I cannot believe Auntie has been gone a week? Where does time go!

Not a good picture of Auntie as she was staring into the sun, but the short nails look great, and I promised you all a picture.

Now these will be done once a month and all is set!

We have done nothing but work in the yard and Husb also spent some time up at Sissy's and her garden has come together.  It looks so good, and it was a lot of work.

We got an estimate to put underground sprinklers in the back yard and also for sod.  The downside is they cannot get to us until late August, early September, but we are willing to wait and have a lot more prep work to do before this can happen. However, we will be living in a sea of dirt for four months!

We have decided that the driveway will happen next year and must save funds for that project. I have funds set aside for the sod and undergrounds.

There are days when I think we are getting nowhere, and then I see how far we have come and relax.

This is a picture of about where we started.

This is how it looks now, and we still have to lift each edger and power wash and place back straight.

I painted the old Cedar above ground beds and will plant my Herbs in one and flowers in the others.

Just have to decide what.

I did get all my hanging baskets done and my pots and they look so good, pictures later.

At present Husb is power washing landscaping stones and I am picking more river rock.

I see river rock in my sleep!

This is river rock that we have picked and cleaned, and it will go to my little Sisters house eventually.

This is the area I spent 2.5 hours on this morning, and it will take me all week long several hours a day to get all this river rock up.  There are also three ugly large roots that need to come out, but the Husb will do that.

Now I must get into the shower and clean up as Little Sister is getting married at the Court House this afternoon and we will meet them for Mexican Food to celebrate.  After all it is Cinco de Mayo!

Sissy and I wanted to be flower girls and Husb wanted to be the ring bearer, and our plan was vetoed?

Now really, Sis and I thought it was a great plan.

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures from the trenches.

Hugs,

Kay

Thursday and no yard work today!

Husb and I have been on a dead run in the backyard all week long and we are very tired.  So, we are taking a break today! It looks like a bomb went off in the back, but it will get done!  I guess no yard work on Saturday either as we will watch the Popes Funeral on YouTube in the morning.

It has been a busy week and so much has happened.

Auntie has another hearing aid out for repair, and it is supposed to arrive this morning about 10:30.  The problem is she is due to fly home at noon, so this was not going to work.  Just cutting it too close, so I spent hours yesterday changing her ticket and she will fly out Monday.  Thank heavens that Delta Airlines understood my dilemma, as we just could not send her back with one aid and then mail it to her as it had to be properly fitted.  They usually charge between $100.00 and $300.00 to change a ticket, and they did not!  For this I am forever grateful!

We knew that the aids were going to be a big learning curve, and she is doing great, but her long pointy fingernails are doing damage. She damages the cord when taking them out.

My Husband put his foot down yesterday and said we have got to talk to her about those nails.  So, we took her to dinner (Chinese, her favorite, although Husb and I think every Chinese restaurant in the Vally is horrible) and kindly told her that the nails have to go.  She cried a bit but agreed.  Husb said Auntie we have gone to great expense to make the quality of your life better, and your vanity is getting in the way.  You have to make a choice, or this is going to keep happening and we will not be there to help you.

At the end of dinner while we were taking her back to Kim's, she quietly said, I have said, a Prayer and God wanted me to hear so the nails are going to be my sacrifice!  I just love this woman!

So even if the aid arrives this morning, and I will take her, the nails will be taken off today and we will have a nice manicure and that will be it.  It will take getting used to, as I know it did for me.  I wore my nails long and had them done once a month, and when I decided I was done, I had lost the feeling at the tips of my fingers, and it took months for it to come back.  It also took a year for my real nails to heal, but I persevered.  Vanity can get one into trouble! My biggest fear is her nail beds are so damaged by years of abuse, I just don't know.

Husb wants steak tonight and Auntie cannot eat steak so I will make her chicken cordon blue, and she will love that.  I need to go to the bank and the grocery store for a few things today also.

Because we have spent so many hours in the yard this week the house needs love.  So Husb took the upstairs and I will take the basement.  The house is so small it does not take long.

Okay took an hour break and did my morning chores and part of the basement.  Will finish tomorrow as today I just have too many other things to do.

Now I am on hold with the hearing aid place, and they are still expecting the aid by 11:15 with tracking numbers, so changing her ticket was the right thing to do.

Sissy has a nail appointment at noon, and she is giving up her appointment so we can get Aunties done! Sissy also says that the nail beds are too damaged, and we must put a short gel nail on them. I trust her judgement on this!

We scheduled the aid for tomorrow at 11:50 and all is well!

Now because our aunt lives on a very limited income, my Husband and I have decided that we will take on the expense of having her nails done once a month and I called her daughter who is willing to take her.  I also called a recommended Salon and told them the situation, and I will pay them directly with a CC for each appointment and they agreed to put a tip on the card, which most salons will not take!  Problem solved.

I have stressed so much about getting that aid back and now we have the solution.  Sissy says I have no faith!  I have faith, but.... when dealing with any delivery well, NO!

Short rounded pretty nails in hot pink! Will take a picture and send tomorrow!

Now I am heading out to do my errands and Husb has decided to work in the yard so good for Him!

Will have a relaxing day and just breath!

Hugs.

Kay

 

Monday and back to the yard!

Well Folks it is actually Tuesday as I got sidetracked.

This is a project I have worked on for three days, pulling large rock and moving small rock so Husb can take down this dead tree and dig out three old stumps of some sort.

I worked very hard yesterday and am sore today, but my goal is to get stronger, and it is happening.

Sissy's garden sitting area is coming along beautifully and I will go today to get the finishing touches and Husb will hang some things on the fence later this afternoon.

The mornings are still so cold here and the rumor is among gardening enthusiasts that there will be a very hard frost the first or second of May.  So, no planting of any sorts is going to happen anytime soon. Both Sissy and I have learned this one the hard way.

Back east we were told not to Plant until after Mother's Day and I think that is going to be the golden rule this year in our section of Idaho.

It is almost eight o'clock and I will head out to the back shortly to start my two or three hours. My morning routines in the House are done.  Dinner is planned.  

HUsb is going to the shooting range today with our soon to be BIL and I will run some errands before heading up to Sissy's.

I am giving a shout out to Sam, and I know Her yard is going to be spectacular it just takes time and energy.  At least She does not have a ton of rock to move.  I wish we lived closer as I have so much hardscape that must be given away.

This project is all encompassing in our world at present and it seems we can't finish anything completely as so much has to be moved from one area to another.

The Elephant rules!

Have a great and productive day.

Hugs K

P.S.  So sad to lose our Pope, but he is in paradise.

 

Thursday and a crazy busy yesterday!

We had a fabulous time at dinner Tuesday night, and it was so good.  I had a mushroom pasta (to die for and I am going to try and duplicate it) Husb had a sirloin with roasted potatoes and asparagus.  We had Cesar salads and a baked brie appetizer to start!  Then dessert was a heavenly heavy chocolate torte and homemade Huckelberry ice cream.  I have never had ice cream this good.

Wednesday up early and got my morning routine done and worked only one hour on the yard and managed to get the large hydrangea fertilized and this meant pulling tons of rock from the drip line, placing said fertilizer and then fresh dirt and pushing back the stone.  This will have to be done every two months during the warm season for me to get the dark blue color I want.  We shall see.  My next plan was to help Husb on the side lay some pavers and we discovered that we were 5 pavers short of what we needed, but they work perfectly in this particular spot!

So, I hopped in the Car and ran up to Home Depot to get them, and of course they did not have what we needed, so called my husband and we will postpone this area until either we find what we need or resort to something else.

On my way out of the store I noticed that the bags of mulch that I like were 5 for $10.00 and the sale ended yesterday, and I knew we needed 40 bags of mulch to finish some of our projects.  I went to the will call desk and paid for the mulch and a Friend with a truck is going to help me pick it up today.

He wants a homemade mac and cheese with smoked salmon as payment!  I will do this gladly and he is providing the salmon from Alaska!  I told him you can freeze mac cheese if you do it right!  He was thrilled as being a bachelor he does not cook a lot!

Heading Home I got a phone call from Sissy, and she asked if I had read the Albertsons grocery app, and I had not.  Well, they had pounds of butter and Philadelphia cream cheese for 1.99 a pound.  I have not seen butter below 3.50 a pound since we moved here, and the Cream cheese especially for Philadelphia under 4.25.  So, what did Kay do....She bought 80 pounds of butter and 20 cream cheese!

This should last Sissy and I well into Christmas next year, at least, I hope.  Butter freezes beautifully for a long time!  Now cream cheese can be frozen, but I like to use it within four months, and you must let it come to room temperature completely or it clumps on you.  Took me years to learn this.  I see plenty of cheesecakes in the future!

So, yesterday's savings was $364.64 with tax between the mulch and the groceries! Ching, ching! 

Now this is how we save consistently, only loss leaders, cook from scratch, don't waste, eat what is in season. A chest freezer is your best friend.  

I then took said butter and split it between Sissy's freezer and mine.  By the time I got done with all the put and take it was 2:00 in the afternoon and I was tired.  

I went back up to Sissy's and pulled a pan of chicken enchiladas from the freezer and a made some Spanish rice for dinner and we will have this again tonight.

Today I plan on sifting rock from the front and moving dirt below curb level and this is going to take me days to do, and then I can have the stump ground out hopefully next week.

So, I am off to sift rock!  Oh, joy is mine!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hugs,

K

 

Tuesday and I am going to be very sore! (Picture heavy)

Today I worked 2.5 hours on the yard and did nothing but move stone and rock and my body feels it.

I cleaned up this mess!  I get overwhelmed when things get messy, and even though the whole thing is a mess in the back, some order has been restored.

These 12 x12 pavers will be for the path going down the side of the yard.  I think we will need at least 60, so I gathered from other areas, 30 at the front and thirty at the rear.  If we need more there are still 52 left!

Pavers pulled and hauled to front!

Thirty at front and I also have 30 at the rear.

Placed 12 hostas but now need to move dirt from the very front, once I get the rest of the small stone removed.

Got mulch down along the back fence and it looks so good.

Moved a ton of large stone and am not quite sure what we are going to do with it, but it will go somewhere eventually!

I then had to meet Sissy at the dentist with Auntie.  We were going to try and have here dentures re-lined, but it cannot be done as her ridge is too far gone, but at least now we know.  The Dentist said at her age it would just make it worse, and the dentures themselves are in very good shape. 

Got home and made Husb a sandwich and he is now headed up to Sissy's to do some work and I am going to have an afternoon of beauty.  I am filthy and I am going to soak in my wonderful large cast iron tub and remove my winter coat (as in shave my legs).  Will give myself a manicure and a facial. I also desperately need a pedicure and will book an appointment for next week.

Tonight, Husb and I are going to what we think is the finest Restaurant in Lewiston for dinner to celebrate his birthday, as they are not open on Mondays.  It is pricey, but so worth it to two foodies like us!

I have my game plan for yard work tomorrow and I really must get up to Sissy's and get the shop cleaned up.  We shall see.  If she and Husb get the chickens moved down to the large coop today, I will do some work in her garage as it is getting bad again.

Now the tub is calling me!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Kay

 

Monday and a crazy wonderful day!

 Well, the weekend was eventful! Sissy and Husb worked hard in her garden area all day Saturday and I got a lot done with the help of a Neighbor boy! (pictures soon).

Sunday was Passover and Palm Sunday and the Husb and I just relaxed and took a break and listened to Mass and just vegged!  We did go to Home Depot and get 12 hostas and they will be perfect in the area we want to plant them in.

We then went to Lil Sis's for dinner. I must admit loudly that it was wonderful!

I actually liked the lamb!  No mint jelly please, it was wonderful!  (Now I know why my grandmother used to say, "mutton dressed up as lamb") Everything was so good, and Lil Sis texted me about 3:00 and told me not to make the green beans as they had asparagus that needed to be cooked so I was entirely off the hook.   I do not like to show up empty handed, so brought a bag of ice for the freezer.

Sissy made her famous coconut cake, and it was delicious. I could tell by the end of dinner that Sissy was absolutely exhausted, and she and Auntie left early, and I was afraid to let her drive the five minutes (if that) home.  She made it.

Fast forward to today, and the weather is beautiful, although quite cold this morning.  I managed to work in the yard for three hours and then had to take Auntie to an emergency hearing aid repair at 1:00.  Sissy met me there and one of them must be sent away and hopefully it will be back before she leaves.  I know we will handle it.  We also knew this was coming as these aids were very expensive due to her age, and we will make it work! They are sensitive.

Today is my Husbands 63 birthday and we celebrated a little last night, thanks to Lil Sis!

I was up early this morning and went to a very expensive plant store for another Geranium and have finished what I am going to do for now on the left side of the front of the actual house. Moved a ton of rock (how unusual) and then after Aunties appointment (where I sat way too long) I am back at the house exhausted and must make dinner.  I am blogging and then will set table and start dinner. 

Husb wants chicken wings, Tator tots and a salad with blue cheese dressing.  So,

I am on it!

See the beautiful leaf pavers I found in the yard!

A geranium I bought this morning.

I call this done for the most part.

One bite at a time.

Now I must go and get dinner ready, Auntie and Sissy are joining us!

Will post more pictures tomorrow.

As Sissy says, God is good!

It is Holy week, let us celebrate and remember.

Blessings to all!

Kay

So much work, but it will get done! (Picture heavy)

Pavers on the street all the way around and I could not open my car doors on the passenger side. (We also cannot park the car in the tiny garage at the rear?)

 I started to move them ten at a time and am reusing them as I can. 

Some pavers removed!  Took me three days to get them all!

Right side of yard that Sissy and Dan cleared two weeks ago that was entirely overgrown.

Pavers reused and ready to set a path with edging. Dirt from front will fill bed and we will plant hostas and then mulch the path area. Lots of shade, and it will be clean and neat!

All pavers removed and starting to move rock!

 

All red rock moved to other side and will concentrate on digging all dirt below street level and then new heavy ground cloth will go down (after stump is ground out next week) red rock will then be set below curb level and I can open car door! Yeah!

Right side almost completed, and it was completely overgrown.  Tons of rock to move! But beautiful long stem rose bushes!

Large window well that we have ordered Plexi glass for (hoping to make a small green house I can access from the purple bedroom)

However large window to basement bedroom must be replaced.

Rear side yard on alley and still needs mulch and lots of work at the rear.  I did get the rose bushes fertilized which is no easy chore!

This is essentially what the whole dam yard looked like with way too much rock and no care.  Crazy, but we bought it!

So now you have seen part of the Elephant, and I am tired and sore.

I did work at least two hours every day this week and today I worked five.  Husb is up at Sissy's helping her and I hired a young Man across the street to help me and He was thrilled with the cash.

I was up early today and went to Costco for Sissy and made a dozen hard boiled eggs for deviled eggs tomorrow.

We will be having Passover/ Palm Sunday dinner at little Sis's, and because we have a heavy Jewish background in our Family, we celebrate high holy days of both Christen and Judaism.  I have to admit I am not a fan of Lamb no matter how or who cooks it, but I will eat it!  

Sissy is making her famous coconut cake and I will be doing green beans almondine with sautéed mushrooms!

It is now almost 4:00 in the afternoon and I must get up to Sissy's and deliver said goods from Costco and retrieve my Husband.  I am filthy, but have washed my hands and face, and have no idea what is for dinner.  I am sick of chicken salad, and I may grab a couple of eggs and make some egg salad with cottage cheese and peaches, sounds like a plan.  Another cold supper.

Off to the landmines....

Have a great Sabbath!

Hugs,

Kay