I wish I took more self portraits. That way I could show you just how ridiculous the things going on at my house really look. But alas…I’m much too busy with my projects and hurting myself…and doing things in weird, awkward, one-man-show type ways to stop and pose for a selfie. Maybe I’ll work on that in the future.
So, you’ll never believe this, but…the patio is done! Yep. Done. As in finished. As in I’m hosting my very first big party on the patio on Saturday. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see some photos though. I put the finishing touches on it this past weekend. While doing so, I got to thinking about what the neighbors must think.
You see, Derek and I moved into our house just about a year ago, but up until recently–while he’s been gone– we didn’t know any of the neighbors. My sole interaction with one of them was just long enough for Henry {yes, that’s his real name and he is married to a Betty–adorable, I know!!} to tell me not to shovel my snow over the property line. So I didn’t. And I minded my own business. And I went about my business. Then something happened. I think I sort of morphed into that “crazy person” down the street. I started unleashing fury on my project list and in turn, created a bit of a spectacle.
At first I only noticed some looks from folks driving by. Then walkers turned into gawkers. Then the neighbors started asking questions. I get pretty shy and awkward when approached sometimes. I don’t mean to, but it happens. For as many projects as I’ve done, I still get kind of self-conscious about my abilities. Especially while Derek is away. When people see me working and stop to chat about it, I always figure they know more than me {which they probably do} and think I’m a fool because I’m going about things the wrong way {which may or may not be correct.} So when the neighbors started coming around to ask what I was up to I got nervous. We own the corner lot, so everyone can judge see my antics.
Overall, to my relief the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Now I not only know my neighbors, but consider them friends. Even Henry and Betty…who have proven to be gems. I’ve even met some people who live in the surrounding blocks. They’ve stopped by the fence to say “hi” and ask where I get all my nonstop energy.
At the very least I think I’ve been a pretty good and cheap source of entertainment. Especially since several of my undertakings have really been two person jobs that I’ve jimmie-rigged to be solo acts.
Tonight I thought I’d take a brief moment to look back some of this summer’s finest moments that could have been seen through the windows of the houses next door.
1. Before the weather really turned I was busy working on the bedroom. That meant many, many days a mysterious neighbor girl hauling roll after roll of carpet out of the house. And several garbage days that looked like this:
2. First of all, the process of moving everything from our ugly, rusty shed to the garage. Then a stranger coming and dissembling the shed to take it away. {Oh, and let’s not forget the spray painting projects that were done in the yard. You can see remnants in the photo below.}
3. I spent an afternoon putting all of my body weight and energy into wiggling 4×4’s loose and pulling them up out of the ground from the area around the shed. Yeah, that stuff down there.
4. I have only had one vehicle parked in the garage all summer because the other half has constantly been devoted to project space. When the garage has been opened passerbys have been able to see chairs being rehabbed, pallet benches in the making, fence posts turning into window boxes, planters being filled and crap wood being turned into a table.
5. While we are talking about the garage…there’s a good chance a few people have spotted me using my car as a ladder to reach high items in there. Someone saw my hand and feet prints in the saw dust that had accumulated on it and asked if someone had been standing on my car. Yes, weird…it was me.
6. Several may have heard me udder some form of gibberish profanity when I dropped a patio edger on my thumb. It feels better, but looks a bit worse.
7. And let’s not forget load after load of bricks for the patio.
8. Speaking of the patio…I’m sure watching me dig and level the ground was a treat. I dug up three 5-gallon buckets worth of landscape rock from where the shed used to stand. Let me tell you this. Hauling those away was not a graceful looking task. I’m strong, but not that strong.
9. One day I didn’t have time to leave the house to do my personal training at the gym, so I had my client come to my house. We got some weird looks for doing lunges, weird kicks and sprints across my yard.
10. Maybe the most awkward, entertaining thing I’ve done all summer has been finishing the patio {let’s be honest, it’s an outdoor room} project. I wanted to hang a canopy of lights so I built a post and lintil structure on either end of the patio. Simple enough…but getting the lintil up alone was quite a challenge. Let’s just say there was a ladder, a prop, a second ladder, some words not fit for children and a lot of luck involved.
11. Yesterday I spent an hour sledge hammering a bunch of concrete I found after the shed came down. I felt like Thor.
12. Summer is coming to a close up here in PraCan…and so is my outdoor project list. But I’ve got one more big one up my sleeve. What is it? Who knows? I’ve had a lot of questions and I’ve explained it to many. My response is the same for all my undertakings: if something goes terribly, horribly wrong, I’ll just rip it out…sledge hammer it…or chain saw it down and pretend it never happened. So…any guesses?
Amy
