Austin Schroeder - 3.2.20

Hello everyone,

Last week I got to take a road trip with Jeff to Natchitoches, for a meeting regarding phase 2 of Carbo's Natchitoches riverfront project. A large part of the meeting was about a historic home located on the site, circa 1803. 

It was built by a former slave, who bought his freedom over 200 years ago. The house has seen some modifications or "improvements" over the years, but it has serious structural issues, that have gotten much worse since a 100 year flood that happened in 2016. The big question that needs to be answered is whether or not its feasible to move, or at least raise up the structure, without it crumbling. Apparently some engineers are on the case for that. Other than that, a lot of discussion was about how the city is going to utilize this house in a way that generates revenue, because that would be the only source of funding for the building's maintenance. Someone had the idea of a private dinner venue, I like that one!

On the way to Natchitoches, we stopped in Alexandria to pickup Mike Lanaux, who works in the Alexandria office. He plays guitar, so naturally I like him a lot. Next we made a stop at a major residential project that is under construction. The most striking feature is the double row of olive trees, which are each 140 years old, and were imported from California. It's amazing to see these things, and surreal knowing they are so far from home. Carbo actually tried to push these clients away from getting these, since they are not suitable to our weather, but they just had to have em, after a vacation in Italy. I hope the trees survive, not to mention they are $40,000 each so that would just suck. I'm gonna try to attach a video of one of the trees being lowered into the ground by crane, let me know if it doesn't work.

As for my personal life, it's been chill. I've started eating a lot of Brussels sprouts in an effort to be healthy, which is a big deal because I've always been picky, but results in a high volume of flatulence in the office. How have you guys been dealing with your office farts? do you do the chair side-lean trick? Hide in the bathroom? Take a walk around the block? Let me know because they might fire me over this.

Cheers