~TIRED ME AND BIG TREE'S~

Tonight's dinner was SO simple.  I just sat at my desk and finished up yesterday's left over's from Irelands graduation dinner.  I was so involved with the party that I forgot to take pictures.

This might not look so great..but it was delicious.  Finger food for big people who want to read blogs and not eat their dinner in the conventional way.  What is it?  Well, it's BBQ fresh pineapple, steak, chicken, cherry tomatoes and in short ..a shish kabob off it's stick! 

 

The base of this California Coastal Redwood is now taking up two of those trunk protectors. 

Daughter, Erin, was here last night and looked at the trees....

 

...and said "Mom, you DO know that those tree's have reached the end of their alloted space..don't you??"   Of COURSE  knew!  What did she think..I was blind??

 

A neighbor across and down the street one house, has these same ferns in her flower bed in front.

The other day I got a shock when I noticed that she had whacked them off so that they reminded me of a boy's 1950's flat top haircut.  I mean...what in the world was she thinking and don't tell me that everyone does things differently!  It looks terrible and I will take a picture if I get a chance just to show you.  I mean..WHY???   :)  It takes all kinds I  guess.  But...you're right!  They're her ferns!  Sheesh!!

 

That's it for today.  The graduation party was a success and my tiny great grandson took his very first steps in front of our home with all the family cheering him on!  Daughter took pictures...but me? Oh well, as usual I was caught up in the moment and didn't get a single picture of anything or anyone.  Have to depend on daughter for pictures...and that's PIE IN THE SKY!  (same daughter that told me my trees had "outgrown" their space!  Grrrr..I hate it when she is right!!

 

Can you tell I'm tired??

Nite nite!

 

p.s.  She also told me I gave a utube moment when I decided to ride down our driveway (it's slanted) in my husbands old desk chair that rolls!  Not at all sure what I was thinking....but worked great and I didn't have to stand on a board!!  I did however have to be rescued before I hit the street... probably saved me from breaking my hip!



~WORTH THE PAIN?~

Absolutely!!

Mercy, but it feels good to finally finish a project!  I haven't done much painting of LARGE places and I really dreaded this, but once I was into it..I really enjoy it!  I loved the final results.

Keeping busy keeps me sane!
 

I pulled out the medium ladder, PH got out the house paint and I masked it all off and got it done in a couple of hours.  What was neat was near the end when my arm and legs were beginning to give out, I came back out from a potty run to find PH up there doing the top edge where I was struggling.

I gave the shutters a fresh coat too. 

(Another goal is to have a larger flower box under that window one day!)

 

The trim on the garage door a couple of weeks ago...

How would a couple of potted evergreens do on each side of the garage door???  Shhhh..don't tell PH!

...and the front window a couple of weeks before that.

I really like the red trim with the rustic little front porch. 

 

I captured a picture of Mele on the back of the couch..barely!  That's her favorite perch so I have a little quilt over the back of the couch.  I didn't use the flash as I thought that might be the part of picture taking that alarms her....or..maybe not...

 



That's all I have today.  Nothing of great interest..I guess I'm just fishing for compliments on all that painting.  I know, I know, not good..but I need something to help me feel like all the pain in my legs, arms, and BACK was WORTH it!  Do you think all that red will be noticed?  :) 

Pain pills are going to be part of my diet for the next couple of days! 

 

Big graduation dinner here this evening.  Granddaughter, Ireland graduated from College last night.

It's been a long road..but sweet daughter Mary and her husband Brock have all three through college!

Good job!! 

 

Love,

Mona



~THIS MOTHER'S WORK....~

was a snap...with a little help from my friends....

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day...

 

..Coffee!   Always my beginning...otherwise NOTHING gets done! 

 

..and my wonderful PH... 

because when there is lawn to be mowed and the heat is rising in Southern California to 100 degree's...this man is up and out without coffee, newspaper, nothing....totally focused.  WISH I could do that!

 

I wandered off to Lowes for flowers to fill the little old wagon..

 



...to freshen up the baskets..

 

..new baskets to hang from the front porch..snapped this one while I sipped my coffee and PH drug out the mower..

 

Then I painted our little window basket with a fresh coat of red paint, new liner and new flowers...

 

..and PH mowed..some more..

 

New roses to plant.. (puff puff!) (later!)  There I go again putting off planting! 

 

Two new RED extra lawn chairs for extra seating.

They look pink in the sunlight, but they are actually dark red..inexpensive and pretty.

(Oops!  Mele's little skunk got left behind when Mele's zoomed to the other end of the yard!)

 

Yep..pretty but ran back and bought cushions!  Hawaiian print?  Oh well..

 

...and sweet PH mowed on...

(NOT voting for that friend of PH's.  Friend or no friend!  Would you believe stubborn husband would not take that sign away?!  I hate signs for politicians in our yard!)

 

Things are shaping up...

..and that was only the beginning..all this in preparation for our Mother's Day weekend.

plus..

*painted the bistro table and chairs

*ran and bought four new chair pads.

*rearranged all the patio furniture

*finished weeding the flower bed

*cleaned out the refrigerator 

*washed front room windows and back patio door windows. 

*vacuumed the entire..house and...

never mind..you get the idea.

 

NO photo's of us snoozing the late afternoon away...

Perhaps next year..

*a housekeeper

*a gardner

just for starters!!

 

So..are you inspired?  I mean for the housekeeper and gardner??

:)

 

I am joining Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for her Inspire Me Tuesday party!

 

************** 

A cloud hung over us this Mother's Day. 

Thank you to all of you for all the love you have sent to my family and I.

Grieving is a process and we are going through it.

Love,

Mona

 

 



~SOME DAYS ARE NOT DOG DAYS..~

It isn't that she doesn't love me....she does. She is my shadow...until I pick up the camera..then it becomes a bit of a challenge!   She just will seldom stand still in the yard long enough for me to get a decent photo of her.

Hey!  Mele!  STOP!  I wanna take a picture of you.....

Good girl..now STAY!  No, STAY!  I MEAN IT!!

 

There is NOTHING there...you're faking it!

OK LADY!! You're in TROUBLE!!

Just another day in the life of Mele...
 (That's a blossom from one of the fruit tree's there on her little moving butt!)

My photography is just terrible.  Not sure how to take photo's of a moving subject. 
Doggone it ...WHY does she hate the camera!  Especially outside.  Huh?  Anyone?
Anyone?

So..a trip to Lowe's and I made a real dent in my outside tasks...
Monday I will show you just how much..
You are going to be SO PROUD of me!  I mean I am proud of me!!  :)

Love'n hugs.
Mona