2 Freaking Weeks Until Hallowe'en - Fence Part 2

So, it's not like I've never built anything in my life. I took shop class in Jr. High. I built my raised beds. I've built stuff, ok?

I was clearly unprepared for this build. 

Oh, how I want to say that I threw this together like a boss. But alas, that was not to be. 

If you're ever interested in copying my fence, which is encouraged, I will highlight the items you should not do, for emphasis. Here's what I actually did.

1. I marked every 6 inches on the furring strips.
2. I sorted the 45 strips into 3 sets of 15.
3. I drilled a 3/4 inch hole at every mark. Every 6 inches. On 15 strips - 180 holes. Just in case you were not aware, math means that a 3/4 inch pipe will not fit into a 3/4 inch hole.
4. I tested the PVC to make sure it would go through the holes. It didn't.
5. I went back to Home Depot and got a 7/8th inch drill bit and opened up all of the holes. 
6. I tested to make sure that the PVC would go through. It did. Tightly. 
7. I thought, "Perfect!".
8. I strapped together two of the strips and used the first strip as a jig for the second strip.
9. I added a third strip, zip tied all of these together and numbered each set. Then, I drilled 7/8th inch holes in every other hole. This would be my top bar.
10. I started spray painting the PVC, because my wrists were sore from the drill.
11. My lovely husband (thank you!) cut all of the 10' PVC into 5 1/2 and 4 1/2 foot poles.
12. I then sanded all of the strips with the help of a friend (Chris, thank you!!!).
13. A friend (Troy, thank you!!!) heated the finials and added them to the tops of the 5 1/2 foot poles.
14. We started to put the PVC into the holes. It was too tight. WAY too tight.
15. A friend (Lydia, thank you!!!) and I dremeled out EVERY SINGLE HOLE. Just in case you're counting, 30 strips with 16 holes each and 15 strips with 8 holes each = 600 holes. Could I have been any less efficient? Don't think so.
16. Then another friend (Derek, thank you!!!) and I drilled out screw holes on the sides of the strips so that the whole thing would stay together.
17. I got the wrong screws (hex head) despite spending 20 minutes in the screw aisle and had to send Derek (see above) to the store to get new screws.
18. Two other friends (Erin and Justin - oddly enough my newest and my oldest friends - Thank you!!!) and one husband (thank you!) started putting them together. Finally.



They were such pretty holes, at first. 2 strips zip tied

19. I used all of the spray paint in Home Depot to repaint the poles (because they were completely scraped off due to dragging them through the holes) and the strips.

I now have 15 - 8 foot sections of fencing that are going up tomorrow. 

This is the pre-painted photo. You'll have to wait (AGAIN) for the fully painted photos.

This easily could have been a 12 step, rather than an 18 step process. Like a boss.

Harvest, Hallowe'en and Photo drama

Goals were meant to be broken, right?  That's how that cliche goes, isn't it? No?  Well, it is now.

I haven't posted because I haven't been taking pictures!!!!  I hate posting pictures because it involves a bunch of wires and downloading and crap.  Tell me how to do this more easily and I'll do it more often!!!!  Damn it all to hell... I have a Kodak z712. I take pictures, then I have to plug in my camera into the computer. Then I have to go to the folder for the camera and move the photos into the blog folder on my computer. Then I have to resize all of the photos that I want to use because they're usually too big. First world problems make my head hurt....

Anyway, I have been harvesting a crapload of tomatoes.  They are just loving this season.  In the past, I've gotten one or two, here and there.  This year I'm getting what works out to about a tomato a day.  It's awesome and they're gorgeous. They taste all fresh and tomato-ey.  Yum.  Mostly I've been eating them with cheese I got from Cowgirl Creamery in Petaluma.

On the subject of strawberries, I give up.  I have two raised beds full of strawberry plants and I think I've gotten 2 whole berries this year.  If I'm going to spend that much square footage on something, it better be something that's producing produce!  I am merciless.  The strawberries are history.

Hallowe'en is officially on the agenda.  I'm working out the sketches on the front and back yards.

I know people who know people.  If you're one of those people, I'm looking for a few things that I will need and if you know a source for borrowed (B), super cheap (SC), F-R-E-E (F), or bulk (K) let me know.  I need:

1. 10 or more wrought iron shepherd's hooks (B, SC, F, K)
2. 2 trash-worthy 5-drawer filing cabinets (5 feet tall or taller) (F, SC)
3. Pink extruded foam in sheets or blocks (where do I get this?  I can only find the white insulation which I've used for years in lieu of the stuff I really want!) (SC)
4. Fire-pit (B, SC, F)
5. LED lanterns - these will likely be painted or otherwise messed with so I don't want to borrow (SC, F, K)
6. A very large stone garden angel or two. Not necessary to match - also will likely be painted or messed with (SC, F)
7. Fabric - cheese cloth, ivory muslin, plain grey, white or black cotton or muslin, tulle (SC, F)

So if you're someone, or if you know someone or you know someone who knows someone, let me know.  It's going to be an epic Hallowe'en. EPIC.