Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Working Outside My Comfort Zone

I finished digging the hole I started yesterday along the side of my house where I planted a Japanese Zelkova Serrata tree that we got from the Redding Electric Utility’s Energy-Saving Tree Program. I chose to plant it in the empty area outside my office as it putting it there will supposedly help provide shade and cool the house off in the summer, once it grows large enough. When I started digging I found that the area appears to be more rock than dirt so it took a lot of effort to get it deep and wide enough. Most of the digging I did with a hammer and crowbar because I don't have a pick or dig bar and the shovel would constantly bounce off all the embedded rocks.

The day before yesterday I cleaned out the gutters and blew a bunch of leaves and junk off the roof using the electric air duster I have to clean out PCs. I attached the vacuum pole extensions to it so I could stand upright while using it.

Prior to that I had been working on fixing up my shed, replacing rotted wood , installing a tension wire to straighten out the door that was getting a little warped, and putting on a new roof. I had to replace one of the roof plywood segments as it was completely rotted away due to there being no drip guard installed. Then I removed all the old worn out shingles. Whoever build this shed originally didn't lay down the black felt paper before putting on their shingles, didn't use any drip guards, and used measly little half inch nails. I had felt paper leftover from the gazebo renovation but I had to buy drip guards and longer nails. I also had some shingles leftover but still had to buy another pack. I put on new shingles up to where the shed goes under the overhang of the house. I didn't see any way to nail in new shingles there with the gutter being in the way giving no room to get a hammer in so I just left the old shingles on from there up.

Before working on the shed I had fixed up the section of fence that was behind the shed because one post there was completely rotted at the base and one of the 2x4 rails was rotted. I replaced them both with pressure treated wood. That repair job wasn't too bad except that it was right near some bushes which made it a little difficult to cut the required notch in the 4x4 post and to hammer in all of the fence planks.

With all this labor you'd think I'd be almost done but nope, I still have to sand and repaint the shed and clean and seal the gazebo. Hopefully I can get it done before it rains, which is supposed to start in about a week.