NDA Construction

Swan Song For This Blog

2011-03-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

Swan Song For This Blog
March 30, 2011

This will be a wrap-up posting of the Construction Blog since construction of the athletic fields is pretty much completed with just a few features to be added in the coming year (funds permitting). The ball field is a volunteer miracle—look for a link to its progress in “Panda Press Weekly.” The link will give an up-date on improvements to the field as well as the ongoing adventure of NDA’s fastball team (off to a promising start at this posting). Added here is a photo of a few fastball players practicing in the bull pen/batting cage (a puzzle to the Muses, as past readers will recall)—a nice parting shot and reminder of how thorough the plans of the volunteer team are.

The other photo was taken of the soccer field covered in, yes, snow on the morning of March 27th. This shot is not from the swan’s fly-over, but from the school’s third floor roof. Of course, what caught blogger’s eye was the clear outline of the NDA (which, it is hoped, you can make out) in the middle of the field. Predictably, the snow melted completely—well almost—by late morning when the first of several teams showed up to do tournament battle that day. What is still to be realized in this area is the required surface on the track so that our track team can practice on home territory. Blogger’s understanding is that a few field features will be added to the D zones. Indeed, an on-going saga on a once soggy scape.

With these last few notes of blogger’s swan song, she bids you a fond farewell, dear Readers. Thank you for your indulgence in reading of these pages (around 100 in type). It’s been fun for blogger and very instructive. God bless your every endeavor, and be sure to check in on NDA’s Heritage blog occasionally. Perhaps someday the history of the school’s athletic pursuits will appear there.
For now, aurevois.

Not Out to the Ballgame Just Yet #1

2011-03-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Long winter--long time since the last blog. Blogger's apologies: it's just a bit daunting to head out with camera in one hand and umbrella or snow shovel in the other. But now that the earth is nearing its spring equinox in its journey around the sun, we see this orb a bit more than in the previous months.

Now down to business: here's what's happening on the ball field. The empty dugout is filled with gravel, then a final layer of concrete. At last! Even the bull pen gets a nice little front apron. The pen has been used already by one of the "Construction Team" members who tried out the space with his daughter one afternoon, giving her a workout. Since no reconstruction of the pen has taken place since that event, the daughter and the pen must have passed muster. The fitting test of the caged pudding. Be sure to read/view the blog below--#2.

Not Out to the Ballgame Just Yet #2

2011-03-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

Do you see this hill? This is the hill of dreams at the northwest corner of the field of dreams. It has gone through a number of "outfits" since 2005, to say the least. But then the whole place has slowly transformed since then. Now lets take a look at the plan for the hill and field. Pretty snappy, isn't it. The #12 (the pinkish) that you see in the upper left is the hill, and you can see the "dream" for it in the photo with the plan text. Some senior folk may remember that roughly where the student entrance to the school is today there used to be a Lourdes grotto much frequented by the Sisters, especially in good weather. The future too holds a shrine to Mary somewhat to the east of the original one.
Fast ball teams will be able to make a visit before and after their games. Won't that be cool! Of course, all hinges on $ and lots of determination on the part of the Team. We can be assured of the latter. A sort of caveat is in order here as anyone who has built will tell you: plans do change. If you had seen the originals of the additions made in the past 20 years and compare them with what we have today you would be quite assured of that. (The originals of the 1963 building are fascinating on that score.)

The coiled hose reminds us that there's much work to be done to realize the dreams for the site. Good (ongoing) job, Construction Team!

And The Score Is...

2010-10-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

5 to 0 favor the Pandas, of course. What a lovely score board, the best we’ve seen since 1996 (gym). Let's turn from gazing at the board, go up the new steps along side the concession building (nifty steps) and get some…hmmm…guess we’ll have to wait a little longer here. But did you notice the new concrete walk and even a curb? Things are really moving right along. Maybe we can even use the facilities soon. The plumber’s truck does raise hopes. The temporary facility, handy though it has been, leaves a bit of home to be desired; do you agree?

Next time we’ll move up to the softball field to take in the advances there—another big story!

To Even The Score

2010-10-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

So the soccer field will soon have a score board. Will the softball field pale on this point? (Did you say "point"?) By no means. As we have watched the competition at the north and east ends of the campus, we've noted extraordinary progress ends. We're confident that this will be a win-win game--ongoing-- to wit, many win-win games.
But lets look at the progress made on both fields recently. Soccer field and soft ball field--verticals in place for the respective score boards. Sbf.--concrete poured for dug-out, and advance work on the bullpen/batting cage. Sprinklers working most days to encourage newly sown grass seek give evidence that the field itself is getting its share of attention. The concession/lavatories building stands between the two fields almost ready to serve the fans of both sports. Oh, happy day when all will be completed.

From Hotdogs to Bullpens

2010-09-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

So the Muses hover over the athletic fields in awe, out of their realm, and pondering what all this activity means. The blog of Aug. 27 showed the concession stand/lavatory facility well underway, and of course, it has moved forward since then. The Muses don’t read blogs (although this blogger wonders sometimes who is reading over her shoulder), nor do they don’t have the savy that we mortals have—theirs is of a different sort (see the blogs on the theater construction back in the summer/fall of 2008 when the Muses stirred the air with their excitement). They do know what bricks and mortar are, and so they share some anticipation.
The softball field scene is a complete mystery to the Muses, however. The digging of a dug-out (well, what else could you call it, they wonder) and the measuring of the bullpen/batting cage (what will these mortals think of next? Bulls will be batting?) will reveal their purposes only gradually. Blogger will have to arrange a meeting with Ms. Gunning to instruct our ghostly friends. Blogger, too, could use some instruction, as Ms. Gunning knows well.

The Dream Shared 1

2010-08-27T08:43:00.001-07:00

The following photos give you a sequential (I hope) view of the progress of the last major feature of the soccer field. Of course, a score board will be nice (and coming), too.

The Dream Shared 2

2010-08-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

AT LAST! The soccer field is complete and the field house is well on the way as the photos will show.

The man shown with a camera is Bob Stevens at the Dedication of the Sports Complex on Saturday, August 21, 2010. Bob is a very significant person since he, as you may know, was the original impetus behind the construction of the field once the planning of new construction got under way about six years ago. His daughter graduated too soon to enjoy the use of the field, but Bob’s enthusiasm and involvement continued. The benches you see on the convent hill were placed there by him so that the Sisters at the Heights could come out and enjoy the games, too. Enthusiasm + generosity = a winning game! Thanks, Bob!

The three blog entries below tell the Dedication story.

Here's What It Looked Like On August 14, 2010

2010-08-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

Dedication Celebration

2010-08-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

After construction comes dedication—YES. In the blog below is the address giving the history of soccer at N.D.A.. Greg Johnson , the man in the yellow shirt, standing on the platform above Sr. Mary Shauna, read the address, while cameras clicked all around. The “Kentucky Life” section of Sunday’s ENQUIRER (Aug. 22, 2010) has a very nice spread on the front page, by the way. Photos here include the new marching band getting assembled, Sr. M. Shauna in front of the scaffold platform, the 2004 Panda soccer state champs, and the line up of coaches through the years, from right to left. They are named and honored in the address below.

Address Given At Dedication

2010-08-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

History of Soccer at Notre Dame Academy

In 1976, Paul Tipton and Ron Staurovsky developed a recreational soccer league for girls and boys, played at the fields of Villa Madonna Academy. The league was such a great success that in the following year, two separate leagues were formed; a Villa Hills league directed by Ron Staurovsky and a Park Hills league directed by Paul Tipton.

In 1978 - after 2 years of recreational play – four area high schools formed interscholastic teams.
Villa Madonna, Dixie Heights, Scott and Notre Dame Academy!!!

Thirty-four student athletes attended the first NDA soccer practice, thirty-two years ago. The enthusiastic turnout made it necessary to form two teams, appropriately named, the Blue and Gold teams.

Here, with us today, is the Pioneer of Northern Kentucky Soccer and Notre Dame Academy’s first coach of the Blue team - Coach Paul Tipton!!!!… Paul coached 5 years and compiled a record of 21-11-1. In 1982, Paul entered the Pandas in the State Soccer Tournament. However, only one State Soccer Tournament existed and all participating schools were boys’ teams. The state accepted the offer to allow NDA to participate, but the Pandas later withdrew, in order to ensure the safety of its players.

Paul’s wife, Alvera, was instrumental in forming the NDA Athletic Boosters organization and was named its first secretary. Because of their wonderful contributions to the athletic program, both Paul and Alvera are inductees of Notre Dame Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Thank you, Paul Tipton.****

Next, we are pleased to welcome the first coach of the 1978 NDA Gold team – Coach Sarah Kelsch-Good! Sarah’s first team recorded 4 wins and 6 losses. In 1979, Sarah assisted Paul Tipton with the Blue team and together they compiled a season record of 5-1-1. Not only did Sarah coach soccer for two years, she also coached volleyball, cross-country, basketball and softball, while teaching 8 years at NDA. Sarah was inducted into Notre Dame Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992, and with her coaching versatility, it should come as no surprise! Thank you Coach Good!****

The third coach in NDA’s program is - Coach Bob Fincken! In his solo year with the Pandas, Bob coached the 1979 Gold team to a 2-2 record. Bob Fincken ****

A big welcome to Pandas coach– Art Eder! Art coached two spring seasons with Paul Tipton and one fall soccer season. In 1982, Art’s team recorded an undefeated season of 6-0! After two years with the Pandas, Art compiled a career record of 9-6. ***** Let’s hear it for Coach Eder!

