TODAY, THE DIRT IS TO BE REMOVED from the area where the Kingdom Hall will be built. The dirt and rocks are moved from the area and piled or stacked on site. The dirt will be moved off-site later if it can not be used to fill in areas that are low, especially in the areas where there will be landscaping. ¹

To move the dirt from where the foundation would be, Robert was operating the 120 to do the excavations and loading the dirt in a dump truck. Then the dump truck would move it fifty feet and dump it next to the pile where Roger was operating the 140. Roger was on the top of the pile and pulling the dirt up to him making the pile higher.

I had been asked to get two mirrors for Debbie and this is what I found the brothers doing when I arrive on-site on my way to the meeting. So I get the mirrors and then take a few photos. Then Roger walks up to me and asks me to go to the hardware store to get a 3/4 inch nut to replace the one that had fallen off from one of the two pins that kept the bucket attached.

When I said that I was going to the meeting, (thinking that I had the announcements and needed to be there early) he said that no one will mind that you are late. So, I go to the hardware store and get his nut. When I arrived at the meeting, it was seven-forty pm and I immediately got the information form the announcements. Mike even asked if I could give a brief explanation of what has been done thus far with the old hall. I found out later that another brother was asked to take my part and there was some confusion when I got up to go tho the podium. Still, the part went well

All day I have been working on the photos and other areas of my online journal and have gotten all the photos uploaded from last weekend. There are still some written comments in the photo gallery that still needs work but I hope to complete that soon. In the mid afternoon, I needed a break so I decided to take some recyclables to put into the recycle bin on the hall property. (I continue to put out the two bins on Tuesday morning for pick up by the city garbage trucks.) I get the recyclables ready and before I could leave Mark calls me and asks me to go to the hall and open the gate for a delivery. I say, “No problem, I will be at the property in a few minutes.” I get into my van and drive to the property to dump the recyclables. In a few minutes, Mark arrives and tells me that the truck is bringing materials for the foundation. After a short wait, the truck arrives and begins to unload all the materials.

While we are there unloading, Mark T drives onto the property, parks his van and comes over to talk with me. I ask him why he is here and he at first does not answer. Instead, He asks me why I am here and I tell him that I was asked to open the gate for this delivery. I ask him again why he is here and he says, to work. As the truck is unloaded, David drives in and then Lisa and others. What I find out is that the crew is here to move the kitchen trailer to make room for setting up the dining room tent. Then Don from the kitchen crew arrives to unload lots of food, staples and other supplies so I begin helping him unload his vehicle while he stock the kitchen trailer. While bringing the supplies into the kitchen, I tell him that I have plenty of fresh oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme that I can donate. Mark T overhears what I told Don and he says, “Who is singing a song in the kitchen?” I immediately catch on to his joke and say “I am not singing a song because you did not hear me say the ‘P’ herb.” Then I tell Don that I do have a lot of dried Parsley if they can use it. He tells me that it will be used.

When I have finished unloading Dons vehicle, Roger asks me if I would like to have a project to work on. I answer him with “That is why I am here, to help in any way that I can.” Great, then will you move all of the lumber from the concrete to the area next east of the construction shed? No problem, I will get right on it.

After finishing the lumber move, I help relocate the tent to where it will be secured to the ground. Then Mark and Dave begin attaching the tent poles to some 2 by 6 boards and then drive stakes through holes in the boards to secure the tent. Afterwards, the side and end cloths are attached to the tent poles. Finally, a few items are fixed in the kitchen and then we pack out.

Wow, it is already after eleven pm and I should be at the gate tomorrow morning by seven to open it for the early crews.

