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"	Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin < A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 48

The new week dawned clear and warm temperatures in the low 60's. I hope the snow last week was a fluke, and this weather would continue.

The crew finished driving piles on Tuesday as promised, and our guys brought in front end loaders and bulldozers to start with the grading of the building lot. I kept yelling at the operators not to hit the stakes put in by the surveyors.

Thing's were finally starting to take shape! I was making a dozen phone calls a day trying to schedule material deliveries and the subcontractors to use them. I finally had to have a survey crew here all the time for the lot grading.

Not really a big deal. Once a base is established, a laser level is set up. This laser sends a red line around the whole property. This way, the crew setting drain pipe has a grade along with the operators of the earth movers.

I had told Steve a long time ago, I don't work on Saturdays unless a disaster has struck.

On Friday Steve dropped in with coffee from Kelly's in Revere. He wasn't here an hour before he headed of for parts unknown.

“Has he done this a lot?” Ginny asked. “It seems he wasn't here long enough to learn anything about the job's progress,”

“He's been in construction long enough to know what's going on. He also trusts me enough to know things are under control, no matter how wild it looks.”

“Look out there Ginny, what do you see happening?”

“There's a ton of activity, one crew is near the sidewalk digging a trench for drainage. Another crew is running a 'dozer back and forth, while a loader is making a pile.”

“Does it look like any one's standing around?”

“No”

“ Is every one contained in their own spot?”

“Yes”

“Therefor the maximum effort is being given by each crew” As Steve says “ Time is F****ng money”.

With that Ginny colapsed in my chair tears running down her cheeks, she was laughing so hard. “You sounded just like him. How do you do that?”

“Simple” I said, “Just think of having a pelvic exam with a cold speculum.”with that I broke down in giggles.

I heard this gasping noise. Looked up and saw Ginny bent over the desk making the most unladylike wheezing sounds as she tried to catch her breath.

“Seriously though, you don't want a crew of electricians waiting for mason to put up a wall, that's construction management.”

“Ginny, it's almost 4 months into your RLT, didn't your doctors say after the first of the year you would have their Okay for the surgery?”

“Doctor Braun said if things were the same, He would give his okay for the surgery.
Then it all depended on the clinic's schedule, it could take almost a year for a slot to open up.”

I wondered if she could legally change her name to Virginia Hanson without Morales finding out. The newspaper notice is what I worry about.But if she was a whistle blower,the judge may waive that requirement.

I brought the question up to Ginny, and she was intregued but wary about her new name getting to Morales.

When she has the surgery, she'll have to do it, but not now she said. I said out of curiosity, I brought up the Registry of Motor Vehicle's site, and found it's simple to do. The only hitch was going before a probate judge, and running a newswpaper ad.

“See, that's the part that scares me,” Ginny said, “Anyone could read about it.”

“The information I found said the Probate Court judge could waive the newspaper ad under the correct circumstances.”

“What circumstances would those be Ellen?”

“It didn't say”

The day flew by, at the end of the week things looked a little saner on the project site,

This allowed me to take a few deep breaths and relax.

Ginny now was able to see a method to the ant- like madness. As a Gravel truck driver, she would have been on a hundred sites like this. Friday snuck up on us rather quickly. It now was only a week to Thanksgiving and a four day weekend.

I asked Ginny if she skied. after getting an affirmative, I told her we could use Steve Brady's condo near Black Mountain in Jackson New Hampshire. She said she was afraid to return to her appartment to get her equipment No worry I said, you can rent boots and skis there.

Another Friday night another Ginny bouncing off walls, she was so excited about her lesson with Cathy tomorrow.

I finished my lesson, and brushed and reblanketed Freddy. Then Tina and I walked to the open door of the riding ring. Ginny was posting nicely on the longe line. Soon Cathy stoped the horse and unsnaped the line. Holding the bridle she led the horse to the wall.

“Okay Ginny, just like that. Nice and easy along the wall. Keep him nice and steady, and breathe. You won't die”.

Off they went, Tigger and Ginny. Tigger with a nice smooth trot, Ginny posting along on the correct diagonal. I don't know who was happier Cathy or me!

“Okay” Cathy called, “How about reversing our direction and changing diagonals.”

The three of us held our collective breath. Damn ! She did it, a smooth reverse and a seamless diagonal change.

Cathy turned and said to us, “You might have company next season, Tina. The way Ginny's riding, by next April, we may have to shop for a horse for her. That would make two new riders on the circuit, Ellen and Ginny!”

To say I was thrilled, was an understatement. I couldn't wait to give her a hard time.

Tina and I were hopping up and down and hugging each other in excitement.

Cathy turned to us and said “You two act like you've never seen anybody trot before.”

We just grinned and walked to the ring's center where Ginny and Tigger were stopped.
I thought she had a big grin last week, but now she had a grin like a watermellon slice! Ginny couldn't wait to hop down to ask if we saw her trot.

Tina and I said we were both brushing our horses, and how did she do ?

That earned us a punch on the arm. “Okay, okay, we saw you. You looked great.” said Tina, “Ellen will have to watch out, you're going to beat her!”

Cathy said to Ginny next week no safety line, she and Tigger would be on their own

The three of us headed for Ginny's Honda CRV for the ride home. All she could talk about was her soloing today, and her lesson next week.

Tina suggested we go for ice cream sundaes on her. Tina stayed on Route 1 and got off for the Putnam Pantry.

My idea of a proper lunch, a monsterous Banana Split covered in whipped cream and ground walnuts.

We waddled back to the car and headed for the condo in Swampscott.

As we drove up in front of the condo, Ginny asked what I wanted for supper.

I just groaned, and put my head back. “Surprise me.”