Urgh, somewhat tough weekend. No footbag because of drainage project. Here's how that project went:
Overview: Swail between my yard and Doug's yard is a swamp due to surface water and underground springs. Last year we had a similar problem in a different area - had a gravel field with drain pipes installed, it fixed that area. So we were to install a french drain trench (basically, gravel with a pipe) that runs the entire swampy area along our property line. While we were at it, we also tied in both of our sump pumps and gutters into the system. The entire thing then ties into a gulley where all the underground springs ultimately let out (the water just gets there inefficiently today, hence the swampiness).
- Get hammered Friday night with a couple buddies. Played washers and some cards etc. Went to bed way too late.
- Saturday morning up at 7 a.m. Feeling ROUGH.
- 7:30 a.m. 5 tons of gravel is delivered.
- 8 a.m. go with Sean to pickup trencher.
- 8:30 a.m. Sean operates trencher along the course that I've painted in lawn, and I hand dig out all areas where trencher can't reach.
- Note, it's already 85 degrees and 90% humidity
- 10 a.m. Sean goes to return trencher, and Doug (the neighbor who shares the property line that's being drained) and I continue working on trench project. I have him putting landscape fabric in place as needed while I make all the needed connections for the solid pipes from gutters / sump pumps (because these connections do not require gravel)
- 11 a.m. Sean returns with a Cushman utility vehicle. This thing was a LIFE SAVER. It has a loader bed on back and would hold about 8 wheel barrows worth of gravel at a time. So, we'd fill it up from the gravel pile, and Sean would pull up next to the trench. Doug would hold the fabric in place while I filled trench with gravel. Sean would inch ahead and we just moved down the line. I literally shovelled every last pound of 5 tons of gravel by myself by the time it was done.
- Note, at this point it is 95 degrees, blazing sun, 90% humidity.
- Note 2, I drank 15 bottles of water this day.
- 3 p.m. All gravel base, pipe, connections are complete. Doug and Sean work on some gravel covering where we're crossing Doug's driveway (need a lot of gravel over the pipe in that area so driving over won't crush it) and I rake the dirt back over the trench.
- Done by 4:30 p.m. Tired, real tired. Pretty much spend the rest of the night with water, orange juice, and a beer by my side at all times. Kids and wife are at the shore so I'm just a bum laying around.
Then on Sunday, I'm so beat, but I'm bored because no one's around, so I do more work. Just little stuff, but yard is done and in good shape, water issues are taken care of, and now I can enjoy rest of summer (yes, I know I always say "this is the last project this year", but this time I mean it)
edit: and while I'm at it, how bout some blog pics:
Classic picture of Keegan's first fishing experience:
Keegan working hard with his bucket in the lake:
Cute family pic of Meg and kids at local park:
It's pics like these that make me realize what I have. Wife's beautiful, kids are cute as hell. Happy.:
Bob R.
I hate capturing vid, so after I went through it once to capture my stuff, I needed a break... and then I've taped over that tape since then (I often video, but never capture.. just watch myself on the TV to get pointers). But, when we shred next, I'll just capture both of us at same time (like I did for the "Pete and Bob" video recently) to make sure my laziness doesn't get the best of me!
