This is the list I mentioned earlier in the week. (A few people have offered to help out and even organize a 'work day'. I think a work day might be a little too chaotic, so I've come up with a list instead.)
This is all outdoor yard work.
If you want to help with something, please give me a call in the evenings or weekends so I can organize it. Also, please don’t feel obliged. Most of this stuff is manual labour and will require a strong back!
1) A very small amount of weeding is required on the gardens in the front, and then some mulch needs to be spread. I need to order about 3 yards of mulch and have it dumped it in our driveway turnaround for this. The remaining mulch will need to be wheelbarrowed to the backyard for future use.
2) The garden in our backyard is a bit of a mess. (I'm the gardener around here, but last spring I had ankle surgery, and the previous spring I had knee surgery after 2 sports injuries. Because of this, the garden in the back has been very neglected for over 2 years now.) The grass is growing into the garden, and it needs to be edged, and cleaned up. There is A LOT of weeding to be done back there, and then it needs to be mulched. (If you want to help with this, don’t feel obliged to do the whole garden, or spend a whole day or anything! It is a big job and can obviously just be spread out and done over a period of time, by different people.) I have limited gardening tools so if you have tools, it might be best to bring your own.
3) The Boston Ivy on the side of our house growing up the chimney is outta control. Dave usually drastically cuts it back every three years or so – this would be the year and it’s pretty overdue. This is a 2 person job, as the ivy grows up 2 full stories, so somebody needs to spot the person the ladder and hold it steady. (We have a big ladder to use.) The clippings from this task will either need to be hauled away, or bundled & tied up and we’ll store them somewhere until the next yard waste pickup.
4) We have fabric awnings that need to be put up on 5 windows for the summer. This is a 2 person job as well. Three windows are on the 2nd story which will require a spotter for person on the ladder. Also, the ivy mentioned above needs to be removed before 2 of these awnings can be put up.
5) We’d like to open the pool in the next few weeks. (I might already have somebody to do this, but thought I'd mention it here, just in case.) We will have to drain the water from the pool cover first. (We have an old pump we use for this, and it’s a slow process of just letting the water drain for hours, so we’ll find the time to take care of this on our own.) Once this is done then the ‘helpers’ could come over another day to remove the remaining ‘crud’ from the top of the cover. The crud (leaves and bugs etc) get scooped with a net into a wheelbarrow, and added to the compost. Then 2 or 3 people need to carefully pull the cover off, folding it accordion style as you go, and then lift it over the pool fence. The cover then needs to be hauled to the driveway to be laid out, hosed down, scrubbed clean, left to air dry, and then folded up and stored for the summer. (It’s put in a rubbermaid container and taken back down to the pool shed.) After the cover is off the pool, it’s not a big deal for us to top it up with water, add the necessary chemicals, and start it up.
6) Pool shed. Last fall Dave started ‘renovating’ our old pool shed. He put a new roof on and re-sided it. The siding still needs to be stained and will require 2 coats of a dark stain (which I still need to pick out and purchase). Also the doors need to be re-hung first, but I believe Dave has arranged for a past student to do that for us.
7) We have 2 smallish trees (one out front at the street, and one in the backyard) that died this winter and need to be removed. I also have a small mulberry tree in a bad spot that I've tried to kill numerous times, but it just won't die. It needs to be hacked back again. Again, they need to be hauled away, or cut into smaller pieces & bundled so they're ready for the next yard waste pickup.
8) We have a small boxwood hedge out front that needs to be trimmed, as well as a larger privet hedge in the front.
Dave does have a few other things, like moving firewood & cleaning up our wood pile, but that's not pressing and can wait. I think this is plenty and would be great if even a few of things could be taken care of.
Thanks in advance!
Val
This is all outdoor yard work.
If you want to help with something, please give me a call in the evenings or weekends so I can organize it. Also, please don’t feel obliged. Most of this stuff is manual labour and will require a strong back!
1) A very small amount of weeding is required on the gardens in the front, and then some mulch needs to be spread. I need to order about 3 yards of mulch and have it dumped it in our driveway turnaround for this. The remaining mulch will need to be wheelbarrowed to the backyard for future use.
2) The garden in our backyard is a bit of a mess. (I'm the gardener around here, but last spring I had ankle surgery, and the previous spring I had knee surgery after 2 sports injuries. Because of this, the garden in the back has been very neglected for over 2 years now.) The grass is growing into the garden, and it needs to be edged, and cleaned up. There is A LOT of weeding to be done back there, and then it needs to be mulched. (If you want to help with this, don’t feel obliged to do the whole garden, or spend a whole day or anything! It is a big job and can obviously just be spread out and done over a period of time, by different people.) I have limited gardening tools so if you have tools, it might be best to bring your own.
