RVNTNS Vol. IV, #3 Now We're Cookin' with Gas... er, Mortar

Memories like birds, fleeting--one must grasp and hold in heart's hand.

In the last few days there has been evidence of some heavy duty
advances out on/near the Media Center floor.  In this photo we see one of three platforms for holding concrete blocks.  The man emerging from beneath the platform is holding a level.  There are cranks at various points under the framework that the men used to adjust the leveling. The three platforms had been put in place by a larger fork lift--something to watch!


Here's the forklift.  If you ever want to move something heavy at your house, you may want to think of renting one.


The men here on the right seem to be getting ready for the laying of the concrete blocks which are accumulating on the floor of the MC.  Now the next thing needed is the block-layers; but wait.  The platforms must have a few more components, it seems.  Today has proven what was still needed, but for now we can think more lay thoughts, like mortar.  The block-layers will need mortar.

 So we (they) have our (their) own mortar mixer.  Makes one think of "Mortar mixer, sand and water. (repeat)"  which you can sing to the tune of "Cement mixer...'" i.e. if you are old enough to remember the tune, of course.  In the first photo, the workman is in the process of putting in the ingredients--sand, water, and the powdered whatever (in the white bags on the right) that makes the mortar.  It's all chemistry just like cooking, one might think.
In the second photo, he's shoveling the mortar out of the mixer into a kind of wheel barrow.

Now for the real thing.  Three men are engaged in this operation.  The man on the platform is getting the concrete blocks (what was needed at the top) nearer the end of the platform for forklifting (?) to the foundation area (there are already stacks of the blocks on that floor).  The man on the left has just put a block down and is tapping it in place.  The man in the orange is getting mortar onto a mortar board from the barrow (below the picture frame).  Very systematic.  At one point while blogger was taking photos, one end of the first platform slipped and lowered less than a foot.  The man on the platform looked over, assessed the situation, then walked nonchalantly to that site, calmly opened a hatch, pulled up a crank and jacked the slipped end back up to being level with the other two platforms.  All in a day's work.  Blogger had expected some alarm to sound to gather the troops to right the wrong, but blogger thinks lay-thoughts.  Whew.
We'll see how high the wall will rise within the next week.  Truly, it is getting exciting.