More on the Pergola Project

It is pouring rain as I type this out. Following is a continuation of the pergola project that kept me so busy last year. In hindsight I can clear up a few details. Because this patio base was built facing into a slope, it had to be elevated. Because it was elevated, the side that would normally butt against the building was higher than the the cement slab foundation. Because of this, I designed this patio so it would be "freestanding". There is a space of about one foot between the side of the building and the patio.
I poured forms so the perimeter of the patio is a solid cement "wall" the width of a brick. This wall is then topped with bricks. More on that to follow. Here is the next step of the building process taken from my on-line journal.....

Low Key Monday

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

I’m getting burned out on this patio project. The worst is really over at this point. The concrete forms are all poured, now I need to fill this area with crushed limestone to make a base for the bricks. The clay/dirt base was tamped down and covered with landscape fabric. This fabric is held down with the limestone leftovers from the last project a couple years ago. This limestone had been stored on the driveway side of the house in some 20 plastic buckets that originally held kitty litter. That reminds me: back when I was working at a supermarket in Lancaster, PA. a customer asked Ronnie, (one of the stockboys) where the cat litter was located. Ronnie yelled down the aisle to John, “Hey John, what aisle is the shitty litter in?” This was totally inappropriate back in 1971, but we all laughed!

While working on all this, my package arrived with the latest E-bay purchase. When I redo the doors here in the house I replace the 1920’s door knobs and back plates with earlier styles. I have the styles of this house so mixed up and besides the older sets just look so much nicer. This box contains a set of door knobs and plates that match a set I already own. I’m very disappointed when I unpack the box. The merchandise is bright and shiny, it is definitely old but it does not feel right. The finish is rough. Whoever cleaned this either: sandblasted the pieces or brushed it all to death on a wire wheel. Not wanting to make a mess in the garage, I set up my buffing wheel outside. Now I go to town smoothing out the rough finish. What a difference some red rouge and a cloth wheel make.

As I was putting the tools away I had the camera in tow to document the progress of this project. That digital camera is so much fun! Stumpy was up to something. Sure enough; he was tormenting a poor little Gecko. After taking the picture (you can just barely see the little guy on the piece of wood) I put Stump in the house for a bit to give the Gecko time to find a new hiding spot!

Stump was pissed, he wanted to be outside. I turned him loose again and he went right to where his “friend” was. That cat was sniffing the grass and going crazy trying to find his new “buddy”. Mr. Gecko was smart and was nowhere to be found!

When I was last in New York (there is one more installment on that trip to go!) I purchased a copy of Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. At the end of the day in my Morris Chair along with a glass of cheap box wine, I’m transported back to England of the 1920’s. Next to the early mornings, this is my favourite time of the day.

At nine it is now dark and time to round up the cats for the night. I can usually find them in Michelle’s driveway, right next door. Tonight is no exception. Daggy goes into the back study by herself. Stumpy, I have to track down and carry into the house growling. He is pissed a second time at having to return to the house. This is tempered when he gets his bowl of wet cat food as a reward for being a good cat!