The concrete pour at the Hazelnut Inn went perfectly and it was with pure joy we carefully removed the forms the next day. It took the better part of a full day to remove all of the screws, salvage the good boards and load the scrap pieces into the trailer to take to the bio-recyclers. We then began spreading a thin layer of new gravel onto the driveway to prepare it for the paving stones. With each completed step, the Inn looks better and more complete. Stay tuned for more progress…

The weather was perfect today for lots of outside work at the Hazelnut Inn.

Our crew pretty much polished off the wall between the parking lot and the Imagination Corporation.

We also managed to put in a couple of loads of bark mulch to clean up the flower beds and along our neighbours’ hedge line. Then we filled up the planter beds with soil.

And to top it off, we cleaned out the Copper Crown Suite in preparation for spraying it’s foam insulation.

As soon as the insulation is finished we will be finishing off the theme work in the North Star Suite.

It’s starting to feel like we are in the home stretch…

This morning we stripped the forms from the newly poured sidewalks at the Hazelnut Inn. It took the balance of the day to dismantle all of the pieces and clean the driveway one last time. In the next weeks, we’ll begin laying the paving stones to finish off the driveway. Stay tuned…

The weatherman wasn’t overly optimistic this morning with showers in the forecast. Nonetheless, we were all systems go as our crew planned to roughen the surface by seeding the freshly towelled concrete with various-sized stones. Ian and his crew from Accura Concrete expertly placed and towelled twenty-five cubic meters of concrete. We broke out the pressure washers and exposed the surface as soon as the concrete had set enough to walk on. About halfway through the task, the skies opened up and we experienced an unusual torrential downpour. No harm was done as the concrete had already hardened sufficiently and our crew was bundled up in rain gear. It was a fabulous day and by our regular quitting time, the sidewalks were in place and our tools were tucked away.

Things are happening at the Hazelnut Inn! After a whole lot of work by the crew finalizing the grades, packing the ground and building the forms we are now ready to pour the curbs and sidewalks. The visual changes are profound and the excitement is high! Stay tuned for the concrete progress report tomorrow…

Henry is always eager to help. Although he’s only five years old, he’s been around long enough to know the difference between being kept busy and doing meaningful work. As we worked to prepare the driveway at the Hazelnut Inn there was plenty for Henry to do. He has his own Henry-sized shovel and wheelbarrow to move the gravel. Raking and helping build the sidewalk forms are also tasks he can assist with. When it came time to tamp the gravel into place Henry was first in line to steer the heavy packing machine. Watching Henry work so diligently this afternoon reminded me of when his father was young and helped me at every turn. Peter was my constant companion as I worked and often my dad, George, was there as well. Projects sometimes took a little longer when young Peter was on hand but having him there and helping was well worth the effort. It is a family tradition.