The good Lord...

Dirt, dirt, dirt everywhere!  Layers of dirt, piles of dirt and big holes where the dirt used to be.

The big machines dug out where the garage will lay, took out the bad dirt and brought in the good dirt, pounded the heck out of the good dirt and began digging the basement area.  They will be working on that for a couple more days, digging down to the bad dirt, removing it, replacing it with clay and then pounding the clay to give a good solid base to build on. 

 I used to hate clay because it is not a gardener's friend.  I used all kinds of tricks to turn clay into something else.  Today I have a newfound appreciation for clay.  See that black streak?  That is coal.  There is also shale in there. 

Fascinating, isn't it??

Here is a picture of Jim pounding at the clay with a hammer.

Here is Jim showing us how deep the hole is.  

Here are the big guys resting after a hard day's work.  

Today, while all the digging was going on, Jim would measure and check levels , and whatever else guys do. He had just gone back to his truck to do something else, when the spot he had been standing on caved in to the bottom of the big hole.  5 minutes more at that spot and he would have been down there covered up with some real heavy smelly bad dirt.

  Jim's mom would always refer to God as "the good Lord".

Well, "the good Lord" was looking out for her boy today!

Never a dull moment around here folks!