Here is G at work getting the measurement forthe first sheet of drywall .
Friday, July 06, 2007
drywall insulation in progress
Here is G at work getting the measurement forthe first sheet of drywall .
Sunday, July 01, 2007
alberta bound?
Work situation in Windsor is tight but we've managed to stay busy with renovation jobs but have only done one new house in the last month .Renovations are hard to price because we often run into unexpected costs after stripping down walls and plaster. We have almost completed the refitting of the second floor of a house and expect to meet our completion schedule of one week .
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
FREEDOM FEST FIRE WORKS
Fireworks night in Detroit tonight so can try my hand at a few pictures . We have guests coming over to watch from our balcony , a great view from 16Th floor .
So who are those who think we are completely stupid , the powers that be of course .When the leftists are in power they waste our money and when the right is in power they steal it and so blokes like me try to stay under the radar and do the best we can under whatever circumstance's
So who are those who think we are completely stupid , the powers that be of course .When the leftists are in power they waste our money and when the right is in power they steal it and so blokes like me try to stay under the radar and do the best we can under whatever circumstance's
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Detroit from Windsor
Rarely go to Detroit since security tightened and now have to renew my passport or get a residency card before I can go again .Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
kodak easy share
Purchased a digital camera , playing around with it and discovering there is lots to learn.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
I have 'nt posted because I've simply been too tired since starting this condo job .This job has been different in respect that instead of working alone in some new house on an empty street I get to meet others in my trade who are working in the same building . I get to share with others the trials and tribulations of the drywaller who is often considered the trash of the trades mainly because we are very independent contractors who don't have to write a qualifying ticket , our qualification is our work . I made friends with G a drywall taper like myself and we have shared together about our lives in construction . G is fussy about his work it's the best I've seen , something to be admired .
We have shared some personal stuff because somehow we developed a trust between us and so now we have a kind of alliance with respect to survival in the job environment . As individual independent sub contractors we are kind of in competition with each other and and there can be a measure of distrust between us . Basically we want all the work for ourselves and don't want to share and this is especially true when work is in short supply .The builders like this because we don't present solidarity when it comes to negotiating prices for our work . G and I exchange information and try to watch out for ourselves trying to get the best paying easiest work .
We have shared some personal stuff because somehow we developed a trust between us and so now we have a kind of alliance with respect to survival in the job environment . As individual independent sub contractors we are kind of in competition with each other and and there can be a measure of distrust between us . Basically we want all the work for ourselves and don't want to share and this is especially true when work is in short supply .The builders like this because we don't present solidarity when it comes to negotiating prices for our work . G and I exchange information and try to watch out for ourselves trying to get the best paying easiest work .
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Sunday, December 03, 2006
I'm working on a 17 story condominium apartment building where theft of materials and tools has become a major problem .The owner called a meeting of all subcontractors and raised the hold back on payables from 10 to 20% with an abusive threat that if we objected we could leave immediately . About 70 attended the meeting , so on a rough calculation the builder is now holding back $14000.00 on a weekly basis . A hold back is designed to protect the builder from poor quality work and non performance of contractual obligations and the builder is now using it as a collective punishment for the wrongs of individuals .If I leave the job , I risk losing the value of work in progress plus any hold back that I have coming to me . I'm staying because there's not much work at the moment and I need whatever money that comes in . I'm trying not to be angry or resentful about this because my attitude at work will suffer and I'll probably get fired anyway .
Saturday, November 25, 2006
luxury condo
I found some writing from 1986 and cleaned it up a bit and posted it .It's based on my time on the farm in England
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Child hood memory
A daylight domain of tangled bush and canopy of tree tops through which the high sun of summer filtered through to the mound of fresh dug red loam where a small freckled skinned child busily amused himself by digging and shaping the sandy soil into an impenetrable fortress. The soil was easily shaped because the badgers and foxes who inhabited this overgrown temperate jungle frequently seemed to be improving upon their extensive network of holes and burrows. Charles liked the feel of the fresh dug soil as he scooped it into piles with both hands to build the walls of his castle and unlike pure sand it was not so abrasive as he dug into it with his fingernails in order to clear a tunnel under the castle wall.
A lone Sentry stood guard atop the newly constructed watch tower. The soldier had been obtained from the bottom of a cereal package after breakfast that morning . He had done it while mother was washing up because he had to empty the contents into a large mixing bowl in order to find the pesky prize. The toy was made of plastic and its legs were attached to a platform which Charles promptly cut off with his scout knife. After all how could a soldier do anything constructive while his legs were attached to a flat piece of plastic? With his legs firmly embedded in the sandy soil the soldier looked so much more genuine on guard at the watch tower .
Charles continued to dig , scrape , and shape the red earth , steadily improving upon his fortification. The toy soldier viewed Charles' kingdom from a perfectly defensible vantage
point .