3) The Boston Ivy on the side of our house growing up the chimney is outta control. Dave usually drastically cuts it back every three years or so – this would be the year and it’s pretty overdue. This is a 2 person job, as the ivy grows up 2 full stories, so somebody needs to spot the person the ladder and hold it steady. (We have a big ladder to use.) The clippings from this task will either need to be hauled away, or bundled & tied up and we’ll store them somewhere until the next yard waste pickup.
4) We have fabric awnings that need to be put up on 5 windows for the summer. This is a 2 person job as well. Three windows are on the 2nd story which will require a spotter for person on the ladder. Also, the ivy mentioned above needs to be removed before 2 of these awnings can be put up.
5) We’d like to open the pool in the next few weeks. (I might already have somebody to do this, but thought I'd mention it here, just in case.) We will have to drain the water from the pool cover first. (We have an old pump we use for this, and it’s a slow process of just letting the water drain for hours, so we’ll find the time to take care of this on our own.) Once this is done then the ‘helpers’ could come over another day to remove the remaining ‘crud’ from the top of the cover. The crud (leaves and bugs etc) get scooped with a net into a wheelbarrow, and added to the compost. Then 2 or 3 people need to carefully pull the cover off, folding it accordion style as you go, and then lift it over the pool fence. The cover then needs to be hauled to the driveway to be laid out, hosed down, scrubbed clean, left to air dry, and then folded up and stored for the summer. (It’s put in a rubbermaid container and taken back down to the pool shed.) After the cover is off the pool, it’s not a big deal for us to top it up with water, add the necessary chemicals, and start it up.
6) Pool shed. Last fall Dave started ‘renovating’ our old pool shed. He put a new roof on and re-sided it. The siding still needs to be stained and will require 2 coats of a dark stain (which I still need to pick out and purchase). Also the doors need to be re-hung first, but I believe Dave has arranged for a past student to do that for us.
7) We have 2 smallish trees (one out front at the street, and one in the backyard) that died this winter and need to be removed. I also have a small mulberry tree in a bad spot that I've tried to kill numerous times, but it just won't die. It needs to be hacked back again. Again, they need to be hauled away, or cut into smaller pieces & bundled so they're ready for the next yard waste pickup.
8) We have a small boxwood hedge out front that needs to be trimmed, as well as a larger privet hedge in the front.
Dave does have a few other things, like moving firewood & cleaning up our wood pile, but that's not pressing and can wait. I think this is plenty and would be great if even a few of things could be taken care of.
Thanks in advance!
Val
7 comments:
Val:
Will certainly be calling you as Steve and I would like to help out. Steve is very good in the garden and I enjoy it too. I have gone back to work to help out for at least 2 months but weekends and evenings should offer some free time for me. Steve is available during the day and evening. If you have enough volunteers this will give you the opportunity to sit back and relax for a change. I am sure you must be running on empty and you need to take care of yourself and Mr. Richards.
Take care and you are in our thoughts and prayers on a daily basis.
Oh goody! We'll get some 'folks' together and come by with tools in hand (and Dave might laugh - as some of us might even be able to figure out how they work too!)
I'll call soon and then we can figure out what you need done the most - with about 20 of us ready to pitch in! :)
Lovin' you two a whole lot - sorry to hear about dave and the oncologist - seems liek those poor doctors have a hard time seeing the positive sometimes - maybe it's up to you two to show them what it means!?
Tons of love and caring coming your way!
Hey Guys .... I hope there is some work left for next Saturday - June 5th. Sharon and I hope to get some off season conditioning done in your yard/garden. I was thinking we could tackle the shed staining ... but I know you have a big week ahead with the blood tranfusion so I will send Val and e-mail to see about stain etc.
Judie (volleychicks' off season trainer - LOL)
If Roger DeCosse hasn't already contacted you, Marilyn, Roger & I will be over on Wednesday (2nd) around 9AM to do some garden work...thanks for letting us help you.
Phyllis C.
Hey All. Thanks so much. Things are coming together already. The pool was opened today. (Still need to get the chemicals balanced and probably some vacuuming and it should be usable in a few days!)
There are people coming Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to do a lot of the yard work!
Looks like the shed will be stained next weekend.
Understandably task #3 (2 stories of Boston Ivy to cut back) is still up for grabs. (It's not a fun one and you can't be afraid of heights for that one!)
I'll update after Wednesday to advise what still could be done.
Thank you guys sooo much. It's been a little stressful to look out and see the yard becoming overgrown and knowing that it would have to wait again. I don't know what to say, but Thanks. (It chokes me up a little to know that everybody just wants to help so much.) You guys are all great and so supportive.
Val
I'm not afraid of heights Val ... I should have gone to the Fire side and could sleep at night Ha!
Sharon and I can do the ivy if that works ... just fyi ... i have a feeling we may have some more volley chicks joining us .... so if you have the stain for the shed ready ... that will be on the agenda for the training "meeting".
Hope the weather cooperates!
Judie
Hey Val - I just got back from "the North" but would love to jump in...I'll try to find out when a group is coming over and fit myself in! :-)
Mel
Post a Comment