Thursday, June 2, 2016

5 Minutes From A Heatstroke

Today, I found myself 5 minutes from a heatstroke. Well, it felt like that anyway. Lord, it was hot. I got myself into this predicament because that flagstone path I've been telling you about had to be finished today. I was tired of messing with it. All I wanted was to be done. I devised a plan and started early. Pictures below.

The Morning Plan:
1) Laid down newspaper and cypress chips in unfinished garden area. (corner where the potting shed is going)
2) Placed the last few stones on the path
3) Swept sand and debris from the stones
4) Drank water
      a) poured sweat, re-hydration was critical
      b) got dizzy a couple of times 
5) Rested for 30 minutes (this portion of the plan took 2 hours and 15 minutes)

The Mid-Day Plan:
1) Dug a trench beside the flagstone path to put something in later to help keep grass away, if that is at all possible.
2) Spread polymeric sand over the stones and into the cracks, taking care to sweep the remaining sand off the top of the stones.
      a) got dizzy again, kept going to the shade to cool off
      b) still sweating like crazy, but can't quit....almost done
3) Spent about 30 minutes watering sand down. This polymeric sand gets hard after it's watered down and allowed to dry. You need to wait 24 hours before walking on it. It will continue to cure for the next 72 hours and after that will harden even more. It's supposed to keep stones in place, keep weeds and grass from growing up between stones and keep ants and insects that burrow up through the ground from coming through. If it does this, then I may fill the trenches I dug with it, later.
      a) watered myself down 4 or 5 times with the water hose
      b) drank from the water hose
      c) breathing hard the whole time
      d) it got into the 90's today. Yes, I know I'm crazy.
4) Done! Thank the Lord, I'm done. This portion of the plan also took about 2 hours and 15 minutes. I won't ever tackle a project this big again! Not by myself, anyway.

I came inside and drank a huge glass of water and then a huge glass of Gatorade. Took a shower and sat down to rest. It had been at lest 20 minutes, since I came inside and I was still breathing hard and a little bit nauseated, too.

I was telling Cliff everything I told you here and he said, "You'll be aight." (His slang for alright) So, I shot him the bird. LOL! And then, I went and took a nap.

Later this evening, I paddled the kayak for a little while to relax and unwind. Pictures below. I couldn't get over how warm the lake water is. It feels like bath tub water.

(Pictures taken with my cell phone. I'll take some with my camera, next time.)

 It looks really good. I hope the polymeric sand does the trick.



The top portion is what I tackled this morning. The potting shed will go in that corner. Once I can walk on the stones, I'll need to pull the wood chips in closer to the stones. Of course, I'm not completely done with the garden plans. I have a few more decorative touches to do. I'll show you as the progress continues.

There's a few left over stones right there on the left, mid-way of the picture. I'll clean those up tomorrow. That's the spot I'm going to plant a lime-light hydrangea, if I can ever find one.

View of my house from the lake.

 Paddling into the sunset....

 
....to the mandatory portage.

 Another view of our house from a different side. 

And lastly, the dock and Adirondack chairs. 

Next project: Replacing indoor/outdoor carpet on the screen porch.

This starts tomorrow. 

Laurie








32 comments:

  1. Love EVERYTHING!!

    Glad you feel better too..bg jobs are big jobs..I have fainted in heat:(

    But Kudos..all is just A-1..Home and gardens and lake and the work you did.

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    1. Oh goodness, glad I didn't faint. I did get dizzy a couple of times, though. Thank you, Monique!

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  2. Wow..it looks beautiful!

    My favorite trick is to run the garden hose on your head every 30 minutes or so...run it down your shirt, too, It really cools you down! Also, get one of those "cool towels" that you wet and snap and lay around your neck...they are amazing and really work. They have then at Lowes.

    I love flagstone...it looks beautiful! What a job!

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    1. Thank you, Betsy! I have one of those towels. I used to use it when running in summer. I don't know why I didn't think about it yesterday. I should have used the water hose more than I did. L&S couldn't believe I squirted myself with the water hose. LOL!

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  3. You must be exhausted! It turned out beautifully though.

