Today was an amazingly beautiful (70, cloudless skies, low humidity) and highly productive day. It was also the day I decided to hire somebody to finish the yard project.

This isn't "weeding" anymore, this is removing the top layer of soil, mulch and plants - it's slow and heavy work for one person using trash bags. It took me two hours to fill six bags, and those bags are not very full because they're so heavy I'm afraid they'll tear. I cleared the area for the vegetables and got them into the ground, raked a bit at the other stuff, then said the hell with it. It's a job for a crew with the right equipment at this point - if I do it myself I'll be messing with it way into summer.

My lower back and both wrists are complaining about the raking, too.

But I did get a lot done - besides the two hours in the yard, I made it to the bank (sometimes direct deposit, online banking and ATMs can't do it and you actually have to go inside during business hours) and fixed a homeowners' insurance thing with a phone call. Made the second Lowe's trip of the weekend and finally found the Weird Teeny Tiny Halogen Bulb for this desk's light (after failing at three other stores) as well as a new rake. That makes two Home Depot and two Lowe's runs in three days - and three stops at Starbucks. I cleaned out my closet even more, putting together another big bag of stuff for Goodwill. Did laundry. Chased cat hair. Cleaned the computer and the cabinet - my keyboard is so very, very clean. I feel like I must be forgetting things, I've been busy since 8:00 this morning. I'm exhausted. But there's a good sort of tired when stuff gets done - the tomatoes are in the ground, fire ants have died horribly at my hands, cat hair has been purged from living room furniture once again. Oh, I tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the hair dye on the wall in the hall bath without results. But that's okay because that's the bathroom I want to tackle first, after the kitchen is done.

Now I give myself permission to sit on the couch and knit for the rest of the evening.