Athena's Kick Ass Weekend

Kick ass, you say? Like rock my world? Why yes.

Now I must say that most of you would not be thrilled with the weekend I had. In fact, I'd venture to guess than maybe 1% of you would be happy with it but I was thrilled.

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The weekend's weather outlook was 60s and sunny, no rain in the forecast. Last week I had received a letter from the condo association's landscape company that they were coming the week of April 7 to mulch the flowerbeds and clean up from winter.

I knew then, as I know now, that my flowerbeds, while well loved by me, were not well-loved in the past. Thick, clay-y soil and precious little in the way of amendments make the ground unpleasant to garden in. Last year I had spread topsoil, composted cow manure and peat moss into the soil to help amend it but this year it was still far from 'good' let alone 'great.'

So after seeing the weather for the weekend, I decide that Saturday will be a day of garden-amending. I arrange for D9 to help me pick up some soil and manure (as my Honda is no hauling machine).

Saturday morning dawns and I am ready to tackle the garden. I get up early and run errands and arrange to meet D9 at Menards at 10ish. I get there a bit before he does and purchase 5 40# bags of manure, 5 40# bags of topsoil and a big brick of peat moss. I load most of it into my car but wait for his Subaru to show up to load the rest. After loading his car, I realize I may need a bit more and ask him if he minds if I purchase a few more bags. He says sure and I head back in. I load 3 more 40# bags of manure and 3 more 40# bags of topsoil. For those of you playing at home, I've now purchased 640 lbs of manure and topsoil.

We head back to my place (short trip) and drop off. He and Nicholas head off to see his parents and I begin the process in earnest, mapping out how I'm going to tackle it all.

I begin by raking off all the beds of their mulch. There isn't much left as most has disintegrated over the past summer, fall and winter. When I am done, everything looks a little rough but getting closer to new dirt.

I get out my wheelbarrow and load 1/2 bag of manure and 1/2 bag of topsoil into it. I add about 4 big handfulls of peat (it is air packed so that is a lot of peat) and hand mix it all together. I do this for every wheelbarrow full after. Sixteen wheelbarrow-loads later, I still have a hell of a lot of ground that needs covered. I have covered my front flowerbeds down the side of the house but not around back and most importantly, not in my veggie garden area next to my patio.

I head back to Menards (by now looking uber attractive, all coated in peat, topsoil and dirt) and purchase an additional 5 bags of topsoil, 5 bags of manure and another big brick of peat. I follow the same process as before and now ten wheelbarrow-loads later, I am done spreading dirt. Again, for those of you following at home, I spread 1,040 lbs of topsoil and manure (not counting peat) on my flowerbeds and my vegetable beds.

I figured I lifted that 1,040 lbs at least 5 times. Once when I loaded my cart, once when I loaded my car, once when I unloaded my car, once when I loaded the wheelbarrow and once when I unloaded the wheelbarrow. Needless to say, I took a healthy dose of ibuprofin that night.

I finished the day by raking the old mulch back on and cleaned up. Went to dinner with the young'un and was in bed by 10.

Sunday morning was an ill-fated trip to Le Peep (see next post) and then a trip to Lowe's.

I had the intention of sanding and repainting my patio furniture on Sunday. I also wanted to get the garage a bit more organized and plant some seeds in a covered tray for later planting. I purchased spray paint, garage hooks and seeds/covered tray. I then headed home.

Got into my painting clothes and started hauling furniture off the patio and front porch to the yard. Got out my sandpaper, spray paint and headed back to the yard to start the process.

I sanded each piece (6 chairs and 4 tables) and then washed them off with the hose to get rid of any dust that was left. I let them air dry. During this time I went into the garage and started looking at the hooks I had purchased and looked around at what I could get off the floor.

I managed to hang up some tools and a garden cart Sister had left at my house. I also pulled out some stuff I thought she might want for landscaping at Boy Wonder's house. I reorganized the shelves in my garage cubby area and knocked down some cobwebs.

After I was done with this, I had furniture to paint.

I gave each piece a good first coat.

I went into the house and made lunch, it was 2 and I was hungry again.

After lunch I went back to work in the garage until 3 then gave the furniture another coat of paint.

Worked more in garage, paint. Repeat.

Finally wrapped up with last paint at 5 and decided my aching back needed time in a hot tub. Left the furniture to dry and headed over to the gym where I soaked in the hot tub about a half hour. Ahhhhhhh.

Came back home and moved the furniture back into its rightful places. Fixed some cheese and crackers and a glass of wine. Sat on patio and luxurated in my job well done.

And that was my weekend. I am very pleased with myself, albeit a bit sore.