Dirt, Dirt, and more Dirt - Vikings Win!

Last Day of Summer...

I slept a little later than I did on Saturday, but only by about 20 minutes. It was 8:00am when I rolled out of bed. Aside form the twenty minute difference, the day began in much the same sequence. I made coffee, exercised, and then headed out with Ykraps. The weather was expected to be a carbon copy of Saturday. For that matter, it was going to be carbon of the past five days. Moreover, it’s expected to remain this way for at least another solid week (sunny and near 80). I like that! 

I spent my free time filling the bird feeder with seed and the hummingbird feeder with nectar. I had to add more potting soil to the geraniums again too. I was none to pleased about that. I swore that if I caught the pesky squirrel that I’d shoot him with my BB gun. 

Once again, Mindy slept for nearly ten hours. She’s still battling cold symptoms as made apparent by a nasty sounding cough. I left for my run around 9:45am and this time ran along Trabue and down Hague. For one reason or another, that particular run always feels better than staying within the confines of the subdivision. The only problem is the inherent dangers associated with road running. 

After my run I suggested that Mindy prepare each of us a roast beef sandwich made with last Sunday’s leftovers. She agreed, and the sandwiches were tasty. By then it was 11am. We drove to my dad’s where we shoveled another load of fill-dirt into the trailer. We chatted with dad before heading back home. He showed us some of the wind damage to his roof. I volunteered to stop over next weekend to assist in the repairs. 

Back at our house, we began unloading the trailer full of fill-dirt one wheel barrow at a time. I was already tired from Saturday’s work. Today’s got to me even quicker. But Mindy helped by doing all the shoveling giving me a chance to rest between loads. Finally, after about an hour or so we had all the fill dirt in place. I spent the next fifteen minutes raking it smooth, and then tamping it down with the tamper I borrowed from dad in early summer. Satisfied that I had it about as good as possible, I headed off to Ohio Mulch for a load of top soil. Mindy stayed home but agreed to assist once gain upon my return. 

 I wasn’t gone long at all. I was the only customer in the lot. This isn’t their busy season. This is my third trip there for top soil in the last two weekends. Mindy & I began moving the top soil following the same process as with the fill dirt. She’d shovel it into the wheel barrow and I’d run it up the incline and eventually to the project area. I didn’t bother doing any leveling until we had the entire yard dumped. I was beat after moving all that dirt. I took my time spreading and leveling the top soil. My goal was to have the area seeded before heading to Sunday dinner. 

The kids arrived home shortly after we finished unloading all the dirt from the trailer. Mindy eventually showed the kids the 1.5” thick vine that came loose from one of our backyard Ash trees which now was attempting tree swing. The kids went bonkers over it. All the neighbor kids did too. Mindy thought to grab the camera to catch some of the action. While they played, I seeded and fertilized the project area. That didn’t take long at all. And all the while we were working on the lawn I was watering existing grass. In fact, I left the sprinkler running all night Saturday. It’s been sunny and dry now for nine straight days with several more yet to come. 

After finishing my yard work the lawn looked very nice. I was most pleased with all we had accomplished. But there’s always more! I still haven’t touched my new gas grill, and I really want to sand & refinish the kitchen table. And there’s more yet. For today, however, the project work was done.  I took a quick shower in preparation for Sunday dinner. Before leaving, I made sure to pack the items necessary to seed a bare spot in Gloria’s front lawn where she had a tree cut down last year. I also took our giant loppers to trim a big rose of Sharon bush from her side yard. 

We left for Gloria’s around 4:05pm. I saw that the Vikings won their game against the Panthers just before we left. For this reason alone I was very, very happy. Super Bowl bound! J  We no sooner pulled up at Gloria’s that I got busy seeding the area in Gloria’s front yard. That took no more than five minutes. I topped the area first with Scott’s top soil made especially for reseeding. Then, I threw down some Patchmaster. Mindy helped by watering it all in. I moved onto trimming the rose of Sharon bush. That took just a few minutes, too. After finally greeting everyone, I took to the lower level to catch some of the Browns game. They were actually ahead when I joined but that didn’t last. Earlier, the Bengal blew a late fourth quarter lead to the world champion Giants and ultimately lost in OT. 

For dinner we had cheese burgers. They were good. After dinner Jacob and I headed out back to toss the football. After 30 minutes of that, I went back to the lower level to watch more football. While there I dosed off a time or two. Mindy soon fetched me for dessert. We had Boston cream cake. At first I thought that I might abstain but ended up eating a piece. It was good, of course. 

We headed for home at 7pm sharp. The kids fussed on the way. Bella, Jacob and I walked Ykraps after arriving home. For some reason, Bella was carrying her wallet in her mouth. Jacob saw that as an opportunity and aggressively ripped it right out of her mouth. I don’t think he meant it to be mean or painful but still. She let out a loud Bella scream. After checking, another front tooth was now loose. She lost her very first Friday night at her daddy’s. She was most proud. The replacement tooth was already up & ready resting quietly behind the baby tooth. 

We finally got the kids in bed after much toil. I was tuned into Sunday Night Football. We headed to bed at halftime.