Multifamily Construction ...Memory Lane

Being retired, I admit I often wish I was still involved in building apartment projects. I have dreams about being in meetings, or walking around a project underway, and working on solving some sort of problem. Guess it takes awhile to get it out of your blood. (after 36 years)

This is one project that I happened to find some old aerial pics of. I've got more around here somewhere of other projects. (Mostly in TX, but also in MS, FL, KS, TN, GA...and Tx jobs were in Houston, Austin, Round Rock, Mesquite, Bryan/College Station, Dallas, Longview, Fort Worth, North Richland Hills, Hurst, Allen, McKinney, etc)

This was about 220 units, three story, Senior Living units located in Fort Worth, TX. The company I worked for pretty much left me alone and didn't try to micro-manage  me (can't stand that).  The economy was still a tad slow in 2003, and I was able to hire some top notch subs at fair prices. I called it the "dream team" of subs and suppliers. My field staff was very capable too. AND it was a nice flat open site, easy to get a quick start on sitework and slab pours.

Construction began the week between Christmas 2002 and New Years 2003 - not a great start time of the calendar for fast production. All these pics were taken around the 15th to 20th of each month.

Jan 2003 excavation completed with utility work and plumbing underway

March 2003. slab pours nearly complete. Paving next.

April 2003. paving almost done. Framing started.

May 2003. rough framing nearly complete. Roofing started.

Aug 2003. Roofs complete, exterior paint in progress. Fine grading started.

Oct 2003. Landscape in progress. Pool completed.

Jan 2004. Substantially complete.

Finished 2 months early on the schedule and doubled the expected profit on the job. My boss was happy, and the client we built it for was happy as well.... Me? I just got a paycheck and a decent bonus at the end. Then went on to other projects.

It would be fun to do another project. But I've moved too far from the DFW area to get involved in this again.

Adios...!

Learning to smoke meat.

I got tired of paying jacked up prices for BBQ brisket at our local BBQ eatery ($15 per lb),  so I got online, did a little research, and bought a propane powered meat smoker. Propane smokers allow for very even temp control, and I have always liked propane as an energy source. Propane never gets old, or stale. NEVER. (I even have a propane powered GMC pickup that I drive often, and a propane generator for emergency needs). Gasoline goes bad very quickly (thanks US Gov Ethanol laws), and ruins many lawn mowers, weedeaters, chainsaws, every winter. Small engine repair shop biz has been booming the last few years. (Tangent over).

$170 and free shipping... Amazon

Instructions said 20 minute assembly, but I stretched it out to an hour, or so.

Had to erect an OSB plywood windwall.  (And I'm sending the bill to Mexico.) It was breezy today.

Big Ol'  brisket at 13 lbs.($2.50/lb)... And then trimmed a lot of useless hard fat off. 

This thing measured 21" tip to tip. My grill grate is only 14". Chop Chop.

Just ignore those Ron Rico half pints.... another blog story. (About how I quit booze, almost)

I smoked the bigger half for exactly 11 hours at around 220 degrees. Got up at midnight to check water and chips, then back to bed. The wireless internal temp probe monitor woke me up at 7am, when it hit my 202 degree target.

Brought inside, wrapped it in foil and a bath towel. Left to "rest" for an hour or so on countertop.

It kinda falls apart when slicing (need better, sharper knife). And outside "bark" is a tad dry and too crusty on edges. But overall, for first try... not bad at all.

I will try wrapping with foil at halfway point, as some of the several YouTube vids I watched recommended. That might alleviate the extra crusty bark.

Also I went a tad heavy on the kosher salt.

I won't be able to figure starting weight vs final cooked weight until I smoke the other smaller piece of brisket. But I did trim off about 3.5 lbs of useless fat from whole brisket. This larger piece weighed in at 3.5 lbs cooked.

I'm not The Galloping Gourmet, for those who remember him from early 1970s TV...I'm just the Stumbling Gourmet.

See y'all.