It's All Uphill From Here!

As I sit back in my cozy island cottage to write at my leisure, a crew of exhausted men are struggling to haul two prefabricated housing units from USC's Wrigley Marine Science Center's pier up 2 steep hills, around a corner and placed ever so gently on their foundations. Yesterday it took them 10 hours to get just one of the houses off of the barge. They were constructed in San Pedro and shipped over in the wee hours of the morning. Today, after yesterday's trial and error lessons, they were able to unload the 2nd house within two hours. Getting them uphill is reminiscent of the ancients, hauling large precut stones up into place on the pyramids with levers and pulleys. This project however will use large trucks with powerful engines and hydraulic winches - both engineering feats reflective of their respective eras. See full story in the Los Angeles Times
Having once made a living as a construction worker, I can sympathize with the men, their aching backs and heavy arms, but that's about as close as I'm going to get. I've thought about making them all some cookies or margarita cupcakes, but I'd rather just think about it - and write a tribute to their accomplishment instead. Then I'm going out for a walk.