It has been a while!

I cannot believe I have not blogged since the 31st of July.  I have been that busy!

Am I getting anywhere? Well not fast enough for me.

The weather has been extremely hot, and I have had other projects to take me away.

I did manage to get rid of more rock by placing it behind the abandoned garage and the alley is looking better.

We have almost and I say almost rid ourselves of the dirt on the soon to be parking pad.  This has been back breaking work, and I can only move so much in a day, or I start to stumble and am worthless.

This pile has gone by half, and I will try and get the rest done tomorrow morning.

Because the yard work has been all encompassing, besides traveling etc. I feel like there is fall out around me.

I need to organize my downstairs back storage room and a large set of shelves in the basement.

When we moved in, we were just overwhelmed and things got put where they could and now it is really starting to bother me.  So, this is going to be one of my goals for the next several weeks, and I will tackle this at least one hour a day. 

I have also made August a stay out of the grocery store month and eat from the pantry and freezers, and so far, this has been very successful.

Yesterday I made four dozen chocolate chip cookies and shredded six cups of zucchini, along with four pounds of mozzarella cheese.

Today I am going to make eight pie crusts, as I am out, and have blueberries and huckleberries to make a pie.  

I also need to make some French bread and some baguettes.  I now have some room in the freezer.

Have no idea what is for dinner tonight and I must go downstairs and figure this out.  Will call Sissy first and see if she wants to join us.

Now it is time to get in the shower and clean up as I am one very dirty monkey.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hugs;

Kay

 

My Sissy is Home!

 Yes, my Sissy came home about 4:00 yesterday afternoon and I have missed her terribly.  She looks wonderful and rested.

I spent the night at her place last night so we could catch up and now I am home doing my chores.

The weather has been 100 degrees the past three days, and I have managed to work the past two in the yard for a couple of hours, but very early.

I am making some progress.

So here

is the report!

The area where the parking pad will go.  I have four large yard containers (two borrowed from a Neighbor) that I will fill at least half full tomorrow early and hopefully this pile will diminish.  It used to be a mountain, and it has taken six weeks so far to get rid of all of the old mulch. The problem with mulch is it is very heavy and if I overfill the containers the trucks won't lift it! Once the mulch is cleared the heavy dirt will be moved into the yard and rototilled in. We will then cut up the heavy yard cloth and get it to the dump.

I have finished the alley side with leftover blocks and planted what Iris I wanted to keep.  We shall see if they come up next year! Still have six bags of red mulch to dispose of, but that is for another day!

I need to lay at least two more bags around the roses on the side and hope to get to that tomorrow.

Then I took more block and cleaned up behind the garage on the back alley!

Got rid of a lot more river rock, waste not want not.  I will continue down the alley of the abandoned house as well and use white stone as border and river rock as filler.

No one seems to want our rock, and it will cost a great deal to have it hauled away, so I am dispersing what I can and saying prayers that someone will come and take to leftover.  Time will tell!

Now this rock pile will go down further as I finish the abandoned garage project!

I do know that the dump will take the broken cement blocks etc., but not the river rock, so I will talk with the corner Neighbor when they return and see if I can place it behind their garage where their garbage cans go and this will keep the weeds down.  I did this under our cans and spray the weeds, and it looks neat and clean.

Who said an alley has to be ugly?

Now onto the landscaping rock, that I am waiting for someone, anyone to take.  It is lovely rock and would cost a fortune to buy. I think it is so hot at the moment that people just do not want to go outside!

The large blocks to the left will be taken to the dump.  Now that I have Sissy's SUV this will be possible.  The long white rock will be used on the abandoned Houe garage.  So slowly but surely, we are plugging along.

Today Is Olivers 5th birthday so I must run to McDonalds and get Him a gift card which is my go-to for the greats.  Sissy will be going up to Moscow later today for a pizza party and will take it for me.

I took porcupine meatballs out of the freezer and will make those tonight with a beefy rice for dinner.

We have to eat our freezers down and Sissy's garden is coming on strong, and we will need to process and freeze.

The temps will drop tomorrow to low eighties and that I can live with, so I hope to get a boat load of work in the yard done tomorrow and I see several runs to the dump this weekend.

Now I am off to pay some bills and run some errands.

Hope everyone has a marvelous day!

Hugs,

Kay

ave

The yard work is daunting!

Husb and I have been gone or entertaining for the past two weeks and have not worked on the yard except to water the plants.  The hostas are doing terrible and half of them are just about gone. But we will wait until next year.

The spurge is taking over the front lawn and it looks terrible.

I have purchased weed and feed and will start the process tomorrow.

Two weeks off and we did work for two hours this morning and will both be so sore again!

We just have to keep at this every day, and the days are so hot.  We are not starting early enough in the morning and must rework our normal routines if we want to make progress.

Trust me I felt like this the first week we started (April 1st) and have made great progress, but today just seemed daunting.

I have only heard from Sissy once and that was for her to ask me to go and greet a client who did not pick up product before Sis left. I know she is having a great time, and I miss her.

WE left her dog Roscoe with my baby Sister while we were away, it was only for a very short time and the cats did fine without us.  If we are only gone two nights they hang with dry food and plenty of water. The beauty of Cat ownership.  Now if they were very old this would not happen.

We both had a very good time with my Girlfriend, and she really loved our little house. We returned her to Missoula when went back for Husbands Uncles memorial.  This was very nice, and we saw people that we had not seen since we got married 41 years ago. Husbands Aunt was so glad to see us as well as his cousins which are scattered all over the USA.  It was a very short trip and that just made the drive seem longer.

Got home Sunday evening and unpacked and collapsed.  We got rain yesterday which we need so badly so yard work was out.

I planned our meals for the week and did a small grocery shop, and I swear prices continue to rise. Damn scary if you ask me.  Now we can eat out of the freezer, but it must be replenished at some time.

Sissy's garden is thriving. and Husb went up last night and picked two zucchini and eleven tomatoes.

I am making a zucchini gratin for dinner with sirloin steaks.

I must also give myself a manicure this afternoon as my fingers are a wreck.

Now it is time for me to go and clean up and get to the manicure and then I have some ironing to do!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hugs,

Kay

 

So much to do!

It has been a busy week, and here we are again, and it is Monday!

Lots of Company over the fourth and Sissy and I both felt really punk on the 4th of July.  We got to Lil Sis's with all of our planned goodies and Sissy looked at me and said I have to go home, and she did, which was good as she had a full weekend ahead of her.  I stayed and tried to rally as I did not want to leave Lil Siss with 22 people to cater too.

I made it but just barely and then it was up to Sissy's to watch the fireworks and have an ice cream social.

Sissy had a good five-hour nap and greeted me with a vanilla milkshake as I walked in the door, and it was just what my poor stomach needed.  I did not however see the fireworks as I drank the milkshake and collapsed on Sissy's couch and slept until the Husb woke me up to take me home at eleven.

The kitchen was cleaned up and I was grateful for that and went home and slept 11 hours.  Felt so much better on Saturday.

Sissy had planned a huge breakfast for everyone, and I told her the night before as I was leaving, I would not be there as I was sure I had come down with something?  I told her I would send the Husb as reinforcement. But I felt so good I did go up for breakfast and it was wonderful.

Sissies' middle daughters' sister-in-law is a powerhouse like us, and she was helping Sissy and told us to take it easy. Sissy made the best overnight waffles I have ever had.  Then home to really relax which I did.

I marvel at the younger generation and worry about how lazy I think they are compared to my generation and then out of the blue, I get to see an individual who has my work ethic, and they are few and far between.  Now I sound like my mother's generation.  A sign of getting older?

I cleaned my upper freezer yesterday and got my laundry caught up.  Today I must deep clean my basement and little bathroom and get my ironing done.

I must also hit the grocery store for a few things.

I am leaving for Missoula tomorrow for two days and will do some shopping and see many grade school friends for dinner tomorrow evening, I will then bring my girlfriend back to spend the week with Husb and I.

I so love having Company as long as it is not the masses that Sissy and Lil Sis enjoy.  I think this comes from being childless and alone on the east coast for so many years.

My dear girlfriend is also a worker bee and she and I will be tackling the irises at the rear of the garage and a couple of other yard projects.

Our hostas are doing terrible, and I think we are going to lose them.  No more box elder bugs but something is getting to them and so much money spent. (Or we did not treat them soon enough?)  We are at a loss.  We have been told to let them die off and see if they won't come back strong next year. So that is what we are going to do, but we will still water them.

Now I must get dressed and get my chores done.

Hope everyone has a blessed week!

Hugs, Kay

 

Happy July and still working the yard!

Well, the startings of my cut garden are in. I need to wait until next spring to plant more perennials as it is too late in the season for the Nursery to get them.

We will also hopefully get some of my late Father in laws peonies when we head to Missoula in the middle of the month.  His Sister has them and we can split them.

Husb and Kim built this path, and it is so cute!

The area is very small, and it will eventually be all perennials.

To the left are two very nice Baby's breathe that are the perennial variety which we paid a fortune for, so I see many rose arrangements by next year.

This fountain is a gift from our Neighbor!  We have a solar pump that we will hook up once the sod is in.  She is so beautiful.

This once graced our Neighbors Mother's yard and none of the Children want it, so it came to us, and we are thrilled.

We left several large statues in the East for Neighbors as they were too heavy to move.

This work of art would have cost us thousands!

A terrible tragedy occurred last week in this small town that will greatly impact our yard project.

The Gentleman that we hired lost his 18-year-old daughter (by a first marriage) in a car accident last Monday evening and we are just sick for he and his family.

Of course, he is taking some time off and this will put him seriously behind.  We have texted our condolences, and that is all we can do at present.

I am acquainted with His second wife and when she returns to work, I will speak with her when the time is appropriate.  We do not want him to feel any pressure and it may be, it will be next spring, or we will have to get someone else and again it is late in the season.  We shall see and will continue to pray for this family and be patient.

We still have the path to build along the side where the hostas are located, and this is going to take some time.

Also, we have been battling box elder bugs which really hit the hostas hard, but I have been on them every morning and have now all but eradicated them.  But we must be forever vigilant, and I am afraid that one we planted may not make it.  Time will tell.

The heat is now upon us, and we must work early in the morning as by 10 o'clock it is just too hot to move.  I also must clean up the back alley and move a ton of Iris which will take time.  It is a royal mess back there.

We will be having a Family swim party on the fourth at Lil Sis's pool and then up to Sissies for fireworks.  Sissy is doing a Sunday bar!

I must get to Albertsons for her and use husb and my apps for some of the ice cream.

Next week I will be leaving on Tuesday to go to Missoula where I will pick up a very good friend that will no longer make the drive and bring her back here for a week.  We will then take her back when Husb and I return for his Uncles Celebration of Life.  It is going to by a busy July.

I am so looking forward to my Friends visit and she cannot wait to see our little house and Lil Sis's new pool, as well as great visits with all of us.

Yesterday I had a great conversation with Sluggy!  I miss she and her husband!

Sissy continues to be very busy, but she is keeping up and I am proud of her!  She needs some time off and this will happen in a couple of weeks!

Now I must go and get the loss leaders for Sissy and get on with my day!

Hope everyone is doing beautifully!

God Bless,

Kay
 

I finally have a Car!

 Finally picked my Car up yesterday, and it was pricey, but she is back on the road.  This has caused me so much anxiety, and I am so grateful for my sisters who helped us out.  So now I can really get things done on my own time. The fuel pump went bad along with the throttle.  Well, she is 12 years old and things wear out.  At least the Ford garage gave me a warranty.

It has been a crazy painful week; Sissy and I lost a very good Friend last week whom we have known since grade school.  She was a wonderful person, and I just miss her terribly.  Still trying to process that I won't see her again in my lifetime.

She was however very ill and getting worse, so I know she is in a better place.

It is hard to believe that it is almost the end of June, and the summer is going to fly by fast.

Yard work continues slowly and this morning I got the last of the pavers up to Sissy's house.

I put Sevin on the hostas as they are being eaten by box elder bugs, and I sprayed the Roses again as the spider mites are bad this year.  I have put my two hours in and tomorrow I will commence to weed at the back alley and the front boulevard and then I plan to take pictures and put all leftover landscape materials on Face Book marketplace and say free, come and get it!  We shall see.

This Saturday Husb and I and Sissy are going to work on the area where my cut garden will go.  I also want to make a dump run with broken brick and such.

I have many errands to run today, but first I must clean up as I am a dirty gardening monkey.

Sissy is working very hard in the shop, but she is staying caught up and I am proud of her.  She has big travel plans this summer so she must make hay while the sun shines.

Now I am going to hop in the shower and get to getting! Sluggy called earlier and I need to call her back as I was hauling stone, and I cannot wait to talk with and see how the cruise went.

I have wheels and miles to go before I sleep!

Hugs.

Kay

Crazy week!

Yes, this is me!  It has been a busy week.

No Car, Sissy overbooked. (This has been resolved, for the moment) and I hauled 40 large landscape bricks to her yard this morning.  21 more to go and we shall see if we can build the Rasbery berm that she wants!

I have Lil Sis's car, and my car should be out of the shop late Monday.

They are claiming the fuel pump is the culprit and it is going to cost to 2K. Oh well cheaper than a car payment.  The car has been wiped with a diaper and has only 102,000 miles on her. We shall see.

I really do not know where the week has gone.

Tonight, we are doing to support a Neighbor, who has a band at seven, (which is way too late for me) But Husb insists.  Support our Neighbors has always been our motto.

Last night I spent the night at Sissy's to get her up at seven, as Men from the Church were coming to repair her snake fence.  (This is done, we hope) She actually got up (after a prodding of a cold diet coke) got dressed and was ready to go by eight.  Go Sissy! I then made the walk of shame in the same clothes I wore yesterday (I keep P.J.s and stuff at Kim's house) and made it home in her car to change and start on my brick moving.

Did two trips and hauled in two loads, and then we were stumbling and exhausted. Sissy's yard is large and full of hills!  You can only haul so many large landscape bricks in a smaller SUV as you can ruin the suspension.  So, I have one more load to go, but that will happen when it happens. But we were just done. Four hours of grueling work will set you up, for traction. Sissy then took me home!

I am home and Sissy I am sure is taking a nap.  My only plan for the day is to set next week's menu and stare into space and then clean-up for this evening's event.  Pray that I stay awake.

Oh, wait, what is for dinner?   I love my life!

Pray for me! I mean it!

Hugs,

Kay