Country livin!!

I absolutely love living out here. We have been so busy and loving every minute of it. Last weekend we did a lot of shopping on Saturday. On Sunday, Charles started working on the French drain and I worked in the garden all day. The previous owners had just kind of let the water dig their own ditches out here. Because of the garden, we are trying to direct the water to go where we want it to go. Charles dug out the first drain by the garage and put in a real drain instead of the bricks that were there. He also dug out the one closest to the house and got the pipe that was under the side walk out so that he can put that one a little bit deeper. He is putting all the pipes a lot deeper than the ditch was because it will all be running under our patio. I have been weeding the garden a little bit every day this whole last week. I still have a long way to go though. The garden is big, and it was nothing but weeds before we tilled it up. This weekend we continued what we were doing last weekend. Friday we worked in the yard until the transcripts were done running, then went price shopping for the filter and water softner for the house. We did a little shopping at WalMart also. Saturday we got up and Charles went to Home Depot and rented a stump grinder. Jack was going to come out and help for the day, but he got side tracked when he found someone to help him move there trailer. The stump grinder was so heavy, I couldn't help Charles get it off the truck. I had seen Cliff and Kippy out working in their yard, so I asked Cliff he could help. He was happy to come over and help Charles get it off the truck. Charles worked on four stumps that we had in the main yard that really needed to go. That machine is amazing. It turned the stumps into almost sawdust. I worked in the garden all day again and did some laundry and cleaning. By the last stump, Charles was really worked out. I had to make him stop and rest for a while. He scares me to death when he pushes himself too hard like that. When he was done with the stumps, he stared gathering all the sawdust up with the wheelbarrow and added it to the compost pile; which is doing great now. Cliff came over and helped him load the stump grinder back in the truck and we chatted a little bit. Jack finally made it out about then and Cliff headed home. Jack and Charles talked about different ways we could install the filter and water softner. We had a nice visit and then headed to town to have some dinner at our favorite diner. Jan had gone to a class yesterday and had decided not to make the long drive out here, but we still had a good visit with Jack and we all agreed that Jack and Jan would come out today and we would do the charcoal then. After we ate, Jack headed home and we went to Home Depot to return the stump grinder.

This morning we got up and went at it again. Charles working on the french drain all day and me in the garden. We worked till about 3:00 and then stopped and got cleaned up before Jack and Jan got here. Charles got the camera out and tripod and set up to try to catch some pictures of the birds, but we didn't get any. I worked on the cross-stitch a little bit sitting on the porch. The phone company came out this week and marked where the phone lines are for when we put up the fences. They marked it with a bright neon orange, which Charles can't see at all; so we went back over them with white paint. Jack and Jan got here and Charles fired up the grill. We had chicken and fried potatoes. Jack and Jan brought desert and some beautiful mums that I plan on putting in my long flower pot on the front porch. My step dad loved mums, so I am happy to have them out here to remember him by. We had a wonderful evening with Jack and Jan so it is the perfect ending to the weekend. Nice hard work all weekend, and great friends to wind it down with. I am still praying that they will decide to move out here closer to us so that we can do more stuff together. It would be great to have them close enough to have a Friday or Saturday night card game or something every week.

My blood pressure has been playing hell with me again lately. I have no idea what is causing it to do this. I have never been happier in my life, or felt more relaxed. I am going to talk to the doc again about it and see if maybe we need to switch meds or something.

I plan on working in the garden again all week. It still needs so much weeding done. I swear it will take me at least three years to get it all gone. The weather got a bit chilly again and it looks like it got to the garden just a little bit. I don't think it will do any permanent damage though. Charles got the solar powered electric fence to put around the garden, but he forgot a couple of things that we need to go with it so he hasn't put it up yet. Next weekend we are going to work on getting the permanent grass planted. We have decided on Bermuda grass. It is what daddy always used on our yards when I was young and I love it.

We were finally able to get a few pictures of the possum that likes to steal the outdoor kitties food. Not very good pictures as we were trying to take them through the window. It has been a long weekend, but I have so enjoyed every bit of it. I dread when the Texas summer hits and we are stuck with the humidity. We did finally get the portable a/c unit we were looking for to use in the office. It works really well. At least for the two warm days we had before it cooled down again. I so wish the summers weren't so hot down here.

For now, I think I will play one of my games for a bit, and maybe work on the cross-stitch some more. It is turning out beautifully this time..:)