Every day on site brings unexpected new developments. Yesterday, the truck that we got in to dig the holes for our foundations became almost fatally sunk in the mud around the site we'd chosen for the house. It may be that we choose to change the site of the house as a result, moving it as close as possible to the hard standing and driveway, so that concrete trucks/diggers/our cars don't turn into permanent installations in Elizabeth's front yard (a teammate's car also got stuck last night just after we'd managed to dig/winch the big truck out). It's really quite extraordinary how soft the soil is, and it's definitely going to get even less fun as the winter gets wetter. But of course the debate about moving the site is a major headache, with the team split.

Today, however, was another ridiculously beautiful, clear, mild day, from the morning when we drove to site through mist rising like smoke from the catfish ponds, to the opening ceremony in Perry Lakes Park of the bridge, a thesis project from last year that is now finished (well, apart from the handrail). It's a really impressive achievement, putting our struggles over our tiny house into perspective. Any professional practice would be proud of the design and execution of the project, which for four students to build with their own hands is really extraordinary. It seems to float miraculously above the creek, held up with fantastically precise engineering which is completely imperceptible, so integrated it is into the design.




After that it was off to Selma for a three-hour bluegrass jam with some real old boys, including a 83 yr old fiddle and mandolin player named Mr Jessie. Exhausting but exhilarating, learning new tunes and listening to how they all play. It's really deceptively simple music - the standard chord progressions hiding a multitude of melodic and rhythmic variety - and thus learning it by ear requires real concentration.