Thursday, August 8, 2013

Goal

Okay, so: goal time.

The yard is actually pretty close to being completely clean now. That isn't to say that the outbuildings aren't still pretty heavily hoarded, so we'll be working on those for a while longer yet, but the yard itself is I think within reach of being totally cleaned up by the time winter sets in.

So what's left?

As far as cars go, there is a whole Bug over by the shop, next to a half Bug that Tara has already started demolishing. There is also a Bug in the garage which Tara intends to take to her place but has sort of dropped the ball on. There is a silver Saab that Tara wants to fix up that could maybe be switched out for the Bug in the garage, though really that ought to just go to her place too. Then there are a couple of half-pieces of cars, as well as that white Citroën that is half-in and half-out of the downstairs garage. The rest of the cars still on the property are indoors, either in the shop or in the downstairs garage, like a Karmann-Ghia that lives in the shop that could be sold (once we can get to it) and a couple of MGs (I think) in the downstairs garage, one of which a certain mommy-cat had her kittens in.

And no, this is not about how much we can stuff indoors and hide away; the goal is still to get those spaces clean, too, so that's not going to happen.

As far as pure junk goes, there are a couple of piles still of miscellaneous things outside. Mostly they are brittle pointy plastic things that can't be recycled and are too bulky to throw in regular trash bags and so present a bit of a problem. Tara mentioned maybe renting a dumpster, so that might work, and maybe they'll even take the concrete blocks, which would be really nice, because those are a real pain in the ass to get rid of around here as nobody wants them.

Then there are the miscellaneous bits of wood, like more fence posts and some broken-down bits of hideous picket fence that can go (or get burned); there are a couple of downed trees, too, but that's more general non-hoard tidying that ought to happen, you know, the type of 'mess' normal people have to deal with.

And finally then we'd finish some things off, like putting some garage doors on the downstairs garage and finishing off the back of the shop which just needs a trimboard or two and a coat of the new paint color. The shed, too, can get painted, though I'm not going to worry about doors on that right now; let's just get the stuff inside and tidy for now.

I think this is all quite doable. I was surprised, in fact, walking around today, by just how close we already are to having the yard entirely clean. A few years ago I would never have imagined it. And again, that's not what's inside the buildings; that will still need to be sorted and tossed. But having the yard clean would be a real accomplishment.

9 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

You both deserve a huge pat on the back! Multiple pats, in fact.

Evilisa said...

Wow! Proof that girls get things done!

Anonymous said...

You two are always such an inspiration to me. Thanks so much for your continuous progress reports. You really do give me hope.

Beverly Diehl said...

Such an incredible accomplishment! You should both be very proud of how hard you worked on this.

Suella said...

Wonderful. What an achievement!

Anonymous said...

I join the others in hoping that you two are truly happy knowing that you single handedly cleaned up a tremendous amount of crap and stuff.

I love to walk barefoot in my suburban yard...not sure if your yard is ready for that, but with so much accomplished to this point...Celebrate!!

How is your mom....you said she was in an accident a bit ago. Can only assume that she is fine.

a reader from the chicago area

ps---can you go back and post before and now, after pics of the spots in the yard you are most proud of?

pps--just curious....is there house/living space above the open garage doors? Would it not be best to get doors on and keep the area a little more protected from any winter=y weather you might experience?

Becky said...

Awesome, congrats on getting to where you are now!

TC said...

Amazing job! I'm sure you never thought you would get to this point.

Thalia said...

Anon in Chicago--my mother is fine now; the accident was bad for the car, but not too bad for her. They checked her in and released her that day.

There is actually another floor of garage above the open garage doors in back. The house is built into a hill, so there's a garage in front, and when you drive around down hill in the back there's space underneath it too in the 'cellar' of the garage. We just call it the 'downstairs garage.'

Will work on assembling some befores and afters too for when it's all done.