A KID & A CAT

When Laila stays with us, weekend mornings have been fairly predictable.  There's usually a few cartoons on the TV that are part of the routine.  Then, I always fix a bigger breakfast than someone can eat.    With the new kitty in the house, the little feline has become part of the mornings activities.  While I fixed some bacon and pancakes, I snapped this picture of the little girls, as one was trying to watch a cartoon.  I must have counted a half dozen times where Laila would retrieve Snoopy from one of the bedrooms, carry her to the sofa, only to have the kitty disappear once again.  When the TV commercials would come on, that seemed to be the right time to go and find the cat.  Maybe if the cartoon Tom & Jerry had been on the tube, the kitty might have had a little more interest. 

Marc & Chandra arrived at about 10am to pick up Laila, and I went back to work on the first shade cover footing.  It wasn't long after they left, that I ran out of the 16 foot 2x6's, and made a trip to Lowes for several more.

Today, I'll finish framing the footing, and lay the two rows of half inch rebar into the trench.  Then, I have to make a decision.    This first scenario is most likely.........Wait for the permit, then pour this first footing.  The only problem is that I only need about 2 yards of concrete, and most companies have a minimum delivery of 3-5 yards.  The second course of action would be to frame up the other side, and do the concrete for both all at once.  As far as buying concrete, that makes the most sense, except for the fact that I will need to purchase the lumber, and metal concrete stakes for a second frame, rather than doing just one at a time.  Cost for buying materials for the second footing would be over $200, so at this point, not sure which one pencils out the best. I'm hoping to get the engineered drawings from the metal building company by the end of the week, and with no objections from neighboring property owners, the building permit shouldn't be too far away.

I see that Nancy posted a new blog, and commented on my blog post "New Dig" of a few days ago.  Glad to hear that she and Patty are OK, and nearing the end of their trip to Costa Rica.  They fly back to S.F. on Friday, and Patty flies back to Tucson on Sunday.