I'm happy to report that our work day was successful in repairing two of the worst areas on our road. Only a few neighbors showed up to work, but we got right to it starting at 8:30 a.m. and didn't stop till well after 4 p.m.
The men got totally sidetracked and ended up replacing an entire culvert pipe in one of the driveways. This was NOT in the plan at all. Talk about a huge project!! This is the only reason we didn't get more done on the rest of the road. And I believe in the KISS rule whenever possible...you know...keep it simple stupid. Well, one of the men wanted to make even more work when replacing the new culvert pipe by digging a completely new trench when there was a huge one created by removing the old and very plugged pipe. I stood my ground and reminded them that they were creating more work than necessary and they finally listened to me.
In the mean time, I dug out another neighbor's pipe and drainage trench that was completely filled in. If they had kept up with it from the beginning, most of the erosion would never have occured. I'll give them a gentle reminder next time I see them.
I also shoveled a bunch of gravel from across the entrance to our road that had washed down into the ditch over there. One by one, I shoveled and crossed the road and threw it back onto our road. I guilted one of the non-participating neighbors and he brought his big tractor out and made two very lame passes and then went back to his house.
It was nice getting to know a couple of my neightors better. One man has lived here two years and I've never even met him or his family. How terrible is that!?! Another neighbor brought some pizza for a snack and another supplied some yummy iced tea. We were all sweating so much that we needed to drink a lot of fluids and that helped a lot. I was absolutely drenched from top to bottom.
They all thanked me for organizing them and agreed that there is more work to be done but that we had made a good start.
I didn't sleep well at all Saturday night; my right hand kept aching from gripping the shovel I guess. Sunday was back to Lowes and I was pooped but have been home all day today. Doing what you ask? I did some more work on the road by myself for an hour and then worked on my patio and back yard till a little storm drove me inside.
This evening I've been working on my little autumn stitchery. I tore out most of what I had done and started over.
I'll leave you with some poor pictures of twin fawns. There are two sets this year and a pair were in my front yard early one morning. I took the pictures through the storm door, so there is a terrible glare but you can see them. Then I stepped out on my porch and snapped a couple more. Still poor quality but better than no picture at all.
Aren't they sweet (even though they are munching on my plants!)?
Rest well tonight.
