to the next Clutterbusting Garage Sale.
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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2011
DAYS LEFT 209
3 Volunteers
8 Visitors
Various Cooks for Concert
The BUUB contributed to the exceptional Ways to the Heart second annual UU Valentine dinner and concert at 40th Avenue. Several round tables, all the tablecloths, plates, cups, glasses, bread baskets, bowls, water pitchers, coffee carafes, flatware and Joseph's red dress pocket handkerchief all came from the BUUB. It was a festive evening with a professional cast of singers and tasty food. The commercial oven at the BUUB was used for baking the lasagna with plenty of room to spare. Our many volunteers not only demolish and remodel buildings, they are super party hosts! Thanks to everyone who came as guests and those who put on the event as a fundraiser for the church. I don't have a final figure on the profit, but it was at least $800.
Meanwhile, during the day there was a steady stream of visitors at the BUUB, stopping by to see the progress and ask questions. One volunteer has been researching stage and riser options. The City wants a little more "fleshing out" of what the seating arrangements will be in the sanctuary and we want to have flexibility so we can continue to host events like tonight.
Installing sheetrock, mudding and sanding continued in the kitchen and pantry area, and a primer coat was added to the south wall of the kitchen. Additional cabinet shop organizing occurred in between tours for visitors.
Someone asked that I define a couple of terms and material: Mudding and sheetrock.
Sheetrock is gypsum plaster. In some cases it is still referred to as gypsum board. It replaces old fashioned plaster. Also called drywall, it is a plaster-like substance sealed between two sheets of heavy duty paper and attaches to the walls or ceiling using special drywall screws. If you ever lived in an old house with lathe and plaster you will know the difference. Because the gypsum can be reused, we were able to put all of the old sheetrock from the Scottish Rite Temple into one dumpster and it could all be recycled into new sheetrock. By doing that, we did not have to pay to dispose of it in the landfill. Not only did it save us money, but it made a statement about our green sanctuary principles.
Once you get the sheetrock/drywall in place, you cover the seams with a special paper tape. In order to avoid seeing seams, you then use special premixed joint compound called mud. Most folks get uneasy at the idea of finishing drywall installation. We are fortunate to have a mudding crew that is finicky and doing a beautiful, professional job.
Quote of the day: "Just think what we will be able to do for dinners and concerts in our new building with so much more space and a commercial kitchen!"
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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2011
DAYS LEFT 210
4 Volunteers
5 Visitors
1 Contractor
It seems to be a good idea for Nikki Frank to send a note yesterday suggesting that some of you may have been inadvertently dropped from this list recently. We received a bunch of requests to be added to the distribution list - so welcome back.
One of the west side kitchen doors has been infilled and insulated and will soon be mudded and sanded. Each day brings a few more changes. One of the two teens volunteering yesterday put his foot through the ceiling of the pantry while vacuuming the attic - the new "hole" was rebuilt today - nice that it happened before that room was painted! Thankfully he was not hurt.
Further organization was done on the cabinetmaking shop and a few of the power tools got a workout in constructing a companion architectural plans worktable for Jake. He was very jealous when he saw the one El Viejo made for himself. Being the generous soul that he is, El Viejo not only built one for Jake, but the new one is two feet longer! Of course it doesn't have its own pencil sharpener.
The cooking crew for tomorrow evening's concert dropped off lasagna to be baked at the BUUB and got their stove instructions after loading up dishes and flatware to use for the dinner. It will be lovely to have matching dishes and flatware. During bingo at 40th Avenue, several batches of white napkins were dropped off. We are in for a special evening. I hear there are still a few tickets left and will be available tomorrow morning at church.
The owner of Atez stopped by to see how we were progressing. He hadn't been in recently and wanted to let us know that we have the indefinite loan of the fork lift. That is really cool.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It was a bit of a surprise to find the floor of the pantry littered with broken sheetrock from the ceiling."
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2011
DAY 211
12 Volunteers (Two High School Students)
Not aware of any visitors
13 for Chinese Dinner
Take a look at what day this is - Day 211 and today is 2-11-11 - Now that is a coincidence for sure.
The Aesthetics and Logistics Task Force recruited a volunteer to do comparative shopping for storage tubs and pilasters for standards (those brackets, etc., holding adjustable shelves). We figure some supplier will be willing to give us an extra special good deal because we need a large quantity. If any of you in radioland have connections in the hardware or storage industry, let me know ASAP. We will be using our best "Let's Make a Deal" strategy.
