Technically yesterday was a day off at the bone mines, but elves by the name of Wes and Cheyenne showed up to work anyway. They continued work on the skull, one of the last areas in which there is still work to be done. 

Looks like your Blogster's prediction that the project will be ending soon is off a bit. Silicone replacement needs to be finished on the front vertebrae and needs to be added to the chevron bones (the little V-shaped bones that attach to the underside of the tail vertebrae). The ribs will then be put back on to the now painted rib cage framework, so the scapulae can be attached to the ribs, and the flippers can be attached to the scapulae. 

Today it is planned that the 290 pound skull will be flipped over (not an easy task) so the underside can be worked on. Soon it will be time to work on the jaws and hyoid bones (the bones to which the tongue attaches). And the metal cradle for the skull still needs to be created.

Wes and Cheyenne Cartey add the finishing touches to the whale cart insert they built yesterday. The insert will hold the skull in place after it is turned over. 

A close-up of the rib cage frame sporting its new coat of paint.

This is what the bone mine currently looks like. That is the back of the skull (sitting on its cart) to the far left. The very end of the tail vertebrae is hanging from the ceiling to the right of the skull. Resting on the table in the foreground, is the breast bones and sternum unit. To the very right of the picture is the backbone - the tail-end of it closest to the camera.

And here are the finished flippers patiently waiting their turn to join the rest of the  body.