It's Summer!

It's summer... I can tell because we have moved outside. We've been spending all of our relaxing time on the deck and enjoying it in the usual ways. The flowers are going through their cycles, the perennials coming and going and the annuals gearing up for color throughout the season.

These are the first blooms of the evening primrose that Tina gave us. It transplanted without problem and is beginning to spread already. I'm looking forward to the whole bed being full of these delicate yellow flowers.

We also got a new camera, so we've been playing with it and with iphoto to enhance the photos -- although I have to say, the straight out of the camera shots are usually pretty darn good. Anyway, I have no idea what these flowers are, but they bloom at this time every year. The flowers don't stay nearly long enough. I just love them. I love the unusual shape, the texture and the color.







It's not only flowers that we like to have in our back yard. We really love to include our daily dose of fruit in our outside, relaxing time:

Home / Work?

I have the best benefit imaginable in my job. I get to work from home. Now let me tell you that working from home does have its downsides...I'm sure it does...I uh..ok, I just can't think of any now. Wait...you have to make your own coffee..I don't get to drive by my favorite field on the way to work. But there is nothing quite like rolling out of bed and booting the computer while pouring a cup of coffee, getting to work at 6:30 am after sleeping in until 6:25, reading and responding to email before others even hit the office door. Accomplishing things in half the time it would take in the office. No interruptions, nophones, no annoying office mates playing music or using the speaker phone while you are trying to concentrate. Twice the work in half the time, my personal feeling..

And then of course there are the 'invisible' (thank goodness) benefits. Hair untouched by comb (and for those of you have seen me just out of bed in the am, you know that should remain unseen). Jammies (my personal favorite work clothes have something to do with red flannel and polar bears). Unbrushed teeth (that may be too much information, but no one is around except Maze and his breath is way worse than mine, so as long as I fix this unshowered unbrushed situation before anyone gets home, it will all be ok).

I 'went' to a meeting today, dialed in on my cell phone, headset on, hands free and phone muted. While listening, I was able to have a short conversation with Chelsea and do my nails. If I had wanted, because of the fabulous i-phone, I could have read my personal email, surfed the web or texted Don at the same time. I, of course, was much too dedicated to the meeting to do those things. It is, after all, a work day.

OK, lunch break is over. Time for a pedicure...I mean another meeting.

To Do...or is it a Wish List??

We've been talking a lot about home improvements. We have a goal to get out of debt, and that goal (except the house...) is in sight, so now we are talking about what we need to do around here, both for our comfort and for potential resale in the next couple or few years. So, being a list person, I have trouble 'getting my arms around' (as the consultants say) what 'it' is until I turn it into a list. So here goes, in order of thought... including the wish part:

Fix the garage door: we are on to this one. We actually have the name of someone who was recommended by a friend and who will do it. ...Just haven't called him yet.

New closet doors. I HATE our sliding doors. So much that I took them off the closet in the guest room/office. I couldn't see my clothes... I'll move mountains when I am frustrated.

Bathrooms. definitely bathrooms. We need a new tub/tile in the main bathroom. And a new shower in the master bath. And a paint job. And new floors. Did I mention the cabinetry? mmhmm..

Deck: By next year, no choice or we will be falling thru to the ground. For this year...paint. Oh yeah...and the hot tub..(in case you couldn't tell, that is the wish part)

Sliding door to deck: either that or time to lift weights to build up the muscles it takes to open it.

Interior doors: It will be hard to let the cheap hollow doors go, but if we get to this one, I'll force myself. Oh..and I think we'll need to do something about the wood trim too.

Carpet / hardwood floors: The kitchen floor is good to keep... that's about it, full rehaul in order

So here is my newest idea. Don't know if it's possible, but I really think another 1/2 bath would be huge for resale. Not to mention just having a main floor bath. So we are trying to figure out if we could put a little bitty 1/2 bath in where our coat closet currently is. I actually got in the closet today to see if it seemed reasonable. I don't think it does. But that doesn't stop me...what is that on the other side of that wall??? Something tells me we'll find out sometime soon.

So let's go back to the debt free thing. Yes, we are committed. Co-chairs of the Dave Ramsey fan club!! We'll be saving up and paying cash for each and every one of these. And we'll be done by... well... ummmm....