I awake at six am and begin packing the 16 folding chairs into my van to take to use for seating in the new tent. Arriving at six-thirty, John is already here unloading a bucket loader. When he leaves, Omar arrives and mows the grass under the tent. Then Doug arrives with his 55 excavator and begins to unload it. He will be spreading the dirt to fill in the low spots in the grassy areas. Soon, the kitchen crew arrives and goes to work making coffee and setting out snacks. At about eight am, Patrick arrives with the foundation form truck and backs it up to the pit. Soon after, Mark arrives and then the others on the form crew arrive and everyone assembles in the tent for the operations meeting, safety meeting and a prayer. After a quick snack and some coffee the crews go to work. Later in the morning, Dave and Beverly arrive and stay for the morning. Also, three plumbers arrive to install the water and a sump pump to provide the kitchen with water and sewer. They run the two line through the four inch pipe that was installed across the roadway yesterday.

From the operation meeting this morning, I learned that the work today will include (1) building the concrete forms for the foundation footings and (2) leveling the west side of the property using dirt from the large pile. This will be the first major step in setting up the foundation. The next step will be to build the forms for the stub up walls, get another inspection and pour the concrete which should happen next week. After the concrete in the walls have set, then the area inside the walls of the front section where the bathrooms will be will be back filled with material and probably packed down. This area will be done first for the the plumbers, electricians, and other tradesmen to come and install all those utilities going under the foundation. While the utilities are being installed, the main auditorium will be back filled. Once the utilities are completed, then the concrete for the floor will be poured. This process will take several weeks and the hope is to have the foundation completed before the first district convention.

At nine-thirty, I go for a photo run. At this time, I find that most of the footer forms are nearing completion and now being leveled. The next step is to raise the horizontal rebar (acronym for reinforcing bar) which is already inside the form and hang it from the wood cross bars so that the rebar is in the middle of the concrete. Then the upright rebar has to be tied with wire to the horizontal ones. The horizontal rebar will go into the stub up wall after it is built next week. Meanwhile, an orange protective cover is placed on the top of each one. At ten am, I am standing next to the construction office and Patrick walks up and ask Steve, “What would you think if I can get an inspector here by one pm and then a pump truck and the concrete trucks by three pm?” Steve asks “Is that possible?” Patrick replies “It is already taken care of.” Who would have known that it could all happen so quickly? Then Patrick goes and tells the foundation crew that the inspector will be here in three hours and that we need to get it done by then and he reassigns brothers to certain places. I also volunteer and he has me help tie the upright rebar. We work right through lunch; actually lunch was postponed until just after the inspector arrives.

The inspector arrives at one-fifteen and asks to look at the architectural plans. Then he walks completely around the form and takes measurements at several places. After returning to the plans, he signs the footer forms as ready for concrete and now, we just have to wait for the concrete to arrive. Meanwhile, all of the crew is having lunch, pasta with red sauce and meat, broccoli, Caesar salad and desert. Everyone is really hungry and it is a great meal.

At two, the pump truck arrives and sets up, then a short time later the first concrete truck arrives with a full load, ten yards of concrete and begins to pour the concrete into the mouth of the pump truck. Patrick runs the hose while the pump truck operator follows him around with a remote control. At one point the pump arm was fully extended and not far off the ground. Just as the first truck has run out of concrete, the second truck with ten more yards arrives. I have him back in just like the first one did and he begins to pump his load into the pump truck mouth. As the concrete fills the forms, the crew begins to work it so as to remove any excess on the forms and smooth the top; this takes almost as long as it took to build the forms. At six-thirty pm everyone begins to pack up to head home and I lock the gate a little after seven pm. I return to the property at eight-thirty to turn on the parking lot lights. These lights have been set up by Harry to work as security lights and were suppose to come on with a photo cell at dusk but the photo cell he had was faulty and they would stay on all the time.

Arriving at Six-thirty, I open the gate and first turn off the security lighting. Next, I begin working on yesterday′s narrative having a whole hour before the first workers, the kitchen crew arrive. The kitchen crew begins working today with both running water and sewer, something they did not have yesterday. Now, with water supplied to the kitchen trailer, they will have hot water for washing dishes and ice from the ice maker. Soon, the local brothers begin to arrive for the form breakdown and cleanup as well as for the dirt work around the edges of the property. At eight am, the construction overseer has the operations meeting, a prayer and then everyone goes to work. There are a lot of local workers who show up and the forms are completely disassembled by ten-thirty am. Then the forms are moved to the asphalt to be mechanically scraped to remove all the concrete and then sprayed with diesel oil to preserve the wood. Other brothers continued to clean up the footers. The work goes fast with the many helpers and it is all completed, including stacking the oiled wood atop the form truck by eleven-fifteen.

