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<p>Bill O’Boyle</p>

Bill O’Boyle

PLAINS TWP. — Happiness is a new garden hose.

Yep, I went to the big store and found a new garden hose — 100 feet long, red and black. And I purchased a new adjustable spray nozzle and a container of cleaner that attaches to the hose to wash down my siding, windows and deck.

Oh yeah, this was a big deal.

So I went to my patio — a small square of concrete and I began to clear the debris of a year or so. First, I had to cut up my old hose and dispose of it. Then I placed all the other stuff in a garbage bag to get rid of it.

Mission accomplished, so far.

Now came the big moment. I unraveled the new garden hose, attached it to my water outlet and attached the spray nozzle and I turned the water on.

I first gave everything a good soaking, pushing all the debris off the patio and clearing it all off. It took a few minutes, but I got it done.

Now I attached the cleaner container, anticipating the best. I sprayed and sprayed and sprayed, but the cleaner wasn’t cleaning all that well. So I let it all soak in for a while and went at it again. Some improvement, but no real thorough cleaning.

So now I must purchase an effective cleaner — something that will remove the buildup of years of arbor vitae’s leaning against the siding. I am sure there is such a cleaner out there. The challenge is to make the right selection.

So I will do that and complete this job this week. It’s all part of my clean-up.purging effort that includes cleaning out my garage and also throwing out all that I have accumulated that no longer has much value. It’s sort of liberating to do this, yet I must confess that there is a degree of sentimentality attached to all of it.

Included in the multi-faceted program is emptying out the boxes of stuff I have placed in my hot tub. The goal is to clean it out, clean it up and call a hot tub guy to come and get it up and running again.

I really want to get the hot tub functional again for the purely therapeutic value it brings to my life. A good soak in the hot tub every day renews the body, while at the same time providing the relaxing warm swirling water that allows for a good night’s sleep.

I’m not sure what other turns this multi-phased project might take — I am considering planing a few tomato plants to guarantee a summer long harvest, assuring tomato sandwiches into the fall.

By the way, I did fry up some of that walleye I received in the mail. Note: That is one of the strangest sentences I have ever written.

But after receiving five pounds of frozen walleye fillets in the mail last week, I thawed a couple of planks out, cut them up and dipped them in egg and bread crumbs and fried them in oil. I placed a few nuggets in taco shells, added some shredded lettuce and a chipotle/avocado/lime sauce and I can tell you they were delicious.

I have a few nuggets left and I will have them tonight for dinner.

So happiness is a new garden hose with an adjustable nozzle and a clean patio. But the happiness continues and improves with a clean garage, a re-purposed hot tub and maybe some tomato plants.

And that happiness reaches pinnacle level when it’s topped off with a walleye taco or two.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.