More on the fence project

It's been a pretty discouraging few weeks.  Dan's had a couple of different bobcat guys lined up, but they didn't show up.  Then it rained.  And rained.  So our fence project pretty much ground to a halt.   Dan finally decided that if we were going to make any progress at all he was going to have to dig the old privet hedge out by hand.   Well that proved to be a massive and torturous job that probably would've taken the rest of the summer had our neighbours not stepped in to help.  Doug across the alley and Bill, next door to him, stopped to chat while Dan was out working.  Doug decided that the hedge was still in pretty good shape and he could use it to fill in some holes in his hedge.  Bill's wife thought she would like some too.  The next thing I know, they had Doug's truck backed up and chains wrapped around the bushes and they were hauling them out just lickety-split. 

This is Bill (Often rudely referred to as Hillbilly) pitching in to help.

Okay, so not exactly lickety split.  The chain idea was good, but it wasn't hugely successful.  It caused a fair amount of damage to the plants, so Bill came up with a better plan.  A canvas doohickey that cinched tightly around the base of the plants so they pulled out cleaner and easier.  Of course it has a real name, but whatever...

Bill wrapping the doohickey around the bush.

Okay, Doug, pull forward,

And just like that, it's out, root and all!

Dan unties it

and tosses it on to the growing heap.

It took Dan & Doug about an hour to do what would've taken Dan about a week to do alone. 

Meanwhile, as an added BONUS

Bill's buddy dropped by and decided that our old metal fence would make a fine dog run, so Bill loaded it on to his picker truck and away it went!

So, the old fence is gone, and the bushes are gone too! 

So much progress in one afternoon!  What great neighbours eh?!