What we did for Russell's break

Thursday we measured the yard, drew up a plan, and calculated square footage (In AZ no one has regular, rectangular lawns--a paramecium or amoeba shape is required). Then we went out to the yard and started following the instructions, which required "spading to a depth of four inches." Working hard together, we had at least one square foot spaded to a depth of .04 inches. So we cleverly rented a rototiller, the most powerful machine I personally have ever operated. It was well worth the $70, as it would have taken us 4 million pick axe strokes to perform the work it did in a couple of hours.
Friday we went out to rake the yard smooth, at which point we noticed we don't have a patch of dirt in the backyard, as I used to suppose. No, we have a patch of fine dust coating several cubic tons of rock, which we industriously removed.
Sat. morning at 6:30 the sod arrived, and by early afternoon, we had a LAWN!!!!!
(It's Sunday now and I'm still a bit stiff. I tried, successfully, to not throw out my back lifting the sod, with the result that my legs feel pulled in weird places. Russell admits to no stiffness whatsoever and credits his workouts with kettleballs for making him strong. I wonder if playing World of Warcraft obsessively just makes him immune to all earthly physical sensation. Sabrina climbed the back of the couch and sat on his head and he continued playing. Poor Russell, he only has a few hours left to finish his quest for the magical Lunaris bow, and then he has to go back to school tomorrow.)