N

Like many letters, it seems I toss around a TON of topics.  N was going to be for Negativity - but I think I decided to turn that one on it's ear, using it as O for Optimism.

N was going to be for NAMASTE, but I have a feeling some people might be tired of me droning on and on about my love of my yoga. Most importantly, my Saturday morning 9:30AM yoga ladies and Yogini, Irena.  Little did I know our yoga class is NOT like her others. SOMEONE, who will remain unnamed (ahem, me) apparently talks (GASP!) and cracks inappropriate jokes at times.  Oh.the.horror. So, apparently, I am the class clown of yoga. I had no idea, until the other ladies pointed out none of the other classes were as, umm.... light hearted? But it makes us all, a class of funny, laid back, come as you are, yoga girls.   Seriously, I was not even the one who thought the "pelvic bowl" as a large vessel in which we could drink margaritas. Anytime Irena says "pelvic bowl" we all laugh, and think about happy hour. Ahhhh... Namaste my yoga friends.

N will be New. As in NEW to me. Jeff and I have done a few project around the abode.  I thought it would be nice to share them. Plus, I LOVE looking at before and after pictures.  And hearing OTHER people groin about lifting 40 bags of 40 pound topsoil.... So, here it goes...

Project #1 - no lifting of heavy top soil required....

Before:
Dull boring chairs and table we inherited back in 2001.

Plan was to repaint and do some new cushions. So, like anyone, I grabbed a few cans of spray paint- and I learned, Valspar spray paint is NOT our choice in spray paints. I then went to Home Depot (aka Joey's house) (why Joey? as Joey Logano, the driver sponsored by Home Depot-  and YES we call Lowe's Jimmy's house). ANYWAY- I got 2 cans of Rustoleum, Green Apple, it was great. But we needed a third can - then Home Depot was OUT and I was MAD. After waiting 2 days, it was back in stock and our project was painted!!!

I then took 2 old outdoor cushions, ripped off the old nasty fabric. I used outdoor fabric I found at 80% off and made some very simple cushion covers. (I sound so crafty, huh? In reality, Jeff did the spray painting, while I did the sewing).  We now have this....

Next up, this mess....
Project #2- The Heavy Lifting

We added on this concrete pad. A hot tub sat on it for 2 years, it never had electric run to it, I never ever sat it in. Once it was gone, we started using the pad for our table.  We knew it needed something. So, for 2 years, we pondered. We knew we wanted and area for a raised garden bed. Then we did a little research, a little measuring, and decided to do it. We both had off Friday, so this was our project.

First, I used that black do-hickey in picture #2 to loosen the dirt. Yes, I felt the burn in my deltoids, but it was good, and I felt strong. Again, we went to Joey's house to get some composite decking, instead of lumber.  I wanted to use this due to the low/no maintenance, and it was not supposed to leach anything into the soil. Since, the plan was to grow veggies in this bed, last thing I wanted was to poison the kids with some weird something in treated lumber. My second choice after "plastic" wood was cedar. Alas, we got the faux Trex stuff (FYI- it does NOT drill like wood, it did some weird things, but over all I am happy with it). 

Jeff had to do some weird math with the 4x4 so this is what that looked like. I was still digging and learned I cannot EVER make a living using a post hole digger. Every hole I made was 3 inches off. I hate that stupid tool.

Then Jeff was doing this....

I suggested this...

We worked for about a total of 2.5 hours of digging, measuring and stuff. Jeff had softball so we had to stop early. At the end of the day, we had this:

I lined the surface with weed block, then added 5 bags of pebbles.

The next morning, I took myself back to Joey's house. A kind, Home Depot helper assisted me with lifting 20 bags of topsoil on my cart, then 2 guys loaded it into my car.  It is good to be a girl.

Jeff and I then unloaded and dumped 20 bags in. We still needed about 20 more 40 pound bags. Later on Saturday afternoon, I went BACK to Home Depot, another gentleman assisted me load 20 MORE bags of soil, 2 bags of river rock, 3 bags of sand (for the kids sand box) and off I went.

So, if you are keeping count.... 40 bags of 40# topsoil, will make you wake up the next morning a little sore. My chest was so sore it hurt to breathe, I was debating if it was muscle soreness, versus heart attack. Luckily, it was not the big one.

Once we got moving on Sunday (Happy Birthday Jeff), I got some flowers... And.... our 98% complete project looks like this (we still need to get one the 4x4 caps).

Ta-da! Now in 60 to 85 days we should have a boat load of tomatoes (roma, Mr. Stripey, Grape, and Big Beef), peppers (yellow bell, jalapenos, and cubenelle) and wonderful herbs.  It's a ton smaller than our old garden, but it's a start. I already have plans for the next raised bed for next year... I will ensure it will not take 40 flipping 40# bags of soil. Yikes.

So, how did we do?