Journal of Progress May 25-31

We got a propane tank installed this week. 

The crew from the Propane company showed up to lay the pipes for the big (300 gallon) propane tank. We'd hoped to buy the tank, but at only ten dollars a month rental, Don decided it wasn't worth it. 

Fortunately, Don left a buried access pipe through the foundation three years ago, when it was poured, making easy access for the pipes. Planning ahead pays. 

This is the third time our gravel driveway has been dug up for pipes. Don says when all the digging is done, he wants to pave it with asphalt.

Here comes the tank! Locating it was tricky. It needs to be at least ten feet from the property line, ten feet from the house, fifteen feet from the road, and fifteen feet from the edge of the driveway, and on level ground. It's a good thing that the driveway wasn't paved, giving us the ability to just "say" where the edge of the driveway is, or such a spot might not have existed, which would have required us to install concrete barriers.

Lowering the tank onto concrete blocks. Don is using a cane, as he hurt his back last week, and seems to have developed sciatica in his right hip. It's getting better with rest, but that slows the construction.

Even when "resting", Don couldn't keep completely still. Here he's installing the batter board for the future balcony over the front door. This will support the center of the balcony, while the brackets he made two weeks ago support the ends.

Much of our week was more mudding.  We spent two days in Provo, getting out of our apartment.  We had intended to spend only one day, but Don had picked up the flooring we ordered from Home Depot and it was so heavy, he didn't dare load the rest of our boxes for the car to pull.  We made it home fine and, actually, we would have been overtired if we had tried to do all of the cleaning in the apartment that same day.

 Things are growing in Barbara's summer garden.  On the right, you see the Mother's Day flowers the Bishop brought her.  There is a butterfly on them but you can't wee it very well.

 This is a female Bullock's Oriole.  She is yellowish.  The males are very striking with an almost neon orange breast.  This female has discovered our hummingbird feeder and will fly in for sips.  She actually would fly over to the bird feeder to regain balance and then back to the hummingbird feeder.  This kind of bird doesn't eat the seeds in the bird feeder.

 The neighbor's cat decided to adopt us for a day.  She hung out outside and meowed, wanting in, for an entire day.  She's a great mouser and if we have evidence of mice, she will be welcome.