Happy Canada Day everyone!

I am usually found at Sowden Park on this day working to maintain my top salesman position at the community picnic but decided this year that my build was more important and to give someone else a chance for the top honour. It is a crazy affair when 200+ people show up at 12 Noon sharp and want hamburgers and hot-dogs. We would typically in years past sell out in 20 minutes before stocks were boosted. I do not remember how many we typically served of each, but they were in the hundreds.  This is quite the afair that starts with a bike parade led by a firetruck.  Then there is races for all ages, bouncy castles, popcorn, shaved ice treats, and generally a great time for the families.

Instead I spent the day cleaning up the mess I created when I dumped all of the wood and stuff down from the attic. This involved separating the junk (which went to the dump this evening), from the wood stock I want to keep for my to-be-built wood shop in the new house, and then from the wood that I do not want but is either green waste or would be excellent kindling (an idea of my father-in-law).

Eric was on site again today to remove the nails from the rest of the siding I have salvaged to date and will keep. I also had Gordon drop by to pick up some free insulation (Gordon also worked all day Sunday salvaging the Oak floors I did not want) and then Marti stoped by to look at my salvaged windows for garden cold frames. Unfortunately, they were too heavy for her BUT in the stuff I took down from the attic were some wood frames I had wrapped with shower curtains and actually had used as cold frames. SO she also went away happy.

I then posted the cedar ship-lap I am taking off the house and got a HUGE response. When there is a lot of people who respond to an add I switch from first come first served to who has the most need or best use/story. In this case, I hooked up with Geoff Baker of Westcoast Outbuildings Inc. who is working with a group of volunteers to build a shed at the Sutherland School Market Garden project in North Vancouver.  I cannot think of a better and more sustainable use for this material.  I will also donate some of the 2×4’s that I would have otherwise taken to green waste because they are too much effort to remove the nails and may also donate some of the stash I was actually planning on keeping.

I had planned to start on the roof structure today but quite frankly, it was just too hot and I was too sore (I have some locked ribs right now and it hurts to even sneeze or yawn).  Based on my on-site weather station, we reached a temperature of 31.2 C (88 F) today.  I was happy to putz about in the shade of the house.  I also took the opportunity to catch up and many emails to vendors to get status on items ordered or items I need to order.

Tomorrow will see an early visit to the chiro and then I will tackle the roof structure.  I also need to take another load of shingles to the eco dump soon. Geoff is also coming by to pick up the first batch of the cedar ship-lap.  Should be a fully-packed day.

Thanks for visiting.