the un-quotidian (3.18.24)

Once in a great while there are a few days, or even a whole week, that is so extraordinary there is no way it can be called “quotidian.” Last week was one of those weeks — so much goodness, so many big feelings, so much hard work. So today, in place of the quotidian post, here are some photos* of the days** leading up to the barn raising.

^{*Many of the photo credits (I’m not even gonna try to figure out which ones) go to the children.
**I already wrote a little about Monday here.}

***

TUESDAY
While I pulled a pastry shift at Magpie, the rest of the family tore down the sides of the old barn, and the lumber company delivered the wood.

When I got home, the new barn was fully exposed. It looked so small and clean, a feast for the eyes! I hadn’t realized how much I’d grown accustomed to staring at that eyesore. What a relief to have it gone.

No one was outside, but inside they were as I’d found them on Monday, sitting around drinking coffee.

Coffee finished, they went back outside and put up the first wall.

I made a Manchego and obsessively scribbled lists, which was my (semi-futile) attempt to tamp down the rising panic.

Also, the central vac died. Why do these crisis always happen at the most inopportune times?

But then my husband (as if he didn’t already have enough to do) resurrected it.

***

WEDNESDAY

The second wall went up.

The metal roofing got delivered.
The guy came with a huge trailer which held a forming machine and a huge roll of galvalume. He set it to the correct measurement, and while the machine spat out sheet after sheet of roofing material, he stacked the strips in the yard.

Cheese Group came for the afternoon.
(We really need to come up with a name. “The Blesseds,” anyone?)

The third wall: up.

***

THURSDAY

The fourth wall going up.

Beam getting hoisted.

Cousin Kenton arrived!

Birdseye.

Prepping the center post.

And setting it.

Cutting rafters …

… incorrectly, oops.

Sawdust squint.

They were racing the dark and wouldn’t take a break, so I had to take installments of food to them.

Now that is the appropriate face to make when handed a thick slice of fresh sourdough bread.

Balanced.

Moon’s out!

Smoothies.

Almost ready.

The final push.

Good night!

To be continued….

This same time, years previous: soup and bread, any-cut-of-beef pot roast magic, the milking parlor, the quotidian (3.16.20), the quotidian (3.18.20), fresh ginger cookies, good writing, all things Irish, the last weekend, smiling for dimples, warmth, cornmeal blueberry scones.