An Impromptu Project

After a perfectly peaceful evening of family fun in the backyard, we all tumbled in the house and got into our "calming down for bed" routines. Chris took the baby up to the bath and Jordan and I were just laying around in the living room.

About 8:20, the doorbell rings. It's hand-in-the-pants boy (with both hands in view today) and his older (like, I'm thinking 14) brother. They want to know if Jordan can come out and play. Uh, no. I don't even know you. Plus, bedtime at my house is 9:00.

Five minutes later it rings again. This time it's little dude (who I'm grudgingly starting to like), wanting to borrow Jordan's bike. Uh, no. That's just not something we lend out.

So I go in the kitchen to make my evening cup of tea and glance out the window to find hand-in-the-pants boy and his brother rolling around in our yard.

I walked out on the porch and said "Um, you boys need to go home. You can't play out here when we aren't in the yard" (Or, like, even when we are because I don't like you)

Blank Stares. Nothing.

"Seriously, go home. You can't play in here when we aren't out. It's not proper!"

This is met with the exaggerated sighs and arms in the air as they huff out of my yard. I'm sorry, I don't put up with that attitude from my own kids who I know and love....much less some random brats who think I'm running a public playground.

Then I realize they have drug out a bunch of our toys and looped the swings around the playset.

So now I'm heated. Furious. I make Chris empty out the Honda and find a Lowes that's open late. I retrieve some fence sections and other gate making materials in short order. Those poor Lowes guys. They're trying to close up shop and I'm making them shove fence sections into our tiny CRV. They did it with a smile though.

So here's our weekend project. Saturday all that got done was Chris drilling a hole in the concrete of the driveway, filling it with epoxy, and sticking a threaded rod in it. (The epoxy hat to set up for 12 hours) Then we played in the yard.

Jordan and I decorated the swingset with chalk and he practiced his ninja/monkey moves.



Celia didn't sleep well and was in an all around great mood!



I weeded a bunch. Here's the current state of my garden. I was inspired by Barbie Girl and my Turkey Mama friend Lee and planted tomatoes and basil in some of the driveway pots last week.

Then Jordan banged his hip on a beam and we retired to the house.

Oh yeah. Here's another reason for the gate. Hand-in-the-pants boy had a big, mean, barking dog that they leave tied up outside all of the time. Why would you get a dog and do that to him? Anyway, he is not a happy camper and I'm just waiting for the day he breaks loose and goes on a mauling the neighbors frenzy. Not in my yard puppy.


Plus he barks. All. Day. Long. Unfortunately my gate isn't going to do crap for that.

Sunday, after we got Celia down for her nap, the real work started. We got one section of fence hung, then Chris had to cut the top of the rod off at the right height.



Yow. Those sparks were hot and I had to move. How do you like my hubby's work face? Home improvement makes him crabby.



Then we got the other section up and put the latches on it. But we messed up and couldn't close the gate, so we had to take them off and start again. Re-do!



Oh, and my friend Heather made me this super cute tool-belt. Isn't it the greatest thing ever? The only tools I keep in it are the phone and a pair of scissors, but I feel very domestic and handy when wearing it. Hubby suggested once that I lose my pants and just wear the toolbelt....but I think he was under the influence of the ghetto rap blaring from hand-in-the-pants boy's house. I let him know in no uncertain terms that wasn't going to happen.



There is is. A finished gate. Take that you miscreant punks.


Stay outta my yard!