How to make a lawn look pretty

Walnut grove, where we live, is a charming neighborhood. Many proud homeowners take serious the task of keeping the community nice looking, that can present some pressure.

Since moving to a house in North Augusta I have been conflicted about very few things. Most projects I am ready and willing to do on my own, or at least try. Well, the lawn (isn't that such an awful word) has been a point of contention. Meg and I have the sweetest friends in our neighborhood, really our best friends. Both offered us the use of their lawnmowers and other yard maintenance equipment (whatever that means) to tackle the task- safe to say the yards are big.
I wish I could say I feeling positive, motivated, even excited for a chance to make my back and front yard look good. But I wasn't. Meg was like, oh yea, this is no problem, we can take of the yard, easy. So I put on my big girl pants, referred to my "I can do anything" attitude and tried. Twice. 2 times, I went out into my yard and pushed a lawnmower, used a hedge trimmer (and did not have to go to the ER), weeded, edged and all that jazz. It look good, but it was soooooo hard. Meg "did" the lawn like 3 other times (by herself!) outside of the above mentioned (yea I did not do any of that work alone) and the poor kid was aching for days.

I became more negative each time. There was one time we went to Lowes, looking for mulch...I did not know what that even was until I moved to the south. The lady helping us looked at me like an idiot when I asked which mulch was better....I mean clearly there is a quality difference right? Whatever, I think she was just floored that I was doing any kind of manual labor. That was strike one.
Did I mention every time we would go out to "mow" it would start to rain, like thunderstorm rain...thus leading to rescheduling and more frustration. Strike two.
Then I had a day off of work so I felt the need to be productive. Our lawn was on the verge of being protested by neighbors so I decided to mow. Well half way through the front yard the mower was shutting off (there was gas, I checked). I kept restarting it (which is hard work) and after a few speed bumps and uneven patches, it was "mowed". I finished my work by breaking the weed eater...strike three. I was sweating, I was practically crying, I vowed NEVER to do that again!

Oy vey.....The other day I was crying to my neighbor about how much I hated mowing the lawn and he was like oh, I have this guy I will send him over. I obliged.
I thought he would send him over to talk, nope. Friday I pull into my drive way and almost drive through my garage door. My lawn look like God himself waved a wand and gave me a new lawn. Was I in the right driveway? Turns out neighbor sent lawn guy over to just go ahead and cut it, he would take care of the first bill. I know this might seem offensive to some, like wow, that was presumptuous....not to me, I was oh so grateful.

Yesterday Meg and I met with the lawn god....I mean guy, Oscar. I told him of our plights and constricted budget. He told us all about Bermuda grass and crap grass control (whatever that is....I really don't care). I loved him. He is my new best friend. HE will be in charge of the lawn....I think when a professional is doing it, we call it landscaping. Bottom line, I would rather never have starbucks again and eat ramen noodles 5 days a week and spend the money to hire someone, than ever PUSH a lawnmower myself.

There you have it, I did it myself, and then I realized I suck (and Megan cannot do it alone)....so I hired someone else. Can't say I didn't try.