Spring Clean Up (now I'm ready for anything!)

Spring is the time I miss my daycaring role the most. I loved this time of year. The kids were ecstatic to be outside, I would putter in the yard as they played. I would rake a little, fill a garbage bag as I went and bit by bit, a job I somewhat detest was done and I barely even noticed I did it.

Now our yard is an abandoned and desolate space. I openly resent it because it still requires a minimal amount of lawn maintenance and care, even though no one uses it.

I asked my Youngest Son to start the "spring clean up" by raking up and bagging some leaves. He doesn't believe in doing a job twice, when once will suffice. He suggested we simply wait until the grass needed to be mowed, bag it up then and make one time do both jobs.

That sounded nice in theory. But the fact of the matter is that our windy fall, winter and spring blew leaves from Alberta into our yard (not to mention, those from Manitoba, the U.S. and if there were leaves at the North Pole, I think we may have had those as well).

Surely I jest. But seriously, our yard has never looked worse. I considered hiring someone to do the job for us. We could handle the routine cutting and trimming. But maybe it would be worth it to hire a team to take care of the monumental task of dealing with the aftermath of our melted snow.

But then ... I ended up with an unexpected morning off yesterday.

What happened next, was all because "Jet", our stir crazy little black cat, really REALLY wanted outside. Sure! I could do this. I would take out a cup of coffee and savor the spring day.

I took one step outside and immediately grabbed a rake. I reminisced about the "good old days" while I was daycaring and actually cared about the yard. I would just start the job by raking up the leaves by the garage.

I raked beside the deck and garage. Then I noticed how messy it looked behind the playhouse. Then the sand box. I was hopeful the rest of the yard could be tidied up by running the lawn mower over it. I wheeled the lawnmower into the middle of the yard to allow the sun to warm it up and hopefully help it start up after a long fall, winter and spring of neglect.

While the lawnmower soaked up some rays, I swept up the leaves that had blown into the garage and raked up the mess of leaves beside the driveway. I convinced the lawnmower to start, ran it over the back yard, beside the driveway and cat walk beside us. Then I tried picking up a tree's worth of pine cones in the front yard. The lawnmower was of no help. This was a job for a human with a rake.

I persevered. 

One thing led to another and four hours later, I had amassed six bags of leaves, pinecones, dusty dead grass and pine needles.

After all was said and done, I felt and looked as dirty as the garage floor. A quick shower and I would be on my way to work ...

Then I found a message from my brother. "Would you like company this weekend?", he asked. "Yee haw!" and "Yessiree, Bob!" Not only was the yard ready for company, I would be too. The task of washing my hair would be behind me on a Wednesday and that will carry me through the weekend. Bring on the company!! My laundry day seems to have jumped ahead a day earlier than usual, so laundry is done too. 

I would be raring to go for company Friday night ...

Then I received the terrible news that they will not arrive until Saturday. By supper time. Oh no! There goes all my plans of not having enough time to prepare for company. My definition of "ready" has dwindled to - clean sheets; clean bathroom; clean me; cat hair vacuumed; and a ready supply of coffee & toast. 

Oh dear. A clean yard will not be enough. I have time to buy groceries too...

P.S. Brother, you are MORE than welcome to come out a day early if it works for you! It could save me some work.😏