Rocky Weekend

What does it take to move ten yards (or almost twelve ton) of rock from the driveway to the right places in the west side yard, the east side yard, and the back where Larry’s vegetable garden used to be?  Rock – first of all; machines, shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, lots of cold water to drink, and workers with a strong work ethic and lots of muscles!

Of course, rock movement didn’t start on the past weekend.  During the week that preceded the really hard, physical work, Keith made the plans to stage the event.  He ordered the rock for delivery at a specific time, making sure that the huge dump truck didn’t back up on my driveway.  He arranged for his friend Todd to bring his small John Deere tractor with the front-end loader. (It was used the last time that rock was moved into the yard.)  He arranged for the rental of something called “a mud buggy” that could hold four times the amount of a wheelbarrow.  Using the mud buggy would make moving the rock more efficient; he would pick up the machine the Saturday morning it would be needed.

When everything and everyone was assembled at my house on Saturday morning, the physical work began.  The mud buggy was taken from the trailer, and the engine stopped working.  For three hours, it did not do its job while the crew waited for the repairman to get it working.  In the meanwhile and “to avoid burning daylight,” Miles shoveled rock into a wheelbarrow, wheeled it to the place in the yard where it was to go, dumped it, and returned to the rock pile for the next load.  Three hours of loading and wheeling and dumping.

At some point, Keith joined the wheelbarrow brigade.  Todd would scoop up rock from the pile and dump it into both wheelbarrows, at the same time.  Then, off Miles and Keith would go to dump the rock in the place it should go.

After about three hours, the repairman had the mud buggy ready to do its job.  Todd filled its container with a large amount of rock.  Because it has tracks like a caterpillar machine, Keith laid down boards to protect the grass.

Off went the mud buggy to take its load to its chosen destination.  And, back again and again to repeat the process until all of the gravel was in the backyard.

The men did take time for lunch and, then, it was back to work.  Cleaning up was done.  Todd’s tractor went home.  The mud buggy went back to its store.  Rocks that had fallen into the edge of the lawn were removed.  Shovels, rakes, push brooms, and other small tools were stored or put into Keith’s truck.

The work was finished.  The space once occupied by Larry’s garden was covered with rock.  The dog run/wood yard looked great with additional rock; it has never looked so good.  The east yard looked wonderful with additional rock.

 

I was very pleased!

Be Safe and Be Well

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are appreciated.