And They Did It Again

Not satisfied with their progress on the previous weekend, the gang reassembled on Friday and laid more block.

The walls inched higher . . .

The newlyweds were there. Their wedding had been on Wednesday and Friday they were hard at work.

In the evening we had another socially distanced meal--ribs and hotdogs, salad, baked beans, and potatoes au gratin.

Josh heaped it all on a hot dog.

.

Note the formal attire. And the admiring gaze of his bride.

Josie and Shayne shared some crackers.

Josie loves crackers. And Shayne. 

On Saturday the work continued.

By the end of the day, the block was nearing the top.

Great progress!

And another big meal -- moussaka, Greek salad (with Greek potato salad as served in Tarpon Springs), pork souvlaki (kebabs), pita and tzatziki and hummus . Plus frozen chocolate pie on a pecan crust. With whipped cream.

Dave the chicken embarrassed herself by jumping on the table and stealing a potato chip. Embarrassed but unrepentant.

What a great weekend! What terrific friends!

Work Weekend--with Social Distancing

 

Reconstruction on the shop has been languishing, what with one thing and another, but this weekend, Justin's longtime friend Josh was in town and a plan was hatched.

Josh and his fiancee, having scrapped plans for a big wedding due to Covid-19, are having a small family wedding at his folks' house next week and Claui's dad (a Presbyterian minister) is officiating.  So what could be more natural than that all these folks spend three days laying block? 

A goodly amount got done on Friday and we gathered in Justin and Claui's front yard for burgers and hot dogs and lots of good salads. 

Chairs were scattered to enable distancing.

On Saturday, the work proceeded apace. The women were there too, front and center. 

That's Lisa,the bride-to-be, pushing the wheelbarrow.

She mixed all the mortar/concrete both Friday and Saturday.

Note that the hydrangea is doing its thing. Sue, the mother of the groom plans to come pick some for the wedding.

There's Claui in the black shirt, laying block like a good un!

Justin's friend and co-worker Doug and Doug's wife Shayne worked and cooked. 

 

Doctor Bob, aka Bobaguy--father of the groom.

We are so fortunate in our friends.

Real progress!

And another distanced supper

Josie loves quesadillas!

And she's dreaming of becoming a Big Girl like Mama and Shayne and Lisa.

Work continued on Sunday--and all the block was used up before the crew got rained out in mid-afternoon.  Once again we gthered for an outdoor supper, but this time at Bob and Sue's house. (I felt almost giddy--this being my first time somewhere else since March. I don't count my two trips to help John get his truck to and from the mechanic as I never got out of the car.)

It was another lovely evening and the crew is planning to gather again for another workday next Saturday. As I said, we are so fortunate to have such friends.

Really Must Say Damn

That was me Tuesday night -- mired in self doubt. I had sought some information about the chronology of events following the Shelton Laurel Massacre and had gotten in touch with Col. Keith's great granddaughter in hopes of clearing up a few points. (Keith was the officer in charge during the Massacre and he is one of my five main characters.)

I think I've mentioned before that the books and articles and even the primary sources concerning the Massacre are highly contradictory at times. Trying, as I am, to be faithful to what actually happened . . . or is said to have happened . . . or might have happened is difficult at best.

And some of the information the great granddaughter sent me was totally out of line with everything I'd read. She also sent a heartfelt plea that I treat her great grandfather fairly and accurately.

And that was good. I spent a good bit of time yesterday rereading the chapters written from Keith's point of view and trying to make sure I'm treating him fairly -- and this is resulting in a more sympathetic and three-dimensional character.

But then there was that inexact chronology. The helpful ggdaughter referred me to a local expert on the Massacre and lo and behold -- another can of worms!

The expert emailed back to say that he's recently gotten access to some previously unnoticed primary documents that would shed some very interesting light on the whole affair.

Only . . . he couldn't share his findings with me as he hopes to put them together and publish them.

In a few years.

And I totally understand.  And he did help to clear up the chronology  tangle, for which I am extremely grateful.

But it made me question much of what I've written. And wake up in the middle of the night full of paralyzing self-doubt.

By morning though, things looked better, as they usually do. I reminded myself that my book is not history but fiction, based on a real event. I made plans for a nice long afterword, explaining what seems to be fact, what seems to be conjecture, and what is Vicki, making up stuff.

And I spent some little time in the pertinent chapters hedging my bets and being a bit ambiguous about a few disputed events.

Progress, of a sort. But not another chapter yet -- instead, two partial chapters . . .

i