Dump Run

This morning I met Dave at Walmart and rode with him to the landfill at Atlanta, a half hour west of Alpena.  This was the last load of major debris — the pile at my front door is gone!  A landfill is not the kind of place I frequent, and now I know why.  While Dave unloaded the trailer, two tandem trucks arrived, dumped steaming piles of something black, and then left.  Almost immediately a landfill employee in a large bucket tractor roared in to push the steaming black stuff over the edge into the pit.  It's quite an operation, and instructive about where all that we throw away goes.

The trash pile no longer greets visitors.

If you remember an earlier post, the Atlanta landfill is a favorite hangout for bald eagles.  As we left, we spotted a bald eagle sitting in a tree beside the access road.  He was huge, regal, and not at all intimidated by the large trucks roaring past his perch.  Our national symbol seemed to be waiting for lunch.  I wish I had brought my camera.

In the garage, Dave sweeps up between my washer and dryer.

With all the trash gone, Dave was able to clean up one bay of the garage.  Now, if the need arises — to get out of the way of the plow guy, for example — I could stash my Scion in the garage.  I think I'm going to value the workspace this garage offers!  And unlike the garage in Detroit, it doesn't lean to the left.

This was tile week.  The first floor bath, entry, and master bath are tiled and awaiting grout.  The mud room and half-bath are about 50% tiled; Kyle and Dave will bring up more of this tile next week.   The pad for the wood burning stove (in the same tile as the entry) will have to wait until much of the oak flooring has been installed.  Vinyl flooring for the office will be installed presently.

The mud room is about half tiled.

This darker tile is used in the entry foyer.

The master bath awaits grouting.  Note the
sunlight, which is helping heat the house.

This vinyl tile is for the office.  A hard surface will be
more accommodating to a desk chair with casters.

Dave has also sanded the steel beam which hangs below the ground floor ceiling.  The beam will be primed and then painted a deep chocolate in the next few days.

Dave stands under the steel beam, which
is about ready for its dark brown finish coat.

I've also noted how comfortable the house has been this week, despite low temperatures, high winds, and snow.  This afternoon the temperature upstairs was 65 degrees, according to the thermostat, but the thermostat was set to 59.  The extra heat is what comes up the stairwell, as well as the increment of heat provided by the sunlight coming through the west windows.

Kyle headed downstate on Wednesday to deal with snow clearing issues, and Dave will leave tomorrow.  Both guys return Monday.  Next on the punch list is the oak flooring. •••