You might be wondering why we are thinking tubs for storage. When doing the inventories, the question has been how much volume - for filing cabinet, bookshelf, or tub. The idea is that the tubs will keep things neat and tidy no matter what material it is made of. So if we put all of the materials for one committee in a storage area but later determine it would be more accessible and convenient some place else, it will be a matter of playing shuffleboard with the tubs. And the more uniform the tubs, the happier we will be.
Usually, when jobs are put out for bid, the bids all come in within a small range. It must be a result of the economy and contractors being hungry, but almost everything that has come back has had a wide range. For one bid, for the same grade of materials, the top bid was $95,000 and the low bid was $65,000.
The two honor students worked at sorting and moving lumber and vacuuming the attic above the pantry. The pull down stairs were installed -- shoe horned in -- and some grease was required. Good to have a nice tight fit. The new code calls for the stairs to be fireproof - they are a shiny aluminum.
Tomorrow the Sister Act begins. The Project Manager calls it "sistering" boards and the Framer calls it "furring down". No matter the name, this is what it means: "a ceiling or part of a ceiling with spacer pieces, such as furring channels, resilient channels, or wood strips, installed between lower ceiling element and the structure above. Furred ceilings may also be constructed using additional joists or other framing members to construct a framework below the primary ceiling structure above. " You got that????
In our case, this system will be used to make room for sprinklers, insulation, and mechanicals. Part of the Sister Act was done today on the south side office space, and as stored items are moved from the southeast portion, those ceilings will be worked on. Ledgering was done for the ceilings of the southwest restroom and custodial room. Despite the framing above the southwest restroom being suspended from straps, the framing crew has figured out a way to do the ceiling. It's magic.
Thanks to the person who washed the dishes. I hear the work crew got home made pizza and salad for lunch and they were all smiles telling about it. Mudding and sanding continued in kitchen and pantry!
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"The mudding and sanding are beautiful - there is no tape visible."
"My mother said, 'eat your soup, you don't like my soup?. now you have eaten the soup and there is not enough for anyone else." Despite everyone at the Chinese dinner table being older than 50, we could all remember things our mothers said to us about eating or being sure to wear a sweater or jacket.
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DAY 212 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2011
9 Volunteers
1 HVAC bidder
1 Chef Kitchen Advisor
2 Visitors
Mudding and sanding, mudding and sanding - those volunteers - they are such perfectionists - no paint yet! The walls continue to be beautiful and all the care in workmanship is appreciated.
There was prepping of the southwest restroom and custodial closet, along with construction of a bridge over the floor cuts so that the new rolling stage can move about unimpeded. I thought there was wire stripping, for the sake of copper wire, but it was actual stripping of a thick telephone wire multi strand cable so that two crafters could begin designing and constructing baskets, lawn art, and jewelry in preparation for our next bazaar. Never too early to start on such projects.
Comcast arrived and buried cable between the nearest junction box and our outside south wall, but the cable has not yet made it into the building. The volunteer working on smoothing out the excavated dirt on the front lawn was making progress until the wind picked up and kept blowing dirt into her face! A new entry above the pantry and a stair system to access the attic are being built.
Invoices are rolling in for equipment purchase and rental, honey buckets, plumbing services and hardware and the bills are being paid.
El Viejo and I spent an hour and a half with a Chef/caterer who gave us insight and advice on how to layout the kitchen (both temporarily for little or no money and long term in Phase II), including traffic patterns, placement of doors, the need for a handwashing sink, the type of racks and storage for dishes and chemicals, and recommended work surfaces for various kitchen jobs. It was very helpful and will guide us through the process of creating an approved commercial kitchen that can be used for rentals. He also gave us the name of local suppliers of used equipment where we might sell some of what we have or find special items we need.
I had a strange experience this afternoon as I was returning to the BUUB. I was on 13th, a half block west of 13th & Chambers, when two lanes of traffic had to come to a complete stop to allow two Rhode Island Red hens to cross the road. It was comical to watch - they were oblivious to honking horns and shouts. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I just knew you'd like mudding."
