New Month, last quarter of 2013 - New Planning start

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Lucylee My dh feels exactly the same as yours about home upkeep, inside or out. As long as it is clean and neat, he's happy. So that means as long as the grass is cut, all is good. Weeds in the garden growing out of control are of no concern.

My approach to yardwork is to nuke it several times a year. Once in the spring to pull away the winter kill. Once or twice through the summer to attack the weeds in the garden (weeds in the lawn are given free rein) and once in the fall to trim everything that can be trimmed back before winter.

I'd leave leaves on the grass but for some reason, that is the only yardwork that dh will do without any prompting. His method is similar to my nuke method. Rake into piles, pull out a giant tarp, rake onto the tarp and drag it and dump it onto a garden where we want nothing to grow. By the time we are finished, there is a pile 3' high of leaves. They compost and by this time of year, they are just a thin layer which we'll pile onto again. Nothing grows in the garden at all, unless I plant it there, so I have a few seedling trees growing. Not sure what I'll do with them - I had saved them to plant on dd's property but she's in a rental so that won't likely work unless she moves fairly quickly into her own home.

There are no annuals in my gardens, only perennials, many of which are from the genus weed. In grade school I learned the definition of weed is a plant that grows where it is not welcome and I cling to that. Nothing get watered, except by God. Colours aren't planned, either. So whatever happens, happens. It is pretty relaxed attitude. I can't care because I don't have the time to care, nor the energy.

[Nancy]

Got a photo of the rainbow here
this afternoon now it is raining really hard out. I got a couple more outside chores done before so that was good. Talked to both my mom and sis today that helped my mood. Seems like odds and ends but these things have been on my mind so glad to have those done.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Got watching episodes of the BBC series Airport which feature a friend of ours. Knew he had been a recurring person profiled in it but have never bothered to look them up on Youtube. Dh and I watched the season opener of The Neighbours as we ate dinner.

I haven't found a fun half-hour tv show to watch on Netflix so we are watching shows on the network websites. While he's on such a large number of deadlines this works best to get him back. Some of the UK series are a full 60 minutes, not even a 43 minutes episode (as most US hour-long show is when watched without commercials.)

I did up the dishes. Seems like I've done nothing today but I have made some progress on the exegesis for Sunday.

[helia]

Your philosophy of yardwork and weeds sounds very akin to mine, Kathryn!!

Supper has been eaten and cleaned up, kitchen is clean and dw is going. We're all working/doing homework in the living room.

Supper was good - a lemon pasta w/ lemon zest and fresh lemon juice (not bottled) and chopped fresh basil, as well as fresh grated parmesan - and we added grilled chicken to that. We had a salad and rolls too.

I have done some paperwork type stuff:
x made "directory" of child care workers' contact info
x made spreadsheet of child care workers' hours
x composed email and sent all info to church accountant
x email to orchestra parent telling her what I had done and exactly where I put everything
x email to other band parent w/ info re: the drum major I fit today b/c I was there and the band director asked me to.
x finalized meeting time and place for S' student leader I'm meeting tomorrow afternoon!
x email to small group b/c. . . . S and R are in the hospital having a baby!!!! She was scheduled to be induced tonight but it's not clear to us if she is being induced or if she is doing this on her own. Dh is more excited than anyone else here, which is very cute to see. He said, "We're having a baby!" He has asked about visiting them, but I've reminded him - they probably don't want visitors now. LOL!
x folded 1 load of darks; our sheets and mattress pad are in the dryer now.

I need to do the girls' sheets tomorrow - and towels. And visit a baby. And meet with a Univ. student. And exercise. And. .. And. . . . I'll stop. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. I'm going to veg the rest of the evening.

[lucylee]

at Kathryn's description of yardwork.

We have a man who mows and does basic weedeating around the patio, fences, etc... but he does not touch the shrubbery. (He also does not mow every week, but rather every 10-14 days, which also drives me crazy, but dh likes the lesser expense resulting from this schedule. Man is a dfriend, and we feel he needs the work, so we don't complain.)
Since we live in the middle of a hay field, our yard is much more populated by fescue (sp?) than nice thick soft grass. The actual grass could easily wait 2 weeks for mowing, even to my standards, BUT, the fescue shoots up to about a foot high in spots, while the rest of the grass may be 2-4 inches high. * sheesh * This makes the yard look HORRIBLE.

