Day 155 - June 8th

The kids have really been enjoying Yard Golf. The goal posts are cheap and I'll eventually replace them with some home built ones, but for now, this works! And Jill rocks at this - she is really good!

And in the background is our "garden" which is absolutely anemic looking compared to my sisters!!

Day 154 - June 7th

Alexander and I worked a LOT this day on our shed #2. I taught him how to use a ratchet and how to screw in screws with the drill. It was a good day. Later, Maranda and Lydia also helped when we put up the walls. It was a glorious day!

Day 153 - June 6th

A BIG day!! We moved shed #1. We borrowed a couple of dollies from our friend Carmen and we found out that happily, it weighed much less than originally thought - only a couple hundred pounds instead of the 4 or 5 hundred I thought. So I lifted it up on the dollies and we began moving it on plywood planks. Until we got to the gate. Where we found out that the roof was wider than the gate. So with Maranda and mom on the back, Lydia and Alexander stabilizing it on the sides and me on the back, we LIFTED it over the fence. Sophia was going to take pictures, but got this picture of a chocolate stained Peter with an incidental pic of Jill and Maranda lifting the shed in the back! (that's the snake bucket on the other side of Peter).

Here's the photo of us rolling it along. I seem to take up a lot of space.....

Here's the shed in it's final location! Time to build shed #2!

Day 152 - June 5th

Jill was gone for a while today, so the youngest kept running to the door everytime a vehicle went by.

Day 151 - June 4th

OK, I got behind on my posting. Oops!

I finally broke down and ordered a portable air conditioner. Why? Because I work in a closed office with two computers and two printers on. I can't have the window open because if the kids are outside, they are inevitably too loud. So I roast. This week, it was hot. On June 4th, it was 86 outside and right around 93 in my office. I was getting drowsy. I found a great deal online and ordered it.

And it arrived broken on June 4th. Here's the drainplug snapped off on the back. Fortunately, today, June 8th, they have shipped out a replacement and are picking up the damaged one free of charge.

Day 150 - June 3rd

Day 150! I spent all my spare time on Wednesday building the shed. First, I had to get the foundation area level. That's the first picture. Then I built. And built. And built. Just as the sun was setting, Jill asked how it was going to fit through the gate and I panicked. I imagined having to lift it over the fence somehow (it is short, but it is HEAVY). But I measured the width and my gate is 1 inch wider than the shed! Whew!

Saying a quick prayer for my friend Ken and his family: may the brain doctors find out what is up with Bennett today! And give you good news! Let's hope beyond hope that his seizures can be diagnosed. And I'm very thankful that Sophie's family is there to support you.

Day 149 - June 2nd

Worked really hard today. Full day at the day job, then worked until sunset on the shed. Then went grocery shopping until nearly midnight. Just before midnight, we got home and I snapped this quick pic with the iPhone. Nearly $200 spent on groceries - but we saved OVER $200. So there's about $430 in groceries in the back of my car here. Coupons are a glorious thing.

Day 148 - June 1st

The sheds are delivered...

Day 147 - May 31st

After I had been working outside for a couple of hourse, the sun had moved sufficiently into my workspace that I was starting to overheat a bit. So I took a break and grabbed my camera. I decided to take a picture of one of my valuable tools - the groundbreaker. I could not have done most of my yard projects without this tool and frankly, I have no idea where I got it.

I cannot remember how long I've had it nor how it came into my possession. Did I have it in our Ballard house? No clue. I think I did. Just goes to show you that sometimes, the things that are most useful and/or indespensible are right in front of our faces and we don't even notice.

I have it balanced on two of the many, many rocks I've dug up today. The one under the blade part has a chunk missing where I knocked it out with the groundbreaker. It revealed some crystal like rock whose name slips my mind. In the background are all the other tools I've been using today.

Day 146 - May 30th

I'm prepping the area for the play shed. It's a LOT of work! The ground has been mostly covered by a tarp covered in a few hundred pounds of gravel. But it's uneven, filled with clay and rocks. Not the easiest thing to smooth out. When I lifted the first corner of the tarp, there was an ant farm thing going on. The little ants immediately began their frantic activity of moving their hundreds of eggs underground. It only took about 10 minutes - this picture was snapped half way through their activity. I should've gotten closer. Why didn't I? Because I had my new lens and my original lens was inside and I was covered in mud.New lens? Why yes, yes I did mention that. I received this package and I was so excited. For those that don't know, I use a Pentax K10D and LOVE it. Passionately. I've used the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 lens since I bought it. Here's a picture of a neighbors bird feeder taken at maximum zoom with that lens.

I decided the time was right to add a lens. I bought a Pentax 50-200mm F4-5.6 off of a well known auction site. Not as fast as I'd like (I'd prefer an F2.8), but the quality and general use is wonderful! I was playing with it yesterday and am so happy about it! Same bird feeder from the same spot:

Next I need to get an off camera flash. I ALMOST won the Pentax AF-540 FGZ TTL the other day but lost out by $3. It was a great price too. Oh well, maybe in a month or two I'll try again.