Song of the day: “All this time (pick me up song)” by Maria Mena. I love this song, so I didn’t mind having it in my head. Hah. Of course then “Bubbly” from Colby Bliatt joined in, and I was desperately trying to get the first one back. Ah well. Can’t always have what you want, I guess.
On to today. It’s a slight overlap, but who cares anyway. This Blog is for fun after all.
Let’s pick up where this morning’s Blog ended.
I want to get online for a bit but there really isn’t time for it. Considering we have been working on the computers so much of late, we decide that we need to make some adjustments to seating arrangements, if for no other reason that expedience.
Up until now big brother and I have been squeezed into this narrow section between the table and wall, and since we have enough of maneuvering our way in and out, we shift the table to the center of the room and arrange ourselves into a more spacious arrangement.
That settled, we dig into the edit, managing another chapter of the read-through before it is time to head on out. The plan is to take things a little easy today, what with my wrist bothering me considerably…did I mention my wrist yet? I can’t recall. Hmmm. Well, I hurt it while using either the sledgehammer or pickax yesterday, so now the darn thing is bandaged up with a huge amount of arnica under it. Annoying that, guess the variety in swings made me miscalculate, or something.
With that in mind, we go out into the rather murky sunlight. There’s not a hint of a breeze and even though the sky is covered with a thin veil of clouds, the heat is considerable. It’s a moist heat and we notice it…oh my, do we ever…while we discuss the options for the day.
Since we still have five yucca plants in pots, standing near grandpa’s bungalow, we decide that we really should plant them fast before the dogs destroy them. This means that dirt has to be shoveled up the second part of the wall, rocks need to be moved away from there, and sections of concrete have to be shattered as landfill.
Now, it isn’t easy to handle a sledgehammer with only one good hand, but I manage well enough in the end, while little brother and sister haul the rocks away from the back of the wall for the fill up.
Middle sister makes one batch of cement by hand for big brother, who is going to build up the skimmer wall of the pool, since water continues to flow out every time someone takes a dip.
While I’m tackling the slabs of concrete, I also locate several building blocks that will be perfect for what big brother needs to do, so by the time perspiration is literally fogging up my sunglasses, he has enough to actually do the task.
Splitting up, little brother starts going back and forth to the car, carrying debris such as old wood, plastic and God knows what, for a trip to the landfill nearby. It’s a massive task, but he rather does that than play fetch for those of us who opted to do different tasks.
Sledgehammer work done…the rocks moved…little sister and I head for the narrow terrace between the two walls. For the next hour or two, we shovel dirt up, behind the barrier until our level is evened out and the yuccas can be put in. Three go on the high terrace, while the two others go n the lower part.
We’re in the midst of putting the last one in when we hear a loud crash.
I look up, and I literally feel my heart pop into my throat when I see old Bommel squirming underneath the heavy metal gate that should be hung sometime during the next few days. En mass we run towards the poor dog, lifting the gate away and helping him to his feet.
He is a little out of sorts, but otherwise undamaged, or so it turns out after close examination. While lifting the gate we notice that the top end of the metal landed on a large rock, preventing the thing from squashing Bommel for real. Phew. I’m shaky for several minutes and watch him carefully as he trudges away for a more peaceful spot to lounge. He’s only annoyed, much to my relief.
By the time we finish up for the day the yuccas create a pretty picture that could fit in a magazine (little sister’s words) so I snap a few pictures before I head into the courtyard and get my bikini for a much deserved dip in the newly filled pool.
The water is a tad chilly, but it feels good after the murky heat of the day. With a quick snack of a slice of bread, big brother and I go up to grandpa’s bungalow and get in the car to fetch another load of rocks from the same spot as last night.
The dip really revived us, and though I have to be careful to keep my wrist straight, we do manage another full load before nightfall.
Once home, the dogs going out of their minds with jubilance, of course, I quickly tackle the laundry and then head inside to wash off the dirt and grime the rock fetching caused.
We have a quick meal from the spinach and potato mix little sister prepared during our absence and turn on the computers to get back to work.
We manage no more than a page of the rewrite-edit this close to midnight, but that’s okay. It was a busy but on the overall a successful day for everyone.
What with the younger sibs busily studying their Spanish…I really need to join them just as soon as the actual edit is done, I’ve been leaking information like a sieve over the years…we spend some time discussing the intricacies of the language before it is time for me to head on up to my cabin for the night.
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