September 2026 Island Trip – Day 8

This morning I met with the road contractor I hired, through our general contractor, to remediate the west drive. He was very generous with his time, patient with my questions, full of good advice for how to handle the truckloads of soil that will be coming off the west drive, and how to handle the ditch that we’re going to bring back to life that runs down the west side of the west drive. It’s a whole lot! I was left feeling very confident about his handling the project, but still needing to be onsite while it’s happening. There are SO many moving parts and decisions that could need input, that it’s better to be here than not. Even if I end up quilting in the trailer for 4-days and not needed at all… Ima gonna be here!

After the road contractor left, my quilting buddy showed up! I gave her a tour, we all had lunch, and then she and I picked 50#s of apples that she took home (she lives on a large nearby island) to make cider. Later this week, I’ll pick what remains so we too can make some cider when we get home.

I started in on another batch of laundry today. The first load hung out until twilight and is now finishing drying sprinkled about Stella. It’s 96% there, but that 4% keeps us from putting things away 😏. We busted out the space heater not only to take the edge off Stella’s 64º temp, but to finish drying the laundry. The second load is sprinkled about the interior of the lower barn! The weather app is threatening rain early tomorrow morning, and while the line is just under the overhang of the lower barn, why risk the wind flapping your clean clothes into the rain?? The third load is in the washer, ready to go. Again, having this little washer/dryer unit is a huge convenience in our time here that I do not take for granted.

I took one of the bouquets from the gathering to our tenants, and spent time sorting things that came back from the gathering. At the end of the day I took a walk to the end of the road and back.