safety first?

Ever heard of OSHA?  The occupational safety and health administration?  The folks who regulate everything so tightly that even really ridiculous people can't hurt themselves? 

[Nothing against OSHA, folks! There are definitely some perks to living in an OSHA-regulated world.  I've spent 95% of my motherhood in a country that doesn't prioritize handicap (read: stroller friendly) accessibility.  I've driven straight through construction sites - men dangling overhead with welder sparks flying and the ominous beep-beep-beep of a front end loader headed backwards... all this with my (unbuckled) children hanging out the windows of a cheap-o sedan, trying to get a better look at all the big equipment.  There's nothing wrong with safety!]

All that to say: There is no OSHA here.  Nada.  They don't even pretend to make it safe.  The motto is pretty much: watch out for yourself, be careful, and if someone gets hurt, it's your fault. 

Now, it's not ideal. 

But there are some perks.

Tonight we parked right next to a concrete mixer pouring concrete into this huge boom.  And I mean RIGHT NEXT TO it.... see our (gray) van taillights down there at the bottom of the hill? 

I was a bit nervous unloading kids and stuff, getting Luke into the ergo carrier and trying to keep everyone at least three steps away from the big equipment, but once we got up the hill I decided it was worth a photo op.  {We were on our way to meet Matt but it was one of those moments when I regretted telling him "no need to meet me at the car, I'll find you once I get there"}

As we were walking away Isaac said "when I get bigger I might buy one of those concrete crane things". 

I'm so glad that's what he wants to buy.  And his comment makes me wonder what he thinks about my shopping habits.