solid as a rock

What a sight: after yesterday's concrete pumping fun, today, there's a solid (12" wide, 6' tall, 32' long) wall at the back of the house foundation.

We went up today to remove the wood forms, and to see if we succeeded. And things look beautiful. ;)Matt had fun removing the custom-made bolt-holding cavity protectors. I think they give the back wall the nice effect of a crenolated tower--our own little castle. Dad thinks they'd make a nice turkey blind, now that it's hunting season.
Here's Matt in triumph after removing the most stubborn wood.
Just look at how well the concrete filled in--even under these forms!
Now: who's up for some wood-working?!?

one more visit from some cool equipment

This may not look so special to you, but we're pretty awfully darn happy about these strange fixtures in our house pad: they are the *last* big concrete forms of the project. (Technically, there will be some small bits of concrete to add later, but nothing requiring big trucks to arrive...)

Over the weekend, with some quality family time working, we finished installing the forms for the inside-the-house pillars, the massive back wall, the little piece of the wall that holds lots of conduits and pipes, and the big, tall deck pillars. Today, Mom met the new inspector who signed off on our work, and the concrete and pumper are scheduled for Thursday.

Hooray!!!!