First Course of Blocks

Our Link-Belt crane w/ a fully extended boom. The crane sits on its fully extended outrigger legs instead of the tires when it is lifting and placing the concrete blocks. Note: The guys have since added the swing around jig extension to add an additional 20 or so feet.

The first block set on the line of water seal sticky stuff (I'll get exact name) to which another layer of some sort of vinyl attaches to it and goes up inside the block.

 
You can see clearly the opening cut into the side wall of this corner DAC-ART block that will allow the concrete backfill to flow continuously thru the rows of blocks. 

The lift handles will fit inside of the openings in the next row of blocks.

Ryan and Don use hand signals and a walkie-talkie to communicate w/ Mike in the cab of the crane. 

This slab is the floor of the above ground basement. It will not have windows, but will have some vents located up high in the wall. We have been looking at louvered vents available from different companies. I have found one online that we might be able to use (6 of) from Renovator's Supply but it is impossible to get in touch with them to inquire about specific construction materials and details. I have tried everything, calling, emailing (no reply), looking for alternate numbers....you get put on hold after a voice loop and then the phone goes dead ! Great customer service...not.

The garage front wall facing the street has an inset on either side. The opening is 12 feet. The slab for the garage is not poured yet. It will be poured after the first course of blocks is in place and backfilled.

Meanwhile we have been talking to the different window suppliers, getting prices, etc..we have to make window and door decisions soon.

Nice little video of a DAC-ART Block being set ..1 min, 22 sec. 

In the fall we have a period usually where these black flying bugs called 'LoveBugs' are everywhere. They don't bite but when you drive thru thick swarms of them, they really stick to the car and if they dry on there, they are really hard to remove. My car is permanently stained in front because I don't wash the outside of it but about once a year...if that. This past week the temp dropped and so did the breeze. So in addition to the fall LoveBugs (scientific name Plecia nearctica) flurry, we had these biting flies that look like houseflies but they land on you and bite. They hurt. they don't leave a bump or itch afterwards, but they hurt and drive you crazy. it is the same flies that breed in seaweed like we have after a big storm and it is piled up on shore. Anyway, the biting flies were awful a couple of days. I got some chopped garlic out of the freezer, pulverized some in the blender w/ water and strained it into a hose-end sprayer and sprayed down the whole area where we are building. The men thought it really helped. 

I had bought some kind of Safe Yard Guard Repellant hose-end spray in the past when Yellow Flies were around in the spring and low-and-behold, all it was , was garlic juice. Gives a nice 'Italian Restaurant' aroma to the area.