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DAY 213 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2011
13 Volunteers
1 Concrete Cutter (Not doing work, just checking on our progress)
5 Visitors
It was post day extra! There were three major support posts erected. Moving them into place and fitting them into the upper post cap hardware and footplates required a team of four. After the posts were secured, the far west end wall was put into place. It took a crew of six to heft it around, moving it over open concrete cuts and piles of gravel. I was impressed about it being lined up so the drilled holes in the bottom board fit perfectly over vertical plumbing pipes in the new west end restroom. It was reinforced with metal strapping until all the framing for the room is complete.
The old posts (that were in the middle of rooms and had to be removed) were reluctant to leave the building, and it took sledgehammers, pry bars and saw blades to persuade them! The demolition of the old posts was more difficult than anticipated. The framing is impressive, with all the parallel studs intersecting and perfectly lined up for the ceiling. Never wasting a thing, the old posts will be trimmed to a shorter length and used in doorways elsewhere in the building.
In addition, there was wire stripping, de-nailing, office work, administrative matters, tours and sanding and mudding the drywall in the kitchen and pantry. Those walls are getting their third mudding and sanding treatment. The main hallway is a bit of an obstacle course because all the boards temporarily stored there are being sorted by size. They are of different thicknesses and we wouldn't want to have a wavy ceiling when we use them for framing. This week the crew will fur-down the ceiling of the office wing to make more room for insulation and mechanicals.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I love big wood and big metal. It is very exciting."
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DAY 214 TUESDAY February 8, 2011
10 Volunteers
A Happy Birthday Entourage
1 Firewood Gatherer
2 U of O Graduate Student Researchers
REMINDER: There is a "Post Raising" Party/Ceremony/Celebration at the BUB tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 AM. Come see our new support posts get installed. They are tall and heavy and we can use your "support."
A local woman had always had the dream of driving heavy equipment. As a surprise from her co-workers, arrangements were made to bring her to the BUB so she could drive one of the scissor lifts. Today was the day, and she was thrilled. So not to be outdone, she also got a short trip on the tractor and fork lift. Her connection to us is that she works in the business owned by one of our members.
The mudding and sanding of sheetrock in the kitchen and pantry continue, paint and primer are ready to go when everything cures. They look terrific - so clean and smooth. A new tool rack was built for the Ferrari to keep things from rolling around. The metal plates are installed in preparation for post and wall raising tomorrow. Lots of new words and framing terms tossed around, like escutcheon plates and sistering boards. Come see them for yourself. Twenty 10x10, and 40 2-1/2 x 10 plates were cut and another hundred will be done soon. One volunteer worked on the front lawn for 3-1/2 hours to smooth out dirt from the excavation last week.
I asked the man who came to fetch firewood how much he had hauled out of the BUB this winter. He said at least three pickup loads. He is only one of three people who we have helped keep warm. He very much appreciates the wood and doesn't mind having to remove nails, etc.
Two of the six U of O graduate students working with the City Solid Waste Management Division had a tour and were filled with facts and figures regarding all of the recycling and reuse of construction materials we have done. They were mighty impressed and asked why El Viejo thought most contractors don't do it like we are doing it and what did he think the City can do to encourage more salvage for reuse and recycling of construction materials. They have been interviewing others around town and will present the results of their research to the City by June. They and other members of the team will no doubt visit again and have more questions. They were very pleased to see the spreadsheet prepared by our statistician listing lineal feet, pounds, pickup loads, etc. This information was originally designed to document what we had done for getting a Green Sanctuary certification for the BUB. It's really great to have it all recorded because it is easy to forget all that has been rescued from landfills.
A prime example of how many times things can be used is the support for the temporary roof over the north door off the kitchen. The 2x4s were originally in the Scottish Rite framing, then they had holes drilled in them and conduit inserted to hold chair cushions for a drying rack system in the accessible restroom. When the blue chairs were cleaned and everything was dry, the boards with holes were used as the roof support. Handy. Anyone rides a horse to the BUB, they can loop the rope through one of the holes to make sure the horse doesn't leave....Well, I guess that is kind of a stretch. I suppose we could string a clothesline from our property over to the collection agency to the north.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Adrian, Happy Birthday to you."
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DAY 215 MONDAY February 7, 2011
10 Volunteers
1 Framing Contractor
1 Electrical Engineer
1 Roofing Estimator
2 Visitors
Many phone conferences
The architectural table/rolling cart continues to get refinements. Today a wastebasket was added. El Viejo keeps pinching himself about having such a large space to work in for the cabinet shop. Normally it would be in a confined space and he would have to be constantly trying to figure out where to put things, but with 7,000 square feet and most of the work surfaces being on wheels, he can reconfigure the setup to his heart's content. A galvanized garbage can stores T-squares and levels vertically. A place for everything, and everything in its place personified.
