Two trees planted...front seating area leveled and the sandstone in place...We are getting close...

Looking Good

The pathway went in today and I love it...next we need some trees and bushes. The rain chain is cool..thanks for the idea Brian.

9212 facelift

Well once I get started the dirt starts flyin and stuff starts to fall into place. The wall is DONE and the pathway isn't far behind. Stay tuned for the planting and lights.

Moving Day Take 3

Well he is in the new place and after we returned the rental truck I went back and set up the computer an the play station. the bird was checking out the balcony and Poe the dog was sniffin around. All in all a smooth transition. Could not have done it without my studly wife and bestest friend Mark...you guys are amazing. Lets all cross our collective fingers.

Section 8 Part Deux

Well those of you who read this are aware of the difficult year we have had trying to get the Section 8 Apartment for Greg.. Well we signed the lease at regency place apartments today...YAY...Now we have to get the U-Haul and get him moved on Sunday. Seven years and the destination is in sight.. I will update the move next week...

a year of miss connections and missed vacations

had you known that we were going to Santa Cruz for my first big Vackay from Kaiser you might think we'd be sharing crazy pictures from SC by now...but once again it wasn't meant to be. Rich picked me up in Oakland monday afternoon as planned. Boats and bikes affixed to the FJ. We were going to kayak and bike are way through our fav environment, stay at our fav place, eat at all our fav places and rest....Ha! the universe again had other plans for us. I packed the boxes of food for the animals, snacks for our days on the beach but yet we are home. We got one good night in but only to receive the call you don't want to get from your pet sitter, "aaaaah, did you change your locks....cus I cant get in..." Yup, we did change them and no one had the replacement keys...yet Rich had made them and told me to share them>" dooohhhh and after a hour of crisis...we knew the only options was to call it a Wrap and head home. Home where the front yard cried for our attention. We have spent Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday working on the Front Yard. Its therapuetic working on something you can actually see the progress on. I've dug and refilled and re dug and refilled holes for drainage, plumbing and electrical. alast I can see Rich's vision. Without work its calming to just enjoy the triumph that is "hard work" and Rich's vision. So much for Santa Cruz...

sometime you don't know where the day will take you....

today Rich had rented a excavator to continue the work on the front yard. We started last night with prep work, planting stakes, measuring heights for the walkway, diggin up bulbs...all the while Rich's creative juices running ideas, plans and vision...he has vision of plans that I'll never have. So while the sprinklers ran, to soften the dirt for the digging the following day, we unwound by watching Enchanted, goofy Disney movie...can I stop and talk about Disney as it has a cherished place in my heart...no matter how jaded I am, I can still be struck by the start up of the music, so many Sunday nights being swept away by Sleeping Beauty,Bambi, 101 Dalmations and the Aristocats...so I just thought this was a silly movie but got mesmerized by the magic...even at 42. Great movie, for young and old(young at heart.)

So Sat morning woke up begrudgingly and Rich headed off to pick up Mark and Mason and the tractory thing. And I was industrious while he was gone, pick axe and dirt...I started work. I thought my day would be filled with it. But things don't always work out the way you plan. Mark and Mason are great team but as plans turned out, Mason's friend Evelyn joined us. They are a pair, born from the same pod somewhere...I had friends like that growing up. Chris and Jon Takach and Stephanie Shipway...we fished together, played hide and seek in the avacado trees, chased chickens...we were a crew. But these two were precious. Although Mason works well with Mark , today he seemed more like sticking in the house. And he and Evelyn wanted to hang with me. This left the men to work which was ok but really I thought I'd be slogging beside them. Apparently I had other duties...since we had Enchanted I set it up for the kids, Mason had seen it before but Evelyn hadn't...and what young girl could say no to princesses and princes. So I tried to work on some Work training that I had, so I was close by but not too close. Mason wanted to warn Evelyn every time some big, scary or intense scene was coming in the movie...so cewt. But ultimately I found my way to my room to focus on my studies...but they are just so comfortable with each other. Different than siblings-better.they were so content to sit side by side watching, being absorbed in the movie. Then the movie was over and they wanted to be entertained...reluctantly I sucumbed. We wound up playing "Go Fish." It sounds so simple but it was precious to me. Life's simple pleasures can still warm the cockles on my heart. Eating Goldfish, Dots (remember Dots) and laughing.

Then we were invited to Anna's for a visit with her parents. Bart and Maya (sp?) were in from So Cal and chilling in Sac. The last time we met Bart was like 20 years ago and he remembered us. A breakfast at Carrow's a million years ago...pictures to prove it! But Anna had invited some close friends for yummy Zelda's pizza. It was a great crew of spirit. Beers and Pizza, art, politics, Project Runway, sunless tanning and family were all discussed. It was great exchange of thoughts, energy and love-Anna is lucky to be loved by special people. We are lucky to be invited along for the ride.

Angel Island Adventure

Initially we were going Saturday, but had a fun night with the Pyles Friday night at Hoppy Brewery...needless to say when we got home we ended up watching "We are Marshall" and stayed up way too late. But what a great movie, especially with Football starting this week. So we swapped our plans and went with Plan B. Plan B consisted of using other peoples Air Conditioning. We went see Tropic Thunder-Oh Muy Gawd, it exceeded my expectations...we laughed our arses off...and I had to look away many times (gross factor) totally entertained!!! Then shopping at the mall and topped with, yes I know you already know SUSHI! The Taro experience is a little different these days...John comes and sits with us on break. We have some new friends and it feels nice. Then we went to bed before 9:30. So off to Angel Island today. It was a beautiful day and nice balance of fun and fitness...just when you build up a sweat....huge downhill. What a treasure, with views of Tiberon, the city, the Golden Gate and the Bay bridges.