A Long, Full Day

Another full day witnessing the construction of a swimming pool. Today's work was truly impressive. It had very interesting elements, including laser levelers, shotcrete (gunite's wetter cousin), trench jumping, sculpture and one angry neighbor. Now the pool looks like something worthy of filling with water. It has structure and steps and the bench. We can't see our old friend, the rock, anymore. It is encased; a geologic time capsule. The stuff was hosed all over the rebar, and then shaped and leveled by the men with trowels and scrapers. Now I have to periodically hose the whole thing down to prevent it from drying out or heating too much before it cures.

Evidently the street that runs above the pool and parallel to the back of the house is a private road. We had no idea, until we met Steve. He is our neighbor and the disgruntled owner of the private road. He is angry because we had the cement truck parked on the road, for the best access to the pool. Apparently the first owners of our place abused road privileges and really left him torqued. So I put on my purple peace making dress, because it makes me happy, bought a bouquet of purple flowers to hand deliver, and wrote a note of apology. All is well. They had felt frustrated by the rude and careless acts of the previous residents, and now they seem assured that our intentions are benevolent. Phew!

This morning's crew was chocolate chip cookie and ice water worthy, they also started at 6am, and there was a Home Depot trip, breakfast, lunch, and slicing 3 mangos and a nectarine for Max, so I have been a very busy woman. The landscapers were as busy as ever, and their progress is uplifting. Sometimes it is hard to appreciate all they do, since so much of their effort is buried, but the wall looks really good, and drainage pipes are everywhere. Even the peppermint willow seems content in her new home. As for me, a shower is in order, one last glass of water and then sleep. But first; make dinner, wash the boys, bedtime stories, finish the dishes, close the chicken coop, answer Geoff's questions about day's events, reassure Geoff about day's events, quick-clean major chunks of refuse scattered about the house, 3 games of Scrabble with Grandma and Aunt Becky and then floss.