In which I build another raised bed.

So.  Last year I built a raised bed.  It came out great.  My stepdad helped a bunch and we used wood we found behind the shed that may have previously been a swingset or climbing wall or something... who knows.  Anyway, it took most of a day, a lot of hassle with digging and leveling and came out beautiful and I had zillions of tomatoes and squash and zucchini and cucumbers and it was good.

This year,  I found a link a while ago for making another raised bed.  I was determined I could do it myself.  The link is here.  I really love the Pioneer Woman's website... but anyway, the raised bed.  I dragged the baby with me to the nearby Home Depot.  I ventured inside with my list.  Found the correct length screws with the help of a sales guy (which I promptly put back and found the same size on a shelf above that didn't cost 3 more because they were green).  Did not find the right drill bit size with the chagrined help of another sales person (I told him I thought I had one at home so he wouldn't feel bad).  Then I ventured into the timber area.

There is a lot of different kinds of wood.  I know I needed 2x6s, 4 that were 8 feet long, and 4 that were 4 feet long.  That meant 6 2x6s, two of which were cut in half.  (I'm very good at math! ok not really).  So i found a guy, who picked out some boards and cut two of them and I loaded the others onto one of those weird long carts and with the baby's help got it out to the new car, which I had driven purely for the purpose to test out the shoving big things into it capacity.

 It worked.  
I hauled all the supplies out to the back yard while the baby followed me around, driving his trucks around.  We ate lunch, then I started.

 Not too shabby if I do say so myself.  I did learn a few things.
One - it is really hard to screw things in horizontally while you're alone.  Especially with a power drill.
Two - it is very easy to strip screw-driving bits, causing one to have to hand screw every !@#$* screw in by hand, resulting in blistered fingers.
Three - drill bits are VERY VERY hot after drilling into wood.
Four - look at the wood before you buy it to see how badly warped or bowed it is.
Five - Always, Always have a cute helper.

He kept telling me, "Good job, Mommy!"  Which really I think, made a difference in the quality of the final item.

So tomorrow, dirt so I can soon get my lettuce planted.  Whee!  Now off to find dinner.  I am starved after that workout.