A second coat of plaster was applied to the south kitchen wall and the north pantry wall and when dry will be ready to paint. They look mighty sparky! As I was leaving about 5:20, the last of the gravel on the north side of the building was being swept/shoveled up and consolidated into one large pile and the old sideboards for the other two 'playpens' have disappeared. Some siding on the north side of the building was patched where it was disturbed while taking off the roof of the old trash storage area.
Three people from the Membership Committee shared their storage and Sunday morning needs, including plans for a greeting table, information rack, information pamphlet rack, name tag system and a vertical poster rack. These discussions are very helpful as we begin constructing cabinets and shelves.
Some framing was done and the new posts arrived. They look a little different as they are made of a laminate material. A volunteer who has been in Eugene for just a month has offered to work at leveling the excavation mud in the front lawn. (She is renting a house with no lawn and can't wait to get her hands in the dirt...) A Charitable worked on the gold chairs and since there appears to be an absence of any chairs in the cleaning room, I think they must be about done.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Tacked on the Project Office door: "To live trustingly on the edge of uncertainty." The author's name was there, but I forgot to write that down.
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DAY 216 SUNDAY February 6, 2011
3 Volunteers
6 Visitors, plus
3 Unitarian Universalist Service Committee representatives (two from Cambridge, MA, one from Portland, OR
Very quiet day - most volunteers must have been home preparing for and watching the Super Bowl. Husband Ed and I hosted three young adult grandchildren. They came for the commercials and the food!
Meanwhile, at the BUB, there was a little wire stripping. The main focus was mudding the new kitchen wall and finishing up the rolling cart for the building plans. The cart even has its own pencil sharpener. Very uptown. As the work progresses on moving things around a bit in the kitchen, more and more ways of being efficient are thought through. The baker's rack donated has wheels, so that can be very useful in serving a crowd. It's fun to think about the adjustments we will make in our thinking as we figure out ways to cut down on the amount of distance we need to cover in the larger building. Obviously, some sort of intercom system will be necessary - not necessarily connected to loud speakers, but buzzers or rings that alert various staff, etc., that someone is looking for them.
Tomorrow is new support beam arrival day. They will be put on top of the reinforced new concrete poured last week, and the old support posts will be removed. The old posts were in the wrong place and would be in the middle of a room and in the way. Once those are in place, let the fun begin.....
I learned that services at our former UU church in Danville, Indiana were canceled today because the front sidewalk had six inches of ice. Husband Ed and I are on a first name basis with that sidewalk and we are happy to no longer be the building and grounds committee.
QUOTES OF THE DAY: "Life is so daily" and "Little by little we will arrive." These were both part of the sermon this morning, but as I heard them I thought they applied to our work at the BUB.
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DAY 217 SATURDAY February 5, 2011
7 Volunteers
3 Visitors
What a difference a day makes. Even with a skeleton crew things were decidedly different in the kitchen and howitzer room (now a pantry). There is a new light over the sink and wiring for yet another in that area, and the south wall where the old counter was removed has been insulated and has new sheetrock ready for taping and painting. The work was slowed down somewhat by the absence of spackling tools. They seem to have disappeared (maybe they are in the same sink where we found Betty Hosokowa's hammer!).
The pantry was also insulated and new sheetrock installed. Looks so neat and tidy. There was also de-nailing and work by a Charitable on the gold chairs. A full box of plaster mud was donated by Gretchen Miller and Sara Hendrickson - left over from their kitchen remodel. I was able to wash the pile of dishes that accumulated the last two days. I also got to use my new mini-digital camera which is 500% more efficient taking inside photos, which is a joy. There were so many times I wished I had a good camera with me when I discovered something noteworthy. It's great to have it recorded with pictures in all stages.
El Viejo designed and began construction of a rolling cart for displaying building plans. . This cart will be about chest high so architects, engineers, contractors, framers, etc., won't have to constantly be leaning over to peruse the design. Being on rollers it can be moved around to where it is needed.
Rather than listing what we think is going to happen on specific days, I will be listing "Weekly Goals". Every time I said we would need people for a task a few days out, a crew comes in and gets it done in two hours. The new support posts are scheduled to arrive on Monday.
