Sunday 5 April 2009

Trimming time again!

It's one of those things I've been putting off, and with the bad weather it's not been difficult to wait for better weather...

...but today it's absolutely beautiful here. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the hedge was screaming for a trim!



One of the reasons I've been putting it off is because I didn't have the equipment to do the job, I mean, I have the hedge trimmer, I have the harness and the head/ear protection and now I have the bollards to put in the road to make people aware that something is going on by the side of the road.

I put the bollards outside the double yellow lines, giving me an extra 2' working space on top of the 2' or 3' that I have on the walkway.

Putting on my safety vest, and hoping I wouldn't blind the oncoming traffic too much, I set about trimming.

Last year I trimmed the inside of the hedge, in our paddock, but I couldn't reach the very top of the hedge - at least the outside of it - so this was, if you like, the completion of a job started last year!

Half way along I realised I was very hot - being a very sunny day and all, and I took off my harness, my safety vest and my padded thermal builders shirt...

...soon as I had done so, I suddenly realised that my T shirt was soaked in sweat and with the breeze it made me totally frozen, so, I waited for all the traffic to go by that had seen me take all my gear off, then hurriedly put it all back on again!
The main problem with this was that my T shirt and my shirt had cooled down in the breeze, making all my stuff wet AND cold...

....NIIIIICE!

I moved the traffic cones up for my next section and carried on with my work, fussing slightly over the odd twig sticking out of the hedge - can't have wispy bits on OUR hedge you know!

Just as I got to the end of the hedge the engine started to run out of petrol, and luckily I just managed to finish the top before the engine cut out completely.



Today we're having a gardening day. Potatoes need to be planted (a little late) and we have several small shrubs to be planted on.

Maybe the rotorvator will come out today - who knows!

;)


I know one thing - we're going to spend as much time outside today as we can, as it really is such a wonderful day!

4 comments:

Don said...

I am so ready for spring to finally take over. Your antics with the clothing and gear are really funny. I am the same way, I get a little "carried away" and get a bit sweaty and then need to downgrade the clothing layers.

Your hedge is beautiful. Nicely done.

Stiggy said...

Don, yes well, you know how it goes - one minute you're happy, then the next you're soaking in sweat and feel like you're in a sauna...

...until you take the offending items off and then you freeze to death that is!!!

I'm glad I did it - I got up reasonably early for a Sunday, and just decided today was the day!

Unknown said...

Glad you got your hedge cut - boys and their toys - and all that gear you wear, I'd never be able to lift my hedge trimmer with all that on!

Don't panic about the spuds - the 'official' potato planting day is 10th April this year. Can't remember where I read it though

Mind you, I made the most of the nice weather and planted all mine yesterday.

Lovely looking trimmed hedge - btw

Stiggy said...

thanks Lottiee!

Thanks for that - means I have to get my finger out and get the ground rotorvated I spose!

:D