Getting on with it.

I've written a little about getting lost in Facebook, which I do far too often and succumbed to it this morning for more than a few minutes as I finished my cereal and drank coffee.  I like the leisure of it sometimes, you know? But, I have begun watching that little clock in the corner of my desktop screen so I don’t lose hours.  I have much to do today.

It’s a gorgeous day.  I spent a little time yesterday in the garden department at our local Lowe’s and purchased some half price shrubs, which I will get in the ground today.  I have so many places for shrubs that what I purchased won’t even make a dent, but, I must start somewhere and I have to start financially wise.  I wish I could afford a landscaper to come in and just do it all. I do have a bit more “disposable income” these days to make some landscaping purchases, unlike years ago, when raising kids and every extra penny went to gas up the car to drive them to an event or competition.  Those were great days, I wouldn’t change a thing, but I often wonder how we afforded to be on the go ALL the time, and eat at McDonalds more times than I should admit.

Anyway, back to landscaping.  I am beginning with a near blank slate.  As I’ve mentioned, three of the four sides of the house have been pretty disturbed by the recent renovation.  I have a new front porch, which is not quite finished, but is something I have never had.  So, there’s a story there…

In 2006 or so, husband and I began some major renovation to the house.  We replaced all the old plumbing pipes and fixtures, rewired, changed out all new trim and new oak doors inside the house, moved the laundry upstairs and added a pantry in the kitchen.  We took the space that had been the screen porch and turned it into a master bed and bath.  We opened up the roadside wall, created a foyer and installed a new, beautiful wood front door with side lights.  This construction took about 18 months or so, bringing us in to 2008 and the economy started its downward spiral. We had more plans, big plans. We put the brakes on building, and the beautiful front door opened to nothing.  After a few months we put up a temporary deck “landing” in order to be able to use that door, but, it was never quite a porch, and seldom used.

 

Fast forward through that really sucky period of bad economy (especially true for those in the lumber business, such as hubs.) and we were ready to pick up steam and finish some renovation.  Plans were scrapped, new plans were drawn up and that is where we are today.  I have a great new porch, posts (okay, they aren’t finished yet) and dirt that needs to be filled with great plants and shrubs.  The skirting isn’t around the deck, yet, and the lights need to be hung and electrified…but it’s almost a finished porch.

If you see me out and about I may look disheveled, sweaty and my fingers black and gross, but you’ll know why.  The projects are mounting up and the opportunity to tackle them lessens with each drifting leaf that flutters to the ground.  Fall is approaching and I have much to do. 

So, as I have done in the past, I do have a little product recommendation for you.  I will sometimes include a "plug" if I have tried something and love it - little knives, strainers, spatulas.  Could be anything.  Today, this is it.  

https://www.worx.com/20v-air-cordless-leaf-blower-wg545.html

This is my jam.  For cleaning the spider webs from around the door to blowing the little piles of gathering leaves and dirt from the welcome mat, "sweeping" the front steps and even blowing dirt and mulch off the walking stones in the moon garden, or blowing debris out that place between the windshield and hood of my car.  It's not too big and it is powerful enough to do those things I want done quickly, and soon, so I can manage myself.   I became super interested in this when my contractor buddy was using one to blow dirt and bugs out his work area, sawdust and junk off his tools...it's awesome.  

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