Welcome to Our Here and Now

(Sorta Ghostwritten by ron, with words from Tally)

Jack is slowly coming around that he needs help on some things, a few selected projects right now. I'm going to try this approach to listing projects that we'd like to have done for us, or have help in getting them done. I'm out in the yard today, weeding, putting down a bag of compost from LAST SUMMER, just to get the bad moved, and I was thinking of your idea. (Nice to be thought of among the weeds, uh Ron?) And it rolled, slid around, bubbled up, and I came to what I really, REALLY need from you: an interactive web site.

I need to be able to put a call out for help and for people to know what is needed, how much time it involves, and if someone else already has tagged the job. For example, dead-heading the huge rhodie in front of the garage will take about 20-30 minutes. I would love to put that request out there, leaving a bucket for the blossoms. Someone notes on the web site that she/he will do the job--and I don't need to know when it will be gone, just that it will be done. I like gardening, but I'm just too busy with everything else. That window downstairs needs the sheet rock put up and first coat of mud. Probably 30 minutes at the most. Maybe further down the path here, someone could pick up a few needed items at the grocery store. I just don't know how to set it up.

I've got the "Care Team" list, but that seems sort dumb to ask for gardening help from everyone. Wouldn't it be better to have a site for people to check? I think this will really help people know what we need, what I need. The web site will accomplish--I think-what your plan intentionally would, but just at a slower pace, which is what Jack needs. I told him about it today, and he didn't resist. I think he sees the logic, but his heart still lingers in the "I got to do it" mode. Shoot, so does mine. Which is why asking for this shows you how far I've come.

We'll give this a try; I'll post an individual item, complete with description, tools required, etc, and time frame we'd like to have the assistance. If you see something that you'd like to do, please respond to the blog BEFORE you do the task, to prevent doubleups. If you can do the task, and would like assistance, please put that in your reply, along with an email of how someone can contact you. Together, you can work out who is doing what. The goal here is NOT to burden Tally/Jack with being the coordinators of the projects, other than for one person to check with them on an available time for the project. Then when the task is done, please reply to the blog with the title of DONE, so others of us can quickly scan the titles and see "yep, the job is done, I can move on."

It would be nice for the rest of us if you would post a short note of what you did, and how it went. Heck, you could even post pictures!

Ron's note: Don't be shy about volunteering for a job and replying that yes, you can do it, and it should cost about $X. That way, others like us in KS, who won't be able to travel to SEA to garden for the weekend, can toss some $$$ to the volunteer to help cover the costs. I don't expect there to be much cost associated, but again, don't be shy about listing it. Again, these are RON'S WORDS. So, read on for some test posts...........................

For Tally, by ron