WEEKLY GOALS - February 5-12, 2011
Finish mudding the kitchen plaster and paint the surfaces.
Finish mudding the pantry plaster and paint the surfaces.
Learn how to "sister" up the rafters in the office complex.
Assist the framers in moving the posts (after Wednesday).
Setting up the cabinet workshop and design shelves and cupboards.
Reframe the ceiling access in the pantry and install a pull down stairs to meet current code.
As weather permits, work at smoothing out the front lawn. Bring your own tools.
Come experience the latest opportunity for an adventure. Last week it was a new sewer - we never know what our next opportunity might be.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "What color shall we paint the kitchen wall?" If you have an opinion, please don't call El Viejo - he is still working on some of the other tongue in cheek questions I have posted.....
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DAY 218 FRIDAY February 4, 2011
7 Volunteers
1 Contract Framer
1 HVAC contractor interview
2 Visitors
7 for Chinese dinner
Before I forget - there will be work tomorrow and there is a special call for workers on Wednesday -
Saturday - Framing the kitchen wall, adding insulation and sheetrock and denailing. Also, framing, insulating and sheetrocking the howitzer room behind the kitchen. 9 AM - 4 PM - There is wire stripping and de-nailing too.
Wednesday - People to plaster. I just realized I didn't ask where....
The excavator finished up today and worked at smoothing out the lawn. His bill was just under $4,000 which means that our only other expense for that sewer and downspout job is the pipe, so that whole project will be under $5,000. When we first discovered the broken sewer line, we thought we were facing a bill in excess of $50,000.....thank goodness we didn't have to dig up 13th Avenue!
Accomplished today were janitorial chores (including making the dumpster more 'tidy' so we can jam more stuff in there.) More old conduit was torn out creating a new pile of wire for the strippers. The gas line in the howitzer room was moved and all the old thermostats and defunct water line were taken out. The oven pilot lights were adjusted and there are no lights over the sink next to the dishwasher. The framers fire blocked the chapel walls and laid out the post positions between rooms 6 and 7, and the chapel. They ordered materials and verified hardware needs. Posts were prepped for moving.
Thanks to Sigrid and Mike Lambros for the donation of a baker's rack, folding tables, a 4x6 white board, and a small bookcase. El Viejo is excited to have another white board for posting chores!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "You can't get upset when they tear apart your kitchen, especially when there is a florescent light fixture in your sink and no overhead light. I guess I could have done the dishes with a headlamp."
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DAY 219 THURSDAY February 3, 2011
6 Volunteers
1 Architect
2 HVAC Contractors interested in bidding on the project
1 Concrete Cutter - asking about work
1 Metal Supply Rep
1 Contract Excavator
Someone delivered a 50 pound bag of popped popcorn....just kidding - certainly not 50 pounds, but a very large bag. The small amount of wire we had was stripped and gold chairs were cleaned. Saw horses were assembled and the small alcove in the northwest corner of the sanctuary that will become our audio visual room was demolished. It will be larger than the space now exposed.
The quote I was trying to remember two days ago was "The father of waters again goes unvexed to the sea." It was actually written in a letter by Abraham Lincoln after the Battle of Vicksburg in the Civil War. The quote was given to me as a comparison on how one person felt about the completion and clear flow of our new sewer line.
Today the excavator used his large front end loader to move gravel from the north side of the building around to the southwest corner to fill in the trench for the downspout drainage system. It is another example of how we are able to reuse so much material and how much money we are able to save. During the past three months, we dug out a section of dirt/gravel where we will put the northeast addition and also from inside the building under the plumbing cuts. All the gravel was moved outside and stored in three "playpens" that have been protected by florescent tape. This week the excavator has been able to use almost half of that stored gravel.
I hope the grass doesn't put on a big growth spurt - with the amount of dirt disturbed from the excavation, it could be a bit of a challenge for an electric mower. Once the excavator is done, there will be some outside work for volunteers to smooth things out again.
Today the skylight/roof ratio issue was resolved -- let there be light! The statistician and I met to review the spreadsheets listing all of the construction/demolition material we have been able to sell, recycle, give away, or reuse in preparation for our meeting with the U of O graduate students next Tuesday. It is amazing to go back over the records and see the volume taken out of the waste stream. Once we get all of the numbers calculated by board feet, pounds, etc., and the money made, I will give an updated figure.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I just started attending UUCE in January and really wish I had come last year to help with all that 'fun' work on the new home! How do I find out when I could volunteer on weekends?"
