Do you have friends at a construction site near you? I’ve been walking through the new phase, Phase Three, of our neighborhood almost daily with Daddy. Along the way, we have developed many friendships. They’re all great, but this yellow dump truck is my bestie.

Last week he surprised us by springing back to life after sitting dormant for weeks. I credit my healing hugs and duct tape bandaids. We’ve seen him busy hauling heavy loads of dirt and rock a few times, but he always goes back to the same spot in the back. Poor guy, he always looks so lonely. I make sure to give Dumper, that’s his name, a big hug everyday so he know’s we love him.

 

I love playing construction site at home with Mommy and Daddy and have almost all of the trucks we see working hard in Phase Three. My favorite is my little yellow dump truck, his name is LIttle Dumper. I don’t get it, but Daddy always laughs when we talk about Big and Little Dumper.

He tried to suggest we call him Chuck the Dump Truck like on The Adventures of Chuck and Friends, but Dumper is what I’m sticking with. Pshhhhh, Chuck’s not even as yellow as Dumper!

 

Most of my other construction site friends have names from The Adventures of Chuck and Friends and Bob the Builder though. Daddy and I just called them by what type of vehicle they were at first, but as our friendships grew, I sensed even these great big machines have a soft side.

Muck, our bulldozer buddy, explained how he and the other work trucks truly feel about not having real names.

 

He likened it to if people just walked around calling everyone human; it’s impersonal and greatly drains morale.

These trucks work so hard, taking constant abuse, usually for the benefit of humans, asking nothing in return. The least we could do is give them names and show a little appreciation. Maybe even play with them a little. Muck loves when I do scooper squats with him.

 

And climbing into his cabin simply to take a picture, not start him up to push more dirt around, puts a grin on his scooper.

The trucks even told me they tense up when someone climbs on them because that usually means more work and abuse. Even when they’re not feeling or looking (don’t tell Dumper I said that) their best, they love posing for pictures.

 

His poor seat guts need more duct tape bandaids than Daddy is willing to give. Unless I break out my sweet daddy’s girl look, then I can get enough of the cloth adhesive to dress a mummy.

Now that I’ve gotten to know most of these guys, big and small, in the Phase Three construction site, I thought I’d introduce you to the kind hearted motored machines.

To start, I’ve been getting to know Spinny the portable cement mixer a lot lately.

 

Ahhh, that Spinny, he’s always on a roll! Daddy told me to say that, then laughed. I don’t get it.

I don’t know how he does it as he seems to get passed around house to house when it’s time to brick. To just sit in the heat in a constant twirly whirl makes me dizzy just watching. His line of work just seems to get harder and harder. Again, Daddy made me say it.

Another relatively small friend is Benny the mini excavator. Him and his brothers and sisters are all around Phase Three digging ditches or deep holes.

 

Because I know how much it means to them, I’ll climb into the cab of Benny or one of his siblings just to sit and smile for a while. Don’t tell Benny, but I like his Bobcat brother the most.

 

We see Grabber, the big excavator, every now and then, but not as often as Benny.

 

I have  my own Grabber at home, however, he’s the biggest in our living room construction site.

 

Scratch is a Skid-Steer Loader and his kind make up the majority of work vehicles around the site. You’d think they might be competitive about who works the hardest, but they’re actually quite affectionate. I even see them giving butt hugs at the end of a long day.

Dizzy, the cement mixer, is another hard worker around here. He and his family are constantly helping to pour foundation for a new home or a sidewalk around the new neighborhood.

 

Even on the run, he’ll say hi with the honk of his horn when I pump my arm up and down. I don’t know why I do that, Daddy just tells me to and then Dizzy honks. Such a nice truck. Mommy and Daddy just got me a Dizzy of my own, but I had to be a good kid before I was allowed to have him.

 

His giant teammate, Cement Pump Truck is a super hard worker, and a super grump!

 

Might have something to do with not having a name yet. I’ll have to get on that and hopefully it’ll cheer him up.

Pumpy? Pumpsters?

Similar to Pump Truck’s giant boom arm, Lofty the crane truck makes an appearance to help unload heavy brick and sidewall for new homes.

 

I don’t talk much to Lofty because she always has heavy things swinging overhead, but she’s a gentle truck deep inside.

At the start of a new home, I see Ditch Digger (another with a TBD name) and the larger Horizontal Directional Drill. They both excite me, but like Lofty, I need to spend a little more time getting to know them before we get as close as the other construction site friends.

Yep, these are my big big friends at our Phase Three construction site. Some take longer than others to really show their true truck selves, but they all have a unique personality I enjoy watching unfold day by day.

They are always happy to see me come by and wave, and I’m happy to see them too. Next time you have the opportunity, be sure to stop and give Dumper, Scratch, Dizzy, Lofty, Spinny, and friends a hug or high-five, it just might make their day.