The Outside (a little bit)

The house no longer matches the ground! Last week one of us took Monday off and the other took Tuesday off and between us we distributed about 10 loads of topsoil using the bobcat we had rented. I now have a new skill set: using a skid steer loader to move dirt around. The weather had been calling for sunshine across the board for the entire week: ideal weather for topsoil distribution because that stuff is a bitch to move around when it gets wet. But on day two, I spent the entire afternoon frantically trying to spread the last of the topsoil before a looming thunderstorm rolled in. Nobody was predicting the showers until Tuesday morning, but all afternoon it was high winds, sudden temperature drops and ominous clouds. We had rented the skid steer loader and I had the day off to wait for water purification people/mortgage inspector so the machine was there to use. When my husband got home, he helped by raking out the uneven bumps I left with the skid steer and we finished the tenth load before the rain. Then we spent the next two hours raking out the soil to an even level - sweating profusely and complaining the whole time. Finally, dark came and we could no longer see anything. I was utterly exhausted. We only got about 90% of it finished, but we are happy with that (for now). A gentle mist arrived just as we were packing up the rakes. The rest of the week was glorious sunshine, but we were too physically spent to attack the last 10% of raking.

Me, practicing before I add to my CV:




(A really violent summer storm two weeks ago tore off a piece of our siding near the eave of the bathroom. Ah, to be a home-owner:)

On Friday, four skids of sod (about 400 pieces) were delivered as well as an additional load of topsoil. I was hoping to have some help with the time-sensitive landscaping, but everyone was (understandably) busy enjoying the last few summer days, so we attacked it as a duo. When I talked to the sod dude on the phone, he suggested we wet down the soil, and then wet down the back of the sod pieces (about 2' x 4 ') while laying them down. We thought four skids would be enough to do the front yard, side yards and maybe a tiny bit of the back yard near the deck. Turns out we can't do math, because we just had enough to do the side yard near the tree-line and front yard. While my husband started tearing apart that last load of topsoil by hand (an enormous and tiring job), I started prepping the side yard and getting a system going where I would lay out the sod pieces upside down, spray them, and then haul them two-at-a-time to the side of the house. To wit:


The last hour or so he helped me, and we got about 1/3 through the skids and about 1/2 through the topsoil pile when the sunlight disappeared. Mind you, we bailed on our work during the hottest part of the day -from noon until 5 pm. So all in all, it was a good day. We watched a movie and I fell asleep five minutes from the end I was so tired. On Sunday, he spread about half of what was left, and then helped me with the sod and we finished off all four pallets.

Getting dark, only a tiny bit left:


We've left some areas sod-free for planting beds. Most notably right up by the house, where I want to put several tall bushes to try and squishify the house. It's too tall-looking and maybe some greenery hiding the basement will help. And obviously under the stairway window, which is just screaming for a big tree or lilac bush.:


As you can tell, my half-wall was replaced by a gentle slope. No money in the budget for a $2500 retaining wall, and no time left to scrounge a cheaper alternative. Now that it is there though, I kinda like it.

Sunday night: clean the inside of the house ("ants-be-gone mutthafuckas!"), have the best shower of my life, and eat the most satisfying fast food from King of Donair ever. Mmmm...