The Next Right Thing

He comes home from work.  In the few minutes we have before dinner is on the table, he's out there with the stone and the saw, making just. one. more. cut.

His determination is what has seen us through on so many projects.  

He simply never gives up.

Tonight, that means the top stone on the left side and the piece at the top left of the oven door.

In a much bigger sense, it's what holds us together.
Steady, unchanging, dependable.
Doing the next right thing.  Every time.

* * * * * * *

#5...two part-time jobs that I love, neither of which require me to work on Monday
#6...the pleasure of getting to know a new friend
#7...wild turkey grazing through the woods
#8...a child eager to study and work on projects
#9...Micah's still-small boy frame leaning on mine to watch Veggie Tales

And yet more stone!

Two more pictures, to show what Todd accomplished in the afternoon:

Set in Stone

We have Todd's brother, Tim, to thank for the outer stone for our fireplace.

A few years back, Tim replaced a stone walkway with poured concrete.  He and Todd loaded up the giant pathway stones with the intent of using them as the outer stone layer on our masonry heater.  (It was another one of those times when I was glad I was the girl, and no one would expect me to try and lift any of those monstrous pieces.)

The yellow rope is just a temporary safeguard, should the mortar decide to let go while drying.  (I'm not actually sure it would have any chance of holding the stone in place should it decide to let go, but it makes us feel better.)

We've been surprised how relatively easy these stones are to cut.
I've said it before, but it bears repeating:  it amazes me that Todd is able to visually plan all of this and have it turn out just the way it needs to.  It's a good thing that it's not my job.

We're getting closer and closer to that first fire.  It's time to start learning how to use the stone oven.  I can smell the pizza baking already!

Wirlwhind

My wonderful husband let me sleep in this morning while he got up with earlybird Micah.  

After breakfast, the real fun started.

We went through the ceiling today with the fireplace!

(And by "we", of course, I mean Todd.  He did the hard work.  I vacuumed up a little dust, uploaded pictures to the computer, and struggled through a maze of information online to choose a new cell phone plan.)

Micah was right there (in his Batman jammies) to hold the shop-vac hose and suck up little bits of drywall dust.

An oddly-placed bench in the upstairs hall, to keep small children from falling into the chimney flue tile.

I can feel the heat from the fireplace already.  Not too much longer!