Shed

One of the integral parts of our landscaping master design was a shed. This shed would house our sprinkler timer, pump for the well that runs said sprinklers, all of the corresponding electrical, all of the yard tools, and have a workbench for Allen to do his projects.

The sprinkler timer and electrical for the pump are, by far, the most important parts of the entire deal. See, the current set up has the timer and pump running off of a 15 amp breaker. However, it really needs a 20 amp. So, like, every 3rd or 4th watering cycle, the breaker pops and we have to manually reset everything. This causes us stress and is quite annoying 'cause if we forget, the sprinklers don't run. If the sprinklers don't run, our grass and trees die. If our grass and trees die, Allen and I go into a downward spiral of despair and depression.

I'm sure you see the seriousness of the situation.

Well, this shed kinda never made it on our "to do" list. 'Cause we mostly remember about the amp problem and the yard stays nice. It's one of those things that as the owner you deal with because, meh, you're the owner and you just do. But then we get word we're being relocated and all of a sudden this project gets moved to numero uno on the list. I mean, to expect someone else to deal with that type of nonsense would be way too risky.

And I'm not gonna lie. This shed was the cause of much contention in our household. We (meaning myself and Allen) have (notice I said "have" - as in still don't see eye to eye on this thing) two very different schools of thought on this one.


Me: I'm alone all the damn time and don't want to be alone on the weekends too while Allen builds the shed. Super solution: buy a shed. It's as easy as 1. look at sheds, 2. pay for shed, and 3. put shed in yard. Ta da! Insta-shed. To me, Allen's time is more valuable in some instances than the money we save by doing something ourselves.

Allen: I can save myself money on the shed and we're always on the precipice of financial disaster so I better not spend any more money than absolutely necessary. Plus, my stem wall dimensions are not standard and thus, I cannot buy a prefabricated shed and have it fit my location. Not to mention, we would have to put an assembled shed into our fully fenced yard and this cannot possibly be done. No one, in the history of all yards on the earth, has ever put a fabricated shed into an already fenced yard. It is an impossible feat. I shall build the shed myself. 

I stomped my foot and said no; he built the shed. I contemplated torching it. He whispered sweet nothings to it. You see, now the shed is the other woman in our lives.

This is mid-July. Allen framed out the stem walls and poured the concrete expecting to have it done during the summer.

This is September. Finally framing the walls. In an effort to give him some privacy with his mistress, I took the kids (with the help of our awesome babysitter - yeah, I'm not gonna lie - I'm too chicken to take all three by myself. Don't judge.) to the zoo for 5 hours.

Five hours later he had framed up all 4 of the walls and was working on trusses.

End of Day 1.

Trusses up and siding going on.

The roof! The roof!

The roof! The roof! The roof is on fire!

We don't need to water! Let the mutha - I mean - Allen putting on the tar paper.

Roof done.

Windows on each side. You know, for ambiance and such.

Right now it has a simple dirt floor, but someday he plans on putting pavers in there.

And the door on. Complete with dead bolt. And, yes, it was locked when we left.

Allen still has to do some finish work and run the electrical through the piping he installed when we trenched for the sprinkler system. Then, he can put the sprinkler timer and pump controls, with correct amperage available, into the shed so we will have a totally automated system.

I know. I should be so grateful that I'm married to such an awesome guy. He can design and build rockets. He can design and build sheds. He works hard. Ok. I get it. And he did a nice job. He always does. And he did save us money. You're right, ok. OK?!?

I still hate it.