Pine Tree Work & the Concrete Framing Has Begun for the Foundations

It was warm when I headed out this morning.  Was predicted to be 82 degrees so I packed the necessary things: sunscreen and a hat (OMG, can I tell you how much I hate hats??? My child size head always leaves me looking like a kid trying to wear adult clothes. UGH). Gracie, the Yorkie, and I bounced along towards the property.  Last Sunday was my 1st-Sunday-of-the-month Sunday off the property.  I always miss it so much when I don’t get my weekly fix so I was excited to be going back.

There was really only one big task for the day … finish up with the Pine Tree trunks.  So when we arrived I set about checking the normal things first.  The Rainwater Collection Tank had done well.  The little bit of rain in our dryer season was enough to keep it filled.  The birdbath had stopped running however, I suspect the heat was evaporating it faster than the little bit of rain could fill it.  I cleaned out the leaves, grabbed some water from the tank and filled her up again and away she went … ready for any birdies that might want to drop in for a sip of water.

Now off to those Pine trees.  When I last left off there was still a lot of branches to chainsaw off the trunks and about 1/3 of the smaller tree trunk and 1/2 of the larger tree trunk to cut into pieces.  I started getting branches off the smaller tree trunk with the smaller chainsaw until battery died about an hour in. Then I decided to change things up and use the bigger chainsaw to cut some of the trunk in pieces.

I hummed right through the first piece then suddenly the chain popped off. UGH.  My head loved it coz’ it could bombard me with thoughts like: Is it just me??? Does this happen to everyone???  OK, so I had been out in the heat and was hot and beginning to get a little tired from the weight of the chainsaws.  So I took a break with Gracie in the air conditioned cab of the truck (where she stays on these hot days).  We hung out, and I drank a bottle of water and cooled down. 

I hadn’t replaced the chain on the new 18″ chainsaw yet so I needed to figure it out … grabbed the tools and I went at it.  Once the chain was back on and felt tight it was time to hit the tree trunks again. I put the bigger saw on the tree and again it popped the chain! You know I was a lot less than happy about that.  So switch up time.  I put a new battery in the smaller 12″ chainsaw and went back to sawing off branches.

I was making piles with the branches as I went and now had 3 big piles.  These will eventually get drug over to the garden area to use as organic material for mulch, etc. Another hour & 1/2 had passed and it was definitely time to cool off and water myself down again. I did then I changed to the bigger chainsaw and got two cutting two pieces off the bigger trunk and the chain popped a 3rd time.  Okie Dokie … I would finish with the smaller saw and figure out the bigger one’s problem sometime this week.

Finally, about an hour later I had finished cutting the branches off and cutting the trunk into pieces.  I had hauled all the branches into piles and cleaned up the area, making sure all the log pieces and branches were way out of the way of any trucks coming through the gate.  The two tree stubs may have to be sawed lower or ground down but that wasn’t happening this week for sure. LOL I loaded all the tools up, put the chainsaws back in their bags and headed for the home area where I hoped to see a new surprise view.

Surprise you ask??? Yep, the surprising new view for the week is that the concrete guy was suppose to have been here and begun framing up the area for the residential shipping container home piers. It took every pieces of control I had to work on the pine trees first before I headed over to check it out LOL.  This was my reward.

As I pulled up to the home area things started to come into focus … equipment like Cat excavators, wood stake piles, rebar pole piles, etc.  Then I saw a mound of fresh clay colored soil.  I drove around it with the Jeep and sure enough, framing had begun. What I could see so far was wood framing at various angles and string used to grid off the area and 4 holes lined up.  WhooooooooHoooooooooo, work had commenced!

I hopped out of the Jeep for closer inspection.  The angel of everything seemed off and the 4 holes seemed big. But, what the heck do I know???? The concrete guy had told me last week that his guys had started and he didn’t like the work they had done so he would be back next week to straighten it all out per the plans.  All I could do is trust that.  I was just hoping he was seeing what I was seeing LOL

Bottom line is it seems that first the framing gets done with the rebar showing.  Then the county inspects that and when it passes their approval as matching the plans then the concrete guy come backs and pours the concrete.  Next the county comes back to inspect the finished concrete job. OK, so lots of “county” involved here … you know that bring up some PTSD kind of reactions from my brain but I am just rolling with things as they go now.  I know Nair will make sure everything gets handled properly as the concrete guy is working under her license. My job continues to be chill and trust. This is where the Universe and I giggle at me, both knowing that it is just more of me practicing my life lessons at this point in life.

I posted videos, on the Freedom Acres YouTube Channel, of the rainwater collection tank and birdbath weekly update again along with the latest Pine tree work. Of course, there is  a short exciting end of the day report with Gracie as a part of it.  Feel free check it all out by clicking HERE.  Also, feel free to subscribe and you can get notified when new videos go up! 🙂

We are now moving into the middle of April and things are moving along.  As soon as we can get past the concrete part of the development then the residential and storage shipping containers can be delivered and the siding can be put on the residential container. Next steps are the electricity and plumbing can be hooked up, and finally the interior of container fleshed out with appliances and cabinetry, etc.

The Game is still to be living on the property by May!! That gives us 6 weeks.  I know, I know, I know …. I said I wouldn’t plan dates any more but, it keeps me going so I am plotting without getting attached now.  Well, er, um, er, hum … trying my best anyhow. I absolutely will keep praying, chatting with and trusting the Universe.  Time will keep rolling and I will be back next week ready to play again and do whatever needs to be done!

As always, I send you LOVE and FREEDOM until then!