Spring Cleaning

What a dreary morning here. It's cold, raining, and the yard & garden look like a swamp. It's one of those mornings when you look out of the window and just want to go back to sleep. But, the snow is gone, the birds are singing, and warmer weather is on the way. There are so many things to do outside. I hope the warm and sunny shows up soon and sticks around. It's been a long, cold, snowy winter.

I've been tackling small projects over the past few days. The largest one has been cleaning and rearranging the tools and garage. I was able to get a nice metal roll-away tool box from the house I've been cleaning out, and I took the time to clean it completely and put away my hand tools. It's very cool to have everything organized and in separate drawers for the first time. Philips screwdrivers are separated from standard screwdrivers, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch sockets and ratchets have their own drawers, metric and standard sockets each have their own spot, each type of plier has it's own drawer,(channel locks, pilers, snips, wire cutters/strippers etc), even torque drivers have their own drawer now. Ahhhhhhhh big box of red painted steel and tooliness, how I love thee so. Yes "tooliness" is now an official word. I think it belongs in the "Lisa-ism's dictionary with "roundy".

I had a much smaller roll-away box that I bought from Sears probably 17 years ago that I planned to give to a friend. But realizing that I have more tools than I had wall or available drawer space, I ended up using it. This one now holds drill bits and drill accessories, drywall tools, paint brushes and rollers, misc other household tools, and a drawer of tape measures. Yes, a drawer of different styles and sizes of tape measures. Lisa has shoes,(I dont have shoes...I have crafty stuff!!!) I have tape measures. Lots of them. It's a guy thing. (please note the edit from Lisa while I left this open on Wordpad) Remind me to not do that again.

While the workshop side of the garage is finally coming back together, I look at the other side and can't do anything but sigh. It's a small 2 car garage that I split in half by making a long workbench down the center between posts. The right side holds gas cans, garden tools, pots, and other misc things either on shelves or on the wall. The big problem is the floor area. In that one side; I have the tractor, tiller, push mower, wood chipper, garden cart, animal cage, four bicycles, chicken feed bins, straw, buckets, wash tubs, jack stands, floor jack, and a few other things. I've had to face facts that I have more "stuff" than I have garage. I'd love to build a lean-to behind the garage, or build a shed, but we don't have the money, and then there's always that ridiculous building permit thing that gets in the way. I'm going to try thinning out some things, but most in there are necessities. Arrrrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhh it's frustrating. Getting rid of tools? Is that really allowed? Will the tool gods strike me down?


I want to get things together, cleaned, and organized long before we start spring planting. I'm taking the time now before I start work in a week or two since we'll be back to just weekends and evenings for getting things done. It will be more difficult than last year since we added so many new garden spaces, but we'll manage just fine. The gardening and food production will just have to be on the very top of the priority list. Spare time for other things will be scarce this spring and summer,but I'm fine with that. That's what I do. I want this season to not only top last years production, but I want to prove that we can do it all while working two full time jobs. For me, the challenge itself gives me the drive. I do love a challenge.