Well shoot...

The photo shoot for the house went well, I think. The young guy that shot the photos was friendly and interesting to talk to. He's a professional real estate photographer and brings all his own lighting, and flies a drone for the aerial photos. He liked the house's open floor plan and all the natural light from the big skylights and windows. I hope to get to see the photos soon.

The waterfall & small pool is one of the features in the back patio area. But it was closed in by hedges and a handrail. 
 

half way through the removal of the hedges

So the day before the photo shoot I decided to take out the hedges, borrow a friend's sawzall

 to remove the handrail, and then re-rock the area. Finished at 9:30pm.  Have some tweaking to do to get it closer to what I want, but it was done enough for the photos. 

Pruned, replaced tiles, and cleaned up the little patio on top of the big berm between the house and the street.

 Two of the leylandii cypress that were removed have been replaced with redwoods. They will eventually hide the neighbors houses and provide more shade. 
 The realtor said to just make sure the beds were made when the photographer came. No problem for my bedroom as I always make my bed.  But it meant putting the king size bed back in the big master bedroom and putting bedding on it.  Somewhere along the way any bedding for that bed got misplaced or tossed. But I found a deal on a bundled: dust ruffle, comforter, pillow shams, and throw pillows.  Totally not my style, but so what if it looks early whorehouse to me, it works in that room, and everyone else seems to like it!?!

Sorry if I'm boring you with all this, I just want to keep a record of what has been done around the place.

I met a dear friend and her daughter for lunch today. Can't believe that it's been a year since we got together. Lots of laughter, tall tales, and memories shared. We have history. You would like her, she's cute as a button, one of the true unsung heros of caring for others, and a kick to boot.  Made my whole week to get to see her & her daughter again.  
Then on the way home I stopped in a small town to get a cold drink.  An elderly gentleman was in front of me at the register, and after a moment he turned around, looked me up and down, and as I'm putting my hand on the CCW in my purse, he said, "You, lady are exquisite!"  I stammered a "Thank You, sir". He drove away in a black suburban with Colorado plates, and I drove home with a smile. It was an all around good day.
 

Trimmings...

The pine tree lives after I trimmed the heck out of it.  My radio flyer and I will haul some more rock to put in that border and that project will be finished.

The personal property inventory for Dad's estate was finished yesterday and turned in to the attorney today.  Now I'm waiting for the co assessor's appraisal to be submitted, so I can put the place on the market.

Last weekend I hit the wall, from trying to get things done around here, by my lonesome. I just can't go like I could when I was younger, and it frustrates me. Saturday I was just plum exhausted. So Sunday, I made myself just take it easy for the whole day. No doing chores, no worries, went to breakfast with friends, took a long nap, read, texted with the kids, and grandkids.  Just what I needed to recharge.

This Friday the photographer comes to take photos for the real estate listing. There is still a lot that needs to happen in the yard before he gets here. Most of the front is done, dry creek cleaned out, pine planted, just a couple loads of prunings to haul off.

    

Today was cooler weather by far, only got to 93. Had a gardening service come last week and give me an estimate on trimming the long hedge around the driveway. They said it would take 2 guys at least four hours and be $375 and $35/hr/man after that. Ouch, I will do it myself, thanks!  Got the hedge face all done, and 1/3 of the top done today, should be able to finish it tomorrow.

 Pretty tuckered out from going up and down that ladder all day, and trimming by hand. I have an electric hedge trimmer, but I didn't want it to look scalped, so did it with the loppers and pruning shears.  My arms are a little sore, but nothing a nice hot shower won't fix.
PS:  I don't know what I'm trying to prove to myself, but doing this by myself is not the brightest thing, so I will try to find a landscaper to help me finish it up.

late night...

Saturday late night humor.

 

Just Country Folk..

The old saying is, "You can take the gal out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the gal."

There is no clothesline here, there really isn't much of a place to put one.  I asked Dad why that was and he said, "Your mother hated them, and thought they made a place look like poor white trash lived there!"  What!?!  I wondered if he was pulling my leg, but then thought back on it, and she never put one in at any of the houses she built. 

Guess I take after my granny Mid (who was far from being poor white trash), because I love a clothes line. (I even had a defunct ol hot walker as one for a while on the home ranch.) Not only is a clothesline much cheaper than running the dryer, it gets you outside, and it makes your clothes & sheets smell like sunshine. 

Pretty sure that Mother is spinning every time I do laundry and put this up...

Give me clean clothes, a clothesline, and some ice cold Luzianne in my travel mug

and I'm doing just fine...

Oh, and boots, specifically Lucchese boots!  Their sweet new polo boots are out. At $1,295 a pop, I won't be getting any, but I can still admire them from afar...  

 

Last, but certainly not least, I received this certificate from the POTUS yesterday. I think Dad would be pleased.

Sure miss Dad, the ol guy with mischief in his eyes...

Willie, Hank, and me...

Willie and I are back from taking the last pickup load of the day to the green waste dump site.  Where Willie supervises the unloading from inside Hank's air conditioned cab. I am hot, dirty, & tired, but still smiling. Of course, Willie is none of the above, because he is in a management position.

We are glad that the bank is almost done, so we can move on to the hedges.  I say we because Willie supervises, from the safety of his fenced yard.  This is important as the neighbor's cat, Pebbles, has eat'n Willie's lunch once already, and we don't need another trip to the vet.

There is one lone sunflower on the bank, and I didn't have the heart to cut it down. Took it's picture instead.

Willie and I received an invite to dinner. Thank goodness for friends that cook and say "come as you are".