Some weeks, nothing happens. Some weeks, much happens. This is more of a ‘much’ week.

We have the shed on site now. It rained and was sloppy all last week, so we needed to wait for a couple dry days. It came yesterday. This means that (once the driveway is useable again), we can load the cargo trailer with the last of our furniture/boxes from the storage truck, and bring them here. Which in turn means that the storage truck can be hauled away, freeing up mom’s driveway, and removing a monthly bill for us.

The improvement today doesnt look like much right now – and certainly not like an improvement at all right now. We have 4 very large piles of reeking bar clam shells heaped at intervals down the driveway. This is why I said “once the driveway is useable again”.

We’ve been looking for some way to remediate the driveway for the whole last year. Being that it is 1/4 mile long, shale, and inclined toward clay, there are several sections where the slime and pitting is absolutely terrible. Gravel is insanely expensive here – about $1200 a load. Shale is less than that, but still costly, and will not necessarily address the issues. Paving would require winning the lottery.

One day at work, husband was discussing the problem with the guys and someone mentioned in passing that he’d once heard of some fella using crushed clamshells. When he mentioned this to me come evening, I recalled that I have read of this, particularly in the Carolinas, Cape Cod and Florida. Where could we get clamshells, though, and what would they cost?

Well, this is fishing country. Tuna, lobster, and shellfish predominantly. There is a fishplant not too far from here that processes thousands of pounds of clams every year. Husband called them. The shells are entirely a trash product that they are delighted to get rid of. Free, so long as we line up the dumptruck. It took us a week or so to chase down a truck, but finally found a fella who will deliver for $200/load. So, that is today. Our driveway stinks of fish and mud, and is entirely impassable. It will probably attract flies and raccoons for a time, and will certainly cause my neighbour to text me with a “what the heck is that?”

It will take a week or so to get the shells spread out and crushed, but walking in and out is by no means new to any of us. I had forgotten to park at the end of the road before the first load, so good thing that area of the driveway is wider (albeit somewhat boggy and slimy). I was able to drive around the pile and get the van out. Otherwise, we would have been stranded here until the job is completed.