Not to much later, we break for lunch: chicken, green beans, mash potatoes with gravy and salad. The meal is excellent! After lunch, several leave but a few stay to help with the earthwork that requires intensive hand raking on the environmental swale along the west property line and along a short portion of the north side. The swale on the west side is near completion but the 55 excavator with Doug on the stick has only just begun digging the trench along the south property line.

It would seem to me that each time one of the local brothers or sisters comes to the job site and spends time here, that they are staking there claim to ownership of the hall. It was Martha, our neighbor on Ronhaar Street that commented about this to me a few weeks ago saying that it would be good for each person in the congregation to come an work on the project so that they would feel that they own a piece of it. I thought that her comment was very insightful for someone who still does not really know Jehovah. Maybe there is hope for her yet. She seems to be so neighborhoodly conscience by trying to help everyone on Ronhaar. She even came to me today and pointed out where some of the extra dirt could be put on our block.

The work continues until Doug completes the south swale and then loads his 55 on the trailer and leaves for home. Then, it it only Don, Mark, Patrick and Gary and myselƒ left on-site. When I walk to the kitchen, Don (the last of the kitchen crew) is busy moping the floor and cleaning up the rest of the kitchen. I help him by taking out the trash and putting new trash bags in the bins. Also, I sort through the trash, taking out a lot of recyclables and put them in the city recyclable bin. Then I dump two of the five full trash bags into the city garbage bin which overfills the bin. I think that this amount of garbage will never work with the small trash bin we have for the city. I call Mike and tell him of this dilemma and suggest that we get the large bin from the city, at least until we gear up for the hall raising. He agrees that it would be good to have the large bin for a while. I tell him that if he wants me too, I will call the city to make the change and he says to do it. I continue doing odd jobs around the kitchen until Don says that he is done.

Next, I go the the north side of the property, where there is a pile of old dug up sewer pipes and ask Patrick if I can move them to where there are already some old pipes piled up at the gate. He agrees and I go to work. Soon Patrick, Gary and Mark are done with what they were doing and begin to pack out their tools and soon leave the site. Then it is only me and the windjammer left here to lock up the gate. It is nearly four pm when I leave for home. Later this evening after I arrive home, Roger calls and asks me if I could be at the property Monday morning by seven-thirty to open the gate for some brother who will remove some of the dirt from the site. I tell him, “No problem, I will be there.” I turn on the radio and listen to some blues on the local public radio. At nine pm, I go to the property and turn on the security lights. Afterwards, I go home to get into the sack. Life is good, even in this old system even though it can be so tiring at times.

I arrive at seven am to open the gate, park my van and then get out to turn the security lights off. Mark was there waiting for me. He had previously asked me to be at the property to help him move the two trailers so that they would not be in the way of the equipment moving dirt. In no time, they were moved from east side to the west side of the kitchen. Then Monty arrives and will be running the excavator, then two dump trucks driven by John and Allan. Monty begins to remove the trees and scrubs and load them into the waiting trucks. Then, he removes the sod from the hill along the east fence line. It only takes a couple of hours to finish this job and then Mark and I begin sweeping the parking lot where the equipment had driven. Meanwhile additional dirt was loaded into the dump trucks and taken off site. At about one pm, I lock the gate and head home

After working several hours this morning, working on this journal and needing a break, I go outside to work in my yard. At about four pm, as I am digging up some sod, the phone rings. It is Roger who asks if I can go to site to open the gate for two brothers who are also electricians. Sure, I will be there is a couple of minutes. I quickly pick up my gardening tools and head over. Upon arriving, there are two vans at the gate waiting to get in. Jim from West Snowhomish congregation and Paul from Granite Fall congregation. These two brothers were here to help set up the temporary electrical service and they get right to work on the electrical conduit that will be in the stem wall when it is poured this weekend. The also put in seven conduit down runners including one for the sound system that will go through the stem wall and provide access to run conduit under the foundation slab before it is poured. It is not until after eight pm that the brothers finish and I am able to turn on the security lights, lock the gate and head for home.

At four pm, I receive a call from Mark letting me know that he and John will be there to shorten the upright rebar. I tell him that I will meet him there. When I arrived, I see Mark with Max and another car at the kitchen. I walk over the the kitchen and it is Don from Blain who is bringing in supplies for the weekend. I help him unload the supplies and then he begins to sort and store the supplies. Next, I walk over to where the hall is under construction and begin helping Mark. Soon John arrives and begins to cut the rebar. It does not take long to cut, straighten and recap the rebar and then we all accumulate in the parking lot to talk for a while. Then at about six pm, the last car pulls out and I lock the gate and head home.

I arrive at six-thirty to open the gate and soon, the kitchen crew arrive, Don, Dale and Wendy. After seven am, others begin to arrive and the number grows to over twenty-five by eight when we have our prayer and then breakfast. Next is the organization and safety meetings, after which the work begins. The plan is to build the stem wall on top of the footer, have it inspected and then have dinner before we pour the concrete. Interestingly, one brother, Tate, is from Seattle who spends most of the year pioneering in Costa Rica. Also, two brothers, Philipe and Brandon, who are from the peninsula work professionally building foundations.

As I take photos of the process, I begin to learn how the stem walls are put together. First, after taking measurements and striking a chalk line, metal brackets are placed across the top of the footer to hold the bottom of the wall boards. Next, two runs of rebar are tied to near the top of the vertical rebar, one on either side of the vertical rebar. Corners have to be bent and tied into the growing rebar structure. After the rebar is tied, then the wood form panels will be put in place, making sure they fit into the bottom brackets. Some of the boards will have to be cut to size and all joints need to be tight and have extra horizontal brackets. The horizontal brackets are added to the top of the forms too. As the form takes shape, additional 2x4 boards are put in using a laser leveler and are nailed to the inside of the form in the corners to create a brick ledge. Also, a run of 2x4′s will be nailed to the top on the inside form board which will provide a lip for the slab to rest on when it is poured. Then, metal strapping is nailed to the form to give additional support to the bottoms and corners. Previously, the electricians had marked the concrete with orange paint showing where sleeves would be put, so heavy plastic pipe is cut to the same thickness of the stem wall and placed in the bottom of the form. After the form wall has been completed, (blue) marks are put on the outside to indicate where the j-bolts will be inserted. Then the earthquake straps and tie bolts are attached to the rebar structure. After all the wood is put into the form structure, a check is made to insure there is a one inch clearance between the rebar and the wood. Several are found and need to be corrected. At this point, everyone is ready for lunch.

At one pm, I leave for an appointment and do not return until three pm. When I arrive, I see the pumper truck above the roof lines of the neighborhood houses. So, this means that we passed the inspections and now the concrete is flowing. I drive onto the property and park at the gate, get out my safety equipment and camera and begin taking photos of the concrete pour. After only a few photos, I notice a second concrete truck backing down Ronhaar Street so I immediately return to the gate to meet the truck. I directed him just like last week, to back into the space in front of the construction office to wait for the first truck to finish. Then, with camera in hand I begin taking photos of the pour and of those working the top of the form. After the pour, the pumper truck is cleaned and then folds back up. It is three-thirty pm when the pour is complete and all that is left if to put the j-hooks in the top of the concrete wall. The workers begin to pack up their equipment and tools and then head for home. After almost all of the workers leave, Roger arrives to begin working on the kitchen trailer with Mark. They are here to put in some additional shelving. I say goodbye, turn on the security lights, close the gate and head home to work on photos. Later, Roger calls me to tell me the combination of the new gate lock he has installed.

This morning I again arrive at six-thirty and unlock the gate. Today, just like last Saturday, the work crew will be removing the forms from the concrete. The kitchen crew arrive first, then several local workers begin to pull up to the gate in there cars and I see others walking down Ronhaar Street, apparently they have parked off site. This is especially appreciated because it removes the need for a shuttle to go with them to an off-site location. The shuttle bus ² will be used extensively later during the raising phase of our project when many tradesmen come from all over the northwest. At eight am, there is a prayer and the we have breakfast. After a nice hot meal, we again meet outside the dining tent for the operation and safety meetings and I make a count and the number is over twenty workers. After the meetings, we go to work.

First, the cleaning crew moves to near the foundation where Mark provides tools and gives instruction on what needs to be done. Soon, workers begin removing the boards from the concrete, pulling out all the nails and then others begin to carry and stack the boards where they will be cleaned. Others remove the top metal brackets, clean them and put them in buckets. As soon as there is a number of stacked boards, several begin to scrape the boards to remove loose concrete. Once cleaned, they are moved to another pile to be sprayed with oil and then stacked on the forms trailer. The form removing work progresses quickly and is completed by after eleven-thirty am. Lunch is served and the final boards are clean, oiled and stacked. Then the foundation tight-line drainage system installation begins. This is the drain that will take water from the roof to the rain garden located behind the hall near the neighbor′s wooden fence. It is after four pm when I lock the gate.

I arrive at seven-thirty, (having stayed up late last night to expedite some legal documents for a customer) park my van and go directly to the dining tent for some coffee. After my third cup, the call for breakfast is made and everyone attends. After the operations and safety meetings are held, then the work begins. With the existing screened sand, a ramp is made so that the excavator 50 can climb over the wall and spread the sand that the excavator 120 moves into the entry area with the large attached bucket. For a long part of the day, Robert runs both excavators but in the afternoon, Allan operates the 50. Two dump trucks driven by Leland and Allan, both from Langley Congregation drive back and forth to get more sand. Throughout the day, each truck must have brought ten or more each. As the sand is spread in the foundation and leveled by the 50, there are several workers who would walk the compactors over the sand. At first, less than twelve inches is compacted, then another lift (each new level of sand is called a lift) is put in and compacted, and this continues until the compacted sand level beeps the laser lelever. Shortly after lunch, Robert, on the 50 builds another ramp and move the 50 into the auditorium section. Until this time, Robert on the 120 has been bucketing sand from the drive through area, but since he cannot reach the auditorium from there, he moves the 120 to the east side of the drive through, moves some of the dirt out of his way, as well as all the large landscape stones and builds an access ramp to the auditorium, covering it with sand. This access into the auditorium section is in the area where the stage and utility closet will be. Then he continues to bucket the sand that the two trucks repeatedly bring and dump right next to the 120. Then at four-thirty the pace of the work slows somewhat as several workers begin to leave. About forty percent of the main auditorium is completed.

Mark walks up to me and comments that there will be a lot of tools left overnight on the site and asks if I would be willing to spend the night. I tell him that I would be glad to. Then from this time the spreading and compacting continues outside the foundation in the area where the drive through will be. After the sand level is raised up to within a foot of the finish grade, the last dump truck arrives, dumps his load and all the workers begin to pack out. Soon, I find myselƒ the only one left, so I lock the gate and go home. There, I eat supper, shower, put on clean clothes and then return to the property to spend the night as security guard. I arrive just before suntouch and take several photos. Then I notice that a 160 excavator has been dropped off. Also, I find out that the photo cell on the security lights is working fine as the light come on during the sunglow. I get out some dried cranberries and snack on them as I type the narrative for today.

I am up and walking around at six am, open both gates because more room is needed for the dump trucks to pass. Then it begins to rain so I get back into my van and wait. The kitchen crew begins arriving at six-thirty am, first Glenda, then Sherry both form Oak Harbor English congregation (OHE) who wait by the tent. Soon, the whole kitchen crew (Don, Blaine congregation, Sue and Christie) is here and start cooking while the foundation crew begins to arrive. Later, Joanne and Victoria (both OHE) arrive to help serve. I try to start my van but I find that it is out of gas so I ask JP (OHE) if he has any. He says that he has a can of gas at home and will bring it when he returns later. Then the call for breakfast is made and it is really appreciated. The operation and safety meeting inform us that anyone near or inside the foundation will need to wear a safety vest along with the hat and glasses. The reason for the vest is that because three excavators will be working inside, next to and outside the foundation, the bright color will helps the operators to see the workers.

