Progress!

Activity arrived at the barn last afternoon with a row of pick up trucks bearing high school boys lined up on the road. The caravan pulled into the drive and emptied of boys who made their way to my big red elderly pile of wood on the hill. They were soon followed by a cement truck that made it's way over our ancient bridge, through the poultry yard and past the outhouse to settle on the north side of the barn, from where soon flowed the gloppy stone-filled greyness to anchor.
The boys positioned their wheelbarrows below the chute and wrestled the heavy, drooping barrows to the farthest wall- Oslo's stall, south wall. From there the forms were filled, one by one. We now have three walls and a large step into the two southern horse stalls. The poor sheep are kept in, as they would have no qualms about stepping all over the drying concrete, the horses are out for night and the day, also to keep them from influencing the final product. As the boys and their trucks left for the night, my friend picked me and Oslo up in her horse trailer to transport us to the jumping lesson. Thank goodness for all this friendship! I feel very blessed, and rather indebted.

The arrival of trucks heralds progress!

Who knew I'd ever have a cement truck and an outhouse in one place?

The forms ready for filling.

The most difficult wall to access, from cement truck, through Mike's stall, out his door, down the front of the barn, up a ramp to the step form, up another ramp into Oslo's stall and then dump into the south wall. I'll bet those boys slept like logs.

5.5 yards of concrete moved by barrow and shovel. Youngest looks on with the youngest sister of my project foreman- 15 year old hero.

Down to the last wall- of this cement run....The barn turns 200 soon, and this project should lend many further years of service.

The kids put their hands in next to mine. Waiting for Daddy-O to make it home before the cement dries!

He did make it home, and got his hand print in place, but I had to get the photo before then, as my ride to go ride arrived just as the cement truck left and Huz also homed.

The lesson went well, with Oslo and I attempting- successfully, or largest course to date. He seems to like the bigger fences. We rode well into the dark, as my friend's arena has lights, and returned to a quiet house. The light is leaving sooner, winter is on it's way. But, It looks like I might have some rather dandy horse stalls by then!