Yard Work Weekend

The work week was boringly normal for me. Connie had to go to a seminar in Houston on Thursday. I'm not sure who sponsored it but there were several speakers from different government agencies including the FBI. The subject of the seminar was human trafficking. She learned alot about the scum who prey on the kids both in our country and Central and South America. Did you know that the demand for sex slaves now reaches down to kids 4 years old? I can't tell you what I think should be done with anyone involved in this.

Our weather has warmed a little and spring looks like it is finally here. It's been a long cold winter for us, much worse than normal. Of course it's a direct result of the changes to the earth's climate caused by the excesses of the American way of life. Ask Al "the hypocrite" Gore.

Sorry, got off track a little, I started to say it was warm enough for our first happy hour on the deck. Connie and I have a habit of relaxing on most Friday nights by sitting in the court yard or on our upper deck and having a few drinks. Sometimes we have company but sometimes it's just her and I. I enjoy when we have company but I really enjoy the times when it's just the two of us. We talk, dream, plan and discuss many things but mostly our future and how we want to spend it. We work and think well as a team. I think we balance each other out. Sometimes this causes us to change plans or it takes longer for us to accomplish a goal but we haven't really made many decisions that we regret later.

I have been trying to get back into photography lately. I took a couple of courses when I was in my 20s. I really enjoy it but haven't put a lot of effort into it for many years. The hardest thing to get back is something Al from the thebayfieldbunch.com blog calls "seeing with the photographer's eye". If you want to see some great photos visit his blog. I was fooling with the camera a little Friday and took these from our deck...

The clouds about an hour before sunset

Sailboat masts against the sky

Lone dove resting

Saturday I went to measure a house for an addition I'm doing the plans for and then went into town to pick up a few plants at the nursery. We redid all of our landscaping last year because Hurricane Ike destroyed everything. Last winter the freeze killed a bunch of it so we have to replace some plants again. We were trying to get a hedge along our courtyard between us and the neighbor's using hybiscus plants. They were starting to do really well by late summer. Now we have to start over again and to make matters worse there aren't many large hybiscuses to be had in this area. I was able to find some at the Tom's Thumb Nursery and also picked up a few other plants.

When I returned home I found that Connie had mowed the yard and weeded the beds. Thank you Emma! Together we planted the bushes I had bought. I edged and trimmed the yard and Connie continued working on the beds until about 4:00. By then we were both starting to run out of gas so when our neighbor across the canal hollered over an invite we readily accepted.

After showering and feeding Sam we went over to their house. Tod and his wife Trish live in Sugar Land (near Houston) and have owned their bay house for about eight years. We've come to know them quite well and really enjoy spending time with them. Another reason I hate winter is because they don't come down as often. They had Trish's cousin Alex, his best friend and friend's wife down also. Tod took us on a canal putt and we drifted around the bay for a while before heading back to their house. Poor Connie had to pee and almost didn't make it. She was in agony so Tod made a fast pull up to his dock so she could run to the bathroom. We spent the rest of the evening laughing and having a great time as we always do when we're with them.

Today Connie got up and made sausage, biscuits and gravy for them. Of course she left some for me when she went to deliver it. I read the paper and a few blogs then we started on the gardens again.

I went and bought mulch and we spread it in the beds. By then Connie's back was about to give out so she went upstairs and I cleaned everything up. I piddled around with a few things in the garage then decided a nap was in order for me too. We both dozed/watched a movie and right now I can smell dinner cooking so I'll close.

Adios for now, enjoy the day.

--Rod