Hello, everyone, this is Chaz, in for Bernard, who has left us for his father. He’ll be back tomorrow.
Today was a less work intensive day on the treehouse construction project since we didn’t have our big boss. We all started early and were out working by seven. We started at the barn, figuring out Bernard’s cryptic diagrams for the foundation of the floor of the actual treehouse (so far we have only managed to build the staging platform). Nick seemed to have a better understanding of what Bernard had intended than Henry or I did, and it was only thanks to him that we were able to load up the necessary wood and remove ourselves to the garage. We assembled the pieces on the garage floor so that they would be flat, so that we can attach floorboards to it to create a flat floor for the main platform of the treehouse. These floor joists have to be raised through the main foundation of the treehouse in two parts (!), meaning we couldn’t fully assemble them, and even meaning that we might have to disassemble later part of what we assembled today.
Although Bernard wanted us to build a trapdoor to cover the hole in the staging platform that allows one to climb up to prevent fatalities during construction, we weren’t sure how we could do that without moving the ladder that goes from the staging platform to the ground, and we didn’t want to strand someone on the staging platform (number one rule: don’t fall out of a tree). Plus, we were lazy. We wrapped up the day’s work by leaving our newly constructed floor joists at the site.
After work, Henry gave my father and me an extensive tour of the property. We saw the heron rookery, which was very interesting – you could see as many as four herons in one view from binoculars. We came back to the house for peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, and settled in for quiet time.
We were supposed to get massages this afternoon, but minutes before the masseuse was due to arrive, she called in sick. We are therefore going to lay pretty low for the rest of the afternoon, until Lorna gets back. My father and I are thinking about going to see United 93 this evening in Jefferson City.
Tomorrow will be another day of work, as we anticipate Bernard’s return. As my father and I are leaving on Wednesday, I am hoping that we will be able to raise the floor of the treehouse in those two days so that at least that much can be finished when we leave.
Don’t fall out of a tree. #1 rule.
Chaz
Sunday, June 18, 2006
