Adding gravel around Sleipnir

I sat at neighbors Anita and Doug's table sipping coffee and bemoaning the fact that because of my own stupidity I couldn't get anyone to bring in gravel and smooth it in front of Sleipnir.  The landscaping companies were busy and a little job like mine wasn't worth it to them.   Doug decided to make a few calls.  Yesterday, Scott Gudis came in w/ his huge shiny dump truck. feathered gravel in front of Sleipnir and left the rest of the load at the end of the cement apron.  Cost $180.  This afternoon Jim Wester drove into my driveway and unloaded his bobcat.  He expertly moved the gravel around to bring the driveway up to the level of the cement apron in front of Sleipnir.  Then he took scoopfuls of left over gravel and dumpted them along the other three sides of Sleipnir to cover the styrofoam sheets left there to prevent the base of the building from heaving when the ground freezes/unfreezes.  Cost $50.  (Both payments included a tip from me in gratitude for coming over.)   So now the outside of Sleipnir is ready for winter.  As usual to get things done,  sometimes it's all in who you know ... .  and I know Doug.