Garage Update - and Luke on a Bike

So a lot has happened in the past 3 days. Here is a picture of what was actually at the end of the last day the last time I posted (make sense?). Seven courses of block up in the back and scaffold ready for the next day.


The next day:


Did I mention that guy up on the scaffold is 83?



Here's my front garden bed. Alec trimmed the lowest branches off the trees. Would have been nice a day earlier so I wouldn't have had those branches slapping me in the face for an hour while I worked there.


Beginning to expand. I try to reclaim a little bit of yard each year for more flowers, but I am resigning myself to admit that I am a seasonal gardener. If the weather was like this all year round, I would have beautiful gardens. As it is, I have perennials and bulbs. And weeds.


On Friday, Mr. Jim took his son with him. He is also a mason and didn't have work that day. He is also quite a fast worker.




On Friday we went on an impromptu playdate to a friend's house. Luke played with a little bike there the whole time and after about 15 minutes on it, was riding like an old pro. We took the training wheels off his own little hand-me-down bike as soon as we got home and he was happily occupied for the rest of the afternoon.

I like this next little video because it shows how he starts to get himself going - hasn't quite learned how yet at this point:



Erin runs through the next one. It's really her bike - pink princesses - and she's a tad bit peeved that she can't ride it yet. I told her she has to learn how to steer on the tricycle first. I'd forgotten how pitiful 3-year-olds are at that important skill. She frequently tips herself when over-correcting her direction.



Erin played too - mostly ran around. We took a walk to the playground down the street and Luke discovered that the basketball court there is better than anything else to ride on. It isn't regular concrete - I think maybe it's asphalt - and is VERY smooth. He practiced going in circles.

It was quite warm and when we got home they wanted to lay down in the shade. Luke asked to take off his shirt and of course Erin wanted to, too!

By the end of Friday, the walls were up as high as they need to be. There are spaces for 3 windows - 2 in the back mostly to just let in more light. Next week is the tricky part since Alec has to chip out bricks on the existing front so the new bricks can be toothed in and the metal piece put in for over the garage door.

And totally unrelated, but today I finished another crocheted baby blanket. This one is special. I have a friend in CBS who has been trying for years to have a baby. They went through numerous IVF cycles and even had 2 miscarriages about 2 years ago. They moved away and last spring I learned that she was pregnant - with no IVF this time! Pretty clearly God's timing and power. As soon as I heard, I got out some scrap yarn and started crocheting. Every time I got it out I prayed that the baby would be healthy and everything would work out this time. Last week they had a little girl and tonight I finished the last round in pink. I'll send it out on Monday.