December..

December, month of blood loss (see my blog 56 Days) County Code Violations, Sun Tans, and fire pits.

          So I get home and see these two pieces of paper on the door. I walk up looking at them thinkin 'Somebody is gonna be in for a surprise' because I think it's a summons for someone that doesn't even live here. No It's a compliance order from the county code enforcement. Yeah, I was surprised. It's cold, it's December, this is going to suck.

          Behind the house is what can only be described as, and has been affectionately nicknamed, THE JUNGLE. In that over six foot tall tangle of growth, somewhere, are several tables, five chairs, a swing set, a patio couch, a former indoor couch, various yard tools, lots of dieing lumber, several small trees, a fire pit, and probably a lost pigmy tribe. (Something riles up the dog, and plays with the dog, and sometimes we swear we hear drums, though that could just be the neighbors stereo) Not to mention that there are real big trees that have dropping branches for ever back there.

          I grab the sling blade. (If you don't know what one of these is, do a Google search) It's Wednesday. But that night, the Gods decide to smile on me, it clouds up and stays warmesk. Thursday by Ten AM I'm in a t shirt. Saturday I take a day off, half of the back yard is hacked into chunks with stubby things sticking up about shin high. I have found the swing set, a table, and three chairs.

          Sunday we get gas for the lawn mower, Scott has a friend's weed eater with a saw type blade, and we invade the jungle. There were questions in my mind as to weather this might count as deforesting. We find the fire pit first, clogged with weeds, a little gas a match and we start burning everything that looks like it will burn. And guess what, I'm working on my sun tan, that's right, it got almost to 80. Well we find every thing but the pigmy tribe. We're breaking up wood left and right and tossing it into the fire. I'm talking ply wood, 2x4's, 2x6's, 2x2's, 1x4's, tree limbs, tree parts (Well they were big parts of trees, I guess most people call them logs but whatever) weeds (Yes they had gotten so big they were woodesk) It gets dark, we're back in t shirts and still piling stuff into the fire.

          So it's dark and we are watching the fire channel, not bad, it could have been much better if a certain female was here to cuddle with. I finally go pass out. There are still a lot of things to do out there, lots of wood and wood like stuff to cut up and burn. Half of it still needs to be run over with the lawn mower.

          Monday night, grass all cut, fire channel going, my tan again improved, still lots of wood to go.

          Tuesday night, fire channel going, tan more improved, yard all but done.

          Wednesday night, again watching the fire channel, last of wood on fire, tan looking nice, fire pit re bricked. Back yard finished. Scott walks up.

          "Nice! But that's a bad spot, it collects water every time it rains. And it's always been too small. I got the bricks for a new one. Needs to go over here."

          Thursday, dig new pit, level it ….. THREE TIMES! (It's still not right but close enough) Mud the bottom bricks in (Yes Mud, not mortar, or concrete, MUD it lets the water drain out) Cut the front yard. Tan looking real good. Night, last of the twigs in New, fire pit. Scott pulls up.

          "Help unload."

          Couple hundred pounds of wood later, fire channel! I'm sitting there clean, relaxed as this only took five hours of my day. And I realize, three things are missing. A glass of wine, (That's in the house) food, (also in the house) and a certain someone to curl up with (Unfortunately Not in the house)

          Tomorrow Scott is bringing home a huge amount of wood, and for a goodly number of days after too. It's supposed to cool off, (It IS December) The fire pit works extremely well, the yard furniture is around it, It will be nice to go and sit and sip and watch the fire channel. Only one thing will be missing………….