Ding, Dong The Shrubs Are Gone!!!

All I can say is WHAT a day! The only downside, no porch progress.

Most Excellent Friend Chele and Most Excellent Hubby Doug came in his truck before noon today and quickly vanquished the vicious vegetation that was our shrubs. The one that was planted last year to replace one that died is still here, as are the two smaller and more manageable of the shrubs. But the three monsters ... GONE!

I can't say thank-you enough. The absence of Hell's Shrubbery truly is a godsend.

After I came home from the dump, where they were kind enough to go and dispose of the evil trees, I finished digging out what roots remained and began filling in the gaping holes. It was blistering hot in the sun and by the time I'd finished, I was beat. Instead of calling it a day, we went to Home Depot and Lowe's.

At HD, I bought the fence. It is supposed to be delivered Tuesday. (Perfect, since I'll still be home on vacation.) Now, I have to get a hold of Lawrence, and call my cousin to remove the old fence. Things are happening -- and at a rapid pace, too! Makes my head spin.

At Lowe's, I bought some more mortar and 100 more bricks. I got to use my $10 off coupon AND even received another one, still good 'til the 14th. So, savings abound! They had quite a few bricks, and they were kind enough to put the pallet in the floor for me to pick through. Tonight, I even let them load them into the car, something I usually do myself.

That said, now home and having had dinner -- and not unloaded the car, I'm somewhere between exhausted and dead. But, unless they have changed the forecast, it will be dry tomorrow, so maybe I can make up for what I didn't do today. But it really was a good day with a mad dash of activity. I'm grateful for everything that was accomplished and for all the wonderful people who helped make it so.

When Fantasy Becomes Reality

Get your mind outta the gutter. It's Sunday, and it's not an x-rated blog!

I was moving slow all day Saturday. It took a lot to get me going and a lot to keep me going. Somehow, I think today is going to be even tougher. I didn’t take my planned day off on Friday and I stayed up late to boot, so I didn’t get off to the greatest start.

It seems like half the neighborhood came over to look at the porch. That was very gratifying, interrupting, but gratifying. People I knew – and some I didn’t – were going by and pointing or waving. Now that they can see what I'm doing, maybe I don't seem as nuts anymore. My neighbor says his porch "is next."

One of my bus drivers was working and she drove by and gave me a thumb’s up.
I can say that the first part of the porch is officially done. I mortared in everything I had down and put in a final piece on the transition step that will hold the mortar in place underneath the front door. And that, was that.

I only got a few additional rows on the second part of the porch done, but since it’s so much smaller than the first, it actually looks like progress. All of those rows also got mortared into place. (Pictures tonight. It was too dark by the time I wrapped up and the porch light throws everything off.)

The timing of the shrub removal is perfect. That will make it SO much easier to put the next round of perimeter bricks in. And, since I next go to the sidewalk project, better to have a truck going through the yard now rather than after the walkway is in progress, or worse yet, done.

I’m still just about giddy thinking about the prospect of those evil shrubs being gone. They have been here for about 20 years and my dealings with them during all that time have been nothing but miserable. I seriously have fantasized about having them plucked out.

Seriously. And now, it’s about to enter the realm of reality.

Pinch me.

Now maybe I can work on that Powerball fantasy ...

Hell's Shrubbery, Be Gone!

And so, my wish is to be granted! I am happy to report that after making an argument that rivals anything Clarence Darrow, F. Lee Bailey or Johnnie Cochran ever made, the shrubs are history!

Or they will be. Tomorrow.

Most Excellent Friend Chele volunteered hubby to remove Satan's shrubs. Being a most excellent husband, he agreed.

And while historically, the mother would never go for it, I made the case one more time. As a result, I am writing two things on the calendar. First, her admission that I am right about something. (The bushes are too overgrown and unruly. We need to start over.) and Two, I get my way. I want them gone -- and they are going. I'm still woozy with the shock of it.

Carole is still very reticent about uprooting these evil overgrowths. And, I admit, killing a living thing doesn't sit well with me either. But, at the same time, it's hard to conceal my glee. *happy dancing ensues* I HATE THOSE BUSHES! And soon they will be gone.

I rule.

(With some help from the greatest of friends.)

Welcome Back, Netvibes!

No idea what was up with Netvibes yesterday, but it's back this morning, thank God. I didn't realize how dependent I'd become upon it for my initial news, blog reading, and of course, Twitter.

I know I promised pictures and I would have delivered because I actually did make progress last night. Mother Nature, however, was a rude cow and literally rained on my parade as I was wrapping up. I managed to safely shuttle all of my working gear into the shed before anything could get too wet, but I forgot to put bucket o'dirt under the carport. (It's now bucket o'mud.)

I gave my neighbors the night off from the NEEEEENUHHH whine of the RotoZip, opting instead to do one of the parts of the job I've been dreading: digging out the front edge. (My knees and back are feelin' it today as a result. BIG TIME!) I've dreaded it because the front is bounded by Hell's Shrubbery. For some reason, Carole has a thing for vicious vegetation. The more brambles and barbs it has, the more determined she seems to be to plant it in our yard. Love it! (Read: sarcasm x10). One of my fantasies is having a truck come and yank those suckers right out of the ground. (Yes, I lead a very exciting life. My fantasies even involve house projects.)

I'm almost to the edge that meets up with the nearly complete side edge. Both bricks will have to be cut to fit and it shouldn't take long to get all that in place. Then, I can actually put down the half-bricks that will complete the LAST ROW of the first half of the porch. I guess I shouldn't get too excited at that prospect. There's still a whole lot left to do.