Yesterday a huge machine arrived to grind up our street in preparation for new pavement. After a few passes, it stopped. Q wanted to check it out. So we went down to the street and met the man who was replacing the grinding pegs underneath. Q was full of questions for him. Before I knew it, he was underneath with the driver getting a lesson on how it worked. Moments later, the two of them had the side of the truck open for an explanation of the two different drive belts. All I have retained is that this behemoth of a truck weighs 70 thousand pounds.

Today, the grader and the roller are out in force and we almost have a smooth surface. But all the beeping of the trucks has our poor dog, Nira, terrified. (She’s trained to respond to a beeping electric fence collar and is convinced – despite my having removed the collar – that she is about to be electrocuted.)