9 July 2015

Tyler, Jimmy, and James got here shortly after 7:30 and, a few minutes later, Chree and I witnessed a successful pressure test of the septic system, heralded by 36 lovely, same-height, mini-fountains spurting from the dispersion piping in the leach field.  After Tyler left, Jimmy and James glued all the piping together (with the orifices pointed down).  At this point we needed the two sheets of Blueboard that we had stolen from the septic system project yesterday to cover the water lines where they ran much shallower than expected.  I had ordered replacement Blueboard yesterday, so I called Goodro’s to see when they might be delivered.  The answer was ambiguous enough that I saddled up the Tacoma and went to get them myself.  Met Troy and the Goodro’s boom truck (with Blueboard aboard) just as he was pulling out of the lumber yard.  Troy told me he was headed straight to Fern Lake.  So I reversed course.  Troy also brought 5 figures worth 18 squares of cedar shingles for the house.  Merry Christmas, kids!  With Blueboard in hand (cover for the lateral distribution piping in the leach field), Jimmy and James covered the leach field trenches with stone, filter fabric, and part of Mount Ploof (the enormous pile of dirt once more inhabiting the area between our driveway and Kate’s).  Chree left for a long weekend in Massachusetts babysitting Devin while Katy is out of town.  I finished digging the trench for the power / telephone / cable TV conduits, uncovering and wrestling out of the ground a 1½ ton rock along the way, then continued the conduit laying.  After James finished putting grass seed and protective straw on the leach field, he continued adding stone to the big retraining wall on the west side of the house.  Normally he quits promptly at 5, so hearing him working away, I naturally assumed that the time was shy of that hour.  But when I finally looked at the clock on my cell phone, I discovered it was 5:42 and I needed to be down at Marty & Merry’s at 6, the dogs hadn’t been fed, and there was no water heated for a shower.  While I was still in the (lukewarm) shower at 5:55, the dogs went crazy, a sure sign that we had visitors.  Yup, Marty and Merry here to pick me up so we could go out to dinner together at Rosie’s Restaurant in Middlebury. Setting a new record for washing, drying, and dressing, I walked out the door (okay, so maybe I was still a bit damp) promptly at 6:00.  As always, was great spending time with the Lapidii… and I now can check Rosie’s off my Bucket List.