Day 61: There's one born every minute

I am one of those types who loves to get a good deal, probably a little too much so. If I see a giant talking Elvis head that used to be $300 but has since been reduced to $50, I'll jump at it, and only realize too late that I really didn't need a giant talking Elvis head.

So, when I saw the Aerogarden Three-Shelf Wall Garden on sale for way below its retail price, I had to get it. I figured, I'd get delivered to my door a lovely pre-assembled shelf unit that I could just prop up and put my Aerogarden units on.

Here's what I got...

I cringed as I read the instructions. I admit that I'm not very much of a handyman. I mean, I own a power drill and a studfinder, but to be honest I've never really used either very much (you guessed it--I got both of them because they were on sale).

But feeling a bit adventrous, I started to read the manual. It seemed simple enough. Lay the paper guide over the wall, drill holes into a wood stud, and screw the shelves into the wall.

Step one went okay.

The studfinder told me where the wood studs. But when I drilled into the wall, all I felt was a lot of plaster and there were no wood studs to be found.

So, I concluded I needed wall anchors. I went to the Home Depot and bought a box, which were the wrong kind.

I went back the next day and got another box, which were also the wrong kind in a completely different way.

Then I dug through my toolbox and found a set of plastic wall anchors, which I proceeded to drill into the wall. After drilling for a bit, guess what I found? That's right, a wood stud. Turns out it was buried several inches underneath all the plaster or concrete or asbestos or whatever it was.

So, I went back to square one and drilled the shelves into the wall, reaching all the way to the wood studs. This is how it ended up.

Notice that I've already put the Tomato Aerogarden on the bottom shelf. In a few days, I'll be starting up a second Aerogarden (the one that used to have the basil) and a third one, which I bought a few weeks ago (yes, it was on sale at Amazon). Admittedly, I am still half expecting the entire wall to come crashing down one day, but until that happens, I'll just consider myself up there with the likes of Bob Vila.

So, an update on the tomato plants. I did add two more nutrient tablets as another two weeks have passed (how time flies). The plants are getting bigger and bigger. I'm a bit nervous because there don't seem to be any flowers yet. There are green things that look like flowers, but no purty yellow or white flowers yet. I'll keep waiting, and you'll be the first to know once they show up.

Oh, it'll be our little secret what's up and down the wall behind the silver post (shhh!)


Oh, and yes, I really did buy a talking Elvis head.