Plan D - updated II

Plan A (Photos)

Plan B

Plan C

Straight to Plan D.

Okay, Plan D was the plan I didn't want to adopt. It's D for 'Do It Yourself'.

I put the sprinkler on the ground inside an upside-down large plant pot and ran it for 5 hours last night. This morning, I dug a little out of the hole, about 10 inches or so. Filled that up with water twice and let it sink in. The day was hot and humid, but overcast most of the day, so I could do some digging.

The top layer is dark garden soil, the earth under is sandstone and sandy soil fill from when the house was built, we had an extra large pad out the back because we knew we'd want to do things with it like build a shed and a pergola and it would be way too dear to do after the house was built. I could sit the crow bar on the bottom of the hole and just push it down with the palm of my hand, mind you, the undisturbed ground is like a rock, no matter how much you soak it, so I'm pretty lucky.

Bundy's right beside his sister, Katie (Katey I've been spellin erratically lately), and close by 48.

I asked my neighbour across the street to check out the grave and see if it was big enough. He was most impressed! He said to just straighten out the sides and make it a bit wider and that would be deep enough. (He couldn't help me, he's got back problems, and he's in his mid 70s.)

When I'd done that (mind you, it takes a while when you're melting and your shoulders are screaming!), I dragged the black bag into the two-wheel wheel barrow and trundled it around the back. By this stage it was twice as big as it was when I brought it home, and it was beginning to emit a rather strong pong. I wanted to let Bundy out of the black bag before I buried him, so I needed a knife to slash the black bag.

I scrounged around the Ladies' Tool Chest (bottom kitchen drawer), and found the stanley knife. I then pondered... I'd need help with this, I'd be hercing from the aroma. Who to get to help? The young fellow next door (about 30), had just got home with his boat, so I walked over there and asked for his help. He brought his two adorable little girls with him, they were all home alone, and he put Bundy in the hole for me. Then he helped me to fill it in. He was most impressed with the hole I'd dug, too. It only took ten minutes to finish up. I'll have to rake the dirt tomorrow because there's some we missed. That's if I can move tomorrow. The temperatures for all thie next week are supposed to be between 36C and 38C max and not under 20C min. Yuk.

I can feel a trip to the physio coming on. I hope I can get in tomorrow.

Update:

I forgot to mention these little bastards, which were in the hole and walking around where I was standing to dig. They got in my shoe and stung me, twice today. They have a nasty sting which can burn and sting for hours. An ice pack, or ice, will ease the pain.

Anyway, Floyd thought these visits from people were for him and was most put out when they left... he's a funny boy. So here's some pix of him for your enjoyment.

Still adorable.

Still way too smart!

Update II

Someone was a bit freaked out about the photos at the top of this post. I just wanted them there because I really didn't think I could do that, dig that deep. I had to and so I did. It has amazed me that I could dig that deep, though I did think that I was going to die somehow and just fall into the hole and that's where they'd find me after they noticed Bundy at the front door....