The FIRST driveway paver!

The first driveway paver is laid and only 279 to go. Let us not forget they are 70lbs each. Yikes, I should have eaten my Wheaties (kat says).

Again, if you notice up close...he is smiling. It is going well and he LOVES being outside and progress being made.

We will fill these holes with topsoil and plant grass. I heard my job will be using a stick and poking the dirt down into the holes. I bet Peter could help with this job. :)

I had ONLY a quick moment to take this picture this morning. We poured the last half of the sidewalk and I was in charge of the chute and running to get the mesh when needed.

Here you go! The rest of the driveway is poured and it went well this morning. Another step in the right direction!

Mini vacation with 4 generations at Seneca Lake

Amanda, Mom, Peter and I went to Seneca Lake for a mini vacation during the week. It was amazing to say the least. We got to relax and enjoy being by the water. This photo was take very early, just before sunrise. I got up before everyone else and had a wonderful cup of coffee and this view, life is good.

Peter spent most of his time wet. He loved the water and had a great time.

Amanda was Peter's swimming buddy (she was the only one of us gals that had a swim suit, darn) :)

Mom, Peter and Amanda took the canoe out for a ride. Mom said she hadn't been in one since she was 16 years old.

This was the view from the pier and with a little help from the zoom lens. :) The cabin was perfect and loaded with anything you could have needed. We are looking forward to going again next year.

94 degrees and the truck is on the way...

Everything in place and just waiting for the truck to come.

Here we go, just another day on the hill with help from family and friends.

It is going fast...6 yards of concrete fresh off the truck.

The temperature is climbing the the sun is doing a great job of setting up...a little bit too well. Just another lesson of the education of life.

Mr. Sunshine won this round and we are up for another hand next week.

Not much to say, except this sucks. See ya next week with another chapter on sidewalk 101.

Ready for the BIG Pour on Wednesday!

Jim has set up the forms for the most amazing sidewalk ever!

He claims the pitch is perfect for the wheelchair racing we will do later in life...

Here is a sample of the driveway that will be the next part of the project.

We had a delivery of 20,000 pounds of open pavers at 70lbs each for the driveway. Just looking at the pile makes me tired. :)

I decided to make some homemade sauce with the TONS of tomatoes from our garden. Now, I will share with you that my desire to be an Italian princess while visiting Italy years ago has lost the charm. Making sauce takes a great deal of work...as it takes forever to cook down. I think I will stick with perogies says the polish gal. (P.S. Jim said it was "awesome") Sigh. ;)

Another shot of dancing in the moonlight...

Sidewalk or BUST!

The concrete contractor has arrived. Also known as Jim and Johnny.

You can almost see the driveway and sidewalk...yes? Say, yes, please...

This is the tool I use the most to assist the contractor, an engineers level. I actually had the boss question one of my readings and then when he checked it out himself..."hmmmmmm" was all the response I got. I think I could be certified now. :)

I think I might add this to my resume. If anyone would have told me 6 years ago that this would be on my job description I would have laughed very very hard while I was sipping on my cosmo and viewing the crowd on Elmwood. :) Actually, I wouldn't have it any other way.

So it is about 8:30pm and he is still outside getting in that last minute of work...

Family Fun and the Light vs Lighthouse

My niece Diana and her family came to visit last weekend and it was so lovely to see them. Ethan is offering a push to Grandma Pat and Ella complete with wagon still in hand. :)

Ella curled up on Grandma Pat's lap and the breeze and swinging was just too much for her to fight the sleep factor. It was a lovely, lovely afternoon.

Ok, this is just too precious. Mom told me that she hopes that I get to have this same wonderful experience of cuddling my great grandchild someday. I hope to be that lucky too. Just imagine this day...73 degrees a soft gentle breeze and a swing that hugs you both. Life is good.

We got to meet little sister Elise and she is so sweet. Big brown eyes that melt your heart and a smile that says I love you. Diana and Jeremy you are very blessed indeed, thanks for coming to visit we love seeing your beautiful family.

Front yard light or is that the lighthouse? First step in the making of a monument...a pad (as seen before on the blog), electric supply and LOTS of strength to lift these blocks. Just how high should it be and will the light be too big?

Let's put the top on and see how it is looking so far and if we need to go a bit higher. Yep, just another course of block should do it.

There you go! All done and it looks great Jim. Now all the folks that visit will be able to find their way out to their car. :) Good job darlin'

Peter and I went out to the garden and came back with some goodies...yum yum. The cherry tomatoes are so sweet!

A nice batch of corn relish ready for the winter months...

Sunday's Musings

A basket of veggies come from the garden daily. Yum Yum

Today Jim prepared the area for the future home for the American Logger Statue. We have decided not to bring him out of the barn until next year being we have so much going this year. (I think we will always have something "going" during the summers to come...)