A FOOL AND HIS PROJECT
(from the opposite side:)The shrubs are removed and I've started digging. When I started I thought a day or two. NOT. This much took me three hours and it's about 16" deep and 16" in circumference.
Half my life later the hole is dug. Approx. 9' x 8' x 28" deep. Notice how straight and clean the sides and bottom are. That's a testament to how HARD the ground is.
The flat blade end of the pick ax just bounces off. I had to use the pointed (pick) end, swinging at the same spot repeatedly until a chunk broke out. To get straight sides I used this method:
That is, I used the short end of the pry bar and the 2lb sledge in a chisel-like action. If it reminds you of a quarry....me too.The result of all this digging is...
a) A large pile of ground. Want some?
b) a hole that now has two layers of 6 mil plastic as a liner. The next step is to build a block wall around the sides, with the top of the four courses above grade at the patio side (and hopefully level all around).
I'll put enough ground back in the hole to level the first course, and build up from there. That's why I made the hole about 28" deep when the blocks are 8" tall. The extra 4" allows for leveling.More updates as things progress, which should happen a lot faster now.
[Disclaimer: I'm making this up as I go along. That is, I'm not working from directions or anything. "Fake it 'til you make it." So it's real possible I've made a big mistake somewhere in the process to this point. If you spot it from the above pics and description please keep it to yourself. I'll discover the flaw at some point - probably when I've got mortar hardening in the wheelbarrow and cinder blocks that won't fit in the hole. If you point it out to me now I'll harbor evil thoughts about you when that time comes.)
I'm getting worked up about tomorrow. Both hours focus on very key issues.
Some words are just so euphonious (they sound cool) I want to add them to my vocab just so I can hear myself say them.
putative
abstemious
This page is kind of cool. Ignore the text, but look at the pics down the left side. I didn't pay attention to the detail, but beginning about half way down the page they get interesting, at least to a car guy like me.
Trailmobile
I've got more thoughts, but we'll save them for tomorrow night. This post is already long enough.
6 comments:
A koi pond?
Nope, not a koi pond. Although I may put a fish or two in there for algae and insect control.
It's a water feature! (?) Trickling water using pipes or rocks? Periodic introduction of hay eliminates mold & algae. (note they use hay in remidiation at old gas stations, after digging trenches near roads, etc.)
Ah, but the feature is not the water. And trickling and/or spraying water is specifically ruled out.
So is hay. It may help bad readers at gas stations (although I'm not sure why they're hanging out there) but it won't look so good in this setting.
You're digging your own grave...literally?
Gee, its a little close to the roof supports and a little wide to be a car pit (enabling you to work on the undercarriage of Gerta without hoisting her in the air). I know, you're going to grow rice since good quality rice with which to make Swedish Rice is so hard to come by now.
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