more progress on the oven
Work on the oven stalled last week after Spike and I dug the foundation (more on that piece of stupidity later!) The idea, right from the start, was to do this project as cheaply as possible. No big shock there; we do everything as cheaply as possible! We didn't have a ton of materials to make the base of the oven, so I decided it would sit low to the ground, maybe a foot off the ground at most. Bob, on the other hand, was insistent that the oven door be at about waist height, or maybe more accurately, kitchen counter height. We went round and round on this, with Bob suggesting ways to accomplish his plan which I countered with "But the book says...!"
Tuesday he came home with a load of cinder blocks to build up the base. He gets the height he wanted, I get a book-approved construction method, and best of all, after all our arguing about cost, the cinder blocks only cost him thirty-five bucks.
Which just more than doubled the cost of the oven, but hey.
So we built up the base and filled it with rubble--and when I say 'we', I mean Bob and the kids, my sole contribution being picture-taking and shouting "My Lord Vader! We've located the Rubble Base!"
Because I put my back out a week ago, digging the oven foundation which I had no business even thinking I could do, even with Spike's help. I am so gimp. Wah. I had so many plans for the past week, too! Did manage to go swimming, twice, which was lovely and no-impact (although I suspect I overdid it, just a little).
Yesterday evening was supposed to be a ten-mile hike. In the interest of not being laid up for another week, I begged off on going the whole route. As usual the mileage is only a guesstimate, but we're thinking we managed between four and five miles before turning, er, back. I took my walking stick, which was incredibly helpful--in fact, I plan on never again hiking without it!