Lost Saturday (or "Never pay retail")

Well, not a total loss, but, spent more time running around stimulating the economy than I did actually getting things done. Takes time to do the extra running around in order to get a couple better deals. Never pay retail!

First though we spent some time, my honey and I, shoveling backfill behind a new retaining wall. 15' of wall down, 40' to go. A tractor with a frontloader would be nice but would lack the aerobic benefits. /heh

Finishing that bit of wall and planter, and cleaning up that bit of drive is a major milestone. That will open up the parking for 2 RV's and accompanying waste dumps (you can see one riser cover in the foreground in photo below). Those lines were a big project last winter. LINK

We had some Saturday fun back then too. LINK
Yeah baby, we'll be able to move the trailer down from our main parking (no more door dings and parking jams with guests) and get it on hookups for hosting overnight guests.

After lunch we finally managed to get out together for a drive out to the booneys to check on a deal I spotted on Craigslist for a couple used patio tables. We've got a lot of patio now since pouring concrete last spring but not much to put out for sitting a spell. Well this was one goose chase that paid off nicely. Got there, liked what we saw, told the lady we were interested in both sets and before I could make an opening counter offer she knocked 20% off. I woulda paid full price but hey...

That'll do pig. That'll do.

Now to muster some young backs to help get 'em home. 2 sets of table and benches. ~1350 lbs each. unnggghh...


Finally we hooked up the utility trailer for a run to my toy store (aka Home Depot). There we picked up some plants to fill in more of the empty beds around the pool: 3 Phoenix roebelenii (aka pygmy date palms), a fruit bearing Passion Fruit vine and a Trachycarpus fortunei (aka Windmill Palm) with an nice cluster of pups at the base.
I'm cheap so the 3 gallon pots will have to do. Lord willing we'll be here a good long while and enjoy watching them mature.

Speaking of new patio, the new roses in the patio planters are a riot of color the past couple weeks. Dunno if it's the weather cooling, the plants getting established, result of recent feeding or a combination of all that. Either way they're are rockin'!

Here's some photos from sunset. The lighting is a bit extreme...

Perfume Delight


Perfume Delight, "Ready for my close up Mr. De Mille."


And finally, "Chrysler Imperial." The richness of the red is something to behold -- like crushed velvet. That and the powerful sweet smell just knock my socks off.

Now off to the theatre for evening of youngest daughter dancing in the ensemble as a pirate wench in Peter Pan.