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  4. Well, it looks great! Glad you got to go kayaking after all that hard labor! I have felt close to sunstroke myself a time or two while working in the garden. You have to discipline yourself to take a break in the shade with some water fairly often, no matter how determined you are to finish! lol

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    1. Thank you, Marcie! Gosh, I know! That's just how determined I was though.....not smart at all. I was no good the rest of the day.

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  5. Your evening paddle sounds and looks wonderful! Such a beautiful area that you live in! Beautiful home too! Stay cool!

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  6. Oh my word but you live in a beautiful place, so lucky to have a lake access!
    You certainly worked so hard but I admire your determination & your efforts have been worth it! Gorgeous!
    Chill for the rest of the weekend!

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    1. Thanks Christine! It is beautiful here. We feel so blessed. I've got one more project to do in the morning before I can chill. We're replacing indoor/outdoor carpet on the screened porch. I cleaned the floor really well, today. In the morning we'll install the peel and stick carpet tiles. Much easier! Lol!

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  7. How industrious you are! I've built a couple of large decks during our outrageously hot summertimes, so I'm acquainted with heat stroke. You did right by keeping hydrated. The yard looks beautiful -- you should be justifiably proud.

    Jim Fowler, Greenville, SC

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    1. Thanks, Jim! I am sort of proud of the yard. More than that, I was able to show Cliff that I can bring my ideas to fruition. HaHa! And Lord, you described our summers perfectly....Outrageously Hot!!!

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  8. I am in love with your gorgeous location - oh how wonderful to be right on a lake!!!! I just came in from mowing my property (push mower, up and down hills, 3 hours....shoot me) and I'm completely wiped out. Shower and a cocktail, please!!

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    1. Thank you, Mountain Mama! The lake is wonderful. Push mower for 3 hours.....whew! I think you put my day to shame. Have 2 cocktails!

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  9. I think you deserved that paddle after such a hard day of physical work. You do live in a beautiful part of the world, and to sit back and enjoy it after a hard day must be so rewarding.

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    1. Thank you! It is beautiful and we feel very blessed to live here. Hard work makes it that much sweeter.

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  10. What a HUGE job you are doing, Laurie! And the best thing about it is that your work looks like something worthy of being in a magazine. BUT . . . you should learn to pace yourself so you don't conk out in all that awful heat. (What do I know? I tend to get into a job and push myself just the same way. :o])

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    1. Well thank you for that, Mama Pea. I just let my creative juices cut loose. Just don't look too closely or you might see the blunders.

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  11. Hi! I tried to send a comment on my Kindle. I don't know if it went through or not but you work too hard! But what gorgeous results! Take care of yourself! Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, you made it here! Thank you, it was a lot of work and I'm glad that project is done. I'm quite proud of it, though. I love it when the plan in my head works out like it's supposed to.

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  12. The stone path looks beautiful. Im glad you are aight! Those are some really good photos of the lake. Looks so relaxing and fun!
    Lisa

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  13. Laurie, your yard is looking gorgeous! It is obvious you put a lot of work into it. It is an awful feeling to get overheated the way you did. I can't take the heat like I used to any more. I hope you will be careful and not overdo in the future. Your house is picture perfect and gorgeous viewed from the lake. Absolutely beautiful!

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  14. I agree with all of the above comments. Your place is beautiful. You are to be envied! I am wondering if maybe you would start at daybreak with outdoor chores. take a break in the heat of the day and then resume after 7pm. now listen to me telling you what to do. I have a feeling you get more done your way.....

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    1. Thank you! That's very good advice, Janey. And normally that's what I do, but I really wanted to finish that project. Actually, from here until fall, I'll work early in the morning and no more the rest of today. It's just getting too hot now. You know how summer works in the south. ;)

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  15. Oh my...what a beautiful job you did!
    You are lucky you didn't get very ill!
    Your house looks gorgeous from the lake...love that view...
    Enjoy your week...don't work too hard! Hahaha!
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Thanks, Linda! I was no good the rest of the day. I've bounced back now and finished the screened porch project. Post about that soon.

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  16. Love your stone path! And your home is beautiful from all views..how fun to go kayaking right from home. Heatstroke is nothing to mess with so please be careful with future projects!

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    1. Thanks, YaYa! I knew better. I should have waited until that evening, but I knew if I didn't finish it then that I might put it off for a few days and I was ready to be done. Kayaking right from the house is fun! We took a picnic lunch out on the kayak Saturday.

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