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.