Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog

Blog #22

July 1, 2023

This has been a very exciting week as stuff is really starting to move. This blog is going to be a short one due to time limits this morning. Company arrived on Friday and I spent much of the day in preparation for the weekend work and cleaning up the construction mess. This morning two friends are flying in for a four day work-a-thon. Finally the big piles of cut hau are going to be chipped on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

Mana had a grooming appointment at Petco on Tuesday so we made the trek into town. When I took her in and they saw how matted her fur has gotten she got rejected. Luckily a woman there said she would come here to cut all this fur next week. But meanwhile I had Mana with me to do all my errands which was a real painnd some had to be cut short. I did manage to get a large roll of weed barrier which will go on the ground for the patios. It will be the barrier, sand and pavers. The real hassle with all of this big stuff is getting people to tie it down. They are all hesitant due to liability and I have to really do some fast talking and bribing, but after time they  usually concede. I need to learn how to do this job.

Finally the huge heavy old growth cedar beams have come out from under the tarp in the front yard. The guys dug specific sizes out of the wood pile, sanding them lightly and putting two coats of Cetol stain on them. They are looking rich and beautiful just like I imagined. I bought a pile of these beams from a man who years ago had them milled specially in Vancouver. He built a gorgeous multi million dollar cedar house on Lanae. When he sold the house the extra cedar all had to go. Luckily through mutual friends I was able to buy the whole package sight unseen and I ended up with a treasure trove of building materials. These beams will be used for the patio uprights with four keawe posts to support them. All this has to be installed before the gutters can be put on the shed. 

Guys pulling out keawe posts that will support beams

Bradley’s four nephews came for two days and cut hau so there is lots to chip and we are making way up the hill. While they were cutting Bradley pulled out six big tulip tree stumps. There are more stumps but due to the mud he has to wait for dryer weather.

It has been raining in the early morning just enough to make the loose dirt mud. It is a very messy time right now, but progress is being made inspire of weather constraints and machinery breakdowns. We are now waiting for Bradley to borrow a truck to bring up gravel for the concrete footings. Both front and back yards are prepared for the concrete pouring.

Sunday Derek came and cut an entrance tree that was blocking the yellow shower tree blossoms. Due to the frequent showers followed by sun and long days the grass has been growing like crazy. Chris came and did a lot of weed whacking and the yard is looking picture gorgeous.

Just about every evening I have been trapping mongeese so the cats don’t all move here to my tiny camp site. It is getting pretty crowded and hard to do desk work without a cat crawling onto my paper work or computer keyboard.

At times it feels like they are taking over. Even Mana now jumps easily up on my five foot high bed.

And, a friend called to ask a special favor of taking in Caruso who wandered in to her property and did not get along with her cat. After a couple of days slowly working his way closer he has moved in, hands out and eats on a shelf and is not problem.

OK workers have arrived and I am ready to get this out and work on today’s project cutting a better path to the pool. Thanks for tuning in and I think there will be some big changes by next week.

Wishing everyone a happy 4th and great week.

Aloha Nui,

Vicky