A change in the plot plan

When Scottie and I went up to the lot yesterday evening we decided we didn't like the way it laid out. After moving the house back several feet due to the water line, the garage ended up right in front of the house. We would have been forever looking out the window at the side of the garage. Yuk. Sometime in the middle of the night the visionary fairies visited my brain and said, "silly girl, just flip the garage and shop to the opposite side of the drive." So, we did. It's only money. Mark and the rest of the crew from Mountain Valley had been ready to load up and leave the site, but we greeted them with our change plan then approved Donny's change in cost plan (there is always that), and they went to work.
And, drum roll, please, I got to drive the dozer! I had said I wanted a ride before they were done, thinking ride, not drive. But Mark put me in the driver's seat. You can't say "behind the wheel" since there isn't one.
So, this is yours truly before the guys got to the site, sitting in the dozer, looking cool, calm & collected. Trust me, that is NOT how the pictures of the actual driving look!


Then, I got Mark to pose for a picture with a promise of lots of female attention once his picture hits the net:

Lupe and the new guy - oops, didn't get his name - prepared the section of pipe that was repaired to be buried. They greased the nuts on the connection thingies (a technical term) and wrapped them in plastic prior to being buried. The new plan has a berm over the portion of the water pipe that is a problem, fully protecting it and adding a landscape element.

Then, Mark got down to some serious driving of the bulldozer! It was back up the steep bank or tilt yourself at an unbelievable angle. I was really glad we got to watch this part. I didn't get the option of riding, let alone driving, for this part!



After things got a lot more level, I got my chance.



First instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . Followed by backing up. . . . Then actual moving of dirt!!

Not only did I have great fun (and THANKS to Scottie for taking pictures), but we are both much happier with the new layout. So, repeat after me: It's only money.