the back yard project -

       When Brent had told us that he was enlisting in the Navy*, Brian told him that yes, we would keep Boo while he was away, but that Brent was going to have to enclose the backyard for us. Boo is a very active, very strong dog. Keeping him on a relatively short leash in the backyard (so that he can't quite reach the alley or the neighbors driveway) was not really being fair to Boo. Also, we had had to replace said leash on different occasions due to his having broken it. Brent totally agreed with the whole idea and set his tax refund check aside for that plan.
     ( * it now looks as though Brent will not be able to join the Navy due to his medical condition. As some of you know, back in the 4th grade he got hit by a car. Due to the hole in his lungs and rip in his spleen, they were not able to tape up his ribs. Consequently, his ribs did not heal quite right. Most of the time they don't really bother him. But in high school wrestling, they affected him to the point that both his Dr. and the coach removed him from the team. The Navy thinks they would probably end up giving him a medical discharge ...).
     The weekend of the fourth of July, we had dubbed 'do the backyard' weekend. After much discussion, and figuring, and scouting out pricing, etc., it had been decided to put in a tall wooden fence most of the way around the yard. The only area not to have said fencing, would be along the neighbors yard where there was already chain link fencing in place (behind the overgrown trees, flowers, etc.).
     While all of that might sound easy enough, there were of course a few projects that had to be done first. Things such as removing most all of the extremely overgrown bushes and 'trees' that were along part of the alley side of the yard. And digging the holes for the fence posts in ground that is overflowing with rocks, large stones and boulders, besides root systems from years ago.
     The 'plan' was to take out all of the bushes, etc. Friday night, put the fence in on Sat., attack the rest of the overgrowth on Sunday, and lallygag on Monday. R-i-g-h-t ... .
      I forgot to take a picture of everything before Brent got started, but this picture shows about 1/3rd of the bushes removed.

             First they attached the brush with chain saws.

               And sword.

Which is better, the sword or the chain saw? Dueling brothers ... (nobody got hurt :-) )

      Next came using shovels and axes to loosen the dirt around the roots.

      Then they tied a chain around the roots and pulled them out with a truck. Easy, right? Another 'yeah, right!'! One root system was so far in there, that it actually pulled the truck sideways! Eek!

     All of the brush was then stacked in the borrowed trailer to be hauled away. 'The boys' then stomped it down so more could be added. And then stomped again. We took full advantage of the fact that it was a dump trailer, thus meaning we wouldn't have to pull all of it back out of there ourselves!  ;-)  (Thanks for the loan of your trailer Don R.!!!)

     It had also been decided that spending money to rent an auger to dig the post holes, would be worth it considering the elements/makeup of our yard. That became known as an understatement!!!  That was money more than well spent, and were we ever glad we went with the two person type!!!  The guys muscles were still tested mightily!

    

       Finally the holes were dug, and one by one, a post was inserted, dry cement poured in and the water was added. Whew, part two was now completed.

    [our neighbor Jim couldn't stay away ;-p]

         The suggestion was made to start on the trimming of the other side of the yard while waiting for the posts to set, but by then the guys were so-o-o tired, and I was weaving (vertigo), and it was late...getting this far had taken till about 8:00 Sat. evening! And then that night it rained ... so they took a break, after all, things did need to dry a bit first.
    Sunday afternoon they were back at it. And bit by bit the fencing went up. See, the alley runs along a hill, making leveling everything more than a bit challenging. 

         By Monday night, 90% of the fencing was in place. It took another week and a half for the rest of it and the two gates to go up, because of course Brian started working ten hour days and manditory Sat.'s (which the checks from have been ever so helpful, but there went the list of projects we were tackling ...), and Brent was having vehical issues, and Brandon was helping the catereer... and while Benson was good at helping dig, or hold up fence sections, etc., this type of work is not his strong suit. So yeah, life.
     So all of the fencing and the gates are in place,

          and it's so nice to be able to open the door and just let Boo (who of course was grand overseer of the whole project ;-p) out.

 We still hope to do more of the work out there ... I'll post about it if we do ;-)