Let the dig begin

So here I am two weeks into my project and I am already delayed by one month. I waited too long to pull the trigger with the contractor and he is now booked for the month of May. Oh well, that gives me the chance to start on my own after all.
The wife and kid are being sent out of town next weekend which gives me a grand total of 3 days for the foundation dig. 10 x 7 feet, 6" deep means I have to dig up more than a cubic yard of dirt and dispose of it. The extra waste bin has been ordered and I hope that 3 days is enough time to get it done.
The second step will be the lay out of the foundation. I have purchased several 2x4's and stakes to affix a rectangular form for the concrete to be poured into. Sand and metal mesh are also on hand to make sure the foundation is sturdy and will last forever.
A contractor friend of mine asked if I wanted to park a tank on top of the foundation or why I wanted to go 8" deep. So I consulted all my research again and found it to be varied and for a first timer, confusing. Some websites stress that you need at least 8 to 10" foundations to accommodate the weight of the oven. (granted some of them are 2000 lbs +) Others barely mention the foundation and say 3-4 inches are plenty. So I have made a compromise with myself. I will dig 6" deep, pour a gravel base and stake out a metal mesh and pour a 4" deep slab.

On another note. The wife has caught the outdoor kitchen fever now. While my first conversation with her was all about cost, the need of a pizza oven in the yard in the first place and what a waste this might all be, she bought me a book about outdoor kitchens for my birthday. All of a sudden she has design ideas and wants the AC unit moved. We should build it like this or that and do it this color or that. We need to move this bush or that one and she won't mind if this plant dies. It's actually a lot of fun having an ally in her to be able to discuss the details. But it is also very dangerous because now spending money is easier. I find that two accommodate two opinions the compromise often means to spend twice as much. Maybe I let her pick the colors and finish tile and I pick the hardware and ovens.

And one last thing I learned these past couple of days. Until the dig is finished, my dog Matilda is using the plot to mark her territory. I cleared the area of its plants and she promptly pooped right in the middle of it. Oh well, I guess it means one more step before I can make my own pizzas