Before, Beginning, and...

This is our back yard. Not much to look at. The dirt is a combination of powdery dust like cement powder, clay and sand. It barely qualifies as "soil". It's like the desert back there. Hot, dirty, dusty. A few die-hard weeds. As a gardener at heart, this has been heart-wrenching for me to endure: WAITING.

But the call I was waiting for finally came. The permit had been approved. 4 weeks at least we waited. Last house, 3 days. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not very patient. Especially with shady salespeople. (By it's very nature, if you look up shady in the dictionary it says "see sales". Sorry if I offended anyone here...)

A tractor showed up.

But it was a nail-biter. The access is tight. My smart hubby made a steel frame box to "protect" our air conditioning units. I thought he was a goober. Turns out we were both right...he's a smart goober! Being a nerd has it's advantages. You probably can't tell in the picture...but let's just nicely say, Dave was stressed. I'm pretty sure he still is. Just today (as every other day since we started this project) my dear husband called to find out how many workers are working on the project, if the tractor was still in the yard, had they moved anything, etc. What he is actually asking is "Have they destroyed anything? Did they take out a corner of the house driving the backhoe 40 MPS through the tight spot?" Good reasons to worry, but at some point, you just gotta let them do the job. I can't question them...I don't speak spanish! He's sort of a micro-manager with this stuff. High, high blood pressure, this guy. Totally self-inflicted. I used to feel sorry for him. I just try to stay calm otherwise he tends to increase my very low blood pressure!

But after three days we got this. We have this to give us hope. A pit. A pit that today is being filled with pipe and rebar. A pit that will someday be a pool. A pit that no doubt will bring endless hours of pleasure and relief. The idea that in a couple months time, this project might come to an end. There will be no more workers in my yard. So that this gardener might begin another project: Beautifying the desert. I'm up to the challenge. Although, this is the 3rd (and HOPEFULLY LAST) new back yard from scratch we will ever put in. I've asked to be buried in that pit. Cuz if we ever have to move or do this again, surely it will kill me.

Think happy thoughts. And don't, don't answer the phone!