Today's music?

Daniel Cage - "Loud on Earth" (2000 - MCA Records)....British singer/songwriter in the Peter Gabriel mode.....



My Photographs

You like photos? I love taking them. Click here, if you wanna see some of my work


Is a photo missing on an older entry? Click here to find it at Photogra!



The Other Links

Back Issues

Now

About Me

Notes Are Good!


Andrew's Baby

Favorites and Rings are now here!


The life you save might be mine!



Monday, Apr. 26, 2004 - 9:16 p.m.

A photo essay update (no time to really explain everything that happened this weekend, so here�s the condensed version�. )

Saturday�s daylight hours were spent doing the necessary yard work after the patio was poured. I had to move soil, plant grass seed where I had been putting it off, and rebuild my broken entry gate.

Oh yeah- I also came up with this �solution� to my livestock/ urine-kills-the-grass problem at the edge of the patio:

Let me try to explain the image: The first 16� after the end of the concrete contained the dead soil that I couldn�t get a decent stand of grass growing in, no mater how many times I seeded it. All winter, every time I rinse off the old brick patio all of the accumulated urine went with the water onto this area. I haven�t found a variety of grass seed that grows in this environment.

Instead of beating my head against the wall, I came up with the idea of a in-ground sand and river stone holding area/drain.

If it works.

I dug out about 8� of soil, after running the tiller down to its frame over this area. I started with a little sand, and then added 1400 pounds of rinsed river stone. I kept the rock below the grade of the bricks (yes, leftovers from the old patio) intentionally. I hope this will keep the amount of dog-kicked-out rock to a minimum. I also left the brick at different heights and slightly irregular on purpose. I figured that was easier than trying to have a perfectly sharp line, and would soften the appearance of the new patio too.

Time will tell of this idea works. If not, I might have to go with Codeman�s suggestion- pave the entire hill with concrete.

Or not�


Saturday night was supposed to be The Lovely Chelsea�s senior prom. She bought the dress, and spent the big bucks for the high-style hairdo. Codeman rented a tux, bought all of the required tickets for both prom and post prom. They went out to eat dinner, and then called us to come over to her house to take a few photos.

Codeman decided tonight that he liked this one the best:

One problem- Chelsea had been fighting a flu-like bug all week.

On the way to the dance, she almost tossed her cookies. Codeman barely made it back to her house, where she decided she just couldn�t make it. She was running a high temperature, and spent the remainder of the evening under covers on the couch. Codeman stayed with her until he was sure she would not need his help (her parents were out of town, and her brother didn�t come home until around 10 pm). He then came home, changed out of his tux, and went to bed.

I know he felt bad for Chelsea. You only get to attend your senior prom once.

But he didn�t complain. He stayed with her, making sure she knew he wasn�t upset. Made sure she was as comfortable a possible. He spent most of Sunday with her, making sure she did the right things (plenty of fluids, eat bland food, etc.).

Pretty responsible for a 19 year old, if you ask me�


I�ll edit the rest of the good shots, and burn them both a cd-rom. At least they both looked good all dressed up�.


Yesterday was the day Lease and I had to do our weekly stocking up run.

Wallyworld sure is easier to navigate and check out from early Sunday afternoon.

We came home by 2, and after unloading the stockpile, I set to fixing the broken fencepost. I bought a 2 foot long piece of �� rebar, and pounded it into the gap between the old concrete and the new. To this, I wrapped several strands of stainless steel wire, tightly holding the rotten post to the bar. I also put 2 of the very heavy window ledges from the old Pythian Home on either side of the bad section, snugging it up quite a bit. Since each of these 3� ledges weigh over 100 pounds, not much of a chance of the wind doing any damage to the frail old fence.

About the time I finished this work, I heard what sounded like three loud shotgun blasts. I immediately looked towards the Drug Dealer Neighbors house, but saw no rival drug lords in his yard, shooting at his house.

I thought the sound came from the east, so I went down to my alley. Several other people were checking out the source of the noise. That�s when I noticed two things: everyone in the vicinity had lost their power, and that one of the very tall old trees in the alley one block to our east had fallen onto the power and cable lines, dragging them to the ground. The sound came from the transformers in the alley, shorting out.

We were without power from about 2:30 until 8 freakin� o�clock. Not how we planned on spending the afternoon and evening. We had a movie to watch, and rest in mind.

Instead, Lease spent about an hour pre-cooking most of our meals for the week (gas stove, after all. Had to use a lighter to light the burners, though- the igniters are electrical)

I got somewhat caught up pruning dead limbs and pulling weeks in the back garden. Still more to do, but after 3 hours of hard work I was ready to call it quits.

I cooked pork chops on the grill for supper, and Lease shucked and cooked fresh ears of corn and ramen noodles on the stove.

We ate by candlelight, which was cool. I was half expecting the power to come back on while we ate (like it always does on TV, causing one of the people eating the meal to turn the lights back off- right?), but it took them another hour or so to complete the job.

The last photo today shows several of the power company�s workers on the poles, reattaching the line. There were another 4 or so guys on the ground, cutting up the fallen tree too:

They left the chunked-up wood behind. I might have to drive down that alley tomorrow after work, to see if anyone picked it up yet. It would be some easy, good firewood.

I think the tree was black walnut, too. See- I told you they were evil�

Antique - Futuristic


powered by SignMyGuestbook.com


Have You Read These?

A hot day for a wedding...9:26 p.m. - Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009

So bad - but so funny, too.10:33 p.m. - Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

Evil Black Walnut Tree from Hell!- times up!6:41 a.m. - Thursday, Apr. 23, 2009

My next door neighbor was on the Today Show?8:57 p.m. - Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009

This qualifies as a "oh crap!" moment:9:55 p.m. - Monday, Mar. 30, 2009

Back to top