Project working

Today was a thrilling day in the wood shop. You wouldnt believe the incredible time I had building stuff out of wood!

[cliched cricket sounds]

Gophers and ants

What did I do? Well, I mowed the jungle that I call a lawn. Discovered several new gopher mounds. Rather than doing something with those mounds of dirt, I decided to just mow over them.

Naturally, the lawn mower objects to this practice and makes horrendous sounds while throwing clouds of dirt throughout the atmosphere. I looked at the biggest pile, or what remained of it, and noticed it was moving...or pulsating.

About 33 billion ants had determined that a gopher mound was a perfect place to raise a family and were now frantically darting every which way carrying little white bundles of baby ants. In a strange way, I really felt guilty. Ants are cool. Just as long as they stay outside. Once they march into my house and discover the cats food, I have no regrets using the most non-environmentally-friendly ant poison. I believe doing so builds up immunity.

We pay for dirt! Dirt! Its everywhere!

Wait, Im getting off track. But it still involves dirt, just not the gopher or ant variety. Dirt that people actually have to purchase and move from place to place. Why on earth we buy earth is a puzzle.

Strawberries!

We have four raised flower beds that I built ten years ago. They have held all sorts of plants, but this Fall my wife decided we need onions in two of them. Its a good winter plant to grow, and I really shouldnt complain because I do most of the cooking around this dump and I and use lots of onions. And as if I havent mentioned it before, I hate spending money. So growing your own food is awesome.

But the dirt levels in those planters was down about two feet from the top. Yep...the mysterious disappearing dirt. I understand that it can compact, but that doesnt account for this volume of lost dirt. It just simply vanished. I think dirt evaporates and rains back into places that sell it.

Trip to Colored Gravel.

"Colored Gravel". Thats the name of a place here in Novato that sells all sorts or rocks, dirt, and rock-and-dirt-related products. I had them dump two loads of topsoil into my truck: one cubic yard. That pretty much fills the bed of a full-size truck. Its daunting to look at and know that youll have to unload it.

Yeah, it was way more than we needed to fill the raised beds. We filled them to their brims and had to find places to put the remainder. I avoided the vegetable garden option. I have no doubt Ill need to repeat this process next spring for my tomatoes. Just where does the dirt go?!

Moving dirt sucks.

Look! Its...dirt!

There is no way around it. I have nothing but admiration for guys that have to shovel stuff for a living. Seriously. Its hard work and they deserve better pay than whatever they get. Two hours of that nearly kills me.

Got the planters filled. Marveled at (outdoor) ants. Spent no time in the shop. I almost completed my Halloween video though. Im still trying to figure out an ending. Video editing is hard, but its total weenie work compared to moving crap around.


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Mere Minutes
I actually have a tip here. Not woodworking, though.