Short night in the dig

Normally I meet Miles at about six to go digging. This Thursday, I was still in Bangor at six. He would have to start without me! I almost was even later than I already was, as during the practical I had received an email from Simon, one of the Thursdaynighters, asking if I could pick up a lamp for Miles from him along the way. But I had been busy with the practical and had not sorted this out. I sort of knew where his office was, but not quite. It's also at the wrong end of Bangor. I decided it could wait and drove off.

I walked up in the dark. It was just about light enough for that! I hoped Miles would have made good progress while I was making my way down. And he said he had. Not as much as he had hoped; there tends to be a bit of a gap between what time Miles expects to get to the dig and what time he actually does. But he had made then entrance bigger. That's a bit of a theme; he likes his passages big enough for a horse and carriage. No pushing narrow tunnels forwards for him! That's my job.

As I was late I quite quickly scrambled up with a drill. I drilled the rock that I had figured was actually quite safe, but which would probably best removed anyway. That would make progress easier and the final passage wider. I also had time to charge it and connect everything up. But we wouldn't blast. I had had lunch early because of the practical, so I wanted a tea-and-sandwich break, and Miles had been in there for a while already so he was up for a drink too, so with only modest digging and consuming, time had already been used up. Oh well! Next time.

We need to do more emptying out the chamber I chuck stuff into. There still is a lot to clear, and after blasting the flaking rock there will be a real heck of a lot more! But I hope then we will again make quick progress! We have been at this stage now for a long time...