Curb Appeal

When we realized we weren't going to win a spot on HGTV's Outdoor Makeover or Curb Appeal and we haven't won the lottery yet, W and I started on our own mini-outdoor makeover. I took out the old azalea bushes out front. It was like "wrassling" alligators, and I have the scars to prove it. I swear those shrubs had teeth! I replaced them with new broad leaf evergreens.

W started on his rock garden by rearranging those mammoth rocks we have in the back yard and liberally dosing weeds with Roundup. Then he started hauling bark. So far: 3 trailer loads! Yesterday and today his project was to yank out 2 overgrown boxwoods. Very interesting because he used a shovel, a piece of pipe, and his truck. Then he hauled more bark. Lots more.

I just spent the last 5 hours on the latest project on my to-do list: washing the front porch. Oh, yeah, it sounds easy enough. Coupla hours oughta do it. Right. Remember, that means the siding, shutters, windows and door, columns, and all those spindles that make up the railing around the porch. Five hours later I'm sitting here writing my last will and testament, because I may not live to do another project.

I'll have to admit, that if I hadn't procrastinated it probably wouldn't have been so bad. While I was in the midst of this "little" project, all I could think was that the "stuff" I was scrubbing off would probably make a killer science project. I can see it now: "The Life and Times of Southern Mold & Algae" or "Proper Temperature & Growing Mediums for Mold & Algae as Found in West Central Alabama" or "Can Southern Mold & Algae Survive Simple Green in a 1:4 Solution?"

Daydreaming helped me survive my project on this overcast but humid July morning in West Central Alabama. Unfortunately, there is more to do. But for today, I can check one thing off the list. Stay tuned.