Washout

Today was the first truly bad weather day since the project started in mid-August, so overall we're very lucky. (That's an understatement - overall, we are incredibly lucky people!)

Today's goal was to install most if not all the fencing, and to complete the patio tiles and stairs. The crew had already started putting down a layer of mortar into which they would set tiles, when a really close clap of thunder and lightening brought the rain pouring down. They were soaked and probably freezing by the time they covered the mortar with plastic sheets and retreated off the roof. DMD had come over to discuss the final scheduling and trade ideas about the next phase of this project (expanding upwards) - she was dismayed to see her guys drenched and the tiling 'mud job' turned truly muddy.

To install the fencing, they'll need to bore holes through the capstones and the copper into the parapets - using this stand-up boring machine which we photographed over the sunny weekend. DW assures me that boring does not create dust.

About those bags of soil... I was also surprised to see them, having imagined that the soil would be pumped up like cement. Using bags certainly gave us more flexibility about timing; perhaps it allows a more specific blend of ingredients as well.