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Would you let your neighbor run equipment through your yard to dig a pool?

• This is one of the more interesting dilemmas a TNML member has found himself in. I'll let Reid S. explain:

I need the help of the TNML in a bad way….

Reids Dilemma,

My neighbor reached out to me yesterday with a question that truly made me sick to my stomach. He moved in back in the fall and has been fixing up his house which I greatly appreciate and now he wants to install a pool. There is 1 problem. The only way the pool builders can access his back yard is, you guessed it, right through my beautiful front yard that I have spent 3 years renovating from an ivy-infested forest into a perineal ryegrass heaven. Grass so sweet that your feet beg for a shoeless day of frisbee with the dogs, cornhole, spike ball, beer-guzzling, or just flat outstanding in the spring and fall months when it is at its best.

His pool guy swears he can fix it (He is also a landscaper and does great work from what I can see on his Facebook page). At first, he wanted to sod it which would be a great instant fix, 1 problem, I am committed to the perineal rye and he can't get the rye sod I prefer. He wants to put down a fescue which isn’t bad grass, but it can’t be kept as short as I prefer it & doesn’t have the softness my toes beg for. Not an option.

I told the neighbor we will figure it out, Who am I to deny this friendly couple their dream pool/back yard? (they told us they will give us $1K upfront just for the inconvenience & we will be able to use the pool whenever we want so that's a plus)

The only option is to re-topsoil when they are done and plant new grass seed. But wait, they plan to finish the pool in early June, which is way past the date the seed needs to be put down by to have any chance of those roots surviving the Cincinnati summer heat. So I’m SOL until mid-August, I think I have accepted that.

Now my question is, do I let this landscape company come back & fix it come August for free? Keep in mind I am so proud of the work I’ve done on this yard as this is my first home I can truly call my own. Do I build a list of materials/tool rentals I’ll need to repair it along with the labor hours I expect to do it myself? I don’t know that it will be better or worse if I do it myself but I’ll be able to look back and say I did it, I put in the work, I’m proud of that work, and that is MY YARD! (which is exactly what I think every time I finish laying down a double cut with those beautiful stripes popping for all the neighborhood walkers to see and snapping a selfie with a beer in hand to send to friends who strive to have a yard ½ as nice as mine)

My advice:

First of all, this is a terrible situation to be in since you're looking at a lost summer with your beautiful turf. I think the only solution here is that the pool company sticks to a very specific contract that allows them a slice of your yard to maneuver equipment. No more.

Then, I write up the costs associated with fixing it and I do it myself. Don't let the pool company do it or you'll always look out and see something that they screwed up. Do it yourself. Do it right. Make it exactly how you want it.

Get it all in a contract. Get it signed. Tell them you want your lawyer to approve of the language and they must pay for the lawyer fee.

I can see why you'd want to be the good guy here. The neighbor is investing a bunch of money to make things nice, you seem to have a decent relationship with the neighbor, and there's nothing better than everyone being happy and content so that life is just more enjoyable.

Just don't trust these landscape pool guys to get the job done for you. Screw that.

The Woke All-Star Challenge is off and running

• Let's start with Mike T. in Idaho and the Woke All-Star Challenge:

Am I missing something? You have to have a Twitter account to vote? I don’t have a Twitter account and never will!

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Understood. I explained in an email to Mike that I will embed an alternative form of voting for those who don't do social media. This wasn't some sort of eff you to those who don't do social media. No excuses, I'll get it fixed.

On rain and how we carry grief

• Indy Daryl writes:

It's still raining here in Indy (past 24 hours straight) and it doesn't look like it will let up over the next couple of days. With Florida on my mind (heading there tomorrow) it is certainly hard to focus. Just wanted to drop a quick line and say thank you again for your passion each and every day. I love hearing the running list in your head of things you like, dislike, and are downright confused about. The community never disappoints and I look forward to your article every day. 

Another reason I am reaching out, and this would probably be way, way easier if I was just on Twitter, but definitely not going down that road, is to share an article. My little sister (who is on Twitter @tallkapp (i think...)) shared this article from a good friend of hers. He is a veteran of the Afghanistan war, but has been working as a consultant on the NBC show "This is Us." While I am not a veteran and not been in combat, as a former critical care nurse who has been the last one to stop CPR on numerous patients, it sure hit home how we carry grief and how it shapes who we are. Given the number of veterans in the SC community I thought it might resonate with them as well. 

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-veterans-santa-monica-bd6692356102d9adbb932931b0d53b22

Thanks for all you do!

On The Godfather, dogs, etc.

