Today was Day 7 of the Miller farm barn raising.  The barn is enormous, and Moise has great plans for it. All of the concrete molds are done.

They are working on a raised wall on the East side of the barn, the last concrete part of the structure.

It still shocks me every day when I see how much they have done by the next day. Barn raising day will be on July 28; 75 to 100 Amish people will be working there.

I came at lunchtime while having lunch, and there would be no people to worry about photo-wise. I’m grateful to be able to take these day photos.

I saw that some of the boys had written their names on one of the walls (below).

I saw that Mois had built the door he promised just for the sheep to go in and out when they want. He has made a deal for 20 sheep, lambs, and ewes coming in October or November.

I saw that Moise likes his tool belt birthday present and hung it on the wall. Barbara says he likes it very much and has been wearing it every day.

I haven’t spoken to Moise in three or four days, but when I come by, he catches my eye and nods, and he makes a point to have his toolbox on when I appear.

I gave it to him as a birthday present. I doubt we will ever discuss it. That’s fine by me.

My friendship with Moise is teaching me a lot; I get a lot out of knowing him. I am learning that people I once thought of as being so different that we could not possibly be friends can, in fact, be friends.

You just have to open up your spirit and heart to the idea of humanity.

I screwed up my first shopping assignment; I ordered two boxes of the wrong sized pie pans. Barbara caught it, but it’s too late to stop the order.

Returning these boxes is difficult and expensive, but I don’t want Moise and Barbara to pay for my mistake. I ordered the right pie pans, they are on the way, and I will figure out how to sell the wrong-sized boxes that I ordered, or failing that, give them away.

I have two or three customers in mind. When I make a mistake ordering something – this is the biggest mistake I’ve made – they always offer to pay for the mistake and eat the costs.

That bugs me. My rule is if the mistake is theirs, they can pay for it. If it is mine, I’ll pay for it. I’ll make it good.

I’m sure I can find another buyer or a good home for the pie boxes.

Lena told me about the mistake, and I joked that she could fire me if she wanted. She didn’t realize I was joking and got serious. “Oh no, Jon, we could never fire you,” she said, patting me on the shoulder to reassure me.

This is the first real job security I ever had as a writer.