It Seems I got a Fence for Christmas

Last Christmas when Robin asked for a wish-list, I said, "Just get me a Lowe's card". I figured in 07, I had spent enough on Lowe's and Home Depot to have part-ownership. And I didn't need anything but our house sure did. I prefer Lowe's. I know as a (from as long as I can remember) Atlanta Falcons fan, I should support Arthur Blank's business. But I value customer service and Lowe's beats Home Depot hands down on that. I once commented to a worker at Lowe's on how friendly and helpful they were and she said, "well people don't last here long if they aren't."

So I received several Lowe's cards for Christmas with generous amounts on them. (Thank you again Woody & Carolyn and Susan & Tucker.) All year I have been thinking, "its too bad I didn't ask for these a year ago because i would have used them more the first year we moved into our home." But maybe I could use them to replace the tile in our bathroom in 08. As of last month, I used some for stuff we needed like a new back porch screen door, a mattock (which has come in handy) and other random stuff I forget but still had a lot of $ left on two of them.

My next-door neighbor approached me about rebuilding the fence between our property. The old one was the original one built like in 1980 or so. One post was totally broken and the pickets were rotten. The fence just was being held up by his dog run which he wanted to remove.

So even though I was leaving in a week, we went to Lowe's last Saturday in his pickup and bought posts and fencing. I used my remaining Lowe's cards and even had to use a little on credit card. Noah bought some stuff too like cement and screws. We will settle the difference after we see what more we need to buy or return. I should get most of what I put on Credit back and therefore I got the fence for Christmas.

The fence is not up yet and I leave in less than 48 hours for 3 weeks. It took a lot of work to try to dig out the old posts because they broke and then with the old cement and all. I was about to say let's just rethink this whole thing. Finally, Noah's uncle, who also lives in our neighborhood, had a better post hole digger that did the work. But Robin & I had a cookout last Saturday night for folks from our church going with me to South Africa and then every night this week Noah has either had a softball game to go to or a bible study. Last night by flashlight we put up two posts once we he got back home.

I realize I am way too old for this mess. I'm tired. I also stepped on an old screw two nights ago that went straight through the boot I was wearing into my left foot. Fortunately I already had a Tetanus shot in prep for my trip to Africa. But I am hobbling like the patriarch Jacob.

So we sit here now on Friday about noon with one more hole to dig, we two more posts to put up, my sprinkler line to repair (DOH!), not to mention all the boards and pickets to put up and Noah wants to build a gate on his side. I'm afraid the best we can do is get the posts up tonight and Noah will have the rest to finish on his own after I leave because I need most of tomorrow to get ready.

So I will enjoy my Christmas gift when we get back on July 5th.