Sunday

I woke up at an amazing 7:00 AM on Sunday morning. I threw on my shorts and t-shirt and went outside to set up the oscillating sprinkler in the front yard. It hadn’t rained enough and I wanted to water all my transplants. And, I noticed yesterday that some of the grass had started to grow in the filled-in ruts. I wanted to encourage that as well.

I let it go for about an hour. Then I went out and turned it off.

I found my soaker hose in the garage yesterday. So, today, I set it up in the vegetable garden and watered that as well. The square head sprinkler does a good job, but it wastes a lot of water that never gets on the plants.

But, before I did, I added some fertilizer and worked it into the soil. Then I put in the soaker hose, making sure it was close to each plant. I hooked up the garden hose and turned it on. I set the stove timer for an hour and I put the lid of a Christmas cookie can under the hose at one bend. I want to see how much water drips out in an hour.

I watered the two containers in front and the porch rail planter by hand. While I was at it, I weeded the tree garden around the maple in front. I shut off the water to the soaker hose (I had 1/4-inch in the lid) and reeled up the garden hose.

Then I came in, hot and sweaty already. I shaved, showered and got dressed for a Home Depot run. I also needed to fill up the Volvo’s gas tank. So, off I went…

I had “Fix the Mailbox Garden” on my ToDo list. It’s way too late in the season for the “Mailbox Garden Seed Mixture” I’ve used (with some success) in the past. So, along with eye-bolts and more caulk, I picked up two more Shasta Daisies. But, when I was getting them I saw a sad rack of Impatiens in hanging baskets. They were marked down to $5.00! I figured their next location would be the dumpster, so I bought two. Hey, I need more shit to water, right?

I didn’t fill up my tank, but I got $30.00 worth of gas. Then I stopped at CVS and got some toothpaste and some hot dog buns (man does not live on pasta salad alone…)

I was home by 11:00 AM and it was already 80 degrees F. and very humid. I changed into my shorts and t-shirt and went out to address the mailbox garden. Now, what I really need is a footing, so the frost wouldn’t heave the bricks. But I don’t feel like dealing with 80 pound bags of concrete.

So, the best I could do was dig through the slag (not easy – I even broke the handle of my pickaxe!) and get it somewhat level. Then I put the patio bricks back in two rows. I made up more magic dirt and filled it all in. Then I planted the daisies. I watered them and then mulched them. It looked much better.

That took a lot longer than I had planned. It was 3:00 PM when I went in and had some lunch. It felt great to be in the air conditioning! I decided to take a break and took a nap.

It was almost 5:00 PM when I woke up. I went out in the heat again and sanded down the twisted bench. I used both the belt and the orbital sanders. When I had it looking a little more presentable, I took it in back and set it up by the fire pit.

I lit the charcoal and while it was getting hot, I did a little more putzing in the shed. I also finished caulking the bottom of the shed. Then I grilled the hot dogs, a pack of smoked sausage and a pack of fresh polish sausage I found in the freezer and thawed. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the polish sausage, but I didn’t want to waste the coals.

I went in and ate two hot dogs. I decided I’d had enough of the heat and it was time to clean the house. I started by vacuuming the walk off rugs in the garage and the back room. Then I vacuumed, swept and dusted the downstairs, kitchen and the living room.

Finally, I got a bucket of hot water and Pine Sol. I mopped the downstairs bath and then did the kitchen floor.

Trapped in the bedroom office and main bathroom, I did the chores I’d neglected in the morning (watering instead) and got myself set up for the coming week.

I watched a show Jake and Carla had recommended called Mountain Men. It was very interesting. Then I went to bed.