Day Three Photos, Adult Appalachian Trip, Feb 2011

On the way to our site, we passed a couple of old homes worth pictures. In the initial images, you can see the structure we erected for the porch at our site and also you can see Loraine's house in relation to Trading Creek. During the day Paul and Jane finished putting the spindles on the gate and were able to get the gate hung and working smoothly (Loraine tested it). As we worked, we noticed two inspectors sitting up high in nearby trees, making sure our work was acceptable. For the porch, we hung the joists and began the process of laying down the deck. Because of the length of the porch, 3 inches longer than our 14 foot 5/4" X 6" deck boards, we placed two extra joists and will put one of the deck boards on each end of the porch and lay the other deck boards between them. During our work, the power went off in the hollow (we thought we had blown a fuse), so we reverted to old technology, sawing by hand. We will finish up the decking tomorrow, if we can beat the rain. We also began digging post holes for the stairs coming off the porch.

The day was beautiful and sunny, even though, as you can see from the way Betsy was dressed in an early picture, it was cold to begin with.

Photos from Day 2, Adult Appalachian Trip

Pictures depict our work today. For the porch across the front of the house, we carried water up from Trading Creek to mix and poured 16 bags of concrete for the six 6' X 6' posts, framed the floor of the porch bolting 2" X 8" X 14' boards across the front and back and 2" X 8" X 8' on each side. The spindles on the side porch were finished as were the facing boards on the risers. Bolts were added to attach the bottom of the stringers to the posts and the ground was leveled at the bottom of the porch steps. Paul, Jane and Betsy completed the basic frame of the gate and cut the spindles. The gate will be hung tomorrow. Pictures of the day show some of these activities.

John picks Tuesday

Hello BBPC. 

We are the ASP group known as Moon Unit.  Jonesville - as usual - is a great center to be at.  We have been busy finishing a side porch and building a 14' x 8' deck 8' off the ground in front of the house.  There are two doors in front of the home with no way to use them (they open to open air now)  Our host Loraine is a friendly elderly woman who loves to chat.  She says her and her friends will dance on the deck.  She will also enjoy the deck with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

It's really nice having three new additions (newbies) to the adult trip, Jane, Ted and Betsy.  It's amazing and a blessing how these trips always are wonderful.  We'll have more stories and Ted will provide many pictures.  Also we learned from Ted that it takes 6 Presbyterians to count to five.  You can always learn something new  (from him.)

John and John. (A and C)

Day One Adult Appalachian Trip Feb 2011

Members of this year's adult work group includes: John Almendinger, John Casale, John O'Melia, Betsy Kamienowski, Jane and Ted Settle. Our assignment for this week is to put a porch on the front of Loraine's house, our host for the week. The porch is to be 14 X 8. Steps coming down to a platform and then continuing with a second set of steps to the ground. In addition we are to finish another porch of the side of her house by adding spindles to the existing porch structure, and facing boards on the step risers. Paul also found out that Loraine would like a gate on this porch. Today we dug six post holes at least 30 inches deep and 18 inches in circumference and set and leveled the posts so that on Tuesday, after the inspector checked out our work we could mix and pour the concrete around the posts. The three Johns, Betsy and Ted began the digging the holes for the posts, cutting through some rocks and nearer the foundation of the house clay. The long pry bars came in very handy as did the post-hole diggers. Paul began cutting the spindles to complete the porch and then Jane, Betsy and Paul attached the spindles. John A and John O helped add some facing pieces to the porch steps. Loraine came out frequently and carried on conversations with any one who would listen. In addition her dogs and one cat kept us company. Pictures of the first day accompany the blog (look at the pictures from the end to the beginning, that is the correct order).