Cutting letters into a limestone block for a headstone commission this morning. Small piece, maybe 18 inches. Third pass on the O and I knew it was wrong the second the mallet landed. Slight undercut on the left side. Nobody will see it from a foot away. I see it.

Two hours in before I stopped. Should have been ten minutes.

The thing nobody tells you starting out is that the skill isn't in the cutting, it's in the stopping. Anyone can remove stone. Putting it back is a different trade and I don't have it.

Drove home with the dust still in my hair. Left the block on the bench. Tomorrow I'll look at it fresh and decide whether to live with it or start the piece over. Probably start over.