Crisis Aversion
Most of the invitations for Simon's birthday are in the mail, we're ahead on the milk supply for the first time since I started working, Adlai has been sleeping well at night (but appears to be a terrible napper), birds are singing and flowers are blooming.
We made a major purchase recently of a backyard play set similar to this one for the boys which I still think is a really good investment but incorporating it into our backyard has turned out to be a major production. First off, we referred our beloved contractor to friends for their home remodel and now he is too busy to help. He is subcontracting the work to a friend and we finally have confirmation that this guy will start ASAP. All of the concrete in the backyard will be removed and just over half will be replaced by the play set area that appears at ground level but is actually six inches deep with mulch so our danger boys won't hurt themselves. The other part of the patio will be covered in cobble stones. Along the way, the enormous patio cover needs to be removed, an outdoor light installed, a sprinkler moved and replaced, a border built to keep in the mulch, the front porch rebuilt...
Fortunately, it looks like it will all be done in time for Simon's birthday (aka Father's Day) and before the delivery of the play set. Crisis averted.