Bummer, Dude

I finally gave in and started work again on my yard: I haven’t heard from the landscaper since he called last week from Mexico and said he still wants to do the project—and would be here this past Monday at 7 am. I’m going to continue to believe that something has happened to interfere with him finishing the job, rather than think that he doesn’t want to do the job and won’t take the time to call and tell me that. If he shows up—great; if he doesn’t, there is still a lot of work to do to get the plants in before it turns cold.

The piles of dirt left from the brick project have to be raked smooth and level, so that’s what I’ve started in on. I’m also pulling out a lot of cement product, especially where the mixer sat in the middle of the yard. The yard is replete with lots and lots of little rocks, all of which need to be raked out of the soil, too. I can do grunt work, especially if it means I don't have to pay someone else to do it.

Once the yard is smooth, I need help bringing in the big rocks that will anchor the landscape, then I plant the desert plants, fill in with the smaller rocks I’ve selected, and then frost the yard with a layer of what is called “desert sand.” It is actually ground up rock, but it forms a nice surface that pretty much stays in place if it’s done correctly. I want specific rocks that are in an empty lot at the end street, so it’s not just go get them. Some of them are going to be heavy to lift into the bed of the truck, so I need help.

The biggest part of the project is getting water to the desert landscape. I can replace broken sprinklers, cap off PVC pipe, and even add extenders and t-joints, but I don’t know how to design and install the watering system, much less hook it up to the clock so it comes on and off as it’s supposed to throughout the year. I’ll be using drip irrigation off a few main sprinkler heads, which will simplify the plan, but someone has to install it before I can maintain it.

Why doesn’t it just happen that I decide what needs to be done, hire someone to do it, and it gets done?

I did purchase lumber to make 3 benches for my landscape, one on the Friendship Cactus Garden side of the driveway and 2 in the big yard. I want it to look inviting, and I love having a bench outside my front door, so I decided to dress up the landscape environment too. I’m going to start working on those tomorrow as I had all the wood cut (except the 4x4 for the legs) before I paid for it, so just have to assemble my pre-drawn plan and coat it well with varathane.

High ho, high ho, it’s back to the yard project I go. Bummer, dude.