Spring cleaning...are we having fun yet?

We planted this 29 years ago. It was about 8 inches high then.

There are lots of reasons why people both love and hate spring in Georgia. On the positive side, the flowers are a painter's palette displaying the glory of nature renewed. The weather is becoming pleasant and people and objects are "thawing out".  We human hibernators are coming out of our caves to enjoy the sun's warmth. It also means school employees are getting near the light at the end of the tunnel. YAHOO!

The downsides of spring are that if you are afflicted with allergies you are most likely spewing, hacking, watering and all the other gross things that the pollen will cause you to do, yard work is back on the weekend schedule, and those five to ten pounds packed on from lollygagging on the couch watching the Food Network now need to come off before donning the bathing suit. I, for one, love spring and the opportunity to be outside. However, spring means some heavy duty work.

We installed a composite deck about 10 years ago thinking that there would not be any maintenance (at least that was how it was advertised). Unfortunately we purchased this material in its pioneer stage. It certainly had not been perfected yet - meaning THEY LIED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE!

So for now, our renovating (or reviving) will focus on getting the deck, grills (note plural, as in three -  remember my husband with the nails in the crown molding? If one is good then 30 must be better? Same concept with tools and grills) and outdoor furniture ready for summer. Everything needs a spring cleaning. And by the way - best gift I ever gave my husband...a pressure washer. If you own a home and don't have one - get one. You won't be sorry - except of course when the water bill comes due.

"Before" pictures say it all:

In the winter, even the fans (plural again as in three...sigh) get covered.

Maintenance-free my ..."foot"!

Is that disgusting or what? Combination of tree gunk, dirt, pollen and mildew.

The three grills waiting for summer barbecues.

Under the blue tarps is wood for the fireplace, which has to be carried off the deck to the edge of the property. Who needs a gym when you can get an arm workout for free in your backyard? Should have made more fires this winter.

So here's how I see it. We buy covers to protect the furniture so we don't have to clean the cushions, grills etc, but then we work like dogs to clean the covers. Does anyone else see this as stupid?

Even with all the cleaning to do, I love this time of year. It's almost like everything has been asleep under the blankets and is now ready to wake up and face the warmth and sunshine.

So let the scrubbing begin!

P.S. Just as I was espousing the virtues of owning a pressure washer the darn pump died. Phil had to drive 60 miles round trip to buy another pump and then severely gashed his arm while trying to replace it. Out of his mouth, "That condo in Florida is looking better and better!" I couldn't agree more.

FANTASY...

REALITY