Progress

 Clean up for the garage/shop fire has been arduous and incredibly dirty. 

Grandson Devin contributed a work day, as did son Howard, and a friend, S.A. The warped and blackened metal has been hauled away, crushed rock has been spread through the vanished side alleys that housed tractors, pickup, car, zero-turn mower and a host of smaller oddments.

Jim has mulled various options for rebuilding, but until we know to what degree our insurance claim will be honored, it isn't possible to settle on a final plan.

We have grievances with the local handling of the claim; perhaps that is a standard response.

We carefully prepared an itemized inventory of lost items, handed it to the local agent 16 days after the fire, then Jim clambered through the wreckage to take photos of nearly unrecognizable items per request of the agent. I forwarded those to the area adjustor, again as requested. We haven't bombarded the agent with questions, knowing that time would be needed to sort this, and after all, we aren't the only area clients who may have claims in process.

What we've found perplexing is lack of communication and the vagueness of the agent and the local adjuster when we've asked for a progress report. 

I'm not impressed with a young man [local agency head] who sits with feet propped on his desk and his gaze fixed somewhere beyond our heads when we are in his office!

I think we could have been told that the area adjuster was coming out to view the site, or, after the fact, that she had been here when we were not at home.

Ultimately we learned that our claim was handed off to an independent adjuster in Texas!

This man has been attentive, has asked for details, has held several long phone meetings with Jim. 

He will be submitting his suggestions by the beginning of next week, but has warned that the paperwork may have to go through several more offices before a settlement offer is made.

We have ventured a claim that is considerably below the limit of our policy.

This situation is aggravating, to say the least, but we know we are blessed that we had savings to tide us over with a vehicle and the most necessary of tools beyond what Howard promptly loaned.

The only mess remaining is two faintly smoldering heaps of 'junk' that will eventually be scooped up and hauled away.

We've been able to turn some of our attention to gardening. The big rototiller that goes behind the tractor has proved functional, and the small Troybilt that Matt provided has been handy.

We've collected new rakes, hoes, shovels and hand trowels and diggers.

The weather is still dry and temperatures dropped with the turn of the calendar page--essentially we had May weather in April and now into a third week of mostly sunny but windy and chilly days.

As soon as an area was cleared of rubble, Jim spread fine crushed rock to cover the grime.

The cement pad was laboriously scrubbed and hosed.

Several years ago Jim acquired a small second hand 'skid building' which landed near the barn on the western end of the property. He mentioned moving it up to the site of the burned workshop, but I didn't realize the project was in motion until I heard the tractor laboring up the hill with the building in tow.

I'm not sure why Jim has his head under the building. I am always anxious when such maneuvers are underway!

The building has been positioned at the front of the concrete pad and Howard's small tool trailer and the resident tractor parked alongside.

An old canvas folding chair with a cushion, placed on the little porch, has been appropriated by 

Willis and Robert [the cats.]

Jim has managed to run a lead from the electrical 'stump' to install a single overhead light.

Now we wait to learn what a settlement will allow for a proper rebuild.

In the meantime, it is encouraging to have the wreckage cleared away and a place for tools.

Our Beachy Amish neighbors mowed the upper field on Monday and 'turned' the hay yesterday. 

Cooler weather is slowing the drying of the hay.

Potatoes and corn planted days prior to the fire are up and thriving.

Two additional rows of potatoes went in yesterday [13th.]

Deprived of my greenhouse, lost to the fire,  the tomato plants I attempted to start in the house were frail and spindly, needing to be replaced by some from my favorite nursery.

The chilly weather is not proving kind to the latest transplants.

Beet plugs from the Amish auction presented by Matt. Although I watered them carefully, it wasn't till the overnight rain on the 6th that they perked up and began to put forth new growth.

While much has been accomplished at the burn site, I cannot point to projects or accomplishments of my own. My role since the fire has been mainly to launder grimy work clothes, supply food, swipe away at the worst of the dirt that has inevitably come in on our feet--and on the feet of the cats.

I've managed a bit of puttering in the flower strips though I'm conceding that weeds have overtaken beyond what is likely to be remedied.

Living is always a day to day endeavor--more so when the unexpected takes over and routine is unsettled.

While I write, the Beachys have come to bale the hay which will be trucked away to their nearby farm.

While our most recent gardening efforts aren't encouraging, I'm pleased to see the first cutting of hay safely harvested.