Great Expectations

Also titled, "We Have Concrete Plans To Fill A Hole."  A hole or two, really.

Here is another installment in the continuing saga of rebuilding our camp.  I wish I was being paid by the word, like Charles Dickens was for his serial stories.  Thankfully, you don't need to worry about me padding the plot to string out the profits.  Quite the contrary.  Even so, I fear this story is unlikely to be much shorter, and I dread it will have just as many plot twists.

Regardless, in response to popular demand, here are last week's pictures of our hole in the ground.

We weren't there for this first part, but you knew we would only hire a cell-cam-enabled contractor, right?

Now that's the way to squirt concrete!

Like frosting a cake.

Just about done with the pour for the footings.
If I didn't know that was a cement truck,
I'd expect a human cannonball to be fired into the lake.

We arrived a few days later, as they readied the footings for the wall forms.  

The view from the garage balcony.
You'll note that I have not needed to mow recently.

They're cutting the plates for attaching the forms.

Forms await next to the pad that will support the part of the roof extending over the deck.
There are two pads at each end of the great room for the extended roof.

The footing forms fail to flee the foundation
since they are are also configured with slots so that they function as drains.
Great idea!

Our neighbor, Pete, provides stellar everyday on-site supervision.

The bumpout is where the chimney goes.

The crew is working feverishly.

"And over yonder is where the bears live."
No, Pete, this is where the crawl space for the guest house is going.
On second thought, maybe that is where the bears will live.

We have a fine and varied selection of dirt.

Pete's wife Mary came over to find him a few days ago.  She looked this way and that, and eventually discovered him atop the big pile, happy as a little boy to be sitting in the dirt and watching the commotion.  

That's the essence of Pete we all know and love.

We have a good rock selection as well.

Just one of many.

What do you think, a new Stonehenge?  Seems like something needs to be done with all these magnificent rocks, but I'm not sure I want to call in the Druids.  We could have a rock garden, but I don't think we need to grow any more.  Should I start sculpting?  I must ponder the fate of the rocks.  Perhaps you have the perfect idea.  Let me know!

Elegance amid chaos.

Ginger has already taken up residence below the spot
where the living room couch will be, someday.
"Get off the couch, Ginger!"

Gotta love the "super robust" anti-pollution fence.
It's a requirement when building near water.

The lake is still there,
although we haven't been, very much.

It has been a lost summer.  Hottest on record, no less.  However, I'm choosing the high road this time. The result of being unable to enjoy the place much this year is that we've been home much more than usual.  And since we've spent much more time in Rochester, I've probably been seeing my Mom more than at any time since I was a child.

And the signs we see at the nursing home indicate that our timing has been very good.

Mom has always loved the hummingbirds.
I hope they'll forgive me for not feeding them this year.