My neighborhood, like so many others, has a few homes that aren't occupied. Foreclosed or not, maybe just walked away from. Not a lot, but they are there. Sign of the times, or at least the economy, I guess. With nobody living there, the yardwork doesn't get done. Lawns are brown, flower beds are infested with weeds.
Frankly, I view these homes as a good thing. Because my goal when it comes to yard maintenance is to not have the worst-looking yard on the street. I am a cyclist. And as a result, I spend most weekends racing my bike. If I'm not racing, I'm training for an upcoming race. When the training ride is over, I am recovering. Mowing the lawn may occasionally (no more than once per month) be active recovery, but pulling weeds is not. As a result, my yard looks like crap.
This condition--cyclist yard--is usually remedied in the off-season. Which in the past has meant taking one weekend in the fall to pull weeds, winterize the sprinklers, and fertilize the lawn. One weekend in the spring is then dedicated to dethatching the lawn, applying weed and feed, and making sure the sprinklers are working again. The problem is that this year there is no off season. I started racing in March. The last cross race of the year is next year. In January. When my yard will be covered in snow. The first road race of the season is six weeks later. Which is six weeks before the snow will even be melted. Clearly I have a problem.
I mentioned this to another cyclist friend over the summer, and he said that he hires out his yardwork. Which I could do. For approximately the same amount of money as I spend on race fees, I could hire out all my yard work and have the best-looking yard in the neighborhood. But then I would have no money for race fees, would therefore be home on the weekends, and if I'm home, I couldn't possibly justify hiring someone to do the work for me. You see my predicament.
The solution is to come to accept it. Which I have. The neighbors evidently have as well, since I am yet to receive love letters from the neighborhood association about the condition of my yard (they were quick, however, to send one about the team trailer being parked in my driveway, so it's not due to lack of attention on their part).
The problem I am unable to accept is the similar affliction of cyclist car. The floor pump, three pairs of shoes, two pairs of gloves, helmet, sunglasses, and water bottles that are almost permanent residents* of the back of my car are not the problem. These I accept and even embrace--I just keep everything in my car so I know where it is. If I'm not going to drive, I'm going to ride my bike, so I just take what I need and put it back in my car after the ride. It's when I leave my dirty kit in the car and forget about it for three days that the symptoms become problematic. I could learn to live with it, but it's hard to drive when I can't breath and my vision is obscured by watering eyes.
*Actually, more like seasonal residents. They are removed in winter and replaced by skis, boots, poles, beacon, pack, and climbing skins. But there's no practical difference except that perhaps ski clothes only require about a day to reach the unbearable level of toxicity, while cycling clothes seem to take a bit longer.
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20 years ago I decided mowing lawns was not for me. I replaced the grass with plants and bark. The plants don't ask for much care and I have more time for riding.
ReplyDeleteseriously, try having 2 cyclists in the house, with multiple jobs each, and no garage, it is like i'm in college, can't decide if that is good or bad.
ReplyDeletexeri scape is the answer, luckily no HOA here.
I like your foreclosed house angle. None in my neighborhood so my weedy ugly lawn and general unkept yard sticks out. But nice to know I'm not the only one.
ReplyDeleteMichael you're my hero, StupidBike too (if you really have a xeriscaped yard, or even if you're planning on it). Lawns look nice, and they are fun for the kids and nice to lay on, but growing a crop that produces no food seems weird.
"Hiring out" has several different degrees. You could pay a landscaping service. But like you said, it's spendy. Or, you could find a 13 year old kid in the neighborhood and pay him $10 to mow twice a month and pick a few weeds. Toss in a few brownies that your wife has made, and he's the happiest kid on the block. He has a "job", you have a decent looking yard (and still get to race every weekend). Win.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, my lawn is about 8 inches deep right now. I think I can get away with just one more mowing before its goes completely dormant.
(PS. I wanted to xeriscape my yard here, but it turns out, it's pretty darned expensive. Grass is cheap.)
I pay someone to mow. Your post gave me a great idea: maybe I could pay someone to clean out my car!
ReplyDeleteGrizzly is right- xeriscaping is expensive. It takes years to pay back through water, lawn service savings. Price of water needs to go up... (Probably like gas and hybrid cars- makes you feel good, but not a $-saver unless the commodity price goes up)
I've got the same issue. My only goal is to be the second worst yard in the neighborhood. I usually get one (but no more than one) HOA letter/year, so I think I am succeeding. I do tend to mow once every 2/3 weeks since that is upper limit on how grass can grow and still be able to mow w/o the mower getting stuck.
ReplyDeleteI typically keep the back seat down in my 4Runner, with 2 bikes in the back, plus gear, equipment, camelbacks, a crate full of repair stuff, etc. So, on the plus side, my truck rarely gets named for carpooling to lunch at work.
This is exactly why you have kids. My son started mowing the lawn when he was 8 years old. Happiest day of my life. I usually trim while he is mowing, so it only take about 45 minutes, which is done on a weeknight as to not interfere with the holy day of Saturday. Also, I just focus on the lawn. If some other person in your house wants flowers/garden that is their problem.
ReplyDeleteMeticulous yards and cycling just don't mix.
Our xeriscape has been relatively cheap, as all other things in life, it is as expensove as you want it to be, you can pay 10k and have it all done at once by someone else, or do it over time, yourself (or your wife)
ReplyDeleteGetting a plan for about 5 bucks, getting your mulch and dirt in truckloads from the dump and buying plants a block at a time from a local guy.
And watcher, the difference in the xeri and the hybrid is that the cure is not worse than the disease.
My wife mows our lawn 99% of the time by her choice. When she had a baby last June I was able to mow it 1 or 2 times, but other than that I can' remember the last time I mowed. She even refuses use the self-propelled option, opting to push with her own power to get a "better workout".
ReplyDeleteOne in a million she is, I know!
I always keep a laundry basket of the required items in the garage near my car. I just load the whole basket in the car or use its contents and replace after a ride. Anything that needs to be washed I try to wear before leaving, and hang on the edge of the basket in the car after the ride, so that I know what needs to be washed. So far, this system has been very efficient, and I can't remember the last time I forgot anything for a ride.
ReplyDeleteWe're in the same situation. Only our situation doesn't stop at the yard -- it trickles into everything we're responsible for. I read this yesterday and kind of sighed with relief, knowing that there are other people out there who place recreation above piddly details like yard work, house work, etc work.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't planned to leave a comment, 'cause, like, I didn't really have anything smart to say about the matter. However, I just drove by my neighbor's house and she was VACUUMING HER GARAGE. Vacuuming! The turrets in me nearly screamed, "Good Lord Lady! Put the damned vacuum down and recreate!"
I didn't though. I still have to live here. And be somewhat diplomatic. So thanks for being here for me.
Rabid, we vacuum our garage weekly, i should mention that our entire house is our garage.
ReplyDeleteRabid: One of my Boise friends has a dedicated garage vacuum.
ReplyDeleteOh great. Now I guess I'm off to join the masses by vacuuming my garage. Thanks so very much for the validation. (Which is all I'm after these days.)
ReplyDeleteInteresting. You keep your bike stuff in the trunk of your car. I keep my work stuff in the trunk of my bike. Well, it seemed interesting when the thought occurred to me...
ReplyDeleteMy lawn mower now has a drivers license. Somehow I see my lawn getting much longer. While we were on Vacation one of my neighbors mowed my lawn. I thought that is weird. Later when I was unpacking I looked into the back yard and noticed that the grass was well 2 garbage cans long. I still have not mowed it. Maybe Sunday.
ReplyDeleteCurrently maintaining three lawns. That is all.
ReplyDelete