Love and nurture Matty's optimism.

     The important part is pouring the big box on Tuesday. Why, you ask? The box takes 29 yards of concrete, three trucks. We will not be ready on Monday, today, tomorrow the tides allow us to get three trucks on the island, no freight ferries on Christmas Eve, and next week, the tides will only allow 1 truck on Monday, and 1 truck on Tuesday, and again, no freight ferries on New Year's Eve. That means it is Tuesday, or we will not be pouring it for two weeks. Last Friday, I warned my crew, it may be the 6:45 on Monday, they didn't hear a word I said, as long as they were getting on the 2:45 home on a Friday they would have agreed to anything. Monday morning I said, "let's get our heads wrapped around the idea of working until the 6:45." And, off to work we went.

     We still had work to do, to get ready for this mornings pour, and my crew attacked the project, and got it done in time to start pouring our first truck at 8:30.

7 am, begin working.

8 am,begin installing rebar, and the beginning of a stop.

9 am first truck is poured, Rod and Hillbilly floating and covering. Matty, enthusiastically starting to tie rebar with  Teddy.

10 am, waiting for the second truck, and Matty is feeling really optimistic that we will be on the 4:15 ferry. You have to love his enthusiasm. 

 By 11 am, last truck is poured, and we are putting the final touches on the concrete.

11:30 pm, and we are back at installing rebar for tomorrow's pour, and Matt is still hopeful, and I encourage him, as I should. I would love to be on the 4:15 ferry back to the hotel. It is Monday, and we need to check in and unpack our stuff. I hope Matty is right.

1 pm and we had just finished lunch, and my guys are back at it, working like champs,believing we can still make the 4:15. Keep it up guys, great work.

Making short work of the top mat of rebar, by 2 pm.

But now it is 3 pm, and time to get the light tower out and ready, sorry Matty, luv ya.

4 pm, and we are beginning to tie uprights, but the lights go on. Optimism and enthusiasm is gone, now it's just, let's get this done so we can go home (hotel).

 

5 pm, guys, don't stop now, we are almost there. Matty and Hillbilly begin the uprights for the pier. Rod and Teddy just finished the sump pit box, and are beginning the dumbbell water stop.

This is what 6 pm looks like on the island.

Try to squeeze in every last bit of work, before we need to pick up tools, and catch the ferry.

Matt comes in thinking we will be done in time to catch the early ferry, I came in thinking, are we gonna get enough ready tonight, to pour tomorrow. We were both wrong.

We have a little work to do tomorrow, but we will be able to pour. I do know this, even though Matty was wrong, his optimism and enthusiasm this morning, is the reason we can pour tomorrow, and the reason I was also wrong. I love being wrong.

"Good night," from the island, and , thanks Matty.