8.29.2018

The day didn't start real auspiciously.  We are still getting used to living here - typically, Jim would leave the apartment and make sure he had his phone and keys with him.  By the time I got there, all the doors were unlocked and I never had to use a key.  The entrance doors remain in a locked state unless you pull down the inside handle.  You can probably see where this is going. 

Jim and I started loading up the many boxes of books to be donated to the library and I was going to drop them off.  And we locked ourselves out.  Of course, my first instinct is to panic.  Jim remains calm.  Thankfully, Jim had an extension ladder outside and hadn't locked the back work shop window.  He was able to go through the window and unlock the doors. 

Then, after that start and loading up a car full of books, when I got to the library they were closed on Wednesdays.  Sigh.  Oh well...they are all loaded up and I'll try and drop them off tomorrow.

Back at work, Jim took the door off our bedroom and brought it down to the wood shop for a final tweaks and to put the door handle on.

Putting it back on the hinges.  He'll still need to put stop molding on but that can come later.

He put the last shelf in my kitchen cabinet too for more storage...

We started doing some basic site work on the pole barn area.  Jim got out his surveyor equipment.  It's amazing - you are convinced the grade is a certain way until the laser level says differently - and I always joke that Jim has laser eyeballs!  We were convinced that the grade was pretty good - higher in the back and sloping gently towards the driveway.  But surveying showed that the driveway was actually a bit higher.

Jim got his small chainsaw out to get rid of some of the trees around the site.

After Jim trimmed, you can see how the ground really drops off at the back.  Brings the west wall saga back to mind!

Time to do some dirt digging!  Jim started up the excavator and did a little digging and used the Bobcat to do some grading on the upper driveway.

Before winter, we have to finish grading the back of the carriage house.  Now that we have the water softener draining back here, we have to make sure everything is underground and won't freeze.  So Jim started building up the area...

And grading it out...

Starting to take shape!

 More digging...

 Jim finally broke into our topsoil pile!  This pile has been here since we first started building - we always figured it would be the top layer when grading around the house.  However, Jim said that the dirt he is digging from the driveway area is just as good.  So time to break into the pile - it has more growth than dirt!  But it's a good time to use it now because Jim can bury all that growth as he's building up the grade in the back.

End of the day - making great progress!

Jim took about 4 scoops of dirt down to the pole barn area - he figures maybe 4 more and we'll be at a good grade for gravel.

High 89/Low 68 - heat advisory