Monday, August 11, 2003

Greetings,

Sunday was supposed to be warm and muggy with a chance of a thunderstorm. Our planned project for the day was to weatherize a shed and put in the foundation up at the Drift. Kerith and I got there about 9:45, Jonina had left early for Consett to buy more waterproof stain and it started to thunder and rain about 10:15 and kept up non-stop till nearly 1:00 p.m. We were playing cribbage when Ralph Sutcliffe came by and decided to at least try and put in the foundation. This was accomplished by Byron and myself with the verbal aid of Jonina, Kerith and Ralph -- we would have finished earlier if it wasn't for all the help.

Done by 4:00 p.m. we decided to have dinner down at the Millrace in Wolsingham about 7:00 p.m.; left Jonina to take a nap, Byron to smoke his pipe and read the Sunday papers and Kerith opted for a nap too and Ralph and I did a drive around Alston area where he pointed out to me the Hag's mine (famous for witherites) in Nenthead; the Rampgill mine also of Nenthead; Rotherhope Fell, Garrigill etc. Of course, it was Whitby Cod for the guys and more esoteric food for Kerith and Jonina. We finished up there about 9:00 p.m. and Ralph drove us all back and then drove home.

Monday has been cooler, and very very foggy in the morning with a persistent mist in the air all day. I drove Kerith up to the Drift for her to help wrap and pack fluorite so that Jesse and Joan will have a bed to sleep on when they arrive; I drove to Frosterley and the mine and spent the day underground with modest success. The last blast in the original southern West Crosscut showed nothing but black limestone so we have hit the southern extremity of the the flats on the West side. Part of the day was spent mucking it out and mucking out and timbering the area around the Dipper pocket in preparation for a blast perhaps as early as tomorrow (Tuesday). Byron spent the day excavating a small odd colored green pocket of fluorite back near the face. Today's fire drill was to retrieve the tub off the ore car when it went over the side and down the dump while dumping a load of wet muck.

That's about it from this place way north of Lake Woebegone.

Best Regards,

Cal & Kerith

Go Back