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.

The Guys -- Working Together

What are these men smiling about? I'll tell you . . .

Ably directed by our friend and neighbor Mark Anderson, over the weekend, they raised the roof on Justin and Claui's back porch and enclosed it. Eventually this new space will contain a dining area, as well as enlarging two existing bedrooms. 

The shop crew did the measuring and cutting for the walls.

The back wall, assembled and ready to be raised.

Lots of manpower ready to lift.

Waiting for the word from Mark . . .

The Boss -- Mark was a student of ours back in Florida and got his start in carpentry and construction when, as a teenager, he helped John build our house back in '75.

Going up . . .

Almost there . . .

It's up! Now it has to get moved forward . . .

Hold steady . . .

Time for the BIG hammer . . .

Knocking that wall into place . . .

Inch by inch . . .

Slowly moving into alignment . . .

And it's just right!

John (the designated gofer) is back from a run to Lowes for more supplies . . .

And the guys will take a break for lunch. When I return a few hours later, I'm amazed to see what's been accomplished.

Dried in!

Time for a gloat beer -- time to sit and savor the feeling of accomplishment.

It's suggested that I get a group picture  . . . and with a bit of good-natured grumbling, the guys (Mark has already left, alas) line up.

You couldn't ask for better friends than these!

(Note to Josie fans: Josie and Claui were in Arkansas for the weekend, celebrating Claui's sister's birthday. That's why no Josie pics.)

Friends, Old and New

My life runs on rather predictable lines, these days, but now and then I'm reminded that one never knows what's behind the next door. Recently, it was a visit from a girl -- well, now a woman -- whom John and I taught forty-some years ago at Independent Day School in Tampa. She and her husband were in NC to view the eclipse and they extended their trip to come catch up with her old teachers.

Cindy was a seventh/eighth grader back then and she and her best friend Alicia (who visited us back in March and whom I wrote about HERE) were the most creative and dynamic duo imaginable, as well as being seemingly impervious to peer pressure and the usual downsides of being teen aged girls.

Cindy and her husband Edwin (a musician) live in Florida where she went from a career as a designer and art director with Disney's 'imagineers' and Creative Entertainment divisions, to starting her own company, Now Cindy White Art works with theme parks all over the world.  (I keep up with her on Facebook and it seems she's always jetting off to Japan.)

It's such fun to see that a kid you really admired has fulfilled all the promise they showed so long ago. And it's weird and wonderful to be enjoying their company adult to adult instead of in a student teacher relationship.

Like her friend Alicia (and they are still friends, despite living on opposite coasts,) Cindy and her husband (a very charming and interesting fella-- not that I would expect otherwise) are of the same liberal political persuasion as John and I, and once most of the catching up had been done and the old stories told and memories resurrected, we talked about politics and the Current State of Things.  

We said goodbye the next morning as they set out for Florida and I set out to have lunch with Jane, another new friend. Jane has invited me to speak to her book club in October but she wanted to get together for lunch and talk books and writing.

Well, of course! And what a pleasant lunch it was as we discovered so much common ground. Jane, who is another writer had wonderful stories and insights to share.

You never know what's around the next corner.