Spring is here. I got a lot of work done in the yard today. I laid out a bunch more weed barrier, put down seven bags of bark, trucked several loads more dirt and weeds to the back yard and the front yard is starting to look good. Of course, I've pretty much done all of the easy stuff. I also am not sure that I'm even half-way done. I don't think I'm going to be done by the next assessments. I just hope that I will have done enough to get a congratulatory placard and not a form generated letter indicating that there is more work to be done. Actually, already it looks better than last year, so that could be a good thing. Plus, almost no moss on the roof. Do need to install zinc strips this summer, though. I also did put moss killer down on the lawn tonight. Supposed to start killing moss within hours and also cause grass to get greener. So... I'll have more obvious blotchy patches of healthier grass and dying moss? Swell.
Right now we're watching FlashForward. I'm kind of hesitant to watch it. I'm worried that they're just burning them off and suddenly there won't be any more episodes without it being resolved. The good thing is that there's a book that this show was based on. The cool thing is that the author of the book has consulted on the script or written an episode or something. But there are some differences between the book and the TV show and I like one of the changes they made for the TV show a lot. I feel like I've already written about this.
I finished a book today called "Bad Blood" - it was really long. It was OK. There was lots of talk about the tunnels bored (or being bored) underneath New York and how tenuous the water situation is in Manhattan, as well as history lessons on the water system. I think if I lived in New York, I'd find that a lot more fascinating. The only thing I did really find fascinating is that they're boring further underground than the height of the Empire State Building - that there are generations of families that that's all they've done. And they typically die young poisoned by the gases and dust from the drilling. And, if this fiction book is to believed, also family feuds that persist over the decades.
Now I'm reading Stephen Colbert's "I Am America (So Can You)" - I think I'm going to return it to the library incomplete. I see how it could be funny, but it just doesn't amuse me. I guess that's no surprise, really - I can't get into his show, either.
I had two cups of coffee for breakfast. A late lunch with nachos and a soda. Then with dinner, two more sodas. I swear, I could drink one or two more right now. I don't know why. I just really, really want more soda.
While our front yard is taking shape, our backyard is still embarrassing. The grass is really, really tall, there's a bunch of wood to clean up from last July, there's piles of dirt that need to be moved (because I didn't have a wheelbarrow until December). I have a new thing to put under the grill but it's been sitting in the garage for a few weeks now (I moved it upstairs so it's near the grill at least.) I need to repaint the deck. The list goes on and on. Inside the house, there's the chair rail to add to Ben's room. The ceiling fan in Ben's room needs to be mounted more safely. There's some grout from the tile job that needs to be redone. There's other small tasks related to the job still to do. The work in the front yard, however, has inspired me.
It's only a matter of time - I will get a lot done this summer. Of course, I must do it out of sight of Ben. He saw me out front working and he started banging on the glass storm door and got really mad and started screaming. Apparently it's OK for me to leave for work, but it's not OK for me to be outside where he can see me but can't be with me. Unfortunately, we can't have him just outside yet, he doesn't have any concept of boundaries or danger or following instructions. But, someday. And then, I will enlist his help. Rachel went with me to Home Depot (we still can't find her smock) to buy the materials but after helping for about five minutes, she announced that princesses didn't work in the yard and went inside. Oh well. At least I had my iPod.