Anatomy of a Fence

Someday it might stop raining and I'll have something new to blog about.. but until then I will keep blogging about old things that I haven't blogged about yet. Like my new fence. Our fences, as you might remember from here, and here, were 30 plus years old, rotting and falling down. In 2006, we removed the part of the back fence that ran between our yard and your neighbors yard before a winter storm took it out. We have been working on replacing it since. Last summer, we had the pine trees in the back yard taken down. Over the winter I talked to the prior owner of our house, who sells "organic lumber" now (he's a character in a half) about coming out to measure how much lumber we'd need to build a new fence and giving us an estimate. He not only came out to measure, but said in exchange for some computer work from The Boy, he'd help us build the new fence. I could do a whole blog post about him and how wonderful he's been to us since we moved here.. but that's another day.

In May, D came over and we chatted about how the fence was going to look, and what I wanted to happen, and then The Boy actually took some vacation time, and they started the fence. Once they started.. it went pretty quick. I am actually impressed as all hell at how fast both fences went up. On May 16th they spent the day taking down the old rotting fences. I used to joke about how one good kick and you could take the whole thing down.. I wasn't too far off with that. Over the next week, they installed posts and started doing rails. That next Sunday (the 24th, D came over with his back-hoe and we moved a shrub that was in the way of extending the fence (it became 2 shrubs), the playhouse from the side of the yard into the back corner, took our a rotting stump, moved some granite posts and dug the hole for the previous blogged tower. The next week they finished getting the posts up, put in all the rails and installed the posts and rails for the front fence.

Saturday May 30th began the installation of the planks. I was going to be in Maine at Old Orchard Beach that day celebrating my birthday with a good friend, but I was sick as a dog and stayed home. The boys asked me to help keep an eye on the boards and make sure they were going up straight, and I spent the afternoon sitting in a chair in the back yard supervising, because that was about all I had the energy for. They installed 78 feet of boards that day... from the start of the fence, down to the back corner. The next day, I figured out the "step" decrease from the corner of the fence, down to the barn. It was a little tricky, but I'm pleased as all heck with how it turned out. Over the next week, I took a personal day off, and we finished the fence.

It was a lot of hard work, and a big learning experience, and all in all.. I am very pleased with how it turned out. There are a few things regarding the front picket fence that I would do a little different.. but I can say now that some time has gone by... I can live with it and it really is nice. Next summer I will paint that front fence white.. and we've installed a nice post lantern out by the corner that lights up the whole driveway where there was no light before.

In Honor of His Birthday.....

.. I present.... "THE TOWER OF DOOM."

A year or so ago, The Boy bought this radio tower from the estate of one our neighbors who had passed away and the family was selling the house. It's about 40 feet tall and aluminum, and I thought, "OMG, why do I want that thing in my yard?" I don't.. but he does.. and he's very agreeable to things I want.. so I didn't grumble. (too much, I admit.. I grumbled some). I must admit however, that now that it's up and in the back yard, I don't much notice it unless I'm out in the yard looking at it. The Boy has agreed that once it comes down one last time and gets retrofitted with things and cables etc and we burry the cement and put dirt around it.. I can plant vining things up the alumminum frame. He also joked about putting Christmas lights up it in the winter, but that's just too redneckish and I told him under no uncertain circumstances would there ever be lights on that tower.

At the time he bought it however, we didn't have room in the back yard for it. Our property is .24 acres and our house/barn are HUGE and take up a good chunk of real estate. Part of our agreement in having the pine trees removed last fall, was that the tower could go up after we put in a new fence. Well... the fence came down, the back-hoe arrived to remove some rotting stumps and granite posts, and we dug the hole for the tower box. I saw we, because I drove the back-hoe and helped dig the hole! The previous owner of our house helped build our fence, and it was his back hoe.. and he and The Boy built this plywood box to house the cement.
It was rather big, and comical and we joked about all the bodies we could hide in this huge box, and then after the hole was dug there was a big production to get the box to fit in the hole and after much time and maybe some cursing they got it all set. They burried it into the ground, and one day while I was at work and they were working on the fence, the cement dudes came and I arrived home to the first 10 feet of tower sticking out the the ground. What I didn't get a photo of, but I think it cool.. is that while the cement was still wet, he carved his and Mr. Man's call signs in along with the year.

