9/16/19
(Above: Vines growing on a gate just west of Jacobhouse. I’ve noted that as the weather has dried, vines have begun to flourish. I thought this to be an interestingly counter-intuitive observation. It should also be noted that caterpillars have arrived in mass numbers.)
Building Summary: Today’s activities began with my adding the final coat of turquoise to the kitchen’s base molding. This was ensued by checking for rat activities at Jacobhouse. There were some signs of movement outside and inside of the container home, but I do not believe them to be related. Whilst thinking on how to proceed (and while waiting for the paint to dry), I ventured home and completed my American History class’s first exam and submitted a video review I’ve been working on.
After those two latter tasks were completed, I had arrived at a decision in regard to the utility hole. I decided that I would clear out the excess sprayfoam (and two or more extra inches), and then fill it with the same mortar mix that I used to create the concrete countertop. This meant that I needed to proceed with the ‘clearing out’ portion… and that I did. The remainder of the morning was spent ripping, poking, and ‘tweezing’ out a hefty amount of sprayfoam from the utility hole.
TIL: Today I learned two things of especial interest. The first is that a combination of coarse steel-wool and Loctite construction glue form a nigh indestructible and irremovable substance. If I was not going to use concrete for plugging up the utility hole in Jacobhouse, the steel-wool/construction glue combo is what I would use instead.
The second bit learning concerned the best option for mowing a small yard. Seeing as Jacobhouse’s lawn is ever-growing, I’ve been looking for solutions that are both cost-efficient and easy to store. A push-lawnmower was the obvious solution, but I did not know what type. Gas and electric both have their pros and cons, but both seemed too bulky to store in/around Jacobhouse. So, I found a third option: a mechanical push-mower. Unlike the other two, mechanical push-mowers need no fuel, they stay sharp for a long time, are cheap, are extremely easy to move/store, and produce no noise / dust / smoke while clipping the lawn. I’m not sure how one will stand up to the rigors of nutgrass and sida weed, but if I keep the lawn well-shorn, the instrument should perform quite ably.
Commentary: Despite delving into the utility hole today – a rather unpleasant experience – I am satisfied with how it all proceeded. The task was made much more bearable for two reasons: the first being that I found no new incursions whilst excavating the sprayfoam, and the second being that an end to rat shenanigans (along with the accompanying inspections and reports) is in sight. I plan on leaving the newly applied sprayfoam/hardware-cloth combination intact while pouring the top 2-3″ of the utility hole full of quick-set concrete*.
As for another highlight, here is a video I took this morning:
Final Note: Tomorrow I intend to vacuum out at least a portion of the utility hole before venturing to town with Madre. In town, I shall procure trim for Padre and I, some concrete / flow control for the utility hole, a faucet for the kitchen sink**, a sheet or two of colored galvalume***, and if all goes well, a sushi lunch. If there is spare time in the afternoon, I will put together a border-form for around the utility hole so I can keep the Wednesday concrete-pour from venturing where it does not need to go.
*Whose durability has already been tested.
**If I am not contacted by the seller of the one I already bought by tomorrow morning.
*** If there is colored galvalume, I could use a couple sheets as molding material for the bathroom / bedroom areas. With the diamond-blade circular saw, I should be able to cut through those sheets with ease.