pool time

I am praying that my health will improve very soon. I hate being stuck in the house, but since I am I've been browsing through some old family photos and video clips. Watching the short films of the various family pool parties, I am anxious to get finished with the landscaping project and open the pool! For those who don't know, we installed an outdoor boiler system last fall and the plumbing for it went straight through the landscaped walkway to the pool.

This is not a top-quality video, but I think it summarizes my idea of a wonderful summer day. Whenever I get tired of cleaning and maintaining the pool, I watch a clip like this and I am reminded of why I love it so.

In this clip, Hubby takes his traditional place at the grill, with my son-in-law nearby. Grand #2 is driving Uncle Tim (my step-son) crazy making him flip her in the pool. Towels and pool toys are strewn everywhere. I'm probably ready to put the camera away and yell at the kids to drip-dry for dinner... Worth every penny!

A Real Winner!

Congrats to Dani a.k.a. Grand #1!

Today she became an 'official' member of the Thespian Club.

She has been performing since she was a baby. She sings for her church, and school. Last year she starred in Guys and Dolls. She won two awards tonight for her performances in two one-act plays put on by the drama department. One for best supporting actress and one for best female minor role. She felt very honored because these awards are voted on by the students! Someday at the Oscars...
"I would like to thank Nana for always being my biggest fan."

This Morning

It started out just plain terrible! I am NOT a morning person. I don't mean I'm grumpy in the morning... I mean I am asleep in the morning, by choice. I do not like getting up much before the crack of ten. Especially after a night like last night. This bronchitis/asthma is getting the best of me. I woke up at 3am in a hacking fit that would not stop. The breathing treatments help, but then I'm jittery for hours. Anyway, back on track...

This particular morning I am summoned to the conscious world by Hubby. He simply states, "We have a problem in the bathroom."

Did I mention that I am not a plumber, never have aspired to being one? Why is he waking me? Is the toilet clogged? Did a pipe break? No. That would be a plumber's job and I am not a plumber. I am however Hubby's resident mess-cleaner-upper.

I'll interrupt this story briefly to let you in on a tip: Never, never, never under any circumstances let your lab wolf down left-over corn from dinner. Even if she is overweight and the vet says let her munch on veggies. DON'T DO IT!

Now back to the story...

It seems that sometime between "Goodnight, I love you, too" and "We have a problem in the bathroom" our lab Sadie had an accident. Well, several actually. Fortunately, it was in the bathroom and not on the bedroom floor!

All I could do was look at Hubby and say, "and I'm out of Frappucinos!" He replied, "I'll run to Speedway and get you some."

So here I am, on my knees hacking, trying to get enough air into my lungs while assuring that multiple trees will die because of my indiscriminate use of paper towels. If you will remember, all this is taking place at a time during which I should be having my REM period.

You're probably thinking this day is starting off on the crappy side - no pun intended...

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Luckily, I do not have Hubby's weak stomach. Cleaning up after people or animals doesn't phase me much, unless of course it's in the middle of my night.

When the only trace of the 'plumbing' problem was a lingering aroma, Hubby returned with a nice cold coffee Frappucino and said, "I owe you." Oh yeah, you owe me big time! So I decided to put him to work.

I had Hubby fetch me some mulch for a quick job outside - remember, I still can't breathe. I'm feeling sorry for myself because I really want to get some things done, but the Dogwood trees are running me back inside. I wish I could open the windows and listen to the sounds of nature, but that would give those nasal terrorists access to my sinus cavities. So I did what I do best...

Settling my laptop in front of me, I went online to check my mail and read the blogs I follow. I made a quick trip over to Facebook. I have a friend on there that I've never met, but I know her in-laws. I worked with Harry for several years. His son and daughter-in-law have recently adopted a young boy from Africa. I knew the daughter-in-law wrote a blog but didn't know where. I checked her Facebook page and there was the link. (I will not post the name of her blog here until I have her permission.) I was anxious to read their adoption story...

I spent the next chunk of MY horrible day reading her honest and open thoughts concerning this tough journey that her and her family have taken. She speaks frankly about her conflicting feelings, and shares the way her day starts out every day...

A favorite saying of mine popped into my head... "I once felt sad that I had no shoes, until I met the man that had no feet."

I am not letting Sadie have any corn tonight. But even if I did, tomorrow morning will still be wonderful. Thank you Lord Jesus for making me see.

finishing touch

Yesterday pushed me over the limit. The Dogwoods are killing me with my asthma! So today I decided to greatly limit my outdoor time. It's hard when it's so beautiful out!

Anyway, I had Hubby fetch me a load of mulch (He owes me... I'll probably write about that one on my 'essays' blog.) so I could cover the black plastic under the new steps. A few minutes later, I was safely back in the AC.

Later, I went shopping with a newbie... a friend needed help picking out her first computer. We stopped at Michael's first (a wonderful craft store) to buy some flowers. She has a shady spot that she brightens with artificials. I left there only spending ten dollars! Yea me! And it was $10 well spent!

The new planting bed beside the new steps will take a while to fill in. The chives looked so whimpy they reminded me of weed stragglers. I plan on later adding something pink with a little height, but that comes after I paint the foundation and finish some other projects. I didn't want it to look half-down until then, so the $10 worth of artificial flowers will due until then.

I bought a $1 bundle with many branches of tiny white flowers. The stems of the flowers blended perfectly with the chives, so I pulled off the silk leaves and stuck them in with the baby chives. It gave them a little punch until they grow their own. I found the pink flowers for $1.89 each to put behind the blue fescue. Nobody really sees this area except me and Hubby, but now we have this secret little place with perky blossoms waiting to greet us.

project moving ahead...

We hit it hard today! Fortunately, (as you can see) we got out there while there was still shade. In this photo, I have placed 2 layers of plastic under the steps to control weeds. It will be hidden by mulch. Hubby is screwing the stringers to the posts while the supervisor inspects the job. Add a few plants, some compost and mulch, a blue slab at the top and ... voila!
The stone steps will take off from the lower slate slab to the right and down to the patio below. Then I will continue the planting bed to the right of the steps as well. I have to wait a month or two to stain the new wood, and it will take a little while for the sedum to spread. I couldn't wait to see what it would look like, so I faked it on my computer.

I love making progress! And I really love the new steps.

So much better than the old muddy slope!

progress on the steps

Asthma & bronchitis has caused me to lose time on my outdoor projects. I finally got out there late today and helped Hubby put the posts in for the top of the steps. Here he is digging the first hole with his beloved tractor... After placing the steps back in the proper location, I held the post perpendicular while Hubby tamped the dirt in the hole. Note the 'supervisor' standing in the background. Nothing gets done without Sadie's oversight.

If I don't die in my sleep, we will anchor it all together tomorrow and start on the stone section that goes to the lower level.