On my first trip to Home Depot for supplies I went with a friend, Chris. He made it possible for me to get all the stuff I needed and then helped me shop for everything. It was amazing! I was so excited to be getting all of the supplies I needed (minus the plants, too early). Chris helped me load the cinder blocks and choose the best top soil and humus for the job. Once we'd purchased everything a kindly work helped us load the vehicle. He asked us questions like how far we were going and etc. I replied "Arlington" and that set him off on the fact that he had gone to the local high school in Arlington as well. So he chatted and complained and chatted some more. Finally, we were done, thanked him, and drove off.
Chris helped me load the wheelbarrow to drop the supplies in the garden. Our house is on a hill so that's kind of a big task. We had to push all of the supplies to Patch up the hill on one side of the house, across the back of the house and around to the other side where my garden resides twice. We cannot go the easy way because for 1) it's way to narrow and 2) stairs. Even with the both of us loading and unloading it was a bit trying but went quickly. I wanted to address this because I said I had done all the heavy lifting in my last blog. What I meant was that I had gotten the bricks, 1/2 the mulch, topsoil and 3 cinder blocks to the garden on my own and completed the building 100% on my own. Chris helped me get all the rest to the garden. So grateful to him because I made a second trip to Home Depot two days later...
Second Trip...
On my second trip to Home Depot I was alone. I went to the one by our house and spent an hour trying to find things that they just didn't carry. Things I had bought with Chris at the Home Depot a few miles further down the road. (I did get the type of seeds for carrots and spinach that grow well in my area but nothing more.) When I arrived at the 2nd location I parked in the first covered garage and was greeted by a familiar employee with a much weirder demeanor. When he recognized me from my first trip with Chris he began quoting Napoleon Dynamite and following me around the store quoting and asking if I'd need help loading. Finally, I'd gotten so scared and annoyed I asked a young guy to show me around to the things I needed. I picked up six more bags of top soil, 3 concrete blocks, and a Shepard or Forged hook to hang my strawberry topsy turvy. The young man helped me ring everything up and as we were finishing the weird-o guy approached the young man and myself and asked "you got this man? Or do you want me to load?" The other guy answered in an irritated manner "NO DUDE I GOT IT!" Then as the guy left said (to me) "that guy creeps out most of our female clients and does not get that not everyone wants help." He helped me load up my car and I left.
When I got home I grabbed the wheelbarrow and loaded 4 of six bags. It took me 3x as long and my shoulders began hurting half way up the hill. I got it all the way up and to the Gate unloaded and went back for the rest. At this point I'm sweating profusely and my muscles are strained. I loaded the 2nd bunch then tried pushing it up the driveway. I began rolling backwards because the weight superseded my own. I pushed through it and made it to the garden without too much damage but vowed to take someone with me the next time around.
I only need plants now but if I ever do need more I'm taking someone with me 1) because of creepy Napoleon and 2) because I lack the strength.
I'm still really excited and I get to start the container part (decorate area around the bed) tomorrow but at this point I have a much greater respect for farmers landscapers and major home gardeners. It's hard work especially alone on a hilltop.
No comments:
Post a Comment