Too Cold

I've been inside for a few hours now hanging out by the fireplace. I'm actually finally starting to feel warm. I think the weather hit the high of 43F here today for all of five minutes. I really wanted to make some more progress, so decided to go for it and do a little more work. 

But it was just too cold, and I worried about the concrete setting up. But I was able to add another course to all of the corners. Up 4 now, 2 to go. And I'm dead set on the mark at 16" below the finished height. I put down another 13 block using one bag of concrete (which is what QuikRete, the maker of the mortar I'm using actually estimates you'll use per bag). Then I gave up.

We're supposed to get below freezing tonight, so I covered all of my recent work in a couple layers of old blankets. That should keep things warm enough to set up overnight. 

With an average temperature here of 51F now, I'm done with this. If it's not going to be warm on the weekends, I guess I'll have to take another day off of work on a nice day if I want to make some progress. And I'll really like to get this done this month so I can get it backfilled, cleaned up and seeded for spring.

I was able to seed and straw the front area where the porch will go. Instead of using tarps to keep the four foundation holes clean where the porch columns will go (which wasn't doing a very good job anyway), I bought a sheet of plywood and cut it up to make four 2'x2' boxes. I cleaned the mud and dirt out of the holes and laid the box inside. That should keep the dirt out now and I won't have to worry about them any longer. And since this area is all at the finished grade, I can go ahead and get some grass planted, and at least make this side of the house look decent. Plus once we do to work on the porch, it won't be a muddy mess. 

13 blocks today, 93 total, 204 to go...