Good morning!!!!

[Thomas]

LS
Ok... Now I need suggestions for which color for the cart.... Blue or Black??
------------------
Yep I gotta put stick in spokes and say medium green.

 

[toppop52]

70°F and cloudy this morning, going up to 87° today. Looks like we may have some storms moving in Tuesday and Wednesday. We could use some rain here.

Shop was closed at work Friday, so I went home early. Got home to find the contractor finishing up their work on the pond project. They smoothed out the few rough areas left, did some last minute leveling here and there with the skid steer and dozer, dragged a harrow through everything and spread some grass seed and fertilizer on all the bare areas (with a JD 4066R cab, for those keeping score), and finished just as the skies opened up ... but only for about 5 minutes of moderate rainfall. The end result: it's finally DONE!!!!! (doing the happy dance here)

View attachment 668153View attachment 668150View attachment 668149View attachment 668152View attachment 668151

Only one casualty last week. A rookie on the skid steer bumped one of the maintenance tubes on the septic tank and shattered it. He was able to contact the company who installed and services it, and got a new tube from them, which he installed himself.

View attachment 668154

Now that the big stuff is done, we still need to install an aeration system and a fountain in the middle, and toss in some koi. Then, it'll be truly done.

And, it only took 17 months and two contractors. I let the contractor know that we appreciated him completing in 7-1/2 days what the other guy couldn't get done in almost 17 months. Nice to finally have that one off the list.

Lack of rainfall here made mowing unnecessary this weekend, so that freed up time to get other little things done. Checked some stuff off the honey-do list. That always feels good, too.

Wife took the foster dog for a meet-n-greet Sunday morning with a doctor in St. Louis. Nadia cuddled up to her immediately, and got along great with her other dog. The Wife even taught her a new trick right in front of them. They were impressed. So, she's leaving next Saturday morning for her new furever home.

We picked the last of the peaches yesterday, and the neighbor across the road came over and grabbed some as well. I went over to their place later to help them move a couple of loveseats. They are having some new furniture delivered, and wanted to get rid of one and move the other into it's place downstairs. He sold his classic Ford F-100, and his new Chevy hasn't been delivered yet, so we used our F-150 to move one of the loveseats down by the road. For my efforts, his wife gave me some of the peach crumble she'd made from our peaches. Excellent payment, even if unnecessary.

Busy but productive weekend. Not Ted-like productive, but pretty good in my world.

That looks great!

 

[txdon]

PJ, The size and color of the rock are the same the landscapers use in our neighborhood in steep ditches to prevent erosion. looks like central Texas stone. Hope you get enough rain to get the grass sprouting. How deep is the pond?

 

[NHBX]

Since dump picking not allow anymore here treasure pile gotten a lot lower....hmmm.

Technically not allowed here either, but it's amazing how far a box of coffee on a cold day or cold drinks on a hot day help build good relationships!!

Luther

 

[PJSprog]

PJ.

Pond looks great ... :thumbsup:

I'm sure you are glad to get that behind you ...

Words cannot adequately describe my elation that this is finally over.

Dang looking job PJ,that should increase property hopefully not your taxes.

That looks great!

Thanks, gents.

PJ, The size and color of the rock are the same the landscapers use in our neighborhood in steep ditches to prevent erosion. looks like central Texas stone. Hope you get enough rain to get the grass sprouting. How deep is the pond?

The original contractor was using much smaller rock, as seen in the swale between the pond and the road ditch. It was too small to hold itself in place during heavy rains. New guy doubled it up, hoping that will work. The stuff he brought in for the rest of the project was 3-4 times bigger. That stuff isn't going anywhere. We also removed several trees in the back, which is why he ran the rip rap up along that small hillside, for retention there. No idea where he got it, but I'd guess it's local. There are a few quarries along the Mississippi River bluffs on the Illinois side.

The pond was previously about 4-5 feet deep where it is now, and the back part we filled in was around maybe three feet at most. It was originally deeper, but dirt washing in over the years settled and shallowed it. Since they excavated it, it's now somewhere in the vicinity of 17 feet in the middle. Ironically, the contractor who finished the work was the guy the original contractor subbed the excavation work out to. He just happened to be one of the project managers at a construction company The Wife worked for a few years back, and he lives just a few miles from us. He left the other company and started his own company with his father. They definitely don't dawdle once the work begins.

 

[sodamo]

Diesel truck showed up while drinking coffee, 450 gal of red.

Decided to revisit garden on way back from gate and taking chance on 1st watermelon



Not going to be a very productive day. Wife decided I(she) has put up with my back/hip pain long enough and scheduled me a Dr appnt for 1130 this morning.

 

[sodamo]

Roy, hope your CT scan goes well.

Luther if you figure out that multiplication PLEASE let us know.

Welcome Tinhack, sounds like quite a project.

 

[sodamo]

Ron, I think I finally figured out that when I delay mowing in favor of other projects, the costs to mow increase dramatically.

 

[sodamo]

David (MFW), hope it all comes together.

Another vote for not liking packing. That’s why I tell everyone my next move won’t require packing, just scatter my ashes in the pet cemetery.

 

[sodamo]

Ted, I vote black. Wouldn’t want it to just fade into that sea of blue.