American poet Robert Frost is one of my favorites, and I often agree with him. But I'm going with his neighbor on the topic of fences. The neighbor in the poem said, "Good fences make good neighbors."
I'm extending a fence to close in a garden and close out a view of my neighbor's unkempt trash can area. Five years or so ago I put up some trellises, and they have been mostly adequate. Which also means, they've grown somewhat inadequate.
"Something there is that doesn't love a wall," but I'm looking forward to putting this one up. I'm a bit nervous, because this is the first fence I'm putting up on my own. It's kind of like taking a driving test. You do your homework. You practice, but you're not quite sure what will happen when you hit the real road.
I've created a plan, measured twice, and invested in the materials. They're in the back of the car, awaiting the hammer, the angle iron, and the light of day.
All I have today are the "before" pictures. I've removed the old lattices. I've mostly cleared out the construction site. I'm just waiting... for maybe... tomorrow. Or later today when it gets cooler.
Anyway, I just wanted to share what I've got done so far: a mental fence. (And I like it already!)
Happy Fourth of July!
Don, you really are a hard worker around the house! Too bad I couldn't hire you to help me out here in NY :) Enjoy the 4th!!
ReplyDelete@septembermom: My dad was from NY (Syracuse) and my mom is from Iowa. I grew up in California, but I learned that "work ethic" thing you're trying to teach your own kids. I tell kids who are looking for friends, "Get involved. There's always room for helpers." Help is almost always welcomed and appreciated.
ReplyDeleteHow did it go?
ReplyDelete@Chase: It's going. I'm past the nervous, doubting myself stage... and I've done the hardest part (drilling the holes for the supports), now I just have to build and hang the last part. I may have to hire two guys from the U-haul parking lot. That was my last obstacle: carrying the fence from the backyard to the side yard. It's a two man job: a two young man job. ;-) $10 an hour each for two guys... that should do the trick and save my back.
ReplyDelete