The third bluestone tread is in and the treads are rearranged so that the higher tread rests on the back of the tread below it.  Some of remaining rock from the retaining walls will be placed on the sides of the treads partially as decoration and partly to hold the foundation rock in place.

The area between the front of the house and the driveway has been graded and compacted with stone.  More flagstone has been placed in the front of the house.  

The team pushed the previously positioned flagstone closer together so our chairs and table don't fall into the cracks.  Soon I'll have to see what we can plant in the spaces.

Reading Blink **** Gladwell, thin-slicing and instinctual knowing in the blink of an eye before the conscious brain recognizes the knowledge.  Fascinating.

Doug removed the handle from the door on the left side of the bump out so that it will be inaccessible and pass the code test.  

While Doug was here the gutter crew arrived to work on the garage gutters (screens and new drip edge around the entry), but their material was not the right kind so they will return next week.  The Kohlhepps guy arrived and I helped him place the stairs and stones.  Except for some skin scrapped off my right ring finger, all were installed without a problem.  I decided to remove the boxes from the stone slabs but leave the box around the base for the stairs.  I packed crushed rock around the back and sides and front of the stone and then spread dirt out to cover the packed stone.  I have the front entry all finished and just need a load of dirt to cover the crushed rock for the rear entry.  They look pretty good, if I must say so myself.

Hearth stones

Paul arranged the PA bluestone that we bought from Kohlhepp's in the hearth template.  He has it so that the wood stove will sit on 4 stones.  The brown square simulates the stove.

No workers were here today.  We are working on paint colors.
On my way downstairs this morning a Cooper's Hawk was perfectly framed in the front hall window.  We ran for the binoculars and watched it lord over our front yard but catch nothing.  What a beautiful bird.  Tonight as I put the hens away a bat flew overhead.  Today was close to 80 degrees so I'm sure we had plenty of bugs.
I left the crutches in the car today.  Officially, I only have till Tuesday.  The brace will have to do;  I will admit to some cheating at home but I've been very careful during the work day. I'll only miss the crip parking pass when it's raining.
Tonight was the first time I've been to the top of the hill in 6 weeks.  A large oak fell along the trail during the last storm; it has many pileated holes and a large hole at the base of the tree.  We'll get some firewood out of this.  It will be easy to retrieve since it fell parallel to the trail and not down hill.
We ate our Good Friday dinner at the Port Matilda Fire Station: 3 recipes of white fish, mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes, stewed tomatoes, (very) sweet tea and pies and cakes.  I think Steve Hardwick could give the PM  fire-chef pointers. We met Chris and Andy there, serendipity, and got an update on their well drilling and revised house plans.