The Windmill Raising -- Pictures of it going up

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This is where we left off last. We couldn't pull it up with a truck using a rope through a pulley hanging in a tree. Owner, John, was dissapointed, more than a little bit (link).
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This time we got a bucket hoist belonging to electrician friend, Pat. I know John wanted to be in that bucket but it wouldn't happen..
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Up she goes. John names his old cars, I don't know if this windmill is named or not.
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Up some more. That's Jim (not me Jim) with his hands in his pocket..
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Not much more, it is going to get there.
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Here's where the ground crew really gets action. Back in July we had set those anchors in concrete and preliminarily attached the tower.
Here WE are wrestling the legs so the bolts will line up. [I took a break for a moment to take another picture.] Nine of us came yesterday to help. All of us had a job there one time or another..
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It's tied down now. While he had the bucket up there, Pat obligingly filled the transmission with oil. That saved John a climb up the ladder. [He did test the ladder in a few minutes, you know boys MUST climb a windmill if there is one. Just because it's there.].
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This is the group, all nine of us. From left to right, John, Larry, me (Jim), Chuck, Bill, Gene, Dick (on the steps), Jim (other Jim), and Bill (another Bill)
In case you think the windmill isn't exactly straight, the picture lies a lot. The bridge posts are straight up and down. John will drop a plum line soon like we did when we set the legs in the concrete. We may have to make a few adjustments, we will just see.
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John has other toys. Part of his back yard looks like this. He had two gas pumps but sold the one that was for here. [John will sell anything is your price is right.] The other is in the front yard converted to a yard light that turns itself on at dusk.
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We didn't linger long in the back yard. Mrs. John had a nice on the patio breakfast for us. Biscuits, deer sausage, cantalope, O.J., and coffee. That was a nice lunch for me. Friends Food+and+Drink Jim+Bunch+Eats Toys Fun

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[click on any picture to enlarge it]

[go here (link) for the beginning of this story]