September 21 - Paved Parking Lot and More

Pavement -

If there is asphalt on the parking surface with curbs at the edge, how can there be much more to do? I asked Bob some time ago if we are nearing the end of the project. "Sure", he said with a smile, "and when the outside work is done, only six weeks of inside work remain." I refuse to let his realism dampen my exuberance. I watched the asphalt go down on Tuesday knowing that the only thing left to do is wash the windows. Of course there are a few details to clean up, like finishing and assembling pews, installing the sound system, building the pulpit and stage in the front of the sanctuary. Well, maybe it will take a bit of time yet.

It was fun to watch the paving process. Big equipment complete with noise and smoke. What could be more exciting?










The dump truck backs into the paving machine and starts the asphalt flowing. The paving machine pushes the truck across the parking lot leaving a smooth black surface in its wake.

A nice sized crew showed up Wednesday evening, including the official pavement testers. Bob's kids showed up to check up on Dad and to see if the new pavement was suitable for all manner of wheel vehicles.

In-line skates, skate boards and bikes were among the devices tested at the new proving ground.

Felix willingly posed and requested that his test runs were carefully observed. As near as I can tell, the surface and all the vehicles worked well.

Downspout and Drain -
It appears that the attempt to train water to seek a proper drain has been abandoned. Rather, the downspout was reconfigured to make training unnecessary. The revised installation uses gravity exclusively.














Ad Hoc Spray Booth - 
The sanctuary had a new
coating applied to the walls and windows. Poly film wraps the entire interior of the room, only peeled back a bit in two exterior doors to let hearty folks and fresh air in. The air is assisted by a fan on one side blowing in fresh air and an even larger fan in the other door exhaling stale, varnished air. The hearty folks on the inside are decked out with respirator masks to keep the lungs from acquiring a satin finish. Presumably the masks also keep the brain from going loopy from the chemicals.

 Matt sprays the now-stained pew pieces. His two masked assistants serve as materials handlers, moving raw pieces to the spray zone and then stacking processed pieces to the drying area.


Pew ends, all in a row, get a coat of finish material.

The masked assistants wipe any dust from a bench before Matt does his spray thing. I understand the assistants are Helen Parks' daughters but I did not recognize them with their gas masks installed.


I stuck my nose in the door long enough to shoot a few pictures but decided breathing is better outside.

Outside, tall Sam and Short Brian were in conference. Why they chose the over-spray laden jet stream for a meeting room remains a bit of a mystery.

Building Sidewalk Forms -
The plan is to pour sidewalks on Saturday. So, all the forms must be in place and the dirt within smoothed. Sam, Tom, Mark and Nate build forms.

Brian and Ed collaborate on the other end of the sidewalk.

Wednesday evening was beautiful. A joy to be out in the glorious late summer weather. But autumn is on the way, most noticeable by the significantly shorter daylight hours. Even with daylight savings time, it still gets dark.

 So the electric lights must be used. Brent assured me that he trusts Ed's hammer strikes as long as Mark holds the light steady.

Wildlife -
The sandhill cranes are using the same routes they used when the roof was going on last year. The church is in the flyway to the wildlife refuge they call home this time of year.

Across the road, a size large flock stopped in for a snack before heading off to bed.

A few more drop in to join the snackers.

Monarch butterflies enjoy the flowers at neighbor Pete's house. They are heading to Mexico, I understand.

Finally, after crossing the road to the church, I encountered this little mouse scurrying on the asphalt crumbs edging the driveway. So nice to have a genuine church mouse. I hope he is quiet.

Evening descends on the church, the workers and the newly paved parking lot.