05/02/2026
Warning: Long post, but worth the read.
It’s been a pretty productive past couple weeks out here on the Tarboro pond project.
Also, I want y’all to meet JG Grading’s newest crew member, Dozer.
We’ve been working on cutting the core trench across the front of the house and getting into building the dam where it wraps around in that area. At the same time, we’ve been building up the front yard and tying everything together where the new driveway is going to come through and meet into the back slope of the pond.
That area right there is a big part of this whole job. The driveway, the dam, the house, the building, and all the higher elevations above the pond water level… all of it has to tie together right or it won’t come together right when it’s finished.
This property has been a fight from the beginning because of a very high water table and constant water issues, and also because of the insane elevation differences across the property. It doesn’t just fall one way. It’s got a cross slope that falls different directions depending on where you’re at. From top to bottom, end to end, it’s constantly changing, and that’s what’s made this one tricky.
This isn’t just building a pond. Everything has to come together with all the elevation changes for it to actually work the way it’s supposed to.
I feel like we’ve finally got a good handle on it now and things are starting to come together the way they’re supposed to.
We brought in an off-road truck this past week, and that’s made a big difference. We’ve been able to move a lot more material and actually start shaping things instead of just chasing it.
We’re chipping away at it every single day.
It’s a big job. We’ve still got a long way to go. But we are making real progress, and you can finally start to see it taking shape instead of just looking like a mess of dirt.
We’re also starting to build a solid crew of guys out here, and we’re all learning how to work together and get into a rhythm with each other to get a lot of work done. I’m blessed to be building a solid crew again.
And honestly, when you really sit back and look at everything going on right now… not just the job, but everything…
it’s hard not to think about how things line up the way they do.
Most of y’all knew Diesel and knew what that dog meant to me. He was my child. He was my rock. He was my best friend.
It’s been over a year since I had to let him go, and that’s something I still think about every day. That wasn’t easy, and it’s not something you just replace.
I wasn’t even really planning on getting another dog yet. I was just scrolling one night looking at German Shepherd puppies and ended up finding some really good down to earth people out of Ayden N.C. that I got Dozer from. A really good family that live in one of the most beautiful areas I have drove through in a very long time, with some very smart and respectful kids. It’s great to know that some families still raise their kids the right way. I am glad that I got to meet them and also blessed that my dog came from such a great household and family.
I didn’t even realize the timing of everything at first. I had already paid the deposit and was on my way to pick him up when I started thinking about it. I knew he was eight weeks old when I got him, so I asked them about his birthday. When they told me, I was honestly kind of speechless that it lined up the way it did.
But here’s the part that’s hard to ignore when you really think about it…
Diesel started having seizures February 22, 2025
I had to put Diesel down February 23, 2025
Dozer was born February 22, 2026
Out of every dog I could’ve found, every place I could’ve looked, I ended up with him.
You can call that whatever you want.
I don’t.
That’s God and His timing.
Dozer will never replace Diesel. Nothing ever will. But he’s making his own way, and it’s been good having a dog around again.
He’s with me every day, riding in the equipment, laying in the cab, learning the same way Diesel did. And he reminds me a lot of him already.
If you look through the pictures, you’ll see exactly what I mean.
At the end of the day, this post all ties together for me.
We’re out here every day chipping away at something big, trying to make everything come together the way it’s supposed to… and at the same time, life’s lining things up in ways you can’t really explain.
I’m blessed beyond belief. I really am. I can’t believe the way things have been lining up this year.
We’ve still got a long way to go, but we’re getting there.
JG Grading & Landscaping
Serving God, Continuing a Legacy, Building Community