They were on a ledge, on the side of a steep slope, which had been formed by the excavations of badgers and foxes. These lairs were what first attracted Charles to this place and he called it the " Fox Holes ".
The Foxholes were actually in a large pit situated at the intersection of three fields and bordered by almost impenetrable bramble bushes and elderberry overshadowed by aged elm , oak , and sycamore trees. Surrounded by well tilled barley fields and lush grassland the pit had been left to nature, wild, unspoiled, and mysterious enough to attract the attention of a small boy on a day's exploration. From his first discovery Charles claimed this small territory for himself and returned here many times throughout his childhood .
It was a perfect place. On a summers day the the trees filtered the hot suns rays and provided gentle warmth and light. On a cold windy day the air remained calm , Charles could only hear the wind bending the tops of trees which bordered the pit. It was a wild place but not inhospitable, with Charles' activities accompanied by chattering sparrows , and the song of robin, thrush, and nightingale , with the occasional rustling and scratching of small animals in the undergrowth. His exploration was aided by small well trodden paths made by animals criss crossing this overgrown excavation. The bottom was "'fairly flat and close to the centre , the lack of direct sunlight had impeded growth to create a small clearing under the trees. On cold rainy days in spring or fall Charles would build a campfire in the clearing. At first , his attempts at fire making were frustrated by damp wood and lack of experience. However , through trial and error he became an expert at putting together the right combination of dry grass , small twigs and kindling sticks to create a blazing fire with just one strike of a match. It was a natural progression for him to obtain an old cooking pot and cast iron fry pan with which he cooked meals of sausages and baked beans and boiled water for steaming hot cups of tea. Charles could even enjoy that damp English weather while treating himself to such delicious feasts and warming himself by the crackling and spitting fireplace. On days when there were no delicacies to steal from his mother's pantry Charles would go to the potatoe field nearby and take a few potatoes to bake in the open fire. As he became older he played less in the sandy red soil and the fireplace became more the centre of attraction. He gathered together pieces of sandstone which outcropped all over the pit and made a proper circle of stones for his fireplace. Then he made a tripod of sticks from which he could hang his cooking pots . These ideas were picked up from books that he read at home and school. One particularly ambitious project was his attempt to make charcoal. The idea came from a book which described how charcoal burners lived in the Woods of Northern England during the 18th Century and earned their keep by making charcoal. The principal was fairly simple and consisted of piling thin sticks on top of a well stoked fire and then layering sods of damp earth on top to slow down the burning process. Almost all the air had to be excluded from the fire except for a small hole at the bottom of the pile of sod and an outlet hole at the top. The cracks between the squares of sod had to be filled with mud so that oxygen was excluded from the fire. The mound had to be constantly tended to make sure that the fire did not burn too fast. After eight hours of slow burning removal of the sods revealed a small pile of brittle charcoal sticks. Fortunately for Charles there was a small swampy pond nearby where he could obtain the necessary materials for damping down the charcoal burn . On another occasion he made a bow and used the fire to harden and strengthen the points of his arrows. Most of his entertainment was gained from manufacturing these things rather than using them for their purpose.
These trips to the foxholes were not an everyday occurrence for Charles because he was at boarding school during the week and only came home on weekends. Sometimes months would elapse between his visits but this would serve to make his place all the more special to him. As the child grew so did the foxholes change with the time and seasons. Each visit became a new discovery, a new hole and fresh digging , a tree had died and fallen , a young sapling was shooting up beside it. In summer wild strawberries and blackberries could be picked and taken home for pies or , more often , mostly eaten on the way home.
One great attraction for him was the hope of one day seeing a fox or badger out of it's lair. The evidence of their presence was easy to find. In winter tracks in the snow, and in summer paw prints and claw marks in the soft earth and here and there piles of fluff , feathers and thin bones where a bird or rabbit had been caught and eaten. Many times he had stared into the thick undergrowth trying to see where the noises came from but without success. Yes , he did see the occasional rabbit or hare scurry across the clearing but he never spied a fox or badger. Sometimes he wondered to himself why he ever called his place the "Fox Holes ". Then again why would he see anything when so engrossed in tending his fire and building fortresses right next to the badgers den. Sometimes, when engrossed in his activities a particularly loud noise would freeze him in his place and the excitement would send a shiver down his spine.
A lone Sentry stood guard atop the newly constructed watch tower. The soldier had been obtained from the bottom of a cereal package after breakfast that morning . He had done it while mother was washing up because he had to empty the contents into a large mixing bowl in order to find the pesky prize. The toy was made of plastic and its legs were attached to a platform which Charles promptly cut off with his scout knife. After all how could a soldier do anything constructive while his legs were attached to a flat piece of plastic? With his legs firmly embedded in the sandy soil the soldier looked so much more genuine on guard at the watch tower .
Charles continued to dig , scrape , and shape the red earth , steadily improving upon his fortification. The toy soldier viewed Charles' kingdom from a perfectly defensible vantage
point .
