On Tuesday morning I woke early and thought, “My helper friend will be here at 8AM, so if I can get the Kubota started and bring it up to the sawdust pile at 7:30AM when I go do chores, I can leave it running until he arrives.”
So I did just that and when he didn’t arrive by 8:15AM, I finally remembered he comes at 9:30AM on Tuesdays…. The battery was low from trying to start a cold diesel, and I didn’t have enough diesel to leave it running until 9:30AM.
So I got dressed in all my winter clothes and went out and moved the pile by myself. I had just finished when he arrived at 9:30AM. I was wiped out.
I had brought it down to the Little trees and filled in that area. Once it was raked out by my helper, it covered the area, but was a little thin. But better than nothing.
My helper friend said he wanted to split up the small pile of huge pieces. He grew up with wood heat but hadn’t split wood since he was a teenager. But it must be like riding a bike, because he quickly did it without a lot of effort. Once I had rested a while, I started raking the area.
When he finished the wood, he used the wheelbarrow to move the rakings over the bank.
Then we moved all the bags and cans of kindling over by the bulkhead and he carried them down. I helped drag them over into the freezer room so they could dry out. That finished me off for the day. It was 11AM.
We went upstairs to catch our breath and he ate his lunch. He got a call from his office confirming that I now had all 12 of my hours with just him and wouldn’t lose them. Yay! It’s only taken since January!
Once he finished lunch, he went out to the Big garden and finished weeding, moved the remaining mulch, raked the area, then put new mulch along the fence and walkway.
It’s already, once amended, to lay out and plant the garlic. But I can’t start it until Thursday as on Wednesday I have to wash all the storm windows. I don’t have a helper until 5PM. The window guy comes on Friday to help me with the last 13 windows.
The contractor came out mid afternoon and finished the trim on the front of the shed. He still has the soffet to run on the front, and the trim and soffet on the back.
My oldest brother was up from Connecticut and he brought me holly to decorate for Thanksgiving.
On Wednesday I will do the storms, wash the last 3 doors, and make a shopping list for Thanksgiving. My general helper will take me shopping.