Welcome Spring

We finally made it. I think spring has sprung. I got the yard cleaned up from winter, pulled the planters out from under the deck and got the new mulch spread in the planter out front. Trimmed the roses (man do I miss Virginia, she used to do that loathsome chore), sprayed the weeds in the garden, mowed up three months of dog #@!%$# (trying to remember why I like them so much--oh yeah they're cute) and got rid of the tiller. All that's left is to dispose of a few old yard machines that no longer work.

Then I need to decide what flowers I want to go into my planters. By the way, they multiplied under the deck this winter (has to be it because it seems like more came out than I put under there).

Also, got the trailer home and the basement storage put back together, fixed the light switch, put all the stuff back in the basement storage and now all that's left to do is wash the bird !@#$#@! off.

I am so glad that I get to work tomorrow, I really need the rest. What a weekend.

Good Times, Good Friends and RAIN

So once again, for about the 20th year, Mike and I spent Easter vacation with our best friends Jeff and Jolene. Now Jeff is about a close as Mikes "brotha from anotha motha" as you can get. It's weird how they think the same thoughts and can finish each other's sentences. But I digress.

The title of this little ditty should actually be Good Friends, Long Drives, Rigorous Hikes (that I survived by the way) and Road Side Surgery.

We spent the weekend in Windsor California, a nice little slice of heaven north of San Fransciso. Left the snow for rain and came back home to snow. While we were there, we saw tons of "happy cows" from California, the ocean and some beautiful redwoods. Then off to San Franscisco for the day to ride the cable cars and eat seafood.

While in the Armstrong State Park, we decided to hike. Unfortunately, I let everyone else pick the hike. We went straight up for about 10 miles, then straight down the same amount. But they saw some wonderful scenery. Me, I was too busy trying to catch my breath and make sure I didn't trip over something to see anything. It had rained the day before so everything was fresh. The problem I have is I spend too much time jockeying a chair and not enough time outside hiking. But unfortunately Mike likes the $$ I make too much to let me trade in my pencil for hiking boots. Top it off with 70 year old knees in a 50 year old body and it's lucky I didn't have a heart attack and have to be life flighted off the hill. But I made it, whining all the way.

Then it was off to some of the most beautiful ocean scenery you have ever imagined. What an inspiration to see all that God has put here for us to enjoy. After we drove the coast we were driving back to the condo on this little two lane road, in the middle of no where, when Jeff notices he has a tick buried about halfway into his arm. Even after he made such fun of me on the hike, I still took pity on him and provided the instruments for a little road side tick extraction. And doctors think they need sterile operating rooms and razor sharp instruments. Funny what you can do with matches from Joe and Angie's wedding (10 years ago almost), the file from a pair of fingernail clippers (luckily TSA didn't confiscate the dangerous instrument) and a little bit of hand sanitizer. But we burned his little butt (the ticks, not Jeff's) pulled him out, cleaned it off and went on our way.

I have to say that I am grateful to have very special people in my life. I have never had a brother but Jeff is as close at it could come the way he gives me a hard time. They are a wonderful couple and are very easy to travel with. No drama, enjoys quiet time and a lot of humor. Jolene is very gullible and keeps falling for Mike's pranks. I keep telling her that if his lips are moving, he lying. But she keeps getting sucked in. Oh well, if Mike's giving her a hard time, I'm safe.