After making measurements, the plumbing crew (Barry, Smokey Point congr.; Tim, East Snohomish congr.; Mike, Granite Falls congr.; Trevor, Arlington congr.; and Paul, Gateway congr.) and several local workers (Ben, OHS; David, OHE; and Mike, OHE) begin to help dig trenches in the freshly compacted sand. Many of the local workers who helped to compact the sand wonder why it was compacted and now being dug up. It is explained to me that the plumbing needs to be in a fixed containment to not allow any sinking of the pipe which would change the drainage slope and possibly make it ineffective or worse, leak. Also, by having the sand compacted, the trench walls will not collapse as easy. Also, Brian (Oak Harbor English) runs an extension cord to help set up a cutting station for the pipe as Carl (Mill Creek congregation, S. Everett) sets up his saw and begins carrying pipe from his truck to the station.

Monte (OHE) searches the 160 to find a key but a call needs to go to John (Langley congregation, who delivered it last evening) to find out where the key is located. Then Monte starts the 160, moves it to the northeast corner and begins some earthwork. He will be stripping the sod and lowering the elevation of the area east of the foundation (between the foundation and the entrance road.) Meanwhile, Robert (Langley congregation) on the 120 begins to move sand into the auditorium section while Allan (Langley congregation) in the 50 spreads and levels the sand. Dave (Stanwood Congregation) in his flame red truck hauls the sand in and dirt out and soon John arrives in a truck and starts hauling sand and dirt. Roger (Oak Harbor Spanish, OHS), Mark (OHE) work in the auditorium pounding sand. At this point, about nine am, the work is in full swing and a lot begins to get done. Angela (Oak Harbor Spanish) arrives to work during this morning and says, “Thom, I want to show you something.” She goes to the back of her vehicle and pulls out a bird′s nest with four eggs in it. She tells me that, sadly, the nest was abandoned by the mother and had been sitting for a month.

The work is progressing well and before we know it, the call for dinner comes from the kitchen. It is a turkey dinner and very well enjoyed by all. Several of the Soon, we are busy with the work in and around the foundation and Paul with his daughter Michelle (Granite Falls congregation) arrive to work on the underground electrical conduits. Trenches are dug and then they begin to run the conduit. The large dirt pile is getting smaller by the hour as the dump trucks continue to make the short run to the sand pit all day long.

By four-thirty pm, most of the dirt has been removed leaving only a small pile on site and the leveling and compacting of the main auditorium is complete. The plumbing is complete and a pressure test has been set up. Paul tells me that he will be back Monday afternoon to finish the underground electrical conduit runs. All the workers pack out and begin leaving. I overhear Patrick talking to Mark that he will bring a set of jumper cables next week. I tell Patrick that I have a set in my van and offer him the use of them. Soon, Patrick′s form truck is running and he leaves too. Lastly, Mark drives out and as I wait by the gate he tells me that he is really beat. After he leaves, I put the garbage and recycles bins on the street, plug in the security lighting, lock the gate and leave.

I arrived at the project site at two pm to find the project coordinator, Patrick in the construction office with another person. I go directly to the security lighting, unplug and coil up the extension cord which has as it source an electrical box outside of the office. When I have coiled up the cord as far as the construction office, I said "Good afternoon" to the two in the office. I hear a response from Patrick who says “Good Afternoon” back.

Rob from North Marysville congregation drives in and tells me he is here to help work on the underground electrical conduit. When I ask him if he knows Paul from Granite Falls congregation, he says yes and that Paul will not be here until after three pm. I tell him that there is water in the tent as he is taking out his shovel and begins to dig trenches. I retrieve one of my shovel from the stash next to the construction office and help him with the digging. We are able to do most of the trench digging by the time Paul and Michelle arrive. He begins measuring and marking more stub up locations, to which we need to dig additional trenches. Michelle starts to use the pick and after watching her for a minute or two, I offer to show her how to throw the pick correctly. She willingly agrees and afterwards, even though she need practice throwing the pick, she does much better.

