One Busy, Windy Yard!

Depends on who you talk to, but I would have to say that the biggest advantage of having construction equipment on the yard is not the work that is getting done, but rather the entertainment it provides for the kids.  (Okay... me too!) But even though the wind has not cooperated for us to be outdoors watching up close and personal, we have been able to use the car and Jeep as shelters to watch what we can.  And it helps that we can look out our toy room window and see most of the work that is being done.  I love the way Caleb lights up when he sees something new and different and it is very interesting, as an adult, to see how quickly things can change and the feeling of mixed excitement/doubt it brings as something is done that can't be undone.  I'm sure there's a life lesson (or perhaps sermon?) in there somewhere.



There's nothing spectacular about this picture, but I had to include yet another photo of the bulldozer and roller because this was the main source of entertainment.  The big dump trucks were on and off the road periodically throughout the day, but when they weren't here to watch, we relied on the good ol' construction equipment.  I should note that there was a twenty-ish year old woman on the roller (daughter of the boss) who did, according to the seasoned bulldozer driver, as good or better job than anyone he's worked with.  I thought that was pretty cool :-)




There was no way we could be out in the wind, so in the morning we sat in the Jeep to watch.  After lunch, the Jeep was tied up with farm work, so we opted for the less exciting car.  I'm sure it was quite the sight for anyone going down the road to see the car parked in the middle of the yard, but we made the best of the situation.  The kids seemed to enjoy it and that was my goal.




After a year and a half of watching Josh and Caleb put on a hat anytime they go outside, Sarah Rose has decided that she is going to be just like them... she has to have a hat now when we go outside.  I think this is great!  She won't keep hair ties in her hair to keep the hair out of her eyes, so she discovered the perfect solution herself!




We couldn't really come up with a really good use for a slanted building, so the project yesterday was to build the pad up so that it would be level.  And after X number of loads of clay and C-stone (a by-product of coal that hardens as its packed), I think they came pretty close to what they wanted it to look like.  A little more work in the next couple of days and the dirt work should be done.  (The bulldozer has a laser on its blade that works in conjunction with a laser on a tripod set just off the work area.  The lasers work together to tell the operator when the pad is level.  Wow.)

 

The sidedump truck was a big hit.  Instead of dumping up and down like trucks most people are used to seeing, this truck tipped its bed to the side.  If you look at the back end of the truck, you can see that the bulldozer had its blade on top of the truck to keep it from tipping over. 




Construction workers aren't really given enough credit for the talent and skill it takes to get their kind or work done!  To sit and watch these men and lady work, it becomes obvious that it has taken lots of practice and an understanding of something beyond what I know to do a really good job!  Just to be able to get through their maze is an achievement, but to see the outcome is really quite something to be admired.