Chapter 245

When I made this baby countdown chart, I didn't make allowances for the stork to get lost. So, my illogical solution is to revers the countdown banner and start counting the other direction. Let's hope we don't count backwards too long and that the stork can find it's way to Kingston pretty soon. Maybe the good weather will make for optimal flying.

Speaking of weather, this nice weather has revved up the two gardening genes I happened to inherit from my mother. Since freezing weather either cracked the pots or blew the glaze off, I had to get some new ones this year. I even sprung for new dirt. I haven't really bought plants for the yard since Bob was laid off several years ago and things had gotten pretty dull. It was about time the "compound" as Kyanne calls it got a bit of a picker-upper.

And, speaking of my mother...wow, two great segues in a row...I went down to Shelton to see what was going on with my mother and her husband, Andy. They are both great and are keeping busy around the place. It's been a year since my mother has had her bionic knee installed and she stands tall again and is keeping active because of it. Sadly, they recently had to put their German shepherd, Sabra, down a couple of weeks ago. My mother has owned dogs her entire life and it's going to be quiet around her place now.

Andy gets around well and is still very active at 92. He even shreds the power line trails that are behind their house several times a week on his mountain bike.

Here on the home front, we are doing some much-needed work around the place. Between Bob restoring the XKE and injuring his back, we haven't really been keeping up. Project #1 was to fix the old broken-down gate. As you might remember, it took one for the team when the big maple trees were removed and it's been a bit of an eyesore since then. The sad old gates that we (meaning Bob) took down wait for the next trip to the dump.

After taking the gates down, we had to remove the big glob of concrete that held to old gate post in so we busted out Bob's engine hoist...made for the easy life of a smooth concrete floor...and once again pressed it into yard service. It's a great tool for this heavy work making our (meaning Bob's) projects easier. It just doesn't 4 x 4 so well.

This time we put the fence all the way across the front instead of ending in the bushes so we (meaning Bob) had to dig another post hole. 

Nobody can rock basketball shorts and a tool belt like Bob can! 

The finished product protects the back yard of stately Book Manor from the prying eyes of local dog walkers.

Next, we (meaning Bob) took on the ginormous blackberry patch that has totally sprung to life now that the shade from the removed maple trees is gone. What a hideous job. Too bad I couldn't help because I had a blog to write!