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DAY 220 WEDNESDAY February 2, 2011
8 Volunteers
4 Visitors
1 Architect
1 Chef
1 Honey Bucket Removal Agent
We now have a hardware department that would be the envy of any builder. New shelves were constructed and all framing anchors, brackets and braces were sorted, cataloged and stored for easy access. There were only two small discrepancies in our favor in the shipment, and the items were boxed up ready to be picked up by the company. Yesterday the delivery man came back to be sure we were able to get the pallet of hardware moved into the building last night.
Additional tear out on the south east wall of the kitchen was done and the next step will be to insulate, repair and paint the walls of the "howitzer" room behind the kitchen. The first cabinets/shelves from our cabinet shop will be for that room as a practice run.
One of the visitors inquired about arranging a Ferrari ride as a surprise for a co-worker's birthday next week and it got arranged.
The Aesthetics and Logistics Task Force met and were happy to report that 80% of the contents of 40th & Donald (and individuals garages, offices, and basements) have been inventoried and sent to the Task Force. They will be making phone calls and rounding up the last of the inventories. Even though the anticipated move in date might have to be moved, it is even more important to get those remaining inventories turned in. The cabinet making shop will be gearing up in about a week and having a good estimate of the volume of material to be stored will help plan what to build.
El Viejo brought sample tubs/bins to the task force meeting and some decisions were made on the preferred shape, type of lids, transparency, and variation in size. A volunteer will take this information for comparison shopping and to find out what kind of bulk price is available. Modular systems are best as we stay flexible, flexible, flexible.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Jake was like a kid unwrapping Christmas presents all day as he unpacked the framing hardware."
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DAY 221 TUESDAY February 1, 2011
5 Volunteers
5 Visitors
1 Roofing Estimator
3 Plumbers
1 Excavator
1 City Plumbing Inspector
1 Hardware Delivery
6 at BPOC Meeting
We have a beautiful new sewer line! Installed all in one day - it was a ballet getting it accomplished. First thing this morning the City installed the taps on the sewer and declared it had to be excavated and ready to re-inspect no later than 3 PM. So the excavator dug out the old pipe (it was burried 8 feet deep), then the ditch had to be filled with gravel. This is where the magic began - We have that huge pile of gravel on the north side of the building and we have DeCou's tractor with a front end loader. Ditch filled with gravel. New pipe installed. Then there was a blown tire to be repaired, but it got all done, was re-inspected and is up and running. More gravel infill and closed up safe and sound. Extra dirt to be hauled away tomorrow morning. The new sewer was somehow likened to the Mississippi River running to the sea, but I can't remember the exact quote.
Getting this done so quickly is a little disappointing, actually. In response to my plea for a light in the Honey Bucket, an LED light was installed this morning, and now I won't get to use it. The Honey Bucket will disappear in the morning.
And speaking of disappearing - the counter along the south wall of the kitchen across from the dishwasher and sink disappeared today and parts of it are in the social hall waiting to be de-nailed. One volunteer constructed some dollies to help move cupboards. Our chef/catering consultant will be in Friday with drawings for making the kitchen more efficient.
The framing crew was delighted to have a fork lift full of metal hangers delivered. They were moved into the building after dark for safe keeping. We are so fortunate to have the use of scissor lifts, tractors with front end loaders, and a fork lift for all of the heavy lifting.
We had an email from University of Oregon graduate students doing research on construction and demolition materials handling and are meeting with them next week. Here is how they describe their project:
"We are working on a project regarding construction and demolition material reuse and recycling with the City of Eugene. We are developing a framework which builds upon the success of the city’s recycling goals for construction materials. Our team’s framework will include a strategy to mutually reinforce economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability through the reduction of Lane County’s waste stream of construction and demolition. That is why we see what the UUC is currently doing so important to the community and understanding what the barriers and opportunities for construction and demolition materials recycling and reuse. We (a group of 4-5 graduate students) would love to tour the site and learn more about the success and challenges of this project. "
BPOC had a lively meeting with many subjects covered and I will report on those tomorrow.
Reminder - there will be dinner at The Fortune Inn, 1775 West 6th Avenue for Chinese food on Friday at 5:30 PM.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: We have brand new sewer pipes and clean outs - the City inspector is happy, the toilets are happy."