Schoooool's Ouuut for Meeeee!

I don't remember feeling this relaxed last year at this time. I got so much done this last week of school. Of course all the kids and teachers were gone. Lourdes (the new Judi) came in almost every morning and worked on getting her stuff and desk organized. But yesterday afternoon was the best. Only our Diagnostician was there working at Lourdes' desk (it was about 100 and plenty degrees out in her Portable office with NO A/C! I can't believe they would do that to a pregnant woman.) So to keep from falling asleep I re-arranged some of the cabinets above Maria's desk. Now she and Lourdes are able to reach some things without having to climb. Judi and I are both tall, so we never had a problem with the arrangement. (It's all neat and tidy for you now Maria!)

As I sit out here on my first day of many (6 weeks worth) I'm putting a list together of things I'd like to accomplish while I'm off. I would hate for 6 weeks to go by and think back at the only thing I did for that length of time was sit on my butt and watch TV.

We do have a family reunion July 4th weekend at my brother's house. I can't wait to show you pictures from there. It's going to be great. And last night Jody hinted at the idea of going! Woo Hoo! That's still up in the air... I wanted to go out July 1 and come back on July 6, but if I can condense it to maybe Thursday to Sunday..... we'll see. I'll tell him we'll be sleeping down in the Lodge and not the main house. He can nap when ever he feels the need. And Michael would love for him to bring all the mandolins and guitars and they could sit and plink all nite long.

Of course I have plenty of knitting to do.... everyone is getting socks for Christmas this year and it's mid-June and I'm still on the first pair. Sheesh, I have 8 pair to do! And I'm making a shaw too! I may just knit the whole time even though there are other things to do like sell off all of Jolea's stuff. Sorry honey.... we have got to get rid of some of the stuff in this house, it's taking over! Besides, she's making so much money at the new job in a few years she can buy all new stuff for her Tiny Tumbleweed House (and right now she has too much junk for a TT House.) I talked to my neighbor Lori last night and we may be having a garage sale (that is such a nasty phrase in my book..... turns my stomach.)

Looking at the deck, we need some color out here. But.... Jody is doing the watering now. That becomes a double edge sword he wields at me. He'll comment that he has to stay home, can't go out of town for any length of time or everything will die in the hot Texas sun. Then he'll say I can't keep these things alive, I may have watered them too much. I guess if I want color I'm going to have to plant cactus in a pot..... he hates pots on the deck. This summer project will take a little thought and some advice from Jane.

I've been saving green glass bottles. I was hoping to find some blue glass bottles also. I want to do a mosaic on the telescope stand. It's so gray and naked. Doing that would add a little permanent color to the deck. A few years back when I got this idea, Jolea and I came up with a sun on one side and a moon on the other, perfect for a telescope stand. I could just buy ready made sun and moon glass tile cut outs at the craft store. But then I thought about all those wine bottles I was putting in the recycle bin. Remember, Jody had cancer and I had wine. When people asked if we needed therapy we happily say "No, thanks to blogging and one glass of wine per night for Judith and a mandolin and a garage for Jody.... we did fine thank you." I bet I have about 20 bottles ready to be smashed with a hammer and stuck to the side of the column. But they are all green.... no blue. So I'm still thinking on this one. Jody has poo-poo-ed my idea of putting the broken pieces into the de-burring tumbler to knock the edges off them and also buff the sheen off to make the glass look more like sea glass. :( I'm still working that angle.... maybe once he sees what I'm planning. Sometimes he likes an idea so much that he takes over my idea and finishes the project for me!

Like trimming the bushes! He's feeling much better these days. Many cancer survivors have told him/us that you just feel 'hammered' day after day once all the treatment is over, then one day you just realize "hey, I feel pretty damn good today!" I don't say much more than "how was your day?" I know he gets tired of that, but I don't want to make him feel like he should be feeling better..... how would I know how he's supposed to feel? But I also want him to know I'm interested in knowing when he's had a bad day or a good day.

Back to the bushes.... he's been doing lots of yard work lately. The place looks great. All the dead wood is off the rose bushes, the hedges are trimmed back where I can see if there are any Stinky Creeps standing behind them in the dark. He's got the gates locked where no one can come in and lurk around in the wee hours when I'm out here at 5AM by myself. (It's a body clock thing...) He hauled off the dis-masted patio umbrella and the deck is all neat and tidy (except for the empty flower pots and green wine bottles.)

So if anyone needs me I'll be knitting out here until it gets too hot. Then I may call Rosie (my walking buddy) we are going to start walking again now that I'm not working 10 hour days. We'll probably walk in her pool. Hey! it's really hot out! She has a Sport Pool, only 5' at the center point, made for volley ball.... great for walking laps in. And when it's really hot her husband brings us beer! It's hard to believe I was once the manager of a Health Club!

Would you look at what Jody has done with those Hydrangeas!