It's not that heavy...

...it's only a rock. Actually, It's REALLY heavy, and this guy is standing there waiting for his partner to make some decision, holding a slab of stone as if it weighs nothing* They left a piece one third this size, and I can barely move it. They were, however, most impressed with David's pneumatic device for moving the stove and fridge out of the living room and back to their normal cubbyholes. If only there were such a device for moving granite, they said....

It is interesting to see how these guys approach their jobs. If David makes a mistake he can almost always fix it, and he approaches every task with speed and authority. He's not afraid to use a little brute force if necessary.

The stone guys are putting in something permanent. Once it's installed, there's no going back. They are disciples of the "measure twice, cut once" school. They are very aware of tiny details that the average person would never notice. They studied the whole situation first, and dry fitted each piece. They had tape measures, levels, and a very specialized tool which they used to flawlessly wipe away the caulking...an index finger!

OilMan, an engineer who designs things on paper, tends to be paralyzed when it comes to applying all that knowledge to solid objects. He is almost paralyzed by fear of screwing up. He is intimidated by electricity and plumbing. And then there is the fact that he doesn't have the perfect tool for the job like these guys. In fact, all he has are tools that belonged to his father, ancient and rusty. Many trips to the hardware store are necessary.

By the end of this day all the appliances will be back in place, the lights will be up and the faucet installed over the sink and connected to the water. Next week, maybe the cabinets and drawers....

I came upon David the other day sitting on the floor texting madly on his phone. He pointed out to me that it was the need for a few shelves in the lower cupboards and the desire to to rid ourselves of the morgue fixtures that began our association with him. So far, he has seen us through cabinets, drawers, moving a wall, painting, countertops (both wood and stone), wiring and lighting, and he had just realized that the one thing he had overlooked was...the extra shelves for the lower cupboards!

*I can attest to the fact that everything in this shot is perfectly level, but I kind of like the fact that everything in the picture appears to be squint!