PROJECTS PROJECTS PROJECTS!
Rick is busy busy busy! Here he is installing new pipes for additional automatic sprinklers to our side yard. We planted one of our orange trees there next to the big shed he put in last month, and he is getting ready to build me a gopher and rabbit proof garden. ha. So far those varmits are getting the best of us -- and many of our flowers and shrubs! (But, much better than our neighbors who have lost a dog and two cats to coyotes this year!)
He's also built a small retaining wall, put in numerous drip lines on existing sprinklers, filled 3 trash cans with weeds and shrub clippings (a weekly chore), tried to fix our pool bottom cleaner, built me some dividers for my kitchen cabinets, and I don't know, MANY other little projects.
This week I planted two jasmine plants, a phoenix robellini (palm), a gardenia plant, two tomato plants, a mini rose bush, and 12 petunias (10 of which were immediately eaten!) Oh, and a few flats of ground cover on part of the hillside we are refreshing. I also planted two banana trees Ronee gave to Julian for Christmas. They almost croaked...I forgot they were in his room! We are turning into farmers with all the weeding and plantings!
Rick is busy busy busy! Here he is installing new pipes for additional automatic sprinklers to our side yard. We planted one of our orange trees there next to the big shed he put in last month, and he is getting ready to build me a gopher and rabbit proof garden. ha. So far those varmits are getting the best of us -- and many of our flowers and shrubs! (But, much better than our neighbors who have lost a dog and two cats to coyotes this year!)
He's also built a small retaining wall, put in numerous drip lines on existing sprinklers, filled 3 trash cans with weeds and shrub clippings (a weekly chore), tried to fix our pool bottom cleaner, built me some dividers for my kitchen cabinets, and I don't know, MANY other little projects.
This week I planted two jasmine plants, a phoenix robellini (palm), a gardenia plant, two tomato plants, a mini rose bush, and 12 petunias (10 of which were immediately eaten!) Oh, and a few flats of ground cover on part of the hillside we are refreshing. I also planted two banana trees Ronee gave to Julian for Christmas. They almost croaked...I forgot they were in his room! We are turning into farmers with all the weeding and plantings!
We did get a patio table with chairs (our anniversary gift), and a chaise lounge (my birthday present). The pool water hit 77 already, and Rick's been in. Only my legs have, so far! It's a great way to cool off while gardening!
Rick's not too happy though: last Saturday someone backed into his F-250 pickup truck at Lowes! ...and drove off. Estimate: $1,200. We are "regulars" now at Lowes, and Home Depot! We go almost every day...sometimes twice!
Rick's not too happy though: last Saturday someone backed into his F-250 pickup truck at Lowes! ...and drove off. Estimate: $1,200. We are "regulars" now at Lowes, and Home Depot! We go almost every day...sometimes twice!
Julian is coming home this Saturday, May 5th! woo hoo! Better yet, Intuit is paying for his flight and giving him an apartment! woo hoo, woo hoo!! He starts his summer internship May 21st. He'll be with us for a couple of weeks, then he moves into his furnished apartment, also provided by Intuit! Keep using Turbo Tax and Quicken everyone! Gotta' keep the kid employed!
He just completed his Junior year at MSU.
Meanwhile, last Saturday I completed both my Web Design, and, Electronic Design certificates from California State University! These are Saturday programs I began in January. Now, if I decide to purchase the programs for our home computer, I'll be able to design and build websites and could do some free-lance work. I'll start with a 30 day free trial and work on my "Aunt Nancy Adopt-a-Soldier" website first. It hasn't been updated in 3 years! www.auntnancyusa.com
On Thursdays I'm enjoying taking more Italian art & history classes. Currently I'm in a 5 week class on Renaissance Art and Architecture. These are basically lecture classes... no homework or projects. This is exactly the type of class I had been looking for for years! I wanted to get a little knowledge base before going to Italy last year. But it's still great, and especially since the Florence part of our trip was canceled, we plan to go back; possibly in 2008.
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