Jim from West Snohomish congregation shows up and now with the whole crew, the work goes quite fast. The work is complete around six pm and we pack up and leave.

Today, I showed up at two-thirty pm to find Roger (OHS) and Bruce(Port Townsend) working on locating the in ground utilities: water, sever and gas, particularly where they cross the area where the new sever line will go in tomorrow. I began to help right away and after digging up the clean out, we string a line to find where to dig next. At the second spot, we find the six inch sewer pipe about seven feet down. This will be the location where we will tie in with the new six inch sever pipe. John (Langley) leaves and returns in a large truck and trailer carrying a 140 excavator. He leaves again to get a back hoe with a large bucket. We continue to dig and soon John finds the gas near the street, but this is not where it crosses the path of the new sever line. Therefore, John begins digging with the 140 and is able to locate the yellow pipe. Theo (OHS), arrives and we take turns in the hole hand digging for the water pipe. Our hole gets to be about five feet across and almost four feet deep, so we have Theo in the 140 use the wide bucket to widen the trench so as to make it easier for us to dig deeper. Angela, Mikiah and Roger′s mom arrive and go into the kitchen to fix us something to eat. After hours of digging with out finding the water line any where, Roger walks over to the water meter, lifts the top and then begins to dig on the side where the line comes in from the road. Immediately, it goes deep and turns left to an area about two feet north from our hole. Now, we know where to did but we still have to did down almost four feet to find the water pipe. Then we get a call for supper and so we stop to eat. The girls have fixed baked potatoes with chili, shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, asparagus and a green salad. There are a few pieces of apple crisp pie for desert.

We get right back to work, taking turns and guess who′s turn it is when it is found. Yes, John found the water pipe. Once we have both the water and gas we pick up all the tools, close the fence and pack out. I lock the gate go home to take a shower, change clothes and then return to the site for night watch, especially since there are so many tool on-site. It is nine pm (that′s seven hours of digging) when I am ready to leave but stop to take some photos of the suntouch. I don′t get back until ten pm and go right to bed. I awake several times throughout the night, getting up and each time find it very quite.

I awake at six am, get up and unlock the gate. Then I just wait while listening to the radio until six-forty when two sisters, Deanna and Judy (Sedro Woolley congregation) show up for kitchen work. Soon after, Dale and Christ (Coupeville congregation) with Don (Everson) in the back seat arrive. Next Sherry (OHE) is dropped off. In only a short time, there is coffee in my cup. I grab a couple of cookies and head back to the gate, when at shortly after seven Steve, Randy an Jim (Central Everett congregation) arrive, as well as Rick (Redmond Spanish) and Doug (N. Mukilteo Spanish). These brother are with the RBC and are here to discuss details of the upcoming Hall Raising. Then afterwards, the workers begin arriving steadily.

Again, my sleep ends at six am and it seems to me that the bright morning light does not let me sleep any later. Too, in order to sleep this late, I have put down my rear curtain. My routine has become first getting up to go the porta-potty, pulling the plug on the security lights and finally unlocking the gate. Once these are done, I usually sit and wait for the kitchen crew to arrive and once they arrive, I have about thirty minutes until the constructions crew begins to arrive. Sometimes, I go to my home and take a shower, today I choose not to. The kitchen crew is here and preparing breakfast by six-thirty when Julene (OHE) arrives to serve as the first aid person. The first construction worker, Dustin (Snohomish congregation) arrive at seven-ten followed by many more before the eight am meal. After the tool box meeting, all the construction worker get hard at the work.

I receive a call from Mark who tells me that the foundation inspection will be done at about eleven am, so I drive to the project site and put out the trash. I get a couple of photos of Dave, the city inspector and Mark. Dave tells me that he will let me take his photo on one condition, that I do not allow the photo be shown in the newspaper. He says that if his photo is in the paper, then he has to buy the pizza for everyone in the office. I assure him that his photo will not be in the paper because then the paper would be violating copyright laws.