Please welcome NDA’s fifth varsity coach – Coach Chuck Long! Chuck coached the Pandas from 1982-1985 and his team only lost one game to another Kentucky team. In Chuck’s four-year tenure he compiled a 62-22-2 career record! Chuck was diagnosed with cancer during his years at NDA and states his players were instrumental in helping him fight his battle with cancer. In 2007, Chuck was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Soccer Hall of Fame for his contributions as a high school coach at Notre Dame Academy and Simon Kenton. In addition, Chuck founded the Girls Olympic Development Program in Kentucky, the Girls High School Soccerama, and was Co-founder of the Independence Soccer Club! ***** Thank you Coach Chuck Long

Following Coach Long in the line up of NDA coaches is Coach Mike Wolf! Mike coached 7 seasons for the Pandas from 1986-1992, compiling a career record of 99-51-11! Mike’s teams, like those preceding him, practiced on the field that we now use as our softball field. In 1992, Coach Wolf’s illustrious career was most noted for having the opportunity to coach the first NDA team in a Kentucky High School State Tournament!!!....Twenty years after the first Boys Soccer State Championship! Coach Wolf’s team won 4 games en-route to the state championship finals, including a regional title win over Scott, in a shoot out. Coach Wolf’s team was on a winning streak holding opponents to zero goals, as they approached the championship finals. The finals however were postponed several weeks due to snow, yet, the game finally took place on a very cold night in late November. Ten minutes into the second half, Lexington Lafayette scored on a perfectly placed corner kick. Despite out-shooting Lafayette 23-5, the Pandas fell short of winning the very first girls KY State Soccer Championship in a 1-0 loss. Awesome job, Coach Mike Wolf

Please welcome NDA’s seventh varsity coach: Coach Tim Prieshoff!
Tim has the longest tenure of all soccer coaches at NDA, beginning with 7 seasons as Coach Wolf’s assistant and moving to the varsity position, from 1993-2003. Tim compiled a career record of 177-53-9. Tim’s teams practiced at the rather small field on campus, but as numbers grew and play quickened, it became tougher to keep the competitive edge with other schools practicing on regulation fields. As a result, Tim moved his practice site to Marydale, Pioneer Park, and then to the front of the Sanitation District building. Home games were played at Boone Woods and Central Park. For many years, Boone County High School was gracious in allowing NDA to host a home game under the lights, for our senior nights. During Tim’s tenure, the addition of a freshman program was included, allowing 20 more players to experience the thrill of playing high school soccer. Tim was also instrumental in recruiting former players to assist in coaching the Panda teams. Some of the most notable are Kerrie Schmidt-Kramer, Julie Roesel-Belton,
Lisa Metz-Warner and our present coach Sara Raaker-McSorley. Tim’s teams won 7 district titles; 5 regional titles (including 3 consecutive titles in 1997, 98, 99); 4 sectional titles and 2 state runner-up titles in 1997 and 1999! ****** Thank you Coach Tim Prieshoff!

Let’s have a big Pandas “How do you feel” welcome for our 1997 graduate and our current head coach Sara Raaker-McSorley! Sara began her coaching career in style, celebrating her 25th birthday, with a semi-final win and a berth to play in the KY State Championship Finals. The Pandas became the first Northern Kentucky team (for both boys and girls) to win a soccer state championship! To date, Coach Raaker-McSorley’s teams have compiled 6 district titles, 3 regional titles, 3 sectional titles, a 2009 state runner up title and a 2004 state championship! Twenty-five of Sara’s former players have continued their soccer career in college. Sara’s teams, like those who preceded her, found it a daily challenge to secure a consistent home practice field. Practices were held at a variety of locations – Mills Road Park, CCH, Thomas More, Turpin, Anderson, and even in a meadow at Marydale, alongside Houston Road. (where Bob Stevens mowed the grass for the team every Sunday evening). High school and select soccer continued to grow in numbers. It became more and more difficult to find options for both practice and home games. During the last 2 years, Xavier University became home to the Pandas, for practice and home games. NDA is most grateful to Kevin Molony and Town and Country, who generously provided field time to the Pandas throughout the 10 years. So, not only does Coach Raaker-McSorely have the first state championship, Sara will also be remembered as becoming the first NDA coach to actually have a true home field advantage!!
Congratulations and a big thanks Coach Raaker-McSorley!

In closing, the Notre Dame Academy community would like to thank all of these wonderful coaches and our friends and supporters, who have made this Field of Dreams possible. Let’s give a final salute to our NDA coaches here today. They have dedicated their time and service to NDA, and have been instrumental in making our soccer program one of the best in the state! We are eternally grateful for your commitment to the program and know that we expect to see you back in the stands each and every home game!!! God Bless you.

West Of The Field Of Dreams

2010-03-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

March Updates (3/25/10)

The soccer field has been tested and proven true by several games of the King Tournament a few weeks ago. That NDA has opened the field first to the tournament is due to an agreement with Town and Country Sports and Health Club of Wilder. They allowed our soccer team to use their field for practice for several years, so an opportunity to repay their generosity was welcomed. Our students have begun to practice lacrosse, giving us a chance to find out what the game is all about.

The field itself? Temporary fencing is still at each end, however, the D zones have been seeded, and a tall fence skirts the track at the east end above the steep slope to yards on St. Joseph Lane. Other signs of progress: aluminum bleachers are positioned on either side of the field, and portable toilets are now available. The next big step will be a field house that will have rest rooms (won’t that be nice!) as well as concessions.

All of the surrounding slopes have been seeded. It is to be noted for those who don’t get to actually see the field that it is not at parking lot level. It lies about nine or ten feet below that, and is, therefore, surrounded on three sides by sloping land. Only the east end of the site slopes downward away from the field, giving evidence of how much dirt had to be packed into the gulley. Very impressive. Blogger was told that thousands of tons of dirt were transported to the site back in the spring and summer of 2008. She has on her computer desktop a photo taken from the floor of the gully in early March of that year. In the early years after the school’s construction, the gully had a rugged loveliness that was cherished by the nature lovers among us. Now just a memory. But today’s progress dictates other values for the school. The loveliness once possessed by the gully will, in future years, be enjoyed in the wetlands still under development.

Depression at Dusk (Dawn, Too)

2009-10-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

You will recall from the last posting, that the Detention Basin West was constructed to absorb the water that collects in it. That water is coming from the ground surfaces around the basin, including the neighboring property to the west of NDA’s, and the parking lot--quite a lot of water, as you can see. The filtration through the grasses and other plants that are being added to the sides and bottom of the depression is in full swing with all the rain we've been having. Kenton Water District is pleased. In fact, they have been on board in the project for several months, being also interested in, and instrumental in, the rain garden off the main parking lot. Yea for our teams! It’s so good to be ecologically effective; our good earth deserves this, at least.

Depression At Dusk

2009-09-30T08:52:00.001-07:00

Actually, it’s there at dawn, too. We’re speaking here of the physical sort that has the technical name of Detention Basin West (“Dusk”)—what you have read about here before as the detention pond. What you will see in this posting and the one to come is the basin in process. As you will recall, the basin has been in place for months just west of the theater, waiting its turn for attention. (The Muses would say, “First things first.”) And attention has not been wanting in the last few months. The first step shown here was the spraying, if that is the right word, of a very fine top soil to the necessary depth, begun on August 18th. and taking several days. Next came the rolling out of seed “carpets” that were stapled to the sides of the basin. The placing of various plants to aid in the absorption process was the next step. It’s all in the knowing! Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of “Depression at Dusk (Dawn, Too)”.

Prop The Imagination

2009-09-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

The theater is all about creating a world, usually one or a few persons' little world. A visit to the prop storage room reveals that the masters of illusion there are busy creating Annie's little world. So here's a peek. Amazing, isn't it! Our prop creators are masters indeed. The Muses are pleased.

If you wish to see more and haven't marked your calendar yet, here's a compelling reminder. Performances for the public are Oct. 9, 10, and 11. The three evening performances begin at 7:30, and Sunday afternoon's performance begins at 2:00. You won't see the Muses, but they will be in rare form (literally) for certain during those days.

Dedicated To The Glory of God

2009-08-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

At last the big day comes--August 23, 2009: Dedication of NDA's Fine Arts Center and Fitness Center. While much went into the preparation of the event (a later posting), let's look at the event itself. The weather was amazingly cooperative, given its recent disposition. The principle actors were in good form. The supporting cast was very supportive. The crowd was large and enthusiastic. What more could we ask?

Principal actors: Bishop Foys, Ordinary of the Diocese of Covington; Sr. M. Shauna, President; Sr. Marla, Provincial of the Sisters of Notre Dame; Sr. Elaine Marie, Principal; Fran Carlisle, major donor, and Ann Buenger, another major donor, represented by Mike Keating. Board members, department chairpersons and support staff of the school, and Student Council representatives were also on stage, as God's favors were reviewed, the benefactors thanked, the contractors commended, the Sisters of Notre Dame along with the faculty and staff praised, and finally God's blessing on the new facilities invoked. It was a heady hour, but a glorious one for all who have worked so hard in the past few years to see these facilities realized. All this was graced by the NDA-CCH band performance and the choral renditions by the Singing Dames, as well as the display of art works by alums seen in the Alumnae Hall.

PRAISE TO OUR GOOD AND PROVIDENT GOD!

Formidale Partnership

2009-08-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

Our newest completed feature on the NDA campus is the fountain garden dedicated to St. Francis in honor of Frances Catherine Carlisle, a great friend of Notre Dame. The "formidable partnership"? Why St. Francis, of course, with his partner--Mother Nature!

The development of the garden is shown here in photos. In the last posting you can see a very early stage with the construction of the fountain. Here we pick up with the delivery and planting of trees. Next comes the planting of flowers. On the very day this last operation is completed, the saint arrives and advances to his new station. Talk about timing! He's rather stern looking, signaling that he takes his mission of supporting Mother N. very seriously. With these two we're holding an insurance policy in effect. Now if we just had a little more control over the Mother.... (By the way, St. Francis is just to the left of the fountain in the photo of the finished garden.)

What Is In A Name...?

2009-08-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

Plenty, if one traveling I75 has been wondering what the school is that's been so clearly visible on the expressway for the last several months. Of course, there have been signs for those who can read quickly, but the "real thing" is in place now adding a new polish to the theater and the school. The first photo shows a worker drilling holes in the brick using a paper template as a guide. The second, of course, shows the finished sign.

One would have to come onto the campus and drive close to the theater to really appreciate the new feature in the theater yard--a fountain. Life-giving water has become a repeated aspect of the academy expansion, evidenced in the retention pond being developed near the Sisters' cemetery, the rain garden off the parking lot, the soon to be developed larger rain garden in the depression near the theater. Aside from greatly pleasing the Water District, these areas will serve to educate our students in wet-land value, and as a laboratory for the sciences. In addition, they can remind us that just as water provides physical life, learning provides life for the the heart and mind. Nature is ever a master teacher.

Yes, We're Still At It

2009-07-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Since the theater has been finished, there has been activity on a few other fronts. An additional lab for the Science Dept., one of the promised improvements in the original building, is a reality on the third floor now, with just a few finishing touches and connections still to be made. You may recall that it involved breaking a door through the back of 309 to connect to an inbetween storage room off of 310. Then the storage room became two storage areas, one a passage way into 309 as well as storage, and the other a restricted chemical lab. The photos show the painting being done as well as the new lab tables. Plumbing connections will come soon.

Outside work, as anyone coming onto the campus is well aware, is still in order. Today's advance is the beginning of the laying of asphalt. Yahoo! It's been dodge-ems with some formidable depressions all year. In case you've wondered how the green machine gets all that asphalt, examining the photo will help you. The stuff is heavy and must be spread and leveled quickly, as you also see here. Stay tuned.

Seal And Clean

2009-05-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sealing the soccer field after its long winter settling requires much machinery, as you see here. After about a week of these various earth movers and shakers moving up and down the field and rearranging the dirt, it is finally "sealed" and ready for the next step in draining. Notice how light the flattened soil looks. Blogger understands that more channels must be created, and imagines them draining water into the main channel already there. Who knows, she may have it right this time. Of particular interest whose purpose is still somewhat of a mystery, is the piece of revolving equipment on the tripod. It seems to be monitoring progress (or is it an alien here to study how Earth things are done?) .

Inside the theater a different kind of finishing process is going on--the complete cleaning up of all evidence of construction work and workers. The Muses are appreciative. Did they take a few spins around the stage with (and/or on?) the scrub bucket? One can only surmise.

Getting Down To Business...

2009-05-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Again, a newly finished project in our expansion program comes to use. Since the punch list was completed some days ago, the new theater has been turned over officially to the academy. It's first use is appropriately a meeting of the board, the people responsible for moving the school in the direction of expanding its fine arts program. The lobby, the site of the meeting, will be called Alumnae Hall. Is it coincidence that a number of women you see at the table are alums of NDA? The fire for their Alma Mater still burns, and we are the happy recipients of the warmth and glow. While the Muses don't quite know what to make of this assembly, they flutter with appreciation for the product of its efforts. They are, after all, Muses!

The Ball's In Our Court!

2009-05-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, the first of three big finishes has arrived. On the beautiful afternoon of May 19th. at 5:00 p.m., in the Year of Our Lord, 2009, the Moloney-Shaughnessy Tennis Center of Notre Dame Academy is blessed and the ribbon cut. A goodly crowd of parents, friends, and donors is here to celebrate the grand event, with Fr. Brian Wigger asking God's blessing, and members of the administration and Mr. Moloney sharing their thoughts and feelings about the accomplishment. The couples whose photo you see are Doctors (Mr. and Mrs.) Moloney (left) and Mrs. and Mr. Shaughnessy. These two couples provided the impetus for the construction of the courts. Each court was given, then, by a family interested in NDA's pursuit of the sport--five in all. These donors each received an NDA tennis racket to acknowledge their contribution. How else to celebrate such an event than with a beautiful cake. The team members with their coach got down to business after the refreshments--there are games to be played yet, and the team is eager to use the new facility to sharpen their skill. Let the games go on--on the brand new and beautiful NDA Tennis Center! Be sure to go below for more photos.

The Ball's In Our Court! cont.

2009-05-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Upper Seats Available At Ticket Office

2009-05-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

The plans on the floor of the lobby (please excuse position) alert us to the fact that all is still not yet in place It has taken some time, but the seats for the upper level have finally arrived and have been installed. See what they look like when only the backs are in place. The seat itself is just inserted into the screw holes. Patience pays off again as you can see in the "Ta-da" photo.

There must be a stronger word than excited to describe the agitation, good kind, that the Muses are generating as they view a movie on the lowered screen above the orchestra pit. Just wait, Muses; the best is yet to come!

From Doors To Dancers

2009-05-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, the grout has been put in on the tile door frame in the lobby. The finishing touch! At least on the door from Heritage Hall. Inside the theater itself we find the carpet man getting the carpet in place in the left aisle as you face the stage. The next thing will be to find your seat. But before that, let's see the carpet in the orchestra pit. Yes, there's carpeting there, too. Speaking of the orchestra pit, will it always be used? No. Will performers ever wish for more stage space? Yes, especially dancers who almost always dance to recorded music here at NDA. Voila: the orchestra pit cover! In the prop room we find the men working on the support frames, and looking again from the audience we see the cover as it looks now. Smarts: that's what it takes.
For other smart developments, and to find your seat, be sure to read the posting below.

Time To Dim The Houselights

2009-05-14T06:10:00.000-07:00

Did you find your seat? Here, row J. The houselights dim.... But wait, don't we need to backtrack a bit? Yes, let's go up to the sound room. Ah, here's a spotlight installed now and ready to be turned on. Let's go backstage to see how many lights have been unpacked. Wow, that's a lot. And these will be attached above the stage--and where else? From the catwalks--yes, that makes sense; that's what catwalks are for. And these; are they footlights? There's no depression on the stage floor for footlights. Maybe they too will be suspended above the stage; we'll see. It's evening now, so the theater can be darkened, and the stage light technicians can install the stage lights and adjust them. The flutter in the air? Oh, that's the Muses, getting more excited by the day. Can you blame them?

Muses Gather In The Air

2009-05-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Muses have arrived and are busy overseeing the final tasks. The faculty parking lot gets a final asphalt cover: check. The new cover is lined: check. And the carpet for the theater proper is arriving: check!

Let's move into the theater, the Muses decide. This is, after all, what they have been thrilling toward.
Mr. Steve McVey, the project manager, now situated in the theater lobby since his trailer has been removed, feels a strange presence. Is someone looking over his shoulder? Yes. They take note that he is busy, surrounded by the stuff of his trade, and give an approving nod to his efforts.
Their adventure continues in the posting below.

Muses cont.

2009-05-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

Muses hover inside the theater proper, too. They watch the men install the seats and now admire the finished ones. They monitor the cutting of the carpet and critique its laying. If the man working in the pit feels watched, his senses are keen. And ah, the front curtain; they love the color of the curtain! The muses are pleased. Check!!

CAPs

2009-05-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Curtains, asphalt, pipes--capping the work for these days. Taking the words in reverse has us starting with the Pipes which appear as vertical and half buried parts of the drainage system on the soccer field. (The man is scraping mud off his shoe--an oft repeated task on this field in its current state.) More gravel, please. An area next to the trench is scraped for the next step.

As we move around the annex to the front of the theater we find a crew laying the Asphalt that will complete the roadway there. Everything in its time! Go to the post below. It will take you into the theater for the C.

CAPs cont.

2009-05-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

Inside the theater where all is quiet now, you see men doing some caulking work on the side of the blue tiled door frame from Heritage Hall. Into the theater proper and you find two men working on the measurements for the placing of the seats. Observe that all the seat armrests are unpacked and ready to be bolted to the floor. Turning you see some of the red front curtains already hung. Unfortunately the lighting in the theater and the camera flash are not sufficient to show the beautiful red of these curtains, a red matched in the clouds. It will be visually very striking. Theaters do, after all, take you into a different world.

To Trench Or Not To Trench...

2009-05-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's hardly a question on the soccer field. So, more pipes down the line, literally. The Motz folks are here now--the turf people--evaluating the job ahead. Not new here is our feathered couple who have long since taken up residence on the campus. Perhaps they will decide to move when the field is resurfaced. Then again, maybe not. They do add a charm to the environs, if one is so inclined.

Inside, we find a lone worker doing some finishing touch on a raised seating corner. The minutiae are fantastically numerous. The punch list is coming!

Dark, Dark Is The Stage Of Life

2009-04-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

Well, not really; at least we hope not. But you can see what painting the floor as well as the walls of the stage does to the light--it swallows it! No, the curtains are not drawn in the photo; there are no curtains as yet. The photo was taken from the sound room, by the way. You can see the interior of the sound room here, too. Before we go out into the sun light, let's take a look at the final paint job (nice and shiny in its final finish) on the floor of the raised area. The dark taupe will be under the seats, you will recall. By the bye, perhaps you've noticed how dark the photos of the inside of the theater have seemed lately. That's because there is so much less light being used as the men wrap up jobs requiring less light. It's hoped that you can still see what's going on.

Now out into the balmy air and up the hill to the tennis courts. We can see the men working to apply the blue to the outer rim of the west end of the courts, while the east end is sporting its new two-tone. "Pock. Pock." Can you hear it?

Indoor, Outdoor

2009-04-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

What a pleasant surprise to find the carpet laid in the theater lobby! It looks sharp, don't you think? The floor of the stage is laid, too, and waits for its coat of black paint. In the 3rd. photo you see the man adjusting something for the sander which is the last instrument to touch the floor before the paint brush (or spray). Beyond the sander man, you can see a man working in the prop/storage room.
Moving down the side passage way to the stairs to the ground floor, you observe the recently placed railing and turn-style (sort of) and the banisters. No mob rushing up and down these steps! Did you notice that blue and gold are evident everywhere now in the theater?

Let's go outside through the new lobby doors and up the hill to see what the latest is on the tennis courts. Since the weather has warmed the surface enough, it can be painted. The men are applying the undercoat, first of two, to the surface. The man with the wheelbarrow pours the primer onto the surface and the man with the squeegee spreads it. One can almost hear the "pock" of ball hitting racket now.

Every Little Bit Counts

2009-04-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

So you thought the field completely finished with bulldozers! This one is preparing for the laying of a walkway to the future bleachers. In the distant right you see the pipes that will be laid to drain the field in preparation for the artificial turf.

Moving indoors to the theater, we find men here and there doing all kinds of finishing jobs. While one man applies adhesive to a closet floor, another paints the ceiling of the other closet off the lobby. Advancing into the theater proper, you see a man cleaning the raised seating area for the painting of the under-the-seats floor. This floor area must be sealed first, as you see a masked man doing a little later to the riser. Coming a little later still you see a man rolling the dark gray paint to the lower seating area, and still later you observe the whole theater floor that isn't aisle painted. Carpeting for the aisles comes next week. (Look at the posting below for the rest of the photos.)

What's happening on the stage? Over the last several days two men have been working at the floor, the same two men you observed in Tuesday's posting. You can follow a bit of the procedure in two photos--black plastic, ties, plywood, paper(?), then the actual floor boards. No wonder the floor workers wanted to hire the blogger (she demured); the more hands, the faster the job. Leaving the men to finish on their own, and moving out into the side hall, you see that banisters have appeared on the staircase to the ground floor. Yes, we're down to counting the days!

Every Little Bit cont.

2009-04-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

Advancing From Odds To...

2009-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Moving from the lobby (notice the ceiling is complete) and stepping into a lobby cupboard next to the concession stand, you can look up to see the emergency escape for the sound room. Recall that there is access to the sound room from the cat walk. In case of an emergency, however, who would want to mount ten feet of spiral stairs, run across the catwalk and scurry down another 20 something spiral steps? So the wall ladder from the sound room to the lobby cupboard seems a satisfactory solution. Go now into the theater proper and up the left ramp to the stage. Stop a moment and notice a man cleaning out the groove in the concrete floor (blue railing in the way). He prepping the floor for the polymer finish that will be under the seats (carpet in the isles). Walking further up the ramp all the way to the stage and you see the outside back door open, and the new roll-up door to the shop/stage-prop room half open. It looks like it could be the equivalent of about three garage doors, and metal. Nearby you see two men shifting the stage floor boards to a dolly. Next to the long boards are the wooden ties that will be placed first and perpendicular to the floor boards. The men point out that the black plastic tarp you see in the corner of the stage will go down first, then the ties, then the boards. This will take several days since it's all manually done. We'll be back.

Quiet In The House, Please.

2009-04-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

Things are getting quieter and quieter in the theater these days as more and more acoustical panels rise to the occasion (of the completion of the theater--not far off!). Out in the lobby, a man works on the wooden roll front of a concession stand. Outside the theater, you can see that the curtain wall above the doors has not been painted yet--it's still pink, while the ground has been seeded and hayed.
Over in the mechanical equipment room of the main building, you will find the stuff of air conditioning. Recall that the gym, auditorium and cafeteria complex are being air-conditioned as part of the whole operation. This project is badly needed as anyone knows who has been in these areas in warm weather (it doesn't have to be very warm either). NDA will really be a cool place when all is completed!

A Little Here, A Little There=A Big

2009-03-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

Looking out the front doors of the theater lobby these days reveals the first stages of landscaping with earth flattened and shredded hay covering grass seed. Soon green will replace the dull yellow of the hay.

Stepping inside the theater proper, we find the men pouring over plans, maybe the seating arrangement design (n.b., guess). That would be momentous. Another notable advance is the paneling on the front of the orchestra pit wall. Attractive, isn't it. But the real excitement is in climbing the spiral steps to the catwalk where we can see ABOVE the clouds. Neat view. Also note that you can vacuum the walkways while you're up there. The outlet to plug in the vac is right there a little above the walkway. See it? Do vac before the performance, please. It would be a distraction during the play, don't you think?

Trench Your Way To Better Lighting!

2009-03-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

This week has seen a long anticipated development--more campus lights. The parking lot has been illuminated by a single light in the center. The arrival of a backhoe on the edge of the lot announced the digging a trench needed for the electrical line. Judging from the light bases in place now at the end of the week, we should be able to hold night classes on the sidewalk next semester. New lights have been installed along the theater drive, too.

An additional development waiting its turn is the removal of the old transformer from the south side of the parking lot. We now see its protecting posts without a thing to protect, as the old occupant is carried away up the drive. Another trace of what had been.

Oops!

2009-03-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

This will be a picture-liberated posting. Oops! on yesterday's flipping of the two posts. If you haven't read the two on the placing of the sound panels--the "clouds"-- yet, read the second one first. A parting note for the day: the men often listen to music as they work. The other day after blogger took the first of the series of photos of the "cloud raising," she heard, as she was leaving the theater, the "Sounds of Silence," and she smiled.

Some Clouds...cont.

2009-03-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

So here are the clouds, each weighing about 80 lbs., one of the workmen estimated (the one who carried them). Only two men are working on this project, so it's slow going and strenuous. The technology employed is the tried and true pulley, as you can see. By the bye, do you like the color?

The orchestra pit takes on an almost finished appearance today. Maybe tomorrow will render a coat of paint.

Some Clouds, No Rain In Forecaste

2009-03-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Some Clouds continues below.

Excitement Contained

2009-03-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

The front of the theater now reveals the finished doors and windows. Interesting reflection of the expressway and Ft. Wright water tower give one a sort of "GPS" for the site.

Milling about inside the theater one sees slow but sure progress. Sooo much electrical work goes into the construction of a theater, blogger has discovered. Conclusion: the lighting is as much a production as the action on stage. What good would the latter be without the former? Other aspects of theater construction are moving forward too: more and more railing appears. The side wall where the large opening was is all but finished in the photo. And truly exciting: the yet boxed "clouds" (sound panels) sit on the stage, just delivered this morning. As one workman put it, "It's clouding up." Literal yet figurative. One faculty member's thought: "Now the lightning." Let's make that "lighting," and we're just about ready!

Too Busy For A Title!

2009-03-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

As you approach the theater on your side, you can see that the big opening is now not only closed but bricked up. Moving around to the back of the building and standing upright, you see what is the only opening from that side of the theater complex. If you recall the back doors of the cafeteria and the steps they led to, you can visualize going down the steps, and going through a door on the landing (there are two). You are now facing from the inside the door in the photo. Now you can go up the new steps to a hallway that has a door to the lobby. Looking across the lobby you see that the door frames for the outside doors are in place. The photo that shows the frame is taken from near the lobby wall, not from where you are standing. But if you look to your right, behold, the plywood tunnel that has been used from the beginning of the theater construction and was mandated by the fire department, is now history, and you are seeing the doors from Heritage Hall. (Follow?)
Be sure to look below for more Exciting Photos!

Too Busy...cont.

2009-03-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

The man on stilts has certainly been busy as we can see in the two photos of ceiling grids, one in the lobby, and one on the back steps leading to the ground floor. In the former we get a look at all that happens up "inside the ceiling" with vents, pipes, etc.. In the latter photo a ceiling light fixture is visible.

In the theater proper the floor is readied for some cleaning and the new railings for raised areas are sporting their good looks.

Here A Task, There A Task, Everywhere...

2009-03-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

Finishing touches and major steps toward the finished line are appearing on all sides. Sanding the floor to ready it for the cork tile in the strength training room in the annex is matched by the use of the electric trowel on the last-laid section of the theater floor. The area will be measured for the seats placement next. Meanwhile, the “large opening” is becoming smaller and smaller: first the base blocks, then the building upward, leaving a much darker interior to the theater. The lobby will have light, we know, since the light fixtures are being installed there.
Continue below!

Here A Task, There A Task, Everywhere…2

2009-03-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

Moving outside and over on the east side, we find the downspouts complete. Let it rain! Jumping over the building to the west side (oh, for a pair of wings), we see that the lobby front is undergoing its transformation. All plastic sheeting gone to make way for the framework for the glass front. No glass at first, of course. We’ll next see plywood instead. Up on the housetop, or rather approaching it, we find a new wall ladder. No wings necessary to get to the theater roof (although that might seem appropriate for a Peter Pan production).

So That's What It Will Look Like!

2009-02-27T06:26:00.000-08:00

Recall the man on the stilts? Meet the stilts! Now to the main feature for today: the pouring of the concrete. First looking in through the side door, we see that the men have already started. It's about an hour into the job. This view gives a good idea of the various levels of the floor. We've been looking at the upper seating area for months, and now we have the whole floor delineated. Walk around to the stage and view from there. Fairly labor intensive, the job moves fast once the men get everything in place. They work quietly and steadily through the steps of pouring, spreading, leveling, and smoothing. Kinda neat! The large opening in the west wall will soon be history.

Will The Real Scupper...

2009-02-26T06:13:00.000-08:00

Stand (or hang) up? ? Mr. McVey, the site supervisor, gave a definition to blogger some time ago—“The SCUPPERS are the sheet metal boxes that will carry the water directly from the roof outlets and into the downspouts”--and finally she recognizes the real thing. As has been said many times in this chronicle, live and learn. Next has come the downspouts, not totally complete—they don’t reach the ground yet—but on the way. Keep your eyes glued.

Theater Times

2009-02-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

Text follows in next two blog posts.

Theater Times cont.

2009-02-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

While a workman is on stilts in the basement area hanging the metal framework for a lowered ceiling, men in the body of the theater work to ready sections of the floor for concrete, or do finishing touches to what has just been laid. The green plastic sheeting over the wire grid tells us that fresh concrete is not far away. In one photo you can find out how the orchestra members get down into their domain. Checking on the basement hallway a little later reveals the hung gridding with ceiling tiles not far away. The theater has a few months to go before being finished, but May is not too far away!

Federal Finishes

2009-02-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

The annex is finished except for the cork floor in the strength training room. Since some of what is required by law (federal) revolves around handicap access, the lavatories, showers, and a few other things needed to be extra roomy and/or with very handy knobs, handles, etc., even though one must stretch the imagination a bit to come up with practical reasons for compliance in a gym annex. The water heater provides hot water for showers and sinks. Notice that the lockers have been raised a bit. What are pictured are in the coaches’ locker room. The photos are here for the record.

Signs Of Almost

2009-02-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

The week’s work in the theater is obvious. The work on the walls and side areas of the theater proper get finishing touches and the floor is readied, then partially dug out. The large opening in the west wall is coming close to the end of its usefulness as vehicles pass in and out, finishing various tasks. More concrete is poured on the sides of the seating area, and will be poured soon in the center. Notice in the photo in which you are looking through the door on the east side, the one from the hallway, two men who are moving something that is not visible due to a lack of contrast with the background. What they are moving is a large piece of wire screening that will be placed at the bottom of an area ready for concrete. In one photo you may notice the west wall being painted, and in another, the wall painting completed.

Perhaps the annex is more exciting though less seems to be happening there. Blue flooring is completed and finishing touches of paint are applied to small areas such as around crash bars and door handles. Supplies are cubbied suggesting that areas are being cleared in order to be completed. The strength training/phys ed room, still showing its concrete floor, will be made of a different material which should come this next week. In fact, the annex is projected to be finished by the end of February. Now that’s cause for celebration, at least by the phys ed students who like to peak around corners at their new classroom.

The other development may seem less exciting now, but will be very welcome when the warm weather comes and the new A C unit outside the faculty room brings cool air into the kitchen, cafeteria, and auditorium. Ahhh. More celebration! N.B. Look below for more photos.

Signs Of Almost cont.

2009-02-23T06:32:00.000-08:00

Is The Orchestra Ready?

2009-02-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

This morning's visit to the theater site reveals work in progress and work complete. In progress--the surveyor is helping someone across the theater to get an exact point. A bit forward of him we can see the progress made in the orchestra pit. The photos show the progress of the last day's work . Blogger hopes they show in the right order. If they don't, the reader is asked to use the imagination. After all, that's what the theater is all about.

Blue And Gold

2009-02-12T17:25:00.000-08:00

The annex is getting prouder and prouder as more and more is delivered, laid, placed, adjusted, or installed. One can almost hear the murmers of tense athletes or the chatter of gym classes.

Be sure to visit the theater below.

Blue And Gold continued

2009-02-12T17:10:00.000-08:00

The painting seems to be somewhat like layering of dirt on the soccer field as the painters build the layers of paint to the desired density. By the end of the day the stage is showing its true color--black. In front of the stage we have the orchestra pit dug, then readied for footers and forms for concrete walls. One can almost hear the music!

Somewhere Under The Rainbow Work Proceeds...

2009-02-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

...all over the place with the weather more favorable. So we see the scuppers (honest, these are the real thing despite past misinformation) delivered to the theater roof. They will carry water from the roof to the downspouts near the ground. Men are doing some (what one hopes will be) finishing touches on the lobby roof, while around on the other side, two men have just installed the glass doors to the front entrance of the annex. Just inside the annex and down the hall a bit, the new blue flooring is sporting itself. Coming back outside and walking toward the soccer field, one beholds the future of the game--aqua-soccer, or hydro-football if you prefer European. The athletic department is still working on the details of the game, but it will be cutting (if not wet) edge and will surely put the Pandas on the map! Speed paddling will be a prerequisite to team membership. Stay tuned. Also be sure to read the second part of the day's Pandanews below.

...And Catwalk Capers

2009-02-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Well, not all capers. Just on the other side of the theater lobby, just inside Heritage Hall, the workmen discuss with the site supervisor (center) some aspect of the passageway between the two. Now for the capers: the stage from the left side catwalk, and the ceiling of the stage with the smoke vents peaking through the iron work; the sound room from the top of the spiral stairs access; and finally the blogger's favorite--the chains from which the clouds will hang over the audience. Ever wonder how clouds are hung? Now you know!

Nearer And Nearer Comes The Moment

2009-02-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

The cold of the week is recorded in the first two photos: gargoyles and beards in ice. What has been going on on the inside of the new buildings seems less dramatic at first glance, but reflection on what it all means is stirring indeed. New coats of paint, more drywall, even in the theater scenery storage/shop, and the general air of completion of several aspects of construction make spring seem right around the corner, despite the ice outside. Next week promises to be more dramatic as the current tasks are completed and the next big steps are tackled. The annex to the gym promises a splashing show next week, too. Construction is but a stage; the play's the thing!

Colors Call The Day

2009-01-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Let’s look in the annex first. If the students can’t locate the lockers, it certainly won’t be the fault of color choice. Gym lockers look a little different (little?) from the lockers we all knew and loved. Also in is the tiling for the rest room and shower room, a nice quiet color.

Moving over to the theater, we find a black ceiling. The pipes, etc. will be hidden when the “clouds” are hung. As with the walls, all painting of broad areas is done with sprayers. The finishing touches are made on the side walls, preparatory to their painting next week—maybe the dark red that will also absorb light. Notice that the stage visible on the left side of one picture, is painted a dull gray green. The back wall with the sound room windows is ready to be painted, too. Looking at the bottom of that photo reveals the uneven dirt floor that is waiting for excavation. Seems very much out of place, doesn’t it. Such flooring would be more fitting outside where the icicles hang all in a row above the snow. The spouts, blogger believes, are called scuppers, also in waiting for their gutters, or something. (See a few more photos below.)

Colors...more photos

2009-01-31T14:20:00.001-08:00

If Motion Produces Heat...

2009-01-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

…the construction site is a hot spot. In today’s photos you’ll see lots of motion or results thereof. Starting outside the faculty room (1996 addition) we see a mysterious slight plateau that surely has something to do with utilities (no word on exactly what yet). Over at the gym annex we see a man on a ladder in the strength training classroom working on something in the ceiling. Note that the framework for the ceiling tiles is in place now. Moving outside the same room, we note the large window in that room has a frame now. Glass can’t be far away!
Over in the theater men are installing ceiling panels on the sides of the theater proper and hanging more drywall. Above the highest seats toward the back, a man enters the sound room in the only available way other than the catwalk. The catwalk near the stage is another area of today’s labor. The back wall of the stage is painted now, and readers will recall that the paint has been sprayed on by painters wearing masks. Evidence abounds in precautions for safety. That is a relief. Prayers rise frequently for the safety as well as the thoroughness of the workers. And the people pray, Amen! Finally, as we walk down the steps that lead to the ground floor of the main building, we walk past the outside door and see a workman getting ready to put a second crash bar on the door. This door, one guesses, will not have access from the outside—a safety feature for the inhabitants. Again, Amen. (See below for the rest of today's photos.)

If Motion...continued

2009-01-27T08:29:00.001-08:00

Painting The Town

2009-01-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

Painting has been one big order lately in both building areas, theater and annex. The first two photos show two areas of the annex--amazing what a good paint job will do. The next three take us to the theater. What is the man doing on the lift? Not painting; the ceiling hasn't been put in yet, as you can see. Moving into the hall leading to the stage we can see that all has been painted the cream color that will reflect the light nicely. The theater proper will be black and dark red that absorb the light (we want it dark in there). Walking into the theater proper, we see that the framework above the stage has been drywalled. The lifts are still on the theater floor signaling that there's still work to be done up above. One can almost hear musical lines flowing from the stage, "The sun will come out tomorrow...."

Progress, Sweet, Cold Progress

2009-01-12T12:49:00.000-08:00

What are they doing on the roof? Is there a leak that must be repaired? Ask the supervisor. Answer: no, the men are installing smoke vents. You can see one on the left side of the photo that shows the men leaving the roof. It’s the low brown topped thing. There will be a few more over the stage area near where this one is. Moving outside the theater and much closer to the ground, the lobby front has been uncovered to show to the world the new lintel piece (blogger’s name for it—it probably has another name).

As we move around the annex, we can now walk on a new sidewalk that continues from the one near the annex entrance. As we approach this entrance, we see a new piece of equipment—a large silver box. What is it? The men consult the plans.

The final picture puts us up on the cafeteria roof to find a workman putting up a kind of flashing needed on the part of the lobby wall that abuts the cafeteria back wall. (Sorry it's sideways.) As has been noted several times in this chronicle, they think of everything.

2008 In Brick And Mortar

2008-12-31T14:03:00.000-08:00

This will not be a review of the year but more of a culmination of the year's efforts in brick and mortar. Steel, dry wall, HVAC units, concrete, etc., etc., etc., could also be added. Since the last posting much has happened, of course. The sidewalk in front of the guest team's door of the annex has been laid;the drywall in the annex has been completed, and a ladder to the roof can be seen in a cupboard; in the theater the two spiral staircases leading to the catwalks have been placed and explored (one gives the only access to the sound room); the ceiling has been further filled with more pipes, some large and some small (note the bases of the large--probable indication of the level of the lower ceiling), the small ones, at least some of them, have sprinkler heads on them. On this last day of the year the crane appeared again, placing on the theater roof what this blogger thinks are the "boxes" for the gutters that still need to be put in place. And so ends another year on Hilton Drive with the dreams of many years a little closer. There is much for which to thank the good God!

Flight Lessons

2008-12-15T05:54:00.000-08:00

We're standing in the theater facing the stage and see that the top over the stage (name?) has been drywalled. Let's go up onto the stage and view the other side. We see lots of framework and pipes (they think of everything!). Now let's fly up to the gym roof and take a look at what is happening on the annex roof. Up goes the "fence" around the HVAC unit. Looks pretty nice. Let's fly down and see what's going on at ground zero. What is that man doing? Well, the plastic tubing he's inserting holds caulking. This allows for expansion and contraction of the bricks as the weather changes (yes, they do think of everything). That piece of information is courtesy of the site manager, Mr. Steven McVey. Another piece of information: in case you've ever wondered what a stand pipe is, and surely you have, it's the pipe carrying water from the underground water supply to the fire suppression system inside the building. A flow indicator registers if water is released from a sprinkler. This in turn tells the fire alarm panel to call the fire dept.. Now, doesn't that make you feel safer? Be sure to read the posting below. It's new too.

Outside, Through, Inside

2008-12-15T05:27:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you come out the student entrance, then walk through the annex, then over to the theater (be careful, it's muddy). Coming out the student entrance, you see the tarp over the future sidewalk extension that will come along side the annex. Moving through the annex, you see that the drywall is going up (hurrah!). Coming out on the other side and proceeding to the next stop (stay on the gravel), you pass through the lobby of the theater, and come into the theater proper. Go over to the other side and look toward the stage, and lo! a spiral staircase. Turn around 180 degrees, and lo! a spiral staircase. They've been installed now and lead to the catwalk network. Step through the doorway you are near and proceed down the hallway away from the stage to the back steps. Go down the steps, and lo! the outside doors have been hung. If the cafeteria door has been propped open, you're in luck. Otherwise you will have to retrace your steps ... and avoid the mud. All in a day's tour.

What Have We Here?

2008-12-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

Ta da! The new kids on the site are the HVAC units for the two of the new roofs. The flat bed that has brought the two units is a big one and sits in the yard of the theater next to the crane. After the straps attached to the lead line from the crane jib are in turn attached to the base of the units (there are holes for this on the units), the units are ready to be lifted. See the posting below to follow the progress. Things are happening very visibly now.

Mission Accomplished

2008-12-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

Now that the stage is set for taking the HVAC unit aloft, we can follow its progress in photos (if they end up in reasonable order). This first unit is going to the Heritage Hall roof and will serve the gym and annex. The men are waiting there as it arrives. The next unit to go up is the one for the lobby and theater, and will rest on the roof of the former. As it arrives, the men are there to pull it into place with the ropes that have been attached, and of course, the signal man is at the edge of the parapet to give hand signals to the crane operator. The men at the ropes are having a hard time because the roof surface is covered with a thin layer of ice, and so they are doing quite a bit of sliding around. Last minute checks can finally be made by a brave man willing to get below the unit and look up into it. When all is ready, the huge unit will be laid to rest on the framework visible below it. Mission accomplished, but it will take awhile yet.

The Cold Notwithstanding

2008-12-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

Most of the pictures of late have been taken without men working. Today they return to our site (and our sight) as blogger moves in with hard hat on and the gracious guidance of the site manager. Inside the theater the men have put up dry wall between the theater proper and the passageway you read about in the last blog. At either end will be a spiral stair case that will lead to the cat walks. (Maybe when they are completed, blogger will muster enough courage, mount the steps and take photos from that vantage point, but don't hold her to it.) On the back wall above the elevated seating area, the metal wall frames have the various window frames for the control booth that will be behind them. The space there is about six feet to the lobby wall, so it will be a compact area. On the outside of the theater at the corner of the prop room, is one of the pipe connections for a downspout for roof drainage. You can see how the pipe goes into the ground thereunder connected to the storm drain.

Over at the annex, men work inside and on top. Note their apparel: it is very cold outside and in. On the roof, the men give final preparation to the bases of the HVAC units--the units will be placed next week--and begin the second set of layers of roofing. Under this scene and on the inside, men finish up all sorts of tasks before the drywall is put in place in the many walls. Currently, one can literally walk through the walls of the exercise room, the locker rooms, the referees' rooms, the first-aid room, and the hallways. Just below the ceiling are the many different kinds of pipes, reminiscent of the myriad kinds under ground. One can be sure that the former are more easily installed than the latter.

The men will welcome the weekend and richly deserve it, we trust. The site will stand, cold and less empty than one week ago. And so it goes on.

Moving Right Along

2008-12-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

In the last blog, you saw the first of the metal wall framing that will result in a passageway from the back of the theater to the stage. Here you see that framing extended, getting closer to the stage. Since this passage way will be a flat, level path, it will be higher than the floor of the theater which will be sloped to accommodate the front seats. The orchestra pit will drop lower still. This digging out will happen this week, with the cementing of that slope taking place next week, if all goes as planned. When that is accomplished, the large opening to the yard will be blocked and bricked up, i.e. it will disappear. You get an inside look at this large opening, as well as a look at the back wall above the elevated seating area in another photo above. All the metal wall framing is completed on that back wall now.

Outside the theater, the dock has been cemented. Inside the gym annex, the metal wall frames are up in abundance, defining the spaces for rooms and passageways. It's getting exciting in there! The outside presents its own excitement as well, as men have planted a tree in each island on the parking lot. As there is now life outside, there soon will be a great deal of chattering, responding, sweating, dramatic life inside. That's what it's all about!

In, Out, Up, Down

2008-11-24T06:02:00.000-08:00

Lots happening on all fronts despite the weather. Starting at the front of the theater, the men are finishing up a narrow ditch that will carry rain water from the roof to the detention pond nearby. On top of the theater lobby just above the ditch, men are laying the insulation blocks and membrane on that roof. The photo was taken from Heritage Hall roof pretty much on the same level and right up against the new roof. Looking down on the gym annex roof, we can see the frames for the HVAC (heating, ventilating, air-conditioning) units that will arrive up there in a few weeks. This raising will require the return of the crane.

Back inside the theater, the men have placed some of the wall framing that will run from the back of the theater to the stage. The passageway thus produced will allow actors and crew to move back and forth without the audience being distracted. On the outside of the theater near the southwest corner of the building, can now be seen the sign stating what the building is. Not as big as the Hemmer and Sturm signs, but finally it's there. Eventually it will be replaced by a more fitting identification for the school so it can be easily read from the expressway. That will be a halleluia moment, one of many to come!

Up On The Housetop, Out In The Front

2008-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

What has happened up on the housetop? Very much. Have you ever wondered how many layers are on the roof of a large building? Just what is up above the ceiling panels you see? Well, lots of layers of stuff. As you know (if you've been following the blogs), the first thing put on the theater after the trusses are put in place, are the acoustical decking pieces. Recall that these are corrugated and perforated. What make the decking acoustical are the strips of yellow inserts you see being laid in the grooves of the decking--these absorb the sound that will penetrate the ceiling of the theater. Other acoustical material will be hung inside the theater, but that takes us ahead of our story. After the yellow strips are laid, panels of gypsum sheathing--brown boards--are placed, also sound absorbing (lots of sound coming from inside!), then styrofoam insulation panels are placed, and finally the membrane that covers all. Whew! Let's hope it all stays up. Just kidding! Since the men walked around on the corrugated, perforated decking before these other layers were added, prospects are good.

On the front of the theater lobby which will be mostly glass, you can see the framework that will hold the facing above the glassed area. On the roof of the annex, finished now, you can see the framework for the "fence" that will hide the air conditioning unit for the gym and the annex. You can observe the same kind of hiding device on the roof of CCH and many other buildings. Most operations will be moving inside soon, and the way the workmen are bundled up, it looks like that can't come soon enough.

Cat Walks and Hands Dance

2008-11-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

The inside of the theater is just that, the inside, out of sight to the casual observer, but the scene of labor nonetheless. The catwalks are visible in the photo, but will be in the dark when “the play’’s the thing.” More drama is obvious on the outside as the gym annex gets its metal. Truss rising, signals given from the ground and from the rooftop, beam placed--all in one act. Notice that in two photos a man giving hand signals to the crane operator. (Those who don't speak the language need not apply.) Applause for the workmen, the engineers, the site manager and for God, the Maker and Gifter of them all.

Another Week Down (Actually Up!)

2008-11-07T10:21:00.001-08:00

Much has been accomplished in the past week as walls are dressed in brick and the whole of the construction takes on a more definitive appearance. The large opening in the front wall of the theater will remain until the floor work on the inside is completed. One sign of work moving indoors appears in the form of the bundles of yellow insulation. Hopeful sign!

The field has received more definition with the addition of a large sign that all can see as they come down Hilton Dr. and turn the corner to cross the parking lot. Our maintenance has lined the soccer-field-to-be so that it looks more like its future self for Open House this Sunday. Future Pandas are coming, and we want them to catch a glimpse of what they can expect. Nothing like whetting the appetite!

A World Of Angles

2008-11-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

So much of this construction revolves around rectangles, it seems. Once the work with dirt (filling the gulley) was finished—work that couldn’t be confined to geometric boundaries as we usually think of them—we’ve been in the realm of 90 degree angles. Tennis courts (here getting fenced), the theater lobby (getting enclosed with roofing--not really on its side!), the gym annex (walls up) are all being defined clearly as rectangles.

The photo taken inside the theater proper—the one in which you see the light and shadow on the wall-- demonstrates the interesting aspect of the different type of roof decking used on this part of the building. Since acoustics is so important in theaters, the builders use acoustical decking which has holes in it. The grooves in the corrugated panels are filled with a material that will absorb the sound and prevent unwanted resonance and echoes. Whoever would have thought…?

Something Old, Something New; Something Hidden Now in View

2008-10-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

From old to new: the old tennis court is loosing its fencing and will soon be ready for parking. The academy's own maintenance people are taking care of this job. The new courts have all the poles in place and await a paint job that will define the courts and bring them to requirements in size and color. As you can see, fencing is still needed. This is a sort of ground hog view of the area.
The annex is revealing much more of its inner structure with its rooms and passageways being defined as the men lay the concrete blocks. Around the corner, the roof is just about defined by the beams that are almost all in place in the photo. Easily seen are the way the beams fit into the wall. Once in, they are bolted in place which means that the i-beams must have holes in the right places when they leave the foundry, and the masons must know where to leave holes in the walls. The pre-planning is phenomenal. The crane, a smaller one again, is sitting firmly in place in the area of the main entrance to the theater. One can imagine crowds in its place in the not too distant future. Good things come to those who wait in patience--for us now, and for the crowds of the future.

Up On The Housetop...

2008-10-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

And now for the metal decking (corrugated panels being put on the top of the trusses). These panels will be welded to the trusses, and will support the membrane that comes next in the roofing process. Is there any order in which the decking panels are placed? It doesn't seem so at this stage, but they will cover the whole top of the theater eventually. The beams for the lobby roof will be arriving this week. Then the whole theater will be in various stages of being roofed. Under the roofing as it is now, we can see a good deal of the cat walks. It's easiest to make out on the stage, which is what you see in one of the photos, but the catwalk extends out over the audience area because of the lighting that will be fixed to beams out there. Working the lights will be an adventure in itself.

The other act that is developing on the site is the progressive rising of the gym annex walls. This part of the construction also promises to be under roof very soon . Up on the hill all the poles are up on the tennis court, and, contrary to what was recorded here several days ago, the fencing will be brand new. The usable fencing from the old courts will be used at the east end of the track area. Moving right along....

The Dance Of The Gloved Hand

2008-10-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

So what's going on up there? How does the crane operator know if he's guiding the truss or whatever in the right direction--exactly? The man sitting on the parapet is the west wall man who is giving hand signals to the crane operator down in the west yard. This blogger was quite fascinated with the apparent expressiveness of these signals--they were as good as words, maybe better. (Again, be sure to click on the photo.) We can see the east wall man in a bucket, in his turn also giving signals which the crane operator certainly can't see. Is the west wall man relaying these, or is a point man down on the floor the relay person? Whichever it is, the truss in these pictures is snugly brought to its resting place--in the hole reserved for it on the east wall and the slot left for it on the west wall. The man on either side then welds it into place. The man in the middle bucket must disconnect the cable spreaders, the lines attached to the truss. Notice the harnesses on the men in the buckets. These are attached a tether line that acts as a safety line in case a worker would lean too far out from the bucket and fall. We do pray frequently for the safety of the workers! The vertical bars that are hanging from the truss in one picture are hangers for the catwalk. Finally, we can see the "dash board" in a parked bucket. The men we see in the photos above are not only performing their various tasks in the air, but are also maneuvering the vehicle from which the bucket extends. All of this requires a great deal of concentration in order to remain safe and efficient, one would think.
The next posting will show the next act on the roof. Be sure to come back after the break!

Up, Up, and...Wait, Not Too Far!

2008-10-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

The photos show a progression of action in the process of placing trusses on the theater frame to support the roof. (Be sure to click on the pictures so you can see what's really going on). Yard work is needed first--the trusses, 80 feet long, must be given a final prep before being borne aloft. Then each is lifted to the top and lowered into place. There the men await to assist in the placing of each truss. These men, one at either end, then weld the truss into its final destination. This process for each truss can take as little as 15 to 20 minutes. It will take the afternoon of one day and the morning of the next to get in place all the trusses as well as the floors of the catwalks and anything other metal frame that must go close to the inside top of the theater. Subsequent blogs will feature more pictures and explanations of this whole process which captivated the viewers on the fourth floor (convent) of the school. Answered will be such questions as, "How can the crane operator know where to go with anything he's put aloft?"

Site Manager's Photos

2008-10-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

The 80' steel trusses came in around noon today, and were quickly unloaded. The crane operator began the process of lifting the trusses aloft and placing them with the help of the iron workers stationed above. The Hemmer site manager, Steve McVey, has been kind enough to take some photographs on this crucial day when the blogger couldn't be here. In the bottom photo can be seen the south east corner of the stage with the beams placed on Tuesday as well as a portion of the cat walk.

Steel Yourself

2008-10-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

The tennis court has been blacktopped and is now being fenced. The fencing will come from the present court. The east wall of the theater has been completely bricked while the south wall facing the expressway is well on its way.

Today's big act in the drama is the arrival of the shorter beams of steel (largest about a ton) and their placement inside the theater. First, the unloading, some shorter pieces in the yard, bigger beams lifted into the inside over the west wall. The crane then moves into the theater via the large temporary opening, and puts out its stabilizing arms. It then lifts the beams that have been laid on the theater floor so that they will all rest on their sides. Notice (below in Inside Job) that this exposes holes that the lifting cables can be attached to. After all beams are so placed and each in turn fixed to the crane line, the crane operator lifts one after the other and swings it over the stage. All these beams will be placed over the stage area today and will support the cat walk and lighting apparatus. In the photos you can see the holes on the wing wall and back wall. These hold the beams in those respective places. There are bolts standing up in the wall holes so that the beams can be bolted in. The beam that stretches across the front of the stage is marked at the foundry so that the iron workers will know where each cross beam is to be placed to line up with the hole in the wall at the other end. This blogger was fortunate to receive a hard hat today and taken onto the site where she could indulge in her photo mania. Tomorrow, the 80 ft. joists arrive--an even bigger act in this drama! Can you guess where they will go?

Inside Job

2008-10-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Stage's The Thing (for today)

2008-10-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

What's going on on the stage? No plays yet, but lots of work. One photo above is taken from the "yard," and reveals the scaffolding on the inside at the corner of the east wall and the stage side wall (as viewed from the seating area). The stage is the opening you see on the right. At present there is a short earthen ramp to the stage. It's functional now but will give way to the orchestra pit eventually. The other photo is showing the doorway from the stage to a future passage way that will go to the stairway on the east side. (Recall the stairway from the ground floor of the present building that goes up to the new lobby area and this passage way.)

Next week: big doins! The steel girders arrive.

More Developments

2008-10-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

Since readers do not lie on their desks to read blogs, only one photo appears on today's construction blog, i.e. all the other photos attempted ended up on their sides. What you see is the east side of the theater closest to the building (that's the kitchen dock on the right). The scaffolding is at the top of the back of the theater proper, and rising out of what will be the lobby. The roof of the lobby will be several feet below the height of the scaffolding. Other things of note on the theater scene that photos would have shown: the stage as it will appear to the audience-- the side walls on either side of the stage are in place now, and the floor of the prop storage room that extends into the theater yard is covered with a grid of rods and green plastic sheeting, indicating readiness to receive concrete.

Up on the hill, the tennis court appears ready also to receive its hard surface, having been prepared with the right kind of soil, a layer of some sort of sheeting (probably similar to or the same as that used on the parking lot several years ago, and which has kept it in such good condition), and at least one layer of fine gravel. Exciting things on every front appear as workmen try to beat unfavorable weather.

Things Hidden Now Revealed

2008-10-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Name change in order: what have been identified here as rain gardens, are not going to be rain gardens except for the large one close to the school circle. The others will be green islands that will help to direct the flow of traffic. The difference? You will note that the green islands have a curb all the way around them; the rain garden does not. The side facing the parking lot does not have a curb so that the water draining from the lot will flow into the garden. You will also note, if you have crossed the parking lot lately, that the shapes of a few of the green islands have changed to conform more with the parking spaces next to them. The other interesting thing to have noted (not captured in a photo, unfortunately) was the way a curb is laid. The workers have a special machine which, after being filled with concrete, lays the curb in place in that shape. What will they think of next?
The annex floor has been poured, and now polished at night under a flood light. Around the corner, the men inch up the center wall of the theater which will climb to the height of the other three walls eventually. The last two photos show the men having reached the top of the east wall with bricks, and wall three fourths finished and revealing the decorative stone work. This stone doration has not been visible up to now because of the scaffolding. Surprises at every turn.

All In A Week's Work

2008-10-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

The right side of the exterior of the east wall is getting close to being completely bricked as can be seen in the photo taken from below. A little earlier in the process a delivery of bricks is being made to the brick layers (so this is how they get all those bricks up there!). The stage has been layed in concrete which has been polished at night (so thats why the theater was lit up at 8:30 p.m.). Looking closely at the enlarged the photo, you will be able to see the corners of the stage as they will be seen from the audience. The interior wall between the lobby and the theater proper is completed now, while there are markings on the lobby floor that seem to indicate another wall of some sort.

Outside and on the hill to the west of the school is the tennis court site which is seen here from the southeast corner. Notice that the statue of Mary overlooking the Dixie is visible toward the top of the photo. (You'll have to enlarge it to see the statue.) Perhaps we will have to turn the statue around during tennis tournaments, but then, maybe not. Mary's interest in us doesn't seem to require such steps.

Looks Like It's All "To Be..." Post 1

2008-10-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Much to record in photos (two entries’ worth) since Oct. 2. The stage floor is completed now. The interior wall between the lobby of the theater and the seating area is well under way, with bricks being laid. On the outside we can see how the brick laying is progressing, as well as the laying of the concrete blocks over the stairs from the ground floor, main building. The photo showing the bricks laid is from the SE corner of the theater, the closest point to I-75. The outside wall of the theater west wall, with the extension for storage, etc., is also now completed.

Moving down the pictures, (second post for the day) we shift to the parking lot to see the cutting of the asphalt for one of the rain gardens, the digging out of the cut portion, and the plastic lined large rain garden. The corner of the drive from the north side of the building has been cleared and squared off by a machine named mysteriously a skid steer. We see it dumping debris into a waiting truck near the principal’s office.

Back over on the theater side, we get a look as the detention pond as it looks now with drains opening up on its sides. It looks pretty dismal at present, but will teem with life in the spring.
Don't forget to look below.

Looks Like It's All "To Be..." Post 2

2008-10-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Commencement Of Month Eight

2008-10-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

October 1: The theater's outside walls really outline the whole structure now with perhaps the entrance needing defining yet. The blogger has descended the steps shown for the first time and finds them very substantial. These are the steps that go from the foyer and adjacent hall to the ground floor of the main building. You've seen them from the other end already. While everything else on the inside seems to remain pretty much the same, the highest level of the elevated seats is still gray and drying out. The wall between the foyer and the theater proper hasn't begun its ascent yet.

A little excitement on the outside was the result of an elevated water pipe being struck, the consequence of which is the geyser you see (just in case you thought it was a feature of the garden that will grace the front of the theater--sorry). Picking things up and carting them off is, of course, made easier with a crane. The rods being thus disposed of are from the gym annex area. These are some of the scenes of today with the grand finale in the heavens: the sunset is beautiful--honest!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2008-09-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

The "hooks" on the outside of the theater walls now have their use defined: they hold the insulation against which the bricks are being laid. The men have been working, too, on the back entrance/stairwell. A close look at the photo reveal the steps inside the door. The second view of this area is from the 4th. floor. The floor of the elevated seating area is just about finished; one more level of concrete must be laid. The stage front awaits its final concrete installment. Work continues on the prop room as seen from the SW corner. The foundation of the gym annex is just about finished and ready for concrete blocks. Busy, busy, busy!

Somethings New Have Been Added

2008-09-26T06:56:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the on-the-side-photos. Blogger has never figured out how to remedy this problem. Dear blog.com....

Below is today's blog. Really. And right side up!

Always Something New To Behold

2008-09-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

What's going on in front of the gym? The annex is beginning to unfold with the laying of the foundation! What's up in the theater site? More concrete is laid in the elevated seating area while the stage foundation is set for construction. (This is probably what the blogger/photographer misguessed as the excavation for the lower seats and the orchestra pit the other day. Humility advances ((maybe))).
On the outside surface of the total site, some of the new pavement leading to the theater loading dock (maybe) is laid. What are those red lines on the parking lot? More rain garden areas are coming! What's that red water tank truck doing on the campus again? The soccer field receives a much needed watering to preserve the grass growth that has taken place there. The geese? No sign of them for almost two weeks. No predictions on that front!

As We Were Saying...

2008-09-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Things look worse before they start looking a thousand times better. Excavation has begun for the lower seats and the orchestra pit in the theater, making this area harder to negotiate for the workers. The interior of the theater is somewhat in shadow much of the day as the season progresses and since the walls have reached their intended height. The wall of the main building that is shared with the lobby of the theater is being given a covering of concrete blocks, as can be seen in one photo above--another intriguing fact. It has been interesting to see how each of the main walls of the theater are finished off at the top. Each hints of steel beams to come, but each in a different way.

The steps leading from the ground floor of the main building to the lobby of the theater and to the hallway to the stage area are visible in another photo. Lots of heres and theres to watch, some obvious and others full of mystery to the lay observer, such as this blogger. To blog (in this capacity) is to learn.

Starring The Theater (Mostly)

2008-09-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

The theater is really moving forward. More concrete poured in the elevated seating area, west wall of the theater proper up completely (lobby wall not yet), and everything holding together well. The storm of 9/14 did no damage to the site. The photo of the south wall facing the expressway is filled with short extending rods as are the other exteriors: one of the mysteries that will be revealed in time. On the other side of our world, one rain garden adjacent the parking lot is beginning to hint of a brighter future. In this case as in most construction work, things look worse before they look a thousand times better.

In The Swing Of Things

2008-09-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

To be able to blog, or not to be able to blog? That is the question. If you live in the area, you will appreciate that we were not able to blog. Our power was fully restored after the wind storm of Sunday, 9/14, at 11 PM Wednesday, 9/17. While we had a limited amount of electricity before that, we did not have enough for use of computers and a few other major things. Today is the first day of classes this week. The “swing of things” has returned.
Construction, however, goes on. The west wall of the theater proper rises. (In the photo, the green signs you see are on I-75.) The walls for the off-stage storage are progressing also. Nearby, looking from Hilton Drive, we see the yard that is the site of the future gym annex.
On the other side of the campus, the workmen pour concrete and at last finish the sidewalk astride the parking lot. Only the corner of the drive from the field side of the school needs to be completed in that area. There are still some rain-garden areas in the offing on the parking lot (stay tuned!). In one photo above you can see a young man creating and strengthens the lines for parking spaces. While much work on the total expansion project goes on, it is heartening to see some aspects reach completion. Praise to God and thanks to donors and workers!

(Sun)Light, Camera, Action

2008-09-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

Action on all fronts these days. The tennis court is seeded and hayed while the sidewalk is graveled and cemented. The west wall of the theater emerges quickly, almost sprouts (note in the photo the holes on the south wall for the girders); the theater yard merits another trench (another trench?); and despite the geese (still arriving around 7:15 a.m. daily) a harvest of green blades is materializing on the soccer field. Where to look first? What to photograph last? All is on-going and exciting to Pandas.

Girders, Gardens, and Geese

2008-09-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Things seem to move more slowly now that one has only one site to watch. Things are happening on the theater site, but not as dramatically as in the earlier days, at least not for the present. However, bricks parked near the site do stir the imagination. Certainly things will get very dramatic (it is a theater site, after all) when the steel girders arrive and more walls begin to sprout. One can observe easily that scaffolding is removed from the south wall, revealing the holes, presumably for the girders, as viewed from the fourth floor porch. (The photo for the day shows the east side of the theater, close to the building, revealing the temporary fire exit.)
On that porch, by the way, the Sisters have their own yard, so to speak. It is tended lovingly by Sister M. Shauna, the resident president, who minds the beauty element with several planters, and Sr. M. Ethel, our agriculturalist, who is raising peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. While the flowers come to the end of their season, the harvest of edibles is going strong.
Luckily, geese don’t go for flowers and edibles, but they love routing through the hay on the soccer field to find the treasured grass seed. We can only hope there’s some left to sprout. The law must be observed (recall that the field may not be left bare)! The geese care nothing for the law, but they are mighty impressed when a dog is set loose on the field. "Another day," they honk as they depart.