Yard: Day 1

Holy crap! I left work early yesterday hoping to pound out the whole sprinkler installation thing and boy was I in for a rude awakening! I worked from about 4-730pm (when I couldn't see anymore) and completed one whole line (out of 7). Bless Jesse's heart! If he hadn't come to help me I think I would have gotten one head of one line done. Installing takes so much more time than I had anticipated. Everything looks quick on paper, but takes a heck of a lot more time in real life. I changed and ate by 8pm and was fast asleep (according to Joe) by 830. I couldn't keep my eyes open! I woke up at 5:15 this morning and stayed that way until I finally decided to shower at 7am. I contemplated heading back out to the yard (by light of the porch) but Joe forbade me. I really think I could have started digging the trench for the green line (aka flowerbeds). Oh well. Guess I'll have to wait for after work.

I have definitely learned a few things in my first day. One... if you are going to hire out the trenching, make sure your "landscaper" knows what they are doing. Two... even if you think they know what they are doing, take the time to mark your trench lines. That way there is no question as to where you want things. I didn't realize the horrible job they did trenching until it came to installing. The trenches are no where near my sprinkler heads so I am spending a whole lot of unnecessary time making extra trenches where I need them and backfilling the ones I don't need. I'm still farther ahead than where I would have been without hiring out the trenching, but I could be a lot farther if I had hired someone who knew what they were doing or if I had marked the trenches for them. Pero que va hacer? What can you do?

Anyway, this evening will be day 2. I am hoping to get the blue line run, valve boxes in place, and create a path under the sidewalk. At this rate I should be done by Christmas. lol. I really hope I can talk my boss into letting leave early on Thursday and Friday seeing as how I have sod coming on Friday and I can't afford to push it back any farther (due to weather). I guess there is a third lesson in this... don't wait until the last minute to install the sprinklers! I should have had the plans drawn up in early spring and all the trenching done during the summer. Install should have taken place in early September so we could have laid sod as planned the first Saturday in October. But shoulda, woulda, coulda.... I guess I just move forward with what I have to work with, right? If I make it through this week it will be a miracle!!!