I'm About Sick of Construction Projects

Ugh - what a day. I had to go to Lowes to return a few things and stood in line for about 15 minutes. Then headed to the garden area to buy 12 landscape timbers. I didn't look at the price; they used to be a couple of dollars. Well, my bill came to $70+ after I got 3 plants so went back inside to stand in line again to "return" the landscape timbers. They were almost $4/each! I could get some pressure treated 2 x 4 for $2.49 each, so that's what I did. Customer Service is so poor at my Lowes. Once again I had to load all the stuff myself.

One nice thing did happen while I was inside though. I recognized one of the men who installed my laminate in the den a couple of years ago. I stopped him and struck up a conversation. He didn't remember me and I had to keep telling him that I had a house full of dogs and other things to try to jar his memory. Then I embarassed him to death (on purpose - hee hee) by telling him that I couldn't believe he didn't remember me after I had actually flirted with him and his brother. Now bear in mind, they were both considerably younger than me and both married - I was just teasing them when they were finished with the job. Then he remembered me. We started talking about dogs and he said he got a little Maltese and had to show me a picture of it. Then we started talking about spaying and neutering and rescue and I told him where he could get his pooch neutered pronto for the lowest price.

I told him I was getting ready to attempt to install the same laminate in my living room and wish I could just pay him to do it, but everybody tells me I can do it myself. He told me I could do it too but gave me his phone number and told me to call him and he would be happy to get me started. Wasn't that sweet?!? Once somebody gets me started, I know I can do it myself and save a bunch of $$.

It was well after noon by the time I got started on the new chicken run. Digging the post holes was the easy part. Because I tend to jerry-rig a lot of things, it makes it very difficult to take things apart. I had laced together several pieces of deer net with fine wire. There was wire all over the place. I wanted to reuse the deer net and wire so painstakingly took it all apart. I know that took over two hours. Finally I was able to attach deer net to the new posts. It will have to do for now. At some point I have to put a lattice roof on it but not any time soon. I had to get something over the top of the run so I can let the hens out tomorrow before I go to work at the greenhouses. The posts are 8 feet tall, so I'll be able to walk in there when it's truly finished. Here are some very embarassing "before" pictures: The tarps were new last summer; they don't last long at all!
Wendy, one of my outdoor kitties, stayed with me all day and supervised.
I didn't get any work done close to the barn. That's a separate piece of wire for the top, and I have to secure it better. Plus I can now take out those blocks and poles holding it up. I told you I jerry rig stuff like crazy

I know you can't really tell in these pictures that this is the improved run, but if you could see it, you would see a huge difference. It's slightly larger and the deer net is attached to the wood posts now, instead of sagging down old curtain rods.
Anyway - that's how I spent my day. Once again I'm tired...and grouchy. I'm headed for bed. I'm sick of construction at the moment.