Yard Work

So after 5 years of letting someone else take care of it (or not as the case may be) I have decided to take over our yard/garden/patio. I figure if he doesn't like how I do it, then he should have done it himself. Plus I'm gonna nag him for all the stuff that I can't do (which I've really never done before) because there is no way I can climb a ladder to clean the gutters. Anyone who knows me knows I can't even stand on a step stool or a chair without absolute panic setting in.

Monday we cleaned up the patio and I made Dean put all the crap in the back of the Tahoe and take it to the dump. We are finally rid of the stupid couch that ARC wouldn't take!!! Then we put up the new trampoline! It is the girls Easter present (a little early!)

They love it! Scarlett has gotten braver day by day and is almost up to having the girls really bounce with her.

Yesterday my Dad brought over a bunch of raspberry canes (like 25) and some bleeding heart bushes and helped me plant them. Then he gave me some gardening tips. Which I NEED! I have a horribly brown thumb. I really wish there was a manual for gardening. Like a step by step one that is specific. I don't do so well with "water when it needs it and only give it the amount it needs" I need a "water every other day for 5 minutes" kind of instructions. Is there a "Gardening for Dummies" book??

So we got those in and I did a little weeding. Between my back and the sun liking to burn my skin I'm gonna have to take it a little bit at a time every day I think.

Today I raked the backyard to get up all the apples that didn't get picked up last fall....I didn't feel like taking charge then. And I raked out the front garden and pulled weeds out of it. I watered the lawn (the sprinklers aren't turned on yet.) And I planted some flowers. I did most of that before 9:30 this morning. It felt so good, and yet so tiring all at the same time.

I know this is kind of a complaining post, but it's a big deal for me. I am NOT an outside person. In fact if I could stay inside and never go anywhere I'd probably be perfectly fine! (Amazon does deliver groceries now I've heard.) I am TERRIFIED of bugs. And they live outside. In masses. All over the place. Especially in the weeds. Or in the apple tree (hence why I wasn't so keen on picking up apples last year.) I'm also not really into physical labor - especially outside. What can I say - I'm a wimp. I'm scared of power tools - hey the lawn mower is a power tool isn't it? I figure if you can lose limbs - it's a power tool and I should be scared (7th grade shop class was a living nightmare for me.) Plus I sunburn really easily - like in 20 minutes easily. And I hate sunscreen! It's slimy!

Which is why I've always hoped that Dean would just do it all and we'd have a beautiful yard. So instead I'm learning to suck it up. I will get me some muscles, so I'm not such a wimp! I bought me some super duper leather gardening gloves so if I accidentally touch a bug, I might not notice. I'm learning to not look very closely as I weed. (If I pretend the bugs aren't there, then they disappear, right?) Last year I used the drill (all by myself) for the first time, so maybe I can work my way up to the lawn mower and weed whacker.

I'll just keep telling myself - I can do it!