Got my ass handed to me this past weekend. I dug a 10’x10’ish ditch only 3-5” deep and ended up with sore hammy’s and a lower back that felt like I had been riding for 3+ hours. Doesn’t sound like much but considering the dirt out here is as hard as concrete….it was a lot for this old d-bag. WTF? I’ll tell you what it is….The only strength I have is completely sports specific. Pedaling, running….there you go. Ask me to help you install a deck, and I’ll perform like a superstar on day 1. Day 2? I won’t even show up because I’d be laid up on ibuprofen watching world cup soccer wishing I could move, and lamenting the fact that I’ll miss three rides. This brings up a good point.
Make sure your pool of friends is diverse. If everyone is an over the hill mid-pack has been athlete – or worse, a legit athlete, then you’ll make 10 calls and get zero replies next time you want to construct a chicken coop. “Dude, I’d be there, but I gotta get 5 more hours on the bike before the end of the week”. “Sure man, love to help, but I’ve got this race coming up and I don’t want to mess up my back putting that lumber together.” My bud Ellsie is reconstructing his house and he knows I’m not only worthless as far as committing to help, but helpless if I do get there. Hey, it is what it is. The only thing my Dad taught me about construction was how to construct a retirement account, and I have completely failed at that - unless my daughter is considered my retirement package. She doesn’t know I’m moving in with her if I’m still alive at 71. I might surprise her.
So, it’s all me on this project. I got the hole dug. D gave me a sweet hamstring rubdown on her table Saturday night and I was feelin’ mucho better by Sunday morning. Next up, mortar sand – gotta compact that shit by hand with a heavy-ass metal pile driver. Then….get the stone delivered and start cutting. 10 more days, and it’ll be done. If it comes out within 80% my expectations, I’ll be smiling for a month.
In the meantime its: work-eat-sleep-play-vacation-walk the dogs-play more with D and Lyz-ride hard and avoid any further construction projects. Summer summer.
Maybe someday I'll tell you about the 14'x14' area of lawn I turned over to make a 12'x 12' raised bed garden that took 3600# of dirt to fill and needed a 4' fence around it to keep out the woodland creatures that we have here.
ReplyDeleteJust thinking about your project makes me sore. "woodland creatures"..I like that.
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