DH goes out periodically to trim the straggler bits of shrubbery (most of which is very prickly holly) that shoot off out of control, making the bushes look like Alfalfa (the tv character, not the plant). He also sprays Roundup on the edges of everything and hoes weeds, cuts wild things that are growing into the shrubs... but that is it for him.
The shrub that is taller than my head and probably -- I'd be afraid to guess -- maybe 8-10 feet in diameter? -- is the one that has REALLY, REALLY become a thorn in my side. (Pun noted. Ha Ha. But it isn't funny.) This bush is totally driving me crazy, but there is no way under the sun it will get pruned without a professional with a chainsaw. Fortunately, it is at the corner of the porch, and does not block the view from any of the windows, etc. (Maybe unfortunately, b/c if it were right in the front of the house and had gotten this big, dh would probably have felt FORCED to do something about it.)

DH also poisons fireant mounds.
-- He takes care of the garbage.
-- He periodically sweeps the cobwebs off the porch. Not by our Focus schedule, just by that weird card file dh carries in his head.
-- He kills snakes. (Fortunately that is needed less than once a year, I'd guess!)
-- He checks the water and fluids in his truck and sweeps around the carport every week -- but not a detailed cleaning sweep, just hitting the middles.

So -- he's not useless, LOL... just obstinate and stubborn re: those things that are bugging me, mainly b/c I am looking at them through what I suppose would be duncle's eyes. And the indoor list is very similar. (Yep -- I heard you MT -- 99% chance duncle would never say a word. I understand. HOWEVER, in my defense, duncle DID get very out-of-line, IMHO, at a family gathering a couple years ago, criticizing us for not mowing our own yard. It's none of his business, anyway, of course, but none of us do it b/c our allergies are so bad, and grass is one of our worst triggers. DH & DS do not know he said anything, but I am still a bit mad about it, b/c he was really overstepping his bounds, IMHO.)

WELL -- anyway -- I updated my auuuuggghh thread with a good report. Dmom purchased stone today.
Still some stuff in that thread I'm nervous about, but we are making progress. That is a good thing.

Sooo happy to hear about S&R, helia!!! And I meant to send (((BIG HUGS))) to your dd, also, the other day when she was so stressed out with school. I never took AP classes (not offered in my day) but I was easily stressed by school matters. (I know, imagine that, right? ME? LOL.) But I do sympathize. Hope she was able to get some reassuring words from the teacher.
You definitely need to veg out for a while, helia. You have more than earned some time off!!!
Wish I had your dd here to repair the hem in a pair of pants...

Waving to Nancy... Elizabeth... Sadie...

I think I've seen those clothes, OKay. I think I have a friend who orders from them. I should do more for dgs... but my goodness, they grow sooo fast. Since ds/ddil are sorta sporadic w/church attendance (b/c of their work schedules) dgs might get one or two wearings out of a church outfit before he outgrows it. * sigh * DDIL isn't so much into "cutesy" clothes as I am, either, I don't think.)

Waving to all -- just cuop in topic review. Busy day.

Tonight we went out for hamburgers and ice cream w/ds & dgs. Ddil was sleeping after having working last night and being up all day w/dgs' doctor visit and trip prep.
DGS LOVES French fries and ice cream -- not together -- but he definitely loves them individually. Could tell he still felt kinda miserable from his shots. Hope he feels better for his trip tomorrow!

[Nancy]

Hens debug our yd. And the one next door they help with the weeds too, and graze I've not had to mow since the 4th of July! I do the pruning raking and planting bulbs and such. I mow the front yd. And the front yd. Next door. H. usually cleans the gutters but I have done it.

Entrances have been my focus today more of that this week will help.

I got the utility trailer ready to go so we can take a load to the dump, we will have another load of stuff that I have pruned off. The hens love it bc I have gotten more leaves each day for them to play with in their run. I cleaned under their roost tonight while then watched from the roost.

[lucylee]

Hmmm... suddenly I am interested in raising hens... I had already thought about goats. LOL!