They were on a ledge, on the side of a steep slope, which had been formed by the excavations of badgers and foxes. These lairs were what first attracted Charles to this place and he called it the " Fox Holes ".
The Foxholes were actually in a large pit situated at the intersection of three fields and bordered by almost impenetrable bramble bushes and elderberry overshadowed by aged elm , oak , and sycamore trees. Surrounded by well tilled barley fields and lush grassland the pit had been left to nature, wild, unspoiled, and mysterious enough to attract the attention of a small boy on a day's exploration. From his first discovery Charles claimed this small territory for himself and returned here many times throughout his childhood .
It was a perfect place. On a summers day the the trees filtered the hot suns rays and provided gentle warmth and light. On a cold windy day the air remained calm , Charles could only hear the wind bending the tops of trees which bordered the pit. It was a wild place but not inhospitable, with Charles' activities accompanied by chattering sparrows , and the song of robin, thrush, and nightingale , with the occasional rustling and scratching of small animals in the undergrowth. His exploration was aided by small well trodden paths made by animals criss crossing this overgrown excavation. The bottom was "'fairly flat and close to the centre , the lack of direct sunlight had impeded growth to create a small clearing under the trees. On cold rainy days in spring or fall Charles would build a campfire in the clearing. At first , his attempts at fire making were frustrated by damp wood and lack of experience. However , through trial and error he became an expert at putting together the right combination of dry grass , small twigs and kindling sticks to create a blazing fire with just one strike of a match. It was a natural progression for him to obtain an old cooking pot and cast iron fry pan with which he cooked meals of sausages and baked beans and boiled water for steaming hot cups of tea. Charles could even enjoy that damp English weather while treating himself to such delicious feasts and warming himself by the crackling and spitting fireplace. On days when there were no delicacies to steal from his mother's pantry Charles would go to the potatoe field nearby and take a few potatoes to bake in the open fire. As he became older he played less in the sandy red soil and the fireplace became more the centre of attraction. He gathered together pieces of sandstone which outcropped all over the pit and made a proper circle of stones for his fireplace. Then he made a tripod of sticks from which he could hang his cooking pots . These ideas were picked up from books that he read at home and school. One particularly ambitious project was his attempt to make charcoal. The idea came from a book which described how charcoal burners lived in the Woods of Northern England during the 18th Century and earned their keep by making charcoal. The principal was fairly simple and consisted of piling thin sticks on top of a well stoked fire and then layering sods of damp earth on top to slow down the burning process. Almost all the air had to be excluded from the fire except for a small hole at the bottom of the pile of sod and an outlet hole at the top. The cracks between the squares of sod had to be filled with mud so that oxygen was excluded from the fire. The mound had to be constantly tended to make sure that the fire did not burn too fast. After eight hours of slow burning removal of the sods revealed a small pile of brittle charcoal sticks. Fortunately for Charles there was a small swampy pond nearby where he could obtain the necessary materials for damping down the charcoal burn . On another occasion he made a bow and used the fire to harden and strengthen the points of his arrows. Most of his entertainment was gained from manufacturing these things rather than using them for their purpose.
These trips to the foxholes were not an everyday occurrence for Charles because he was at boarding school during the week and only came home on weekends. Sometimes months would elapse between his visits but this would serve to make his place all the more special to him. As the child grew so did the foxholes change with the time and seasons. Each visit became a new discovery, a new hole and fresh digging , a tree had died and fallen , a young sapling was shooting up beside it. In summer wild strawberries and blackberries could be picked and taken home for pies or , more often , mostly eaten on the way home.
One great attraction for him was the hope of one day seeing a fox or badger out of it's lair. The evidence of their presence was easy to find. In winter tracks in the snow, and in summer paw prints and claw marks in the soft earth and here and there piles of fluff , feathers and thin bones where a bird or rabbit had been caught and eaten. Many times he had stared into the thick undergrowth trying to see where the noises came from but without success. Yes , he did see the occasional rabbit or hare scurry across the clearing but he never spied a fox or badger. Sometimes he wondered to himself why he ever called his place the "Fox Holes ". Then again why would he see anything when so engrossed in tending his fire and building fortresses right next to the badgers den. Sometimes, when engrossed in his activities a particularly loud noise would freeze him in his place and the excitement would send a shiver down his spine.
new job
Working on a condominium high rise this week . No elevator yet , and have to carry our tools up to the eleventh floor , a good way to get in shape . There is a fabulous view of the Detroit sky line and these apartments are selling for $500,000 and up . Today , the heat finally got turned on which makes it a lot more comfortable for working . The general contractor is a bit of a hard ass . why? Because the supply of work is slowing and he can drive a hard bargain .Oh by the way , I figured out some of my posting problems by using Firefox for this blog , now it works much better .
Saturday, November 18, 2006
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