Well, it’s now just after 12:30 when I write this, and it’s too bad I don’t have the camera (it’s with Beth and Kirstin who are not here tonight due to the work being done) because it’s really something that needs to be seen to understand.

It started out innocently enough. The intention was to use the electric concrete saw to make way through the floor and wall. As it so turns out, the electric saw burned out yesterday, so it is out of commission. Fair enough. So I ended up using the gas concrete saw instead.

The main problem: I’m working in an enclosed space. So, there was a bit of a change in plan so as to accommodate the change in equipment. As in, we needed to make sure that the area could be as well ventilated as possible.

That required a little extra work, but it turned out well. We just took a few extra breaks when it got to smell quite much in the area. But I’m very happy to report that all of my work done in the ‘sealing off’ of the area in question went very well. It functioned perfectly — absolutely no problems whatsoever. I pulled a slight negative pressure on the area in question so we were always drawing air through the area, and that worked out quite well.

Anyway, we got the sawing done in short order. It didn’t take long at all — went pretty well, and the saw itself was quite light (I expected a real beast). The sledgehammer work was really mastered by Erik — he rocks at that business. I wasn’t bad, but it seemed as though most of the block courses I went through were the ones that were core filled…so that makes it much harder.

Regardless, as of right now, we’ve got a doorway into the cistern and a hole cut and cleared (of concrete) in the floor for the sump basin. The hole is about half dug out right now, and there’s a lot of concrete left to be hauled out of the basement, but the bulk of the work is complete.

We had a really productive evening, even though it meant we didn’t eat until about 11PM tonight. But, there were some fireworks lit off, and we got just short of a half inch of rain while we ate tonight.

So overall it was a really good day. I’ve got to bring the saw back right away in the morning, so it’s bedtime right now. And I’ve got a lot of cleanup to work on, but the most major portions of the work are complete, so that’s a Good Thing.

Anyway, that said, I bid thee adieu. Until next time…

“Hell is paved with good samaritans.”
– William M. Holden

–MZ