"Everyone knows how to raise children, except the people who have them." - P.J. O'Rourke

This finding a church business is a new experience and I don't think I like it a lot.
When I was a pastor there wasn't a lot of question where I should attend, and when I was a prof we attended what could be considered the college church. We moved to Phoenix and attended where our kids went until Pathway started up. So basically, for the first time in my life I'm (we're) starting from scratch, living in a new place where we don't know anyone and have no default place to attend. Because church has always been a big deal for both of us this is a major decision, bigger, I suspect, than it is for most people.
So here it is, Monday evening, about 36 hours after a church experience that was somewhere between cringe-worthy and SNL skit, and I feel like I missed a key part of my week.
Nothing to do but look forward to next Sunday, whatever that brings.

I spent some work time at the coffee shop this morning and then went to check out a local gym that I think is going to work for both of us. I can do my CrossFit workouts there and they have machines and classes, including Zumba, for Pam. Plus, we get the old people's rate.

Then it was home to attack Fred's foundation issues. When I started at about 9:30 I began by setting the jacks in place, each rated to 20 tons. I placed each on a base and put something over the plunger to spread the load over a wider area of the 4x8 that forms the main beam.

Then I raised them each a little at a time. Yeah, there was quite a bit of creaking, but eventually all the weight was off the three failing pier block-and-tree round units. The pier block on the right was the most a-kilter, and the round to the left was so rotten it came apart as I knocked it out with a hammer. That left all the weight on the two jacks, and it was time to level the ground where the new bases go.

First, level the ground at each of the three points. The pier blocks were about 14" square at their base and erosion had undercut two of them. So I reached under Fred with my shovel and steel rake to drag dirt out and reshape each area.
Remember that scene in Wizard of Oz where the house lands on the Wicked Witch of the West and just her two legs are sticking out? I do too, so I was extra cautious not to put myself under there. At least not for very long.

Once I had three level pads I set the forms in place and started mixing cement. Each form took three 60-pound bags that got mixed in my wheelbarrow and shoveled into the form, with a layer of chicken wire at the halfway point.

As I was working on filling the first form it started to rain...in earnest. But I decided the worst that could happen is that I'd get wet soaked - which I did - but once I started mixing cement I pretty much had to finish the job.

By 1:30 I had all three forms filled and troweled, and by 2:00 had all the tools and wheelbarrow washed.
Just off to the lower right of this pic are three 6"x18" cinder blocks that also got filled with cement. After the slabs have cured 72 hours from now I'll set the cinder blocks on the slabs, and on those will go two pressure treated 4x4's attached to each other, side-by-side. I'll cut them to a length appropriate for each location (the slabs are at different heights relative to Fred's 4x8 beam), but only after I've jacked Fred up to a point where the floor inside is level from side to side. Then I'll come up with something to replace the cedar skirt boards that came apart as I pulled them off.

I got drenched, but getting this done feels like a major step in Fred's renovation. This was the tricky part. Next comes running electric out there, which will be a lot of work getting the trench done, but it's a straightforward task. Then the fun starts, renovating the interior.

I may not go to that gym tomorrow.