Tomorrow, tomorrow

Digging will begin tomorrow. At least that is the plan at this time. The dozer is already there. He went out and checked. No surprise there. He has swept the barn, cleaned the barn windows and arranged the chairs. More chairs will be taken in the am. He is prepared to make coffee and take cinnamon rolls. This is after all, an official BIG DEAL. Friends are planning on being there to watch and kibits with him. I have no option but to be in attendance. I will, of course, bring my knitting. As I have no excavation skills, my kibitzing rights are nil. We will be up and out early, I am sure of that. I have no idea how long this part will take. I have to work tomorrow afternoon, so I will probably miss the finale. He will fill me in.

And, we are off. In a manner of speaking.

Yesterday was a banner day. We went from no block layers to three of them. We have chosen one, and he has given us good advise. A call to the excavator and we are off... Digging will commence in one week. The footers will go in immediately after and the laying of block will start a few days after the footers are done. Yesterday we had the ground breaking with a smallish group of family and friends. At least it seemed smallish until we went for ice cream. It seemed much bigger inside. The old guy made the toast... "To the house. May she go up fast and easy, stand long and strong and serve this family well for generations to come. To the house." There was consumption of Crown Royal Maple and assorted other beverages, a little digging (the ground was very hard and dry) and we went and ate ice cream at The Olde Mill. Before we started all of this, a trip to our current barn found quite a surprise. There is a hornet's nest inside that is bigger than a bushel basket. Yes, bigger than a bushel basket. A little terrifying if you ask me. I don't even want to imagine how many of those little winged beasties there are living inside. There was a challenge issued regarding specific male body parts and the destruction of said nest that was accepted by our son, known in family circles as the boy. This separates him from his father and his son, all John's. That aside. the boy went out after we came back and looked it over and sprayed alot of bug stuff on the giant nest. He left the light on so he could go out later and see how well he had done and to get into the barn for continued assassination attempts. Good idea, but not so much. Hornets like light. They buzz and fly around in the day time. They go to bed when it gets dark. While it may have been night time outside, inside it was high noon. No sleeping hornets. Indeed, there were many kinda sorta confused and angry hornets. He sprayed. They counter attacked. They won. He got to the light and turned it off and ran for the house. There were no stings but not because they didn't try. It is hoped they will calm down in a day or two and we can try again, at night, in the dark. Maybe, by then, they will have forgotten what we look like. One can only hope. More on this later. Many thanks to those that braved the heat and threatened downpours to came out and celebrate with us yesterday. When the logs start to go up, there is promise of barn porch sitting, stitching and knitting, Crown sipping, lots of kibitzing and maybe a little cigar smoking while we watch the spectacle. We are all looking forward to this.

Still no blocks

Okay. This has officially passed into the ridiculous. No block layer. The second one we thought we had has become non communicative, once he found out we already have an excavator and only need concrete and block work done. He has not returned a call in about a week. I am ready to get someone on my own. The neighbor next door says he knows someone that lays block, but no, we can't call him because we might piss someone off, per the old guy. Well, do I count at all? On top of that, he wants to have the ground breaking. Now. Like immediately. Like, isn't this a bit premature? No, he wants to do it NOW!!! Okay. What ever. I am becoming very weary of this project an it is not yet even a hole in the ground. So, tomorrow around 3 PM, we will dig a few shovels of dirt, drink a toast and repair to The Olde Mill for ice cream. Joy! The builder is still out of town, I believe. Is it possible that when he gets back that he will be home long enough to get this thing rolling? Or will he, too, disappear again? I am concerned that he is not going to be able to give our project his full attention if and when it gets going. He seems to be a very busy man. Yes, I am negative today. Maybe we can get the first guy for blocks and the second guy for concrete work and skip the second go between all together, since he is the one not talking. I am tired and it is only 10 AM. On the other hand, apparently the logs will be part of the log folks Fall program. The have a seminar type thingy in the fall, 2 weeks from now, that they use for showcasing their products, etc. Out logs will be the ones they will be using in the hand hewing demo. The old guy is so excited. He wants to go and watch. Of course he does. The logs have, again, been scheduled for delivery, now in late September. At the rate we are going, a new date may be needed. Maybe 3 times will be the charm. lets hope we can get this thing moving in the near future. I do believe that Christmas there is now absolutely out of the question. I am not sure that it will even be closed in by then. And I am not sure the driveway is up to a fall and winter build. But, then, that is another story that we will not go into right now.