Ahhhhh. I am finally sitting for a few moments. Today was unexpectedly physical. My early morning trip to our build site was originally to take pictures of the footings being poured. We know the guy who runs the cement pump truck, and his wife had planned to come out to see the project. We had a few minutes of catching up time before the first cement mixer truck arrived. Then the fun began.
I took a short video of the cement blurting into the forms for my long distance grandson who LOVES all things construction machinery related. He is three and can’t be here to enjoy it in person. I noticed my guy had to reach into cement to steady the rebar, so I offered to hold it in place during the pour into the pillar forms. It’s a good thing I had dressed in my gardening clothes.
Since I was there, I decided to ask what else I could do. First I was put to work with a stick to level off the tops of the footings for the pillars, all 12 of them. After finishing that, I was graduated to hammering rebar into the cement at 18″ intervals. Midway through that chore, I saw they had run out of water for smoothing the cement, so I ran (ok, I drove) back to my house, two miles away and filled three five gallon buckets with water, grabbed a glass of matcha vegan protein with greens and raced back to the site.
It was close to 1:30 when I headed back home. I can already tell my shoulder is going to hurt, as well as the back of my thighs from squatting. I decided to take some Arnica 200 as a pre-pain precaution, then took a stroll around the park with my dad. Although it may sound like I am complaining about the work being strenuous, I am extremely grateful to my maker that I am still able to do that type of work. I changed into my Birkenstocks before my walk and was shocked to see how dirty my feet were, even though I wore shoes and socks. If they’re going to get that filthy anyway, why bother wearing them at all? But, then reason kicked in and I realize they aren’t to keep my feet clean, but to keep them from danger and injury. Dirt is why bathing was created.
As I sit on the couch typing this, I realize that the lawns need to be mown before I can take the much coveted epsom salt bath that my 53 year old muscles need so desperately. Lawn mowing is next on my agenda, followed by a soak. After that, I should probably try to get around to ironing my husband’s stack of work shirts. It is a good thing that he has tons of shirts, I know if it has to wait, he won’t have to go into work shirtless.
I had better get back on my feet before they strike and won’t let me. As exhausted as I know I will be at the end of the day, I am also hugely satisfied at being able to contribute to the physical building of our shop. Seeing the results of hard work is very gratifying.
May you also find something satisfying in your day today.
An Ordinary Life 