1st Dead Body

Ha, we did find a dead body in the backyard but it was a mouse. I just had to mess with everyone because that's what everyone keeps asking me about -- Any dead bodies yet? None of the human kind. We found a bird skull too.

This past weekend we were working on the backyard again... we were moving dirt from the backyard to the street. Shh - city doesn't need to know we were getting rid of some of our dirt via their unfinished project. It's what they get for it still looking like they've done anything. We dug up 31 2.5'x2.5' pavers from the South West corner. It was an area about 6' wide by 10' deep and we pulled out 31 pavers!!! Not to mention they weren't visible (like 3-4" deep) nor were they just one deep some of the pavers were 2 and even 3 pavers deep - why would you layer pavers? I just don't get it. But I should know better than to ask questions.

We can't figure out why they were buried. Mike's hypothesis is that the beds were so high with dirt and the walking area was so low that when no one took care of it, due to erosion it just kind of spilled over and covered all the pavers. There were also plastic ducklings buried under the pavers. Its so odd. We dug up dog toys, balls, and miscellaneous garbage. We dug up some kind of gutter system next to the driveway leading up to the garage. We think it was to keep water out of the garage - but it was full of dirt so obviously not working too well. What a mess.

What else did we do? I started removing the rocks from the top of the biggest flower bed - ironically there was another layer of rocks below the top layer. We got rid of some more wood chips. I began bundling the branches from this summer. We removed the sides of the "compost bin" so all that is left is the branches and mess that they had in it. I am beginning to get a feeling for the backyard and I think its going to take us all of next summer to get it to a tolerable place where we can put in grass. *SIGH* For that reason also, we probably won't be getting a dog anytime soon either. I need a job, we need a finished fence and he'll need grass to do his duty on. But the more we work on it the better it looks and its satisfying to see the changes.

We bought a wheel barrel - best purchase ever! I cannot believe how much of help it is. We used it to haul dirt from the side of the house and the back yard to dump in the street. I used it to haul the recycling and yard waste to the street. Mike used it to move the pavers we dug out. It's awesome!

I was talking with my neighbors again. Jerry, next door to the North, thanked us again for getting rid of the pigeons. He seemed pretty happy about it. He said he also cannot believe the changes we have made to it. Said in the summer it just looked like a jungle. Ha, its funny cuz it was true. Also, I talked to the lady to the South - I have been told her name once and already I forgot it. I have to write it down next time. She said he dad used to complain that the city should've ticketed the previous owners. She also said that the husband who died apparently was some kind of horticulturist of some sort. Which is hard to believe but the second time I've heard it. I guess he also worked at the U of MN too. Which might explain the Gopher we found in the attic when we were looking at the house.