Lot Clearing

Apparently all that was needed to get things moving was for me to complain about how long it was taking! I think in this case, a picture is definitely worth a thousand words. I begin to understand how much advance planning must be needed just to orchestrate the arrival of so many pickups, workers, backhoes, water trucks and...lest I forget, not one but two portapotties complete with front steps and handrail.

The fellow in the white hazmat suit and the respirator mask appeared to be handpicking something out of the rubble and carefully placing it on the wall...There was also another fellow with a rake and a bucket picking up the burned remains of the shed  in the field just on the other side of the fence from our fire garden. Two more guys stood around and watched, and one swept dirt off the driveway back into the pile, or sprayed water to settle the dust after each mouthful was dumped by the backhoe. They seem to be wrapping up for the day as I write this, having cleared all of the rubble and gotten a good start on the foundations.

A call from the vet informed me that the culture from Spike's ear was not done in vain. It revealed a stubborn Pseudomonas bacteria . We didn't need a $200 culture to reveal that it is difficult to treat, since I've been putting drops and ointments in his ear for two months. He's going to miss the oral antibiotic coated in peanut butter, but will still be getting twice a day application of two different kinds of drops. Good thing he's really patient. Most dogs hate having stuff squirted into their ears.

As I look out the bedroom door, the sun is slanting across the green grass of the field, the trucks coming down the hill from doing similar lot clearing further up the mountain are being replaced by lycra clad cyclists toiling up the road to the regional park. It must be  the ride up the steep hill they look forward to (or, more likely screaming back down again) because the regional park at the top is closed indefinitely due to extensive damage from the Glass fire.