A few weeks back, while we were enjoying some cold India Pale Ale on the patio, Peter remarked that our landscaping (i.e., the way-too-expansive beds of plants and mulch) could use some river rock (a.k.a. “#4 Gravel” for you landscape junkies.)  I agreed. (Every once in a while we agree on things.) The rock would add some interest and reduce the amount of mulch we needed to spread each year.

Peter, the ultimate do-it-yourselfer, said if I figured out where the rock should go and how much we needed, he’d take off the Thursday before the long July 4th weekend and would gladly spend that day installing the rock. Sounded like a plan.  

So the designer in me got to work: I bought a can of landscape marking spray paint and marked out where I thought the rock should go. Fun and surprisingly empowering. Next, I measured my markings.  Finally, I took my measurements to our local landscape supply yard where the conversation went something like this:

supply yard employee:  ”Looks like you’ll need 4 tons of #4 Gravel.

me:  ”What’s the price per ton?” 

supply yard employee:  ”$25 a ton plus a $20 delivery fee.”

me (thinking to myself):  ”Wow, that’s much cheaper than I thought. Hmmm.  I bet that’s not enough rock for our landscape.”

me:  ”I’ll take 6 tons just to be safe.”

me: (again assuring myself):  ”Peter will be able to handle this job in one day.  I mean, how much rock can 6 tons really be at only $25 a ton?”

NEWS FLASH:  6 tons is  A LOT of rock!

First thing Thursday morning a scarily HUGE truck dumped the 6 tons of rock at our house and Sunday evening Peter finished hauling the final rock to its resting place in our landscape.  

MORAL of the STORY:  Let the person who will be hauling the rock be responsible for ordering the rock.  There will be much less under-the-breath swearing.

This blog entry serves as an official shout-out to my husband.  Thanks for hauling rock for 4 days.  Our landscape looks great!   

Love Your Home,
Sue