Yard Work

Blogger is not playing nice again and it is taking ever so long to upload a few photos.

I have spent the last four days working my ass off in the backyard, hauling a half tonne of rubble and a tonne of gravel. I wanted to put some gravel down to level the cat run a bit and to cover the bathtub sized hole where I dislocated my ankle. To do that I needed some edging. I had some long pine logs down the side of the shed, but to get to them meant that I needed to clean that up. It took half a morning to drag them out and clean up the side.

To cut a long story short - I've gravelled and rubbled all over the yard. The edging is done, the area in front of the cat enclosure is gravelled and the side of the shed is neater. I bought a garden swing - cos I've always wanted one and that sits on the gravelled part. It is beginning to look like a home instead of a neglected paddock. I put together a trampoline for Miss A's birthday present and the garden swing. I can feel my testosterone levels rising and have even gained some bicep muscle too!

The cat run is complete. Unfortunately the first night I let them out there one of them found a weak spot and escaped. Two visits later by Securakat and the enclosure is secure again. Luckily the cat came home that night and was easily coaxed down from her tree with a can of cat food. All that I need to do today is to clear an area of gravel to put in some grass. Then that's it - not doin' anything else these holidays - except start on three assignments and prepare for another maths exam. Ooh I past my first maths exam with 91% yay.

Here's a shot of the entrance:

Can't do much about the rainwater pipe though, but I have filled in an area in front and raised the ground level so that there is not such a step over. Heaven knows I don't want to trip over again.

Below you can just see the shadecloth that I put up that nearly killed me. I had to go out of my comfort level and up one more step on the ladder to reach the highest part and I was shaking like a leaf the whole time while cable tieing 5 metres of shadecloth to the house. Had to lay down for ages afterwards, I felt so sick.

This pile of junk and the old chair ( as well as the 11 foot long pine logs ) were down this side of the shed... I wish now that I had taken some before pictures it was atrocious.




Mr Ex used it to chuck his rubbish and any old bits of scrap he didn't want down there. I have never seen it this empty before. Now the neighbours are keen to replace the fence.

You can just see the edging around the grass here it looks better in real life. After years of having Mr Ex saying that what I wanted to do was too hard, I managed to do it - with the help of two children ( dear neighbour's 12yo son was keen to help and Miss A got us drinks on request - with much bellyaching ) but it feels good to know that I can do it alone.

As a treat I have gone on a yarn ordering adventure - please someone hand me the scissors to cut up my card with.

I have something coming form Kpixie which is unfortunately stuck in customs since the 7th January, in, wait for it....Montreal. What the....? How/why is it there?! The lovely lady from Kpixie says it will either get to me or make it's way back to them, sob, I want it now. That will teach me to place an order so close to New Year's Eve.

A package from Astrid's is on it's way as well.

Ecoyarns is having a sale and I have coveted some Wild Cherry Karaoke for ages and a sale is the best time to buy isn't it?

Shawl craziness has hit here. I am still loving the Forest Canopy Shawl, have fallen in love with the following shawl patterns: Kiri, Seraphim, Spring Things, Sumac Leaf ( damn Ravelry - will people stop cueing things please?!) Leaf Lace and Angel Lace from Fibretrends and Diamond Fantasy.

The good thing about this is that I still want to knit each and everyone of them I haven't lost enthusiasm for them which is unusual for me.

No links cos blogger is really effing me off with the slow uploading of pics. I waited for half and hour and then it came up with an error and I really must go dig the side up.