In case you are tired of looking at gravestones, here is a view of life from the other end. I am sure my father would like this picture, of his granddaughter Sophie[boom], the best.
Although many people like the finished work, and most important of all Mom likes it, there are several issues that I would like to adress in the future.

1. The lack of friction under the base stones can be fatal, if the bases slide outward over time. The old bugaboo buttressing is still lurking. I would like to carve saddles into the ground slab to hold the bases, just as the saddles in the bases hold the springers.

2. The paint won't last, and is rather gaudy in any case. I would like to replace the granite bases and top slab with marble, into which I can cut more deeply.

3. The arch is solid now, but if one piece goes, they all go. I need to determine the exact composition of each voussoir and replace any that is likely to lose integrity over time, even if that means using granite or marble not from Dad's collection.

4. There is way too much mortar on the inside. I worked a solid month on the arch and another solid month on the granite, but only a week on everything else. I think it shows. I would like to redo the columns and interior to attain a tighter fit of the stones.

Please send comments to the stonecutter.