• Nat C. writes:

Great content as always. It is so nice to see that most of us are leading relatively normal lives in the midst of all of the turmoil around us. Keep up the great work.

Now for movies. There is really just one that you need to see while it is out. The Godfather. It’s out in honor of its 50th Anniversary. How can anyone argue with “Leave the gun, take the cannolis.” Plus seeing Don Corleone tell Johnny Fontaine to “act like a man!” Is advice we should be giving to our sons.

I know that I’m late in the dog discussion, but I do have to share this story. We are a Labrador family. Our previous dog, Q, a yellow lab, was a classic lab - great disposition, perfect with our kids and always in search of food.

I do some entrepreneurial work on the side, other than being an orthopedist. A few of my friends and I had developed a new device and were looking for a name. We figured the name would be changed if we sold it, so we were looking for a placeholder. I suggested Q-Fix, in honor of our lab, and the name stuck. In fact, the company kept the name. Even though our first lab is gone, I always enjoy knowing that his name is on a suture anchor that is being used around the world.

Our current lab, Jack, is not as famous, but he is an awesome dog. He has the lab trait of being ball obsessed.

Have a fantastic day and keep up the great work.

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What an incredible suggestion to see The Godfather at the theater. A quick search tells me that the nearest theater showing it is 35 miles south. It's not out of the question to make the trip to see this classic that maintains a 98% favorable rating on Fandango. The problem is that it's starting to be yanked from AMC theaters. It looks like I better hurry up.

On grinding

• Guy G. is out there busting his ass and writes:

Probably late, but I’m in Vegas this week. I’m at a trade show this week, selling equipment. You told us yesterday to go grind, and sell a ton.

A long, really long, 8 hour floor day, and with 40 minutes left, came the lead of the week. Floor u it sold, 2 additional units, and a new dealer setup…in 40 minutes.

Keep grinding! Keep putting Screencaps out for us. While we can all slack around 9:45est, it powered me through the day, resulting in big sales at 7:45pm est.

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Love to hear it, Guy. Speaking of Vegas trade shows, I know a guy who's at some restaurant and entertainment trade show out there. This guy owns a bowling alley/fun center and he's been posting photos of the trade show. Dare I say the Vegas trade show scene is back in a big way. If the booze line is any indication, Vegas trade shows are on fire this month.

Can anyone else confirm this? Sounds like Guy's killing it. Maybe he's at the same show.

It's amazing what happens when the governor and his fellow lib libs get out of the way of commerce in Vegas. People come back, they blow through a bunch of money, the middle class makes their money, the gambling corporations get theirs, the common man who owns a bowling alley has a good time and Guy makes some sales.

Absolutely what it's all about.

On beer

• Bill L. in Nebraska has an update that some of you have been waiting for:

We're getting rain in Nebraska this week and the lawns should be greening up soon. I kegged my English Bitter and Double Rye IPA over the weekend. Was able to fire up the smoker as well. Deck tv will probably get put up this coming weekend. Love the content. Cheers!

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Bill L. is the reader who has offered you guys some beer if you're making a trip through Nebraska. I don't know exactly where he's at, but I think it's somewhere between Omaha and Lincoln where 90% of Nebraska lives. Bill keeps the taps flowing with a variety of beers so don't be shy to ask him what's on tap and ready to go when you're traveling down I-80.

On Craftsman

CS writes:

Craftsman used to be made in the USA. that was about 10 years ago. Now their junk is all made in China. And believe me, it is all junk. The POS that bought out Sears sold off all the real estate brand names which were Kenmore, Craftsman, Diehard, etc. That POS is some crazy tin foil hat guy living on an island he wrecked both Kmart and Sears.

Speaking of Sears. They were the Amazon back in 1800s. If the morons who ran it 20 years ago weren't baffled by the internet thingy, they would be on top and there would be no Amazon.

Briggs and Stratton rule. On every lawn mower, generator, pump, go-cart, minibike. It is the small motor. Still have one on my current mower they are indestructible. Still made in the USA.

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Correct on Craftsman. No debate here.

Let's get rolling today. It's a rainy, miserable day here in Ohio. Spring storms are popping up. It's time to be productive on the computer, get the Woke All-Star Challenge voting fixed and see what else I can get into.

Good luck to those of you selling at trade shows, selling insurance, flying fighter jets, working on ships, etc.

Have a great day across this incredible country.

Email: joekinsey@gmail.com

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Written by
Joe Kinsey is the Senior Director of Content of OutKick and the editor of the Morning Screencaps column that examines a variety of stories taking place in real America. Kinsey is also the founder of OutKick’s Thursday Night Mowing League, America’s largest virtual mowing league. Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo.