Hi Ray, I wouldn't put too much faith in Janet's directions, she can't see either. She has been helping with picking up the patio bricks and arranging them on pallets and cleaning them up for resetting while I haul up barrows of sand and pack it down and screed it off level and relay the bricks. I expect she will help bring me bricks as I lay the big driveway, one wants a gofer to keep the bricks coming on a large project so they go down fast.
My experience with both pavers and retaining walls is that if you fail to prepare then you should prepare to fail. it isn't glamorous but the success is all in the preparation. Get the ground absolutely flat and the bedding sound and the rest goes quickly and securely. otherwise you fight every inch of the way. The pavers and wall stones and caps are harsh but the outcomes are rewarding. Janet and I went out to a local tavern for a couple of beers tonight and to hear our neighbour across the lane play and sing and of course to do a little dancing. He plays a guitar and sings and he had a drummer with him as well. I am certain we were easily the oldest couple in the place rocking to some CCR, Aerosmith, George Thorogood, Elvis, and such. We are enjoying a cup of tea before bed at nearly 2:30 in the morning, it has been a long tough day. I need to put in at least one more with Mr. Jack Hammer tomorrow and probably again on Monday. ----- Original Message ----- From: Ray Boyce To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 1:04 AM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Patio project update. Hi Dale Does your wife help you for this is a major project with it seems more hard work ahead. Keep us informed as you go for I am interested in what you have under taken here. If I am doing anything out in the yard my wife works alongside me telling me what I am doing wrong. If I am pushing a Wheel Barrow she tells me in what direction it should be going so I do not knock over her plants, or run over the dog. It is amazing what we as blind people can achieve when we set our minds on a project. Ray From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dale Leavens Sent: Sunday, 2 August 2009 9:03 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Patio project update. On Tuesday a truck should be arriving with several hundred retaining wall blocks of two types and a load of retaining edging and spikes for the patio. I have about three quarters of it laid but have to take a small diversion to break up a small set of stairs I had poured 18 years ago when I first scaped the yard. The steps have subsided quite a bit in one corner and in doing so pulled away from the cement block forming some of the wall of the well. These are three steps which descent to a landing before a turn to descend the rest of the way to a basement door entry. It is a shame to have to destroy the steps really, I did a rather good job, they are formed inside a sort of box. Clever though the design was, it is a lot of cement to bust up. I rented a big bosch electric jack hammer for the week-end, hopefully it won't kill me, so far I have removed the bottom step and about a third of the second step which is solid to the bottom. I think I'll quit for ton ight. I believe I'll line the well again but this time with retaining wall stones to include risers for the steps. I will fill behind with sharp sand and compact it firmly then cap with caps stones and probably stick them down with some heavy construction adhesive.That way, if they fail again all I need do is dig 'em up and lay them again. That hammer gets mighty heavy for a little chap after four or five hours I can tell you. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
