The summer months usually mean a whole bunch of changes to our daily lives. For me it meant no more lectures, no more exams, having more free time, being able to play more football etc. It should also have meant better weather but that has yet to materialise here in not-so-sunny Scotland. All that being said there has been one thing that seems to have defined my summer. I've attempted to find something to keep myself occupied, whether that be a job, work experience, a 'project' or anything along those lines. In all respects I've come up short and I've only really got myself to blame. As a result of all that I've also found myself moping and moaning a lot more - not a great change for the summer months. I might have found the answer though: the garden.
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| Swamp-like: my lawn is like a big sponge just now after all of the rain. |
My back garden has suffered because of the aforementioned weather and now that the weather might be turning around it's going to need a lot of work. In fact there is a good chance that a full overhaul of the thing is going to be undertaken and I've put myself forward to do a most of the grunt work. I've also, in the last few days, decided to try and get myself fit before the summer is out so it works both ways. I just fancy getting my hands dirty for once instead of wasting away days waiting for something to come along. It should be a good project as well because so many elements of the garden either need attention or a full redesign. I'm also putting together a plan for a drainage system for the lawn which I'm looking forward to working on if I get the go-ahead.
There's a good chance I'm getting too far ahead of myself though as I often find myself doing. Firstly this whole project is highly dependent on us getting a dry couple of weeks (at least) which is unlikely, let's be honest. Secondly I don't have the final decision really on what happens to the garden - that rests with my parents - so I'm going to have to be prepared to leave out some of my ideas. Another, smaller, issue is the fact that I'm not a botanist or a landscaper by nature so I'm going to have to do a fair bit of research during the next month or so to make sure I'm doing everything right. In fact, scrap that last one because I live for research and looking things up. Plus I'll learn new skills which can't be such a bad thing.
I'll keep you posted during my gardening escapades because I'm hoping that I find it fulfilling and fun - something to keep me busy until university starts up again at least. All of my friends seem to be doing things with their summers and now I'm trying to get something for myself after failing in my previous attempts. Some of those attempts have not closed over yet and a couple of the more minor ones are ongoing but I've yet to find that 'big' thing and it might be here. Some of you may be thinking 'wow, what a bore!' but I've always enjoyed gardening and to play a big part in a new project in a garden that I've always been involved with since we moved here would be great fun for me. I want my muscles to ache and my brain to have to think about something practical for the first time in a what feels like forever.
I hope you are enjoying your summer whatever it is that you are doing with it. A silver lining to the rut that I find myself in is that when university does finally start again, I'm going to throw myself at it with all of my weight to give me the best chance of doing well - surely that is all that matters just now anyway?
Thanks for reading.
Martin
