Saturday, February 28, 2009

Gardens, plans and other sundry stuff......

I have had a few emails asking me if I am ok and saying that I have been very quiet recently. Well, I suppose that is true. I have been "doing" instead of observing. Stepping away from this screen for a little while, because it is too easy to spend most of my day here. We all know how simple it is to just sit.

Today has been slightly warmer than usual, so I have been in the garden cutting back things which I don't want to overpower the roses, and tidying up a little. My neighbours behind me (the tree felling ones) are going to get a JCB to dig up huge old roots of oaks, right on my boundary, and my old shed needs to be moved. So I looked at the rickety old thing and thought....you can go. They will burn it on their bonfire for me, so I won't have to do anything about removing it. Mind you, I do believe it will fall apart the moment anyone tries to shift it.

However, this brings up problem #1. It is full of old stuff Geoff used to use, so it needs sorting, and tools need sorting and boxes need tossing out too. So I have that delight ahead in the next few days. And then I looked at the real shed, and thought.....you need tossing out too.

But this brings me to problem #2. It is absolutely full of old furniture and trunks, filing cabinets full of tools, an old freezer and heaven knows what kind of wildlife. You can tell how often I use the things in there can't you? I opened the door, and slammed it shut immediately. I think I need a bonfire of my own here too. There is an old round dining table in there. About 3inches thick solid pine. My sister suggested painting it with a protective outdoor paint and using it in the garden. You know, for the 4 days we actually get to sit in our gardens here. It will fall apart, but till then, I could use it. It is useless where it is at the moment.

Anyway.

This is mind-blowingly boring I realise, but I am trying to work up some excitement and enthusiasm for the "burn the sheds" idea. My daughter wants to know where the spiders will go. I have also noticed the wretched squirrels leaping over the sheds with gay abandon, and maybe if they are gone, the squirrels will go too, and refrain, as a result, from digging up and eating all my bulbs. I need a machine gun.

I digress. Squirrels do that to me. And mice. I haven't seen any of them but I will be up a tree if I do. But the squirrels may be up the tree..... Oh get a grip, woman.

I need to be able to cut back the huge holly tree which looms over the shed, and the neighbours have scaffolding and will do it for me, providing the shed is history. And, it has occurred to me that the shed is actually in the sunniest spot of the garden anyway and so it should be a sitting area, and not a shed area.

See? The enthusiasm is marginally higher already. If I were as fit and flexible as I used to be, I could do all this myself, but I do believe I am going to need some assistance. My garden could be transformed! I also could do with a small conservatory in the corner outside the french doors, because that is dead space and always ends up being the dumping spot. If I win the lotto. And after I redo the dire bathroom, put in a new boiler and radiators instead of the foul hot air thingy I have now, redo the stairs and carpet half the house.

Sigh. Spring must be approaching.

My car is back from the MOT and it did need a good few things doing to it, so my plans to get the potting soil and start some seeds have been postponed. Maybe next week. I have plans for raised veg beds here at home as well as at the allotment too. Hmmmm. All this planning and dreaming and imagining is totally exhausting. And my brown wheelie bin is full so I am going to go and finish reading my book for book club. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. If you haven't read it yet, put it on your list. It is stunning. I am loving it.

The Bump continues to flourish and has wonderful playtimes at 3am. Her uncle is visiting her this weekend, so it is lovely to think my 2 sons are there together. I am not. I am here. Sigh.

Right. I am off to relax before I need to think about supper.

11 comments:

Sandra said...

I hope you're having a good evening Linds :)

Laurie in Ca. said...

Oh Linds,

I wish I lived close so I could help you with the garden things. I love to put old furniture and things in the garden, giving them one more life before they die:) I love this post and do not find it boring. It is right up my alley. I am thankful you have neighbors willing to help with some of the stuff. I wish you had paypal here, I'd donate for potting soil and seeds in a hot second. You have as many projects as I do going right now. The bathroom has been quite the excavation dig as pipes keep disentegrating but things are getting hooked up today. We lost both bathrooms for the last two weeks again as pipes are open. ~sigh~. But, the end is in sight and once the mountains of dirt go back in to fill the humungous hole, and cement is laid, I can get the new floor laid.
I can't tackle the gardens until the dirt is out of it and back in the hole. I am sorry I am rambling here but I truly wish we could work on these projects together. If we win the lotto tonight:), I will send you a million so you can get all these things done for you, you just supervise. Seriously!! It would bless my socks off to win and be able to enrich so many other lives.
We don't need much. I love you girl and am so glad to hear that Bump is getting her fill and blessing so many others at this time. Isn't being a Granny the best?

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Susan said...

My husband shares your sentiments about the squirrels so I called him in to read his that paragraph!! Oklahoma, USA - England the squirrels are an issue.
Susan

Needled Mom said...

Oh my, but there are many big thoughts and plans in this post. I can already picture you in that sunny spot where the shed once stood.

I wish, too, that you were with your sons and the new angel. Hopefully that will come soon.

Crystal said...

When you are finished with your gardener, could you please direct him to me?!! I too have a shed that needs to be reorganized and I fear there are animals living in it too. I am so not a gardener but I love your ideas for the sitting places and all the plants. I just want it done so I can enjoy it all. If I won the lottery, the yard re-do would be one of my projects. I guess slow and steady is the way to go. Good luck!! I look forward to pictures of the progress :))

Our book club considered that book but the last 2 we've read have been about WWII so we are reading The Time Traveler's Wife instead. I just bought The Windy Ways Quilt (an Elm Creek Quilt Novel) - is there a sequence that those should be read in or can I just start with this one?

My babies all had day and night mixed up for the first few weeks too. It's exhausting on parents! How long does Ann have off to stay at home? I hope it's a good long time - not just a few weeks.

Happy Weekend & Happy Relaxing to you!!

Dawn said...

So now I'm exhausted just reading all of this! I can't even imagine tackling all of the stuff in the shed - especially with a bumb leg. I know you'll get plenty of help.

Is the pine table unsalvageable for indoors?

You know about the squirrels in our yard - they love to steal the birds' food.

I can only imagine how much fun it would be for you to be there photographing Uncle David with The Bump.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Pam said...

How frustrating for you not to be able to do all you want to. Are you managing to cultivate patience, that elusive virtue?

Isn't spring good, though?

Diane@Diane's Place said...

We now have 6 inches of snow on the ground, so no gardening or anything much outdoors right now. I do need to prune back my rosebush though, and I have an attached outside utility shed that is in dire need of sorting, tossing and decluttering. Maybe I can talk Jessica and Jason into helping me with that this Spring. *Fingers crossed....*

I know you dread these projects, but think about how good you'll feel when it's done and behind you and you can enjoy the fruits of your (and your neighbors') labor.

Have a great Sunday, and hope the boys will send you some pictures from the weekend. :o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

Mary said...

Please don't be cross with me - but - when you don't have the problem of squirrels jumping on your roof - well - they do sound rather cute!

I think what you need - like now - is some time with your daughter. I am so glad she is on her way.

Vee said...

Ohhhh, and I know that this time that uncle is spending with the grandgirlie is fostering great thoughts about future parenting. ;>

Sheds. I like them. Are you quite certain that both need to go? It sounds as if one needs a bit of shoring up so that it can be used for all the stuff of life. If it should go/must go, will the boys be happy to have some of their father's things? Perhaps even Diana would like some of them. Every gal needs a took kit. Don't forget to save out what you need!

As always, Barbara brought some balance to my post yesterday, Cindy, too. So I am constantly rethinking my situation. Though, what I'd really like to do is push forward and be done with it.

Vee said...

tool kit... =}