The Times, They are a Changing...

Thursday at lunchtime, I went and bought an electric shaver. I haven't used one in many years. I like the old fashioned way of shaving. In fact, years ago, I used the boar's hair bristle brush, a round cake of soap that went into a coffee mug and lathered up with hot water that way. I always wanted to try an old straight razor, but my barber told me they are no longer available (they now come with replaceable blades). Bummer, man.

But, somehow, the idea of running a razor blade around my throat with my left hand seems fraught with peril. I have been experimenting with just using my left hand to accomplish tasks, such as driving the car. I have found that, while turning the key and shifting the automatic (thank God) transmission are difficult, the real killer is to fasten your seatbelt.

Back at the house (still at lunch) I was surprised to see the back gate opened. I looked out the kitchen window and saw a guy with my neighbor's ATV and trailer moving the wood chips! I did kinda want him to use the landscape fabric I'd bought /before/ moving the chips, but I can always use it next year, I guess. And, I may still have time to repair the ruts in the lawn and reseed the grass before the fall.

I stopped at the bank to get some money to pay him tonight.

When I came home after work, I changed clothes and went out back. Hmmm... This looks a bit weird. When I saw my neighbor, I walked over to the fence to chat.

I found there had been some sort of miscommunication. I originally told him I'd pay the guy $100.00 to put down the landscape fabric and spread the mulch. But they thought I just wanted it off the lawn (which I also did), so they loaded it and put it in piles in the garden for me, so I could spread it. Now, that's a big improvement over where I started, but...

Anyway, I asked how much I should give the guy (he'd left at 2:00 PM for a dentist appointment) and my neighbor said $40.00. I said for four hours work, that's too little. So, he said then $50.00. I said I only got twenties, so let's make it $60.00. We shook hands and I went in and got him the money.

Honestly, that means another item on my "ToDo List Before Surgery" (only two weekends left) but its well worth it. Plus, they left me a little pile still in the lawn to try and fill in the ruts from that damn truck. I'll pick up some bagged topsoil this weekend and then put down some grass seed.

I hooked up the sprinkler and watered the grass seed I'd laid down where the old maple used to be. Then I walked out back to take some photos for you. I also grabbed the plant-tie Velcro and tied up the tomatoes to the last crossbar. I pulled all the radishes out, BTW. Not one of them developed the round radish shape we are all familiar with. The leaves were huge, but there were just thin stalks (like sickly carrots) of red radish. I'm not sure it was the weather, water or fertilizer, but I thought I'd make room for the summer cabbage.

Then I disconnected the oscillating sprinkler (for the grass) and hooked up the square sprinkler (for the raised bed garden) and watered that. When that had its 30 minutes of water-park fun, I filled up the Topsy-turvy planter (cherry tomatoes, if you remember) with the hose, gave it my nephew Rick's recommended 1/4 turn and went to go back inside.

I was walking back inside when my neighbor's wife called over to me. We are all concerned because, if you remember, the vacant lot to the south of me was rezoned for a two-story, ten apartment complex. Well, Tuesday, a survey crew marked off the boundaries of the lot and then on Wednesday, the Gas Company painted lines on my driveway and all the way to Plymouth Road to show where the gas lines were.

So, we talked about the challenges of living next door to a two-story edifice (arbor vitiate takes way too long to grow I've found) and what can we do? Basically, we are just screwed, except that, as her husband Rick pointed out, if they start right now, they will be putting in the driveways and parking lot and framing the apartments this winter.

Therefore, our collective thinking is they want to get the gas and sewer lines run before Redford blacktops the road. Then they can build at their leisure. I sure the hell hope so! Meanwhile I'm investigating growing bamboo.

Back inside, it was almost 8:30 PM and I'm hungry. I went with comfort food (a recent theme, if you've noticed). I made a can of Campbell's Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I put the soup in a big cup and the sandwich on a paper plate. I watched a little TV, but went to bed at 10:00 PM.