14 February 2018

Dig and drill

It was an unusual night in the dig! We would get visitors, but like last time, we wouldn't. The Thursdaynighters would go in the direction of the dig to give Ed some SRT practice. But like the week before, he had to drop out! Oh dear. But it was a bit late to reschedule. The others would go anyway.

As I knew I would be getting back earlier I drove separately. It was awful weather! When I got to the parking lot I saw David's Landrover. He joined me in my car for comfort. He wasn't too positive about the night! He knew he only expected Jason, but he wasn't sure if he'd show up. I suggested he join us in the dig if it would be just him, but he suggested he'd go home then. Oh dear! Nobody likes the dig. But headlights appeared. Jason was here!

We changed. I did that in the back of my car. That required emptying it from my bicycle that was in there due to circumstances. We plonked it in the back of the Landrover! David and Jason changed in Jason's van. Then we walked up. It still was awful weather! And Jason and David had decided to go elsewhere.

David legged it up the hill. Then he stopped! It turned out he was trying to get ahead so far he could take a breather. Oh dear. That didn't work. He suggested I go ahead. I did! No need to linger in weather like this.

When I got to the Dig I found a slightly confused Miles. He expected throngs! Not just me. But that was what he had to make do with. And that worked!

I decided to first have a look in the 'old' part of the dig, to see if there was some scaff there. There was! One pole and whatever was needed to fix it in position. Success!

When I got up the the actual dig I expected to start measuring how long the pole would have to be but had forgot about the barn-doorish slab in the way. We had to sort that first! I retrieved the drill from Miles, slithered past the slab, sat on top of it, and started drilling. The first hole didn't work. The second was OK! And the third too. But then I tried to fill them and found out they were too shallow. But I couldn't fit the longer drill bit plus drill on top. Oh dear! Miles had come up, and wondered what the state of things was, when the rocks I sat on started shifting down. Oh dear. Now the drill bit was jammed! Not the first time we jam a bit. I didn't manage to release it, but then Miles gave it a try. He was more successful! Not only did he get the bit back, but he managed to lay the slab flat, so we could easily drill the holes a bit deeper.

By that time it was almost time to go home. We'd started a bit late, after all! And we'll sort that slab out next time.

When we came out it was dry. Very nice! So we duly put the bike back into the car as I could happily change outside. On the way back I drove past 'my' house as I wanted to know how high the river would get on a day like this. And it wasn't noticeably higher than the previous time. Good!

I was still home not too much after 11PM. The guys wouldn't be back at the cars before midnight! I was glad I had been digging...

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