![Before - east side of house crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUbM7igYFWy7nPwMUe2q8nzrjwJVNHvKd8eXLaTWrwWtS/Before%20-%20east%20side%20of%20house%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)
*East side of house before*

So a few phone calls this morning determined that the excavator can start, even though we can’t file the application until next week. I was out at 5:45 this morning, madly digging in the Big garden.

![Big garden - 3rd attempt crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSA7MPNwY4sFFd2NynAV4KQ2tQSU52FpK9wRQTvCqM6GH/Big%20garden%20-%203rd%20attempt%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)
*How far we got on Thursday*

Thursday my helper friend was here and we both tackled the garden. We did really well, but still aren’t finished by a long shot… But we found the calendula and the comfrey!

![House - foundation exposed crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYCYrudqtFui45AZYQDzP6qmTMc5M6gzGJC14CjZvcMUp/House%20-%20foundation%20exposed%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

While we were in the garden, my husband was taking the siding and insulation off the house. This is so the foundation guy can see the top of the foundation.

![Bulkhead off crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXXYxGZJhrTLdSwKvA1GEmFaTzAAYfVBPS86GtTF9PS6Q/Bulkhead%20off%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

Then he loosened up the bulkhead and he and the helper moved it to the edge of the yard.

![Bulkhead moved crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWxCVRb6aamragE9zm8P7ToGVqy7ZRhbNQYwruvKMV6yU/Bulkhead%20moved%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

We were joking that this is our new storm cellar that of course, goes nowhere.

![Excavator arrives crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZPSjdofzp15Tk4TKGQ6eTDp8oJGjMfk9ckejPmWj6BnJ/Excavator%20arrives%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

They’d no sooner finished this than we saw the excavator out on the road. All equipment has to unload out there, as there’s no way those long trailers can move around on our narrow property.

![New Herb - fence moved crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQPn3m54Am2ECbqtMHRgx6vj9KS2mCotRmXLkDfbkhD5T/New%20Herb%20-%20fence%20moved%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

Once it was moved into the pasture, my helper and I abandoned the garden (it was getting too hot for me) and moved the New Herb garden fencing.

![Back steps - railings and bench off crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQL2FGzqcyuYWZNDBa6vPWpDLCNfT9TEVu3Bbyi3jv4nR/Back%20steps%20-%20railings%20and%20bench%20off%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

While we did that, my husband started dismantling the back steps. They must be gone by tomorrow morning.

![Bucket loader in front pasture crop July 2019.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfT2U6fGgTqKzbKZ4DTHbLuSyUc8UBwDudiEnzaofKwQB/Bucket%20loader%20in%20front%20pasture%20crop%20July%202019.jpg)

Mid afternoon and the huge bucket loader arrived.

The plan, tentatively, for tomorrow is to remove and stockpile the top soil, and start prepping the area of the drainfield. Not sure if he’s going to move all the shrubs, but he does have to move 1, the forsythia, for sure.

So I will be out in the garden at dawn, again digging madly. My helper friend comes at 8:30 and will help me. We plan to move lily of the valley and species spiderwort to compost, so it will not be spread all over the yard.

So now, finally after waiting since March, it truly begins!


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