Progress - Baby Steps of Construction

One thing I'm learning by watching the construction outside of my store, is how large things get accomplished in smaller stages. The actual project is huge - taking up more than a mile of total road including pulling down and rebuilding a major bridge. My little corner of the construction world is quite small, but even that is being tackled in stages.

T-Rex directly in front of my door. You can
see the bare bit of my awning in the upper left. 

Last week we had metallic T-Rex in front of the door, breaking the asphalt and concrete to uncover the storm drains, pulling the old pipes, and digging placement and trenches for new piping. I thought T-Rex would continue past my door to go down the remainder of the block for a ways, and the lumbering monster was parked in front of my door for the weekend. On Saturday I noticed a truck from the City Water Department parked behind T-Rex, and official-looking people examining the placement and height of the new drains.

Naked storm drains with their grates in place. 

They must have received approvals, because Monday morning came and T-Rex was gone (I later found it two blocks north of my location, but he wasn't lurking at my doorway to threaten my customers. Huzzah!

Starting to place the forms for the concrete around the storm drains. 

Instead of T-Rex, we had a large truck filled with boards and dividers and a different group of guys unloaded these, placed them, and hammered them into location.

Pouring and spreading the concrete as the cement truck delivers it. 

Later in the afternoon a cement truck arrived and concrete was poured into the forms, and two hours later or so, the forms were removed, repacked on the truck, and the new curb was allowed to dry. Given our heat, it should dry quickly. Given our humidity - maybe not so fast. At least it gave us something to watch on and off all day between assisting customers with their craft supply needs.

Concrete is set and forms are ready to be pulled
and returned to the truck. One more stage finished.
I wonder what will happen today? 

Happy Tuesday to all. Yesterday's refreshing Guppy Day is now Tuesday's Hot and Sweaty Machine Day. But, it's all good!