An interesting morning. Dig day started out well but stopped with the discovery of some water seepage at basement grade. A crawl space is likely in our future, but a soil engineer will help us determine the best way to get there from here. Then add what has the makings of two not-so-understanding neighbors (who we realize will be affected by construction dirt, tracks, and disruption for a few months), and by noon it felt as if the wind went right out of our sails. Hard not to let events temper our excitement at building our home.

But then there was Bob Powell (whose driving skills amaze me). Oh, and Bud Pickrell (who sold us the property). Kurt Schneider (our field manager) and Tina (another Wayne Home field manager whose last name escaped me in the frenetic activity). These people rock.

Mostly, however, there was John Stone, who works with Bob. His irrepressible humor and good-natured demeanor kept pulling me back to the fact that life is meant to be enjoyed, no matter if the wind fills the sails or leaves them slack. So, cranky neighbors or not, basement or not, extra expense of a soil engineer or not, rebar and wider footers or not — I will forever be grateful for a brilliant orange smiley John spray painted in the dirt, and for that ornery grin he flashed at me when he did it.