The COVID Chronicles #12: Yard Work

COVID-19 Case Update for our County

As of this morning, there are 24 confirmed cases in our county with over 540 people having been tested. Not a poor ratio in my opinion. 

4 people have been admitted to the hospital, & 2 of those admitted to ICU (per the county website). 

Per the AZDHS website, our county seems to be doubling every 12 days. I think that's a slow rate, but the fact that cases continue to increase is worrisome for Wife and I. 


Yesterday, Wife and I did work in our backyard. Our backyard is our proverbial "red-headed step-child". It's ignored...a lot!

Our tasks included fixing and re-attaching boards on our fence and gate. Whomever built the fence that surrounds our backyard did a really poor job of attaching the picket boards. They used these staples that rust easily and due to strong winds, the boards often fall off the fence. So, yesterday, I reattached several boards that had fallen off and reinforced several that were weakened by drilling in wood screws. Eventually, the entire fence will need to be replaced, but for now, the repairs we made yesterday will hold for awhile.


Wife also did some weeding and we did some watering our composting bed that has volunteer green onions growing in it. Wife also watered a large Iris plant, a lily plant, and a rose bush, none of which we planted, but we've done our best to care for and the iris in particular has really grown since we moved into our house nearly 4 years ago.

We worked in the yard from 9am-11am, took a break until 12:40ish and ate some popcorn & grapefruit juice, and then went back out for another hour before calling it a day. I think today we plan to work on turning over the soil in our composting bed and weeding it to get it ready for planting.

Wife and I have also been talking again about getting a dog. I have blogged about this subject before, but Wife now has a friend who has 3 large dogs and this same friend is encouraging wife to get a dog too. 

I have gone back through our Dog Selector book and I think a Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, or some other smaller breed might be a good option for a beginning dog owner like Wife. We enjoy the freedom to travel and having a smaller dog would be easier to travel with. Perhaps with a fixed up fence, Wife will be more open to the idea. However, I know that if/when I go back to work on campus, she would be alone with the dog all day and that might make her stressed more than she needs to be. 

All for this morning.

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