A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

A new month--where is the year going??

The great thing about my life is that although each day shares similarities, which is good in my book, as I think all humans need routine, each day has surprises. One of those surprises was my finding the cardinal nest high amongst the Lady palm fronds the other day, just as I'd blogged that it was nowhere to be found. If ever anyone suggests you plant Lady Palms, resist, resist, resist!!They are bamboo in disguise which I discovered after removing the outer husk.

I was cutting some of them out, as they have, and continue to do so, overrun the front corner of our house. Seems like every other day a new one is popping up in places they were never intended to habituate. What a nuisance. Three years ago, when we re-did the back yard and pool, it took three strong young men to remove all of them from behind our house. If Bruce would agree, I'd do the same in the front, but there's about a slim and none chance of that. He loves the jungly look.

This time of the year the cardinal plumage is so bright red it pops out in any landscape you see one.

More palms--we have them everywhere!!

Most of the time when a gift-giving occasion arises for Bruce, I am stymied as to what he might want. For his birthday this year, I gave him bags of Jelly-Bellies. I know, lame, right? Since we began working on Bill's house, Bruce has had the occasion to use lots of his tools, however, he no longer owned a compressor and nail gun, causing, what might be called, "compressor envy" every time Herbert breezed through a project using his. WELL, last week, we banished compressor envy because while at Home Depot, I saw a fantastic small set, including three nail guns. Now we're talking a birthday gift!

Unfortunately it did not come with the gun required to do this big project:

Yup--he's putting up a new fence on the side of our home. Our neighbor Pete kept hinting that it needed replacing, well hinting might be just a little soft, he kind of insisted we do something about it as it was leaning onto his property. Since I took this photo,

all of what you see has been replaced. While I'm in here typing, he is out cutting and painting the next 100 boards.

So, the other morning I made some waffles which turned out anything but pretty.

It took me like the whole bowl of batter before I got two decent looking waffles. Apparently, the more batter the better--let the overrun be cleaned up later.

We got really lucky that the flat tire on Bruce's car happened in our driveway. A few years ago we switched auto insurance carriers, and this is the first time we've had occasion to call them--thank God.

It was a very pleasant surprise to call them, engage with a friendly and helpful employee, and have the tow truck arrive within an hour. Happily, it was only a nail in the back tire.

Speaking of pleasant surprises, for my birthday, December 31, Ray and Jane, Tom's folks, sent me a beautiful basket of live plants. It is a gift that keeps on giving--look at this lovely show the African violets are putting on.

By all accounts, this should not be happening as they sit in full sun, but who am I to argue with success?

Recently I moved the Nuttery back out front, and generally the squirrels are staying away. Mr. Woodpecker is happy, or maybe it's a Mrs?

Sunday, following our rain out at the market, Dana, Bruce and I went for a drink at this cute place adjacent to our spot. Sporting some Hawaiian name, which I promptly forgot, it sure was decorated to the max. I kept wondering where they got the furniture...

The truth is, we had a little rain, but all the folks with their damn phones kept looking at radar claiming we were going to get hit bad. NOT! Packing up by 1 in the afternoon is not good for my business. :(

A good wife would be out helping her husband, and since I consider myself one, it is time for me to do just that.

Until we meet again....
Gail