12.5.2013

Jim really worked hard yesterday in bad conditions - even though he's so excited about digging right now, it's just not so much fun in the muck.  He went out pretty early in the morning because the temps were already about 40 degrees.  But the temps were kind of deceiving because it was a really foggy, damp, drizzly kind of day.

When he first got there, he took this picture so that I could see what he had gotten done the day before.  It's always dark when he leaves and it takes him quite awhile to get the machines put away for the night so he's racing against the clock.

I went up with lunch but then couldn't get up the driveway!  This was the first time for that experience.  I got up fine most of the way but when I got to the really steep part before the driveway bends, my car got stuck, even in 4WD.  I couldn't get it to do anything, so I just got out.  And discovered why I couldn't move - I was on a patch of totally slick ice.  You couldn't even stand up on it.  I got over to the side and went up to get Jim to rescue me.  He was able to get it turned around and parked it down at the end of the driveway.  That's going to be a challenge this winter!

We ate lunch and Jim was anxious to get back to digging.  But it was a long day for him - that damp cold battling either the frozen or muddy ground takes its toll.  Plus now that he's getting pretty deep, it takes a lot longer - more dirt to scoop and more dirt to move.

But he's quite resilient...he didn't get home til about 5:00, took a few minute breather, and then we went ahead with our plans for the evening - to go and work out and then to eat at a restaurant in downtown Saratoga Springs for which I had bought a Groupon.  We want to try a few places every once in awhile to explore our new world.

When we got close to downtown, they had the main road, Broadway, closed and there was lots of traffic.  As we got closer and they were announcing on the radio, it was their annual Victorian Streetwalk!  They had street performers, vendors, tree lighting, and of course Santa - tons of people just enjoying the warmer evening and the event.  The parking was crazy - we had to park kind of far away and walk.  But that was fun too - downtown has a lot of these type of events that draw families and it's fun to just see the crowds having fun.

We enjoyed the restaurant too - The Irish Times Pub and Restaurant.  They had a live band playing that was good but kind of loud (or are we just getting old?).  The restaurant had brick walls inside, which I really like, was 2 floors and the food and beer were good!