The time is three-thirty am and there is a slight golden glow growing from behind the silhouetted horizon which gives promises for a fine day. The morning suntouch, still an hour away is that special time when the Earth seems to hold her breath in anticipation of the appearance of the Sun as it breaks the horizon causing the dark of this shortest night of the year to give way to day light. For just a short time longer, the sky will holds it′s full complement of stars while the planets Jupiter and Venus, although will precede the sun, will be so close to the sun that they will probably not be visible. The moon, a waxing crescent, is following the sun and may be seen if your horizon is low, such as the pacific ocean, and clear of clouds just after sunset.

Almost twelve hours after the suntouch, the sun will reach it′s northernmost point from the celestial equator. To be precise, the sun will appear to be shining directly overhead at a point on the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23.5 degrees north) in the Great Bahama Bank, roughly halfway between Andros Island and central Cuba.

I sit here on my computer and from somewhere outside, a Barred Owl repeats his redundant call. It is still early in this ever so lengthy of a day and I continue in my redundant task of cropping photos for the chronicle. Don′t take me wrong, I love doing this. However, the amount of time involved in this undertaking is phenomenal and has taken a toll on other endeavors. Still, the time that I have spent involved at the project site has given me a new outlook on my life and that life that I look forward to so dearly. This day, the Summer Solstice, has always had a significant meaning for me throughout my life, not just in these modern times. Recently, it has been a time when I have come to appreciate the more important things in life.

Too, my sharing in the work at the project site has given me an enhanced perspective of the uniqueness and unity of our brotherhood. I have seen plumbers and electricians working together, helping one another, a thing that is hardly ever heard of in the world. I have seen sisters asking their husbands to show them how to do a certain task. I have come to know, and now call friends, many new people, and mostly those that I have only met once or twice. At nine am, Roger calls me and asks me to go to the hall to open the gate for the delivery of the materials for the water main and fire hydrant. That done, I do a little grocery shopping and then return to do more cropping of photos. As I sit at the computer, I think of the Day that I have been long involved with. I am in the final triple digit numbers and this Friday, drop to the double digits. Oh, how long this Day has been. On the first of June, I applied for my social security and was approved. It will begin on 01 October, even though I will not get the first check until November.

It is seven am when I arrive at the project site and Julene is waiting at the gate. She will be the on site first aid attendant but she asks me to post her contact number at the first aid station while she goes for a hair cut appointment. Soon, the work crew numbering about seven arrive and the work on the water main and fire hydrant begins.

I arrive at six am and repeat my morning routine: Move the cones, unlock and open the gate; remove the cord from the security lighting, and put my van in the location behind the gate. Then I wait until the kitchen crew arrives at six-thirty am. Most of the other workers arrive between seven and eight am. The pumper truck, the same person who helped with the footer and the stem wall arrives at eight and is invited for breakfast. After breakfast, the work begins and all the concrete is poured before noon. Also, this morning, work continues on the water main. Water and pressure was left on overnight and when we arrived this morning, one of the fittings had leaked. Turns out, the bolts were not tightened completely, so the sand around the fitting was dug out and then taken apart and reassembled. By the time the water main was pressure tested again, the concrete truck was ready to pour the thrust blocks, so forms were quickly built and then the concrete put into the hole. Then a saddle tap was made in the water main and a lead of one inch pipe was added. Next week, when the fire hydrant is attached to the existing water main, this will be the new water service line and the old three-quarter inch line will be abandoned.

Just before lunch, it begins to rain and keeps raining into the afternoon. A plastic sheet is put over the drive through concrete because it will be exposed unlike the interior concrete which will have floor covering. Then after lunch, when there is a short break in the rain, the plastic is removed and the top is worked by the finishers. Then the finishers work the main auditorium with the power finisher but it seems that most of the surface is washed off the top of the slab. By three pm, most of the finish work on the slab is complete as far as it can be done. The work continues on the water main.