Wednesday, October 26, 2011

My last 72

My kids all came home this weekend, including my new son in law. The intention was for them to put up the panels for the new roof on the garage, but Saturday it rained so it was a lost day. We watched the Husker game, ate pizza, watched movies and went to bed. A nice social time but not very productive.

Sunday everyone was up bright and early. I made pancakes and the guys including my kids friend Sean all went out and started on the garage, my husband's job was to sit and supervise. My daughter and I were left to clean up after breakfast.

Suddenly Sean appears, you  weren't looking out the window were you? Me-No why? Sean-Good ,don't, I need band aids. Me-Oh God....and I head out...Sean is on my heals saying~no, don't go out.....But you know there is not a mom anywhere that is going to listen once they hear don't look out there and I need band aids. My husband and I chose metal sheeting for the garage roof because we figured it would be the most cost effective and easiest to install. We were half right, that stuff is slick and as my son was screwing down a panel he slipped. There was my husband trying to play outfielder and Sean grabbing at his heals as my son headed head first off the roof, he caught himself but sliced up his hands on the metal sheet on his way down. No one was wearing gloves. 

This is where mom power comes in, I sent several people scurrying around gathering gloves, gauze, peroxide and medical tape. Then I announce I am staying out here, to prevent more mishaps. Just then my husbands drill went flying by my head and slammed down next to me. This was going to be tough. I make a quick audit, all over the ground was the old nail ridden wood shingles my son had pulled off along with the old plywood and assorted other pieces of junk. In fact the entire yard was a mess, I had not been out there to deal with it in 6 years. My first visit to the back yard in over 3 years was last week, where in dismay I cried at site and the disrepair of my Xanadu. I recruited my daughter and son in law by announcing I was going to pick up the shingles.I guess once I got my wheel barrow rolling they knew I was serious and they started to come to my aid.

With their help, we loaded all the shingles and other debris, including all the wood scattered around. Have you ever noticed that once you start cleaning something up you notice more of the mess then you did before?
Because of that I started to weed, which lead to my husbands mystery pile~ O~ what ever he couldn't get the trash guys to haul off. Grass, metal, broken aquarium all piled around the yard, we plunked that all in the back of the truck. Once done it looked pretty darn good, not perfect but much better. As fate sometimes works, my son and Sean finished at the same time, because they were 1 panel short. The roof has to wait until that last panel comes in... darnnnnn, I waited 17 years for this roof and now I have to wait longer.


So yesterday (Monday) my Mr. and I hauled the truck to the local dump. The guy in the booth eyed the back  and grumbled what's in there.... I said oh, mulch, yard garbage, wood and shingles. Booth man..TRASH? Me: No well only what you see there.... not much. Booth man..has to be sorted- branches there, mulch there, unpainted wood there shingles up top. Me: But, It's all mixed together. Booth man- has to be sorted or hauled out of here. OH BOY..... as it was, we had 1143 pounds of garbage in the back and we had to sort through it all. It took us hours. Not only because my husband can not lift stuff at the moment but I am in chemo pain. I am slow. We thought we were going to go to the dump drag it all out into the pit and be gone. But that just isn't my life. We sorted and drove here and there dumping and sorting, I really got a tour of the place. Not only that but I got up close and personal with the trash compactor pit and that is pretty scary and smelly.

But it is all done now and I know for future reference to keep it all separated and it will go much easier. I am in hopes for another warm weekend because I have flowerbeds to clean out. It really felt good to be out in my garden again and come spring I have big plans but shhhh don't tell the Mr...Yet anyway ;)