Burn'n daylight...

Spa girl spent an hour in the swim spa the other evening trying to remember about all the settings and testing. A couple friends went with me because they are thinking they want one, and to help getting the covers back on after we swam. Those suckers are heavy. It is nice to get into after a long day in the yard, and I'm enjoying this treat. I still like my stock tank pool with a grandkid or two,

 

photo courtesy of https://www.instagram.cm/teelollyfarm

Max the wonder cowdog, Gus the Scotty dog, and Maude my pet chicken all piled in, best. 

After I went to early mass this morning, cousin Jess and his dad came by to drop off plums so a friend can make her plum butter. 

After they left, I spent the rest of the day pruning and removing candles from an over grown black pine by the front walk. 

before photo

 I will take an after photo (if it lives). It's not the ideal time of year to be doing this but it had suffered from years of neglect on top of prior bad pruning.  Picked up another pine to put in where I removed the two big junipers that died last winter. I will use it to hide the juniper stumps, and wire it to drape over a big boulder. I'm not digging the juniper stumps out, I did saw them off as close to the ground as possible without wreaking my chainsaw.

Cleaned out the dry creek bed in the front yard yesterday, now to clean out under the sidewalk that goes over it. Not looking forward to that, but it needs doing.  The gardener that mother had just blew leaves and crap under there. You can't see it unless you get in the dry creek, but I know it's full of stuff.

After I get a couple more chapters read of the book I'm beta reading for a friend, I'm calling it a day, as I've been burn'n daylight since 4:30 this morning...

Catching up...

Wednesday already!  

Let's see,  Sunday morning at oh dark thirty cousin Jess and I went up to the range so he could participate in an Outlaw Handgun Shootout that my local shoot'n club was putting on. It was rather warm, but we had fun and Jess did well, considering the last ones he shot in were in Texas.  I just watched because I wanted to see what it was all about.  It was also a good opportunity to pick Jess's brain, meet other members of the Assn. and learn some new skills. 
Jess's last stage of the shootout:

Came home and worked all afternoon in the yard. Was pretty tuckered out, but that evening I got an invite to my SIL's new swim spa. Dang but that thing is sweet.  Swam against strong current, but didn't last very long before retreating to the corner with the message jets and a big glass of wine.  There isn't much that thing doesn't have... all kinds of lights, fountains, jets, etc.  

Going back out tonight to fix their DVD player, dinner, a swim, and to get all my orders as I'm going to be the spa girl while they are on vacation!  And suddenly I have friends, that want to help me take care of the spa... hmmm

We have had a few days were the weather was nice enough that I could spend most of the day working on getting this yard in shape to put the house on the market. Still hauling brush and mother's dang yard chachkies to the landfill.  

More time with the attorney, and paper work, and banks, and all the rest.  My brother is questioning every move I make as executor. I don't understand why he is taking that path, but I'm pretty sure Dad would not be happy about the attitude.  Can only do my best to settle the estate per Dad's wishes, get the house sold, and move on. 

Ok, break time is over, back to brush whacking, and the weed eater, and showing a friend how to make hollyhock dolls.  When my granddaughters were little little I showed them how to make them. They would spend hours playing with their hollyhock dollies.  

You've come a long way, baby...

He is one of the lights of my life, & the best son! Though he does seem to have forgotten that he constantly said, as a little guy, that he wanted to buy his mom a red sports car when he got big.

It has been an amazing journey, here's to many more adventures...

 Happy 47th Birthday, Sean

Love, mom  

  

Wedding...

My granddaughter's wedding was wonderful. Only wish Dad & the Cowman could have been there. They would have had the best time, and they would have liked Tyler's family as much as the rest of us do.  

I got to meet Tyler's grandfather & grandmother, among many others that had flown out from Kansas for the wedding. Good people. Before the ceremony Tyler's grandfather and I were talking and he warned me, we better take good care of his boy, I said he best look out for my Ali, we sealed the deal with a handshake & a hug.

I promised pics so here you go:

waiting for Ali

Ali & her dad

the ceremony

sealed

on to the reception

Lauren & Ali

at the reception

and finally the part Dad would have really loved, the showering of the bride & groom with rice...

Getting Hotter...

Book club last night at my SIL's, her garden is going gang busters, so she served stuffed zucchini. You know how that goes, it's a finger size zuc one day and the next it's huge! Lots of discussion on the book, lots of wine, lots of stories told, and lots of laughter. Got to see her new swim spa! She tore up a shoulder beginning of last year, had surgery in the fall, and is still doing lots of PT to try to get as much back as possible. The swim spa is helping.

The wedding is tomorrow, the wedding isn't in RB, but still in N Calif. This is what both locations are looking at for weather thru next Friday...

Snap shot was taken this morning, we are at 100 degrees now.

With the fuel load we have, the heat, and the North wind that is blowing, fire danger is HIGH. Most fire lines are in around here, but not all, and with the North wind blowing...