Big Holes, Big Rocks

Over the past month we have been doing all the leg work needed to begin construction. We have been working with a retired engineer who has been helping to design the "bridge" that is to be the foundation of our addition. The existing house is built on steel I beams supported by a series of piers, very much like a bridge over the creek. Luckily, our engineer has built more than a few mountain bridges - just none that doubled as houses.


This weekend marked the official beginning of construction. We signed off on our financing and acquired our building permit Friday. We began, true to form, by celebrating with our friends (and architectural advisor) John and Amy over dinner followed by some live music at our new favorite spot, The Back Room at the Flat Rock Wine Shoppe. Saturday, John and Amy came over and we embarked upon the tedious process of laying out the lines for the addition. I had no idea basic geometry could prove to be so difficult. But, we finished, and we even managed to begin digging our footers!



Sunday brought more digging (a lot more digging) and our first obstacle. Three feet down into one of our footers we unearthed a big boulder that needed to be moved. Because of the location of the footer, there was no way of bringing any type of equipment down to pull it out. Thus, it became apparent that somehow Matt and I would have to move the boulder by ourselves. Not only did we have to move it, but somehow we had to lift it three feet out of the hole! Most of Sunday morning was spent with Matt and I wallowing around in the mud with pry bars trying to hoist this thing up. We made a little headway by prying it up and wedging smaller rocks underneath it little by little in an attempt to raise the boulder. Finally our friend (Mark) Stierwalt came over, and in a feat of Incredible Hulk-like strength, Matt and Stierwalt were able to move the boulder out of the hole. In fact, it took them just under five minutes. So much for the three hours of huffing and puffing I had put into it earlier.

SUCCESS!