After enough time for the cement to set had gone by, next was the raising of the next 30 feet of tower. The next section didn't go on nearly as nice as the first, and involved more swearing and lots of banging and my neighbor came over and there was more swearing and well... I decided it was better to not be part of this. Eventually however they figured it out and got the next two sections on and up in the air. The boy commented that one of the wives of the dudes in his HAM group, who works at the H.S. told him she doesn't even notice the tower in their yard anymore. I mentioned that it was because their tower was on the side of the house, not in the back yard. Anyhow.. the next weekend the aentenna went up. My friend C came over with her mom who was visiting, and who also happens to be a HAM radio operator.. and we had a lovely afternoon together. It was discovered that the aentenna part couldn't go up without hitting the house so it was balanced on a few horses and ladders and The Boy climed up another ladder and C's mom got all involved while C and I just sat back and watched and I might have prayed some and held my breath.. and at the end of the day it was up. He is very happy, and that makes me happy. As my friend L says, "At least he's at home..". It has to come down one more time, and I won't be here that day... but the joy it has brought him was well worth all the trouble.

So today, on his birthday.. I give you the story of the tower that was errected in my back yard. It doesn't need a permit unless it's over 200 feet,and he'll need a new wife to get a tower that big.. so this will have to do. Happy Birthday hunny.. I love you.

It Was a Little Corny....

... the party.. is OVER. Just between you, me and the fencepost.. I hate large social gatherings. I hate the noise, the chaos, the mess... and I hate it more when it's in MY space. For 14 years I have hosted family birthday parties twice a year.. and next month we will be having the last one. Then in 2 yrs we'll have another graduation party for Ms. Thang (8th grade), then 2 yrs. after that Mr. Man graduates from H.S. then 2 yrs after that Ms. Thang follows suit. I think I can handle one party in 2 years. I'm glad this one is over. I made corn on the cob cupcakes.. they came out awesome if I do say so myself.

We got a break from the rain this afternoon and the sun came out for a while, so we were able to be outside for a bit, which was nice, but the rain drove everyone back in again. Thankfully it was a Sunday .. so no one stayed super late due to the long rides they all had with tomorrow being a work day. That worked out nicely. My huge long list of things to do before today got *almost* done. I was able to let go of the things that didn't get done.. and will work on them over the next few weeks... so it will all be good. A coworker the other day, told me in regards to graduation.. it's coming whether we are ready or not. Good point.

We almost didn't have this cookout. Corey has been horribly sick with mono, and only this past week has he felt better and gotten his energy back and doesn't look like he's waiting on death's doorstep. No, I am not even kidding. Once he started to feel better late Saturday of last week, he turned around remarkably fast and was able to go to school for the last day (he missed the 7 prior). Aside from some paleness, and visible weight loss... you'd never know he was so sick. My SIL brought the baby today.. but didn't let anyone but my MIL hold her, which made me sad, but shhh don't tell anyone. I might be PMSing and secretly was feeling a little more cranky about that then mabye I should have. But isn't she just so damn cute?! She's gotten so big since Easter.

Anyhow... vacation can now officially start. I'm not dwelling on the fact that July is here in just a few days... because really.. we just got out of school! Now if the sun would just show up.....

In Which We Find A Few Endings....

:: blows dust off the ole' blog::

Been awhile eh? I have so many things to share with you.. stories and photos.. but they will all have to wait until next week. Tomorrow is my last day of work, and then I have a family cookout to get ready for on Sunday.. and on Monday I can kick back and relax. I hope the god's have a good weather day in store for Monday because this rain is starting to make me cranky.
I do want to share with you however.. how proud I am of both of my children. It's been a busy week here at chez not enough time to breath... and Mr. Man and Ms. Thang have both graduated and are moving up in their academic careers.

Yesterday we sat and watched as Ashley got up in front of not only her whole class, but their families and about 4 other classes in our school and gave the opening speech at graduation. She talked about her experiences at our school.. memories and teachers from each grade, what she learned, what it ment to her and ended with saying how much she'll miss our school. It was beautiful and she did a fantastic job. She also recieved an award for perfect attendence in band, which is given for showing up every week and having your instrument, and honor roll. I am going to miss walking to school with her every day next year and can hardly believe she's ready for middle school.

Tonight we sat and watched as Corey got up in front of his entire class and recieved 2 academic achievement awards for having the highest grade for the year in both math and science on his team (the grade was split in 2 teams)... and he recieved an academic excellence award for having a GPA between 94-97% for both 7th and 8th grades combined. We are extremely proud of him and I can't even get into how he's going to be starting High School in the fall, because quite frankly I don't know how that can even be possible. I think I need a lie down. Or a beer.

Garden 2009

I have been sorely neglecting my poor blog lately.. and I'm sorry. I have been so stinking busy, that it's just been easier to check Facebook, then to come and do a lengthy blog post at the end of an exhausting day. In case you are keeping track, 2.5 more weeks and school is over. T-minus 21 days until the big graduation party. No, I'm not ready. thanks for asking! But, the fence is done (blog post about this later.. actually.. it will take more than 1..).. the entire upstairs has been spring cleaned and I think.. just maybe.. we'll make it.


In between all this mayhem, and a miserable cold to boot.. I put in my garden. Part of the fence project was moving the kids playhouse from next to my garden, to the back corner of the yard where the sandbox lived until this spring. It opened the yard up so much.. it makes me wish we did it years ago.. the kids haven't used that sandbox in ages. Once the playhouse was moved, we added another garden box. Having 3 boxes instead of 2 .. was so much fun to plan! I planted all the usual culprits: tomatoes, cukes, peppers, peas etc.. but I also added many more seed plants this year, such as carrots, green beans, radishes, green onions and lettuce!

One of the issues with the raised bed gardens, has been keeping Bella from using them as a huge litter box. After exploring our options, we decided it was best to just put a fence around the whole thing. The Boy went to Home Depot and got the fence stuff, and I shoveled out the grass surrounding the three boxes. David offered wood chips to put around the boxes and I happily accepted and I'm quite tickled with how it came out. In the midsts of a miserable cold.. I thought that I would be able to climb over a 3 foot fence to get in, and then realized quickly that was impossible.. and cleverly (if I do say so myself) created a "gate" out of the last of the fence wire.

I had a few extra plants left after I put in the garden over Memorial Day weekend.. and they've lived on the porch until today. Down next to the part of the fence inbetween our house and the neighbors, where it's mostly been just weeds.. I decided I was going to put in a flower garden. David moved some granite posts that marked our property on the other side of the old fence, but were going to be in the way of the new fence, and lay them down where I asked with his back hoe. I decided I wasn't putting in a flower garden until next year, but would dig out the weeds and get it ready this year.. and put the extra vegetable plants down there. I also put in 2 hills of sugar pumpkins, and 1 hill of bird house gords. Mr. Man lent me some of his seeds he picked up in Washington D.C., and we'll see what happens. Digging out that garden was a LOT of work, but I'm glad it's finished and I think it's going to be fantastic.

Let Them Eat... Cupcakes!

One of Ms. Thang's Christmas gifts this year was a 53 piece cake decorating kit from Wilton. She is an aspiring chef, and wants to be well rounded, and asked for some cake decorating items. Last night she let me borrow it so that I could make cupcakes to bring in to share with our class for my birthday. Let me tell you... cake decorating is not as easy as it looks. You have to hold the bag and the tip a certain way, and use the right technique... etc. I have a new appreciation for all the gorgeous cakes and things that our bakery makes. She doesn't charge nearly enough. I am so proud of them.. I thought I could come and share them here. I bought a cute book called "Hello, Cupcake!" at the book fair this year.. and these were inspired by that book, but not exactly from it.

I'm Not Your Princess....

I have so much to blog about. The fence project, the tower of doom, my garden.. but I'm not going to blog about any of that tonight. I'm tired, I don't feel good and I plan to be in bed soon. Things are going OK on the home front. Slow and steady.. right?? Somehow, I am realizing that I don't speak my mind enough (if you know me, stop laughing..) and that it's better to just say things and deal with them then to let them build up. I haven't run all week long, due to the lousy weather, and the previously mentioned projects, and I am chomping at the bit to get out there. Now I have this sore throat from hell and a feeling that it's going to turn into the "funk" that is going around our classroom. This makes me sad. So anyhow.. I'll try and blog soon. In the meantime, enjoy this lovely photo I took on our field trip to Magic Wings today.