In order to complete the project, Joshua calculated that he'd need to purchase about 300 bricks. Since our local brick seller doesn't deliver, part of our shopping required figuring out how on earth we'd get this purchase home? And... down to Ogden.
Our only means for moving ANY kind of heavy items is a little wooden trailer we own, which has a weight capacity of about 1000 pounds. With each 6x9 brick weighing in at 10 pounds each, we realized that we were looking at transporting 3000 pounds of bricks. Yikes!!!
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out we'd need to make this purchase in three trips.
The brick wholesaler was very patient with us. While they are used to working with contractors, who can handle a forklift dumping palletes of bricks in to their trucks, that wasn't going to work for us. With our little trailer, we had to "hand place" each and every brick, so we could distribute the weight evenly. You're right if you guessed that this meant a long time for loading the trailer and then unloading the trailer once we got home.
*** As an added note. We were very fortunate to receive a generous donation of two FREE wooden palettes from a local company called "Utah Palettes". This allowed us to line our trailer with the palettes giving the bricks somewhere to sit on. ***
Meeting the Engraver - July 27, 2010
We were thrilled to receive as many orders for bricks that we did. The end result was 70 brick orders and several 100% donations to support the project. Initially we thought that 50 brick orders would be enough, but it was becoming clear that this project was going to cost a lot more than we first anticipated! All part of the learning process.
So with the 70 brick inscriptions in hand, we loaded up the trailer with 100 plus bricks and headed down to Brigham City. It was a little hairy driving a trailer of bricks through the canyon. We weren't sure how the trailer would do... but it ended up being fine.
Meeting the engraver was a little spooky. Bott & Sons, specializes in engraving Headstones. So their office is filled with "cemetary samples". Since our family has not had much funeral experience, this was our first time in an establishment like this. Let's just say, that we were very appreciative that we were only there to order engraved bricks for Joshua's Eagle Project.
Our only snag with the engraver, was their timeline for getting the bricks engraved. When I first called about the project they had quoted us a two-week turn around, but now they were estimating that it could take up to 30 days. Yikes. We told them that we REALLY needed them be done in the two weeks, and left hoping that it would all just work out somehow.
*** As a footnote, Bott & Sons were the target of arson two years ago. Their business was housed in a historical mill (apparently the best preserved in all of UT) and two years ago it was set on fire. The building suffered a complete loss and now they work out a small building beside the burned out mill. They are still looking for the criminal, who the FBI suspect is the perpetrator of other arson attacks of Historic Buildings in the area.***Called on Account of Showers! - August 9th
Well we were all set to install the roadbase today. However, when we arrived at the synagogue today, the entire excavation site was soaked. Looks like the "dead sprinkler" still had an active hose, which had sprung a leak.
The day wasn't a complete loss because we were there to accept our order of roadbase. The owner of Sandee's Rock was really nice. She not only delivered the 2 cubics yards of rock herself, but also waived the usual delivery fee. She too is a Boy Scout mom and wanted to support Joshua's Eagle Project.
TO BE CONTINUED... (Eagle Project Part 4)
