Rain Delay

What is this, the Northwest? Didn't I say that earlier? What gives? Enough already! We've got work to do here. These continual rain delays really drag these projects out. First, it's tropical waves, then tropical depressions, then tropical storms, then Hurricanes... Now this, pretty much, drizzle punctuated by thunder and a brief heavy downpour and more drizzle.Did I say turn on the waterworks, huh, did I?!

Yesterday, we barely avoided a rain delay, but the guys finished pouring the roofs about two hours before the deluge began, so the roofs had a good chance to set before getting drenched.

Trash House and Well House Roofs Showing Hatches - Trash Above

Trash House and Well House Roofs Showing Hatches - Well Hatch Above

This morning began warm and humid with no breeze to speak of. Good enough to do stuccoing or parging, depending on your wont (not won't - wont, meaning what you're accustomed to in Middle English). Pretty cool word, huh? I haven't used it in years. It just sort of popped up.

Here's the guys removing the outer framing for the forms, leaving the load-bearing parts till tomorrow, as the roof probably isn't strong enough yet to be unsupported.

Pulling off the Outer Frame

Removing Parts of the Forms

After pulling of the frames, they got right to work parging the outside walls. It starts with slinging mud (mortar) at the wall to ensure good adhesion.

Carrying Water

 and Slinging Mud

After the mud has been slung (no political punning intended), then they add an additional coat and begin smoothing it out as below right illustrates.

Slung Mud

and Smooth Mud

And, of course, they're doing the same thing to the septic tank, so that part of the project nears completion as well.

Slinging Mud

and Smoothing Mud on the Tank

And, of course, work stopped at about 11:30AM, because, you guessed it - rain. Followed by more rain and yet more rain. Our driveway from the highway is becoming all but impassable since it consists of about 8 or 9 inches of mud. All this rain just makes the problem worse.

Well, we are in the rainy season. I thought it was supposed to be winding down, but what do I know?