Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Lillies are planted at the graves!


I am pretty sure mom thought I had no idea where any of the graves were… but I had a general idea – we walk the same path each year we plant the lilies. I grabbed my laptop just in case I needed to look at photos to decipher any graves I had missed. But turns out, there is even a map there with a book that tells you where everyone is. So that part was pretty easy. I grabbed an extra map and wrote down all the locations so I can make a key and put it on the Flint website if anyone else ever needs it.

Cathy and Trish went with me and helped. The evening clouds were rolling in making the whole event somewhat ominous. We finished up before the late afternoon rain hit.

I did a bunch more chores on my To Do list… more on that later.

I grilled and we had an amazing Memorial Day feast of honey baby backs, chicken wings, wonderful sweet corn, and angel food cake with fresh strawberries.

Monday, May 25, 2009

The Flag is Flying!

Having decided on my approach to fix the screen, I had started and realized there was indeed something missing. There was no flag on the flagpole - I know that would be one of the first things dad did. So after verifying the flag I had seen while digging for fountain pumps and extension cords, I was off to set her into the wind! Not the easist and best way to raise a flag... I leaned a ladder up against the flag pole and managed, after some wobbly and scary moments, to let her wave.

Memorial Day is synonomous with the Indy 500. It was rough watching it here at Flint without dad, but a total prerequisite.

I take photos every year of us planting lillies, so I knew who was here in the cemetary and had seen lillies at Atwoods. I grabbed the lillies when I went back into town and Cathy, Trish, and I will go plant them later after she gets here.

Did I mention the weather???

Tackled the area under the deck today… scary! But I was able to organize it and I have two pallets with sorted hardware for fountains, plumbing, nails, etc… Hung all the tools on the rafters, got the wheