Double Fork-lift Day

I'm up at 3 in the morning habitually because if I stir, coop details flood my brain and always some detail I have to research comes up and I have to work it out right then and there. Next morning I flood Ken with all the details, his peaceful newspaper, coffee, breakfast routine is smashed to bits.

I don't know what I would do without graph paper! I've downloaded and printed pages for the coop design and more smaller scale pages for the run designs.

After many revisions we arrived at a plan that would be the most cost effective and least wasteful of materials, using the best value materials instead of different dimension more expensive choices. This saved about 2/3 the cost of the original plan. So we will have a 7' high run instead of 9". We did splurge on a couple super cool materials because they were just so perfect and could save work and time in the long run (we hope).

On halloween afternoon about 4ish we we out and about in the truck heading home to wash up for the   grandkids big trick and treat event (crazy awesome garage transformed into a spook house) When up pops a home-depot 10% off coupon on email. Ends today! Do we have time to get there, get stuff, feed dogs, get dressed and get to haunted house in two hours?

With all we need 10% is a big deal, everything counts.

We get the PVC board, galvanized sheeting (sharp nightmare stuff, perfect for halloween actually) I want to send the guy who helped us get it on the cart three dozen roses.
Screws for the wood, great screws with little washers and rubber pads on them already for the hardware cloth, plastic sheeting for my cute design dormer bump-outs that will shield the ventilation openings, and 12 bags of fast set concrete.

And... a pair of double sueded palm gloves for Ken if he was going to load the stuff right then and there. So that adds gloves, googles, and pulley/hoist guy to the safety budget.

Today, we go to Lowes as we have a 10% coupon and their lumber is less money or the same. I have my legal pad with our materials list so we get to gathering. Everything was easy until we got to the hook and eye to keep the shed/coop from swinging open/shut. (that's another story for another time, can't wait until we get to hinges and closures).

This will be a two trip deal. Our faithful blue truck can only take so much.

We offloaded the first batch then go back for the pallet of 2x4x8's
208 pieces
Scary
Buying it all was scary, watching them trying to load it was scary, the danger involved was scary, so scary in fact, we met some guys who just hung around the watch the drama.

Anyway that's another story too, very well worth telling as Ken and I got into another differing point of view regarding broken trucks insurance, maimed people etc.

Finally, we have the materials, the design vision and if it all goes wrong Ken can blame me because I made the list and the plan. Perfect!
He loves to gloat, he's a gloater.