Based on the experience and review of this first part of the implementation as previously mentioned, I decided to create a separate project plan for the second part. This plan includes all the tasks that complete the main goals - increasing the food production area and redesigning the front yard - for the first phase of this project. I will make an attempt to be more accurate in what can be achieved in the given time, the skill level and financial resources. This should help to remove the constant feeling of being behind. I plan to create more consistently daily work and task sheets that include alternate tasks, in case the tasks on the schedule cannot be continued for some time. These daily work sheets basically state the tasks to do and any pertinent information and possible alternate tasks , all in order of priority.

I will also communicate to the help and contractors the change of the project plan - postponing the work on the deck because the design for the rain water catchment and the greywater systems have not been completed.

Based on the statement of the checking account, which was set up exclusively for this project, the numbers for the budget and cash flow were updated. Each expense was assigned to its respective task where possible. There is the problem that, for example, the same rented equipment was used for different tasks. In the future it would be good to estimate how much time each task required the rented equipment and split the costs accordingly. For example, the expenses for the excavator need to be split between the sidewalk, the porch/greenhouse and the sewage pipe replacement. It also looks like that it would be helpful to divide the costs within each task in 4 categories: labor, material, equipment purchased or rented, and permits/fees.
For how much time was spent for each task I will be able to use the time sheets that I asked the help to keep for tracking their work hours. Similar I can keep track of the hours of contracted labor. So far it has been by the hour and not by the project. I completely forgot to keep track of my own time and have to estimate it. I am not sure if I will be able to track my own hours consistently in the future, as I am jumping so much between different things so much.

This includes taking pictures and short clips before, during and at the end of a particular task. From time to time a CD is burned that I can use to prepare outputs. The journaling has found its own rhythm, usually during the weekend and gives me a great outlet for anything that was and is ongoing on.

So far there has not been a task or sub-project that has lent itself to set up and invite people to a work party. And it looks like that during this phase of the project there will not be any. Once we will start working on cob projects, like the cob bench or the accessory building, or when we are ready to put up the actual solar panels - those seem to be perfect opportunities for a work party in the future.
I still hope to be able to host a celebration of the first year of this project sometime in September.
At this point a support group that meets regularly but not too often would be very helpful to me. Until now I have not been able to work on forming such a group, due to the demands of the implementation work and other commitments.
Friends as well as people passing by have been stopping and gotten small tours and we answered their questions. It seems by making the front yard interesting through landscaping, plants, solar panels, water collection and cob bench we will be able to attract interest in the future and be a resource for urban sustainable living. Even though it looks small in scope, it is an exciting perspective.

The mentoring situation could use some improvement. It looks like that I was not able to state the need for mentoring clearly enough. At this point the mentoring has been in regards to the most architectural oriented sub-project - adding the porch/greenhouse. And for this it was great, very helpful and consistent.
Maybe it would be good in the future to consider to have more than one mentor. One person that oversees the project and mentors the whole project in general and also mentors that are almost like experts.
Recently our Action Learning Group has been meeting and established its function again. It is very inspiring to hear of what others are doing and what works and what changes are made.
The process and project advising could use a lot of tweaking. I am not quite ready to gather my thinking on that. What I am personally missing most is probably what I would imagine a mentor could do - going over the general and detail aspects of the project in the light of the intended goals and challenges as well as help in order to get an optimal result as well as foster great learning.
At this point I am starting to think what I want to do in this regard in the future. One idea I have is to try to once a year for 1 - 2 month assist someone in their work, who is in the top of their sustainability related field. This could be very exciting and fruitful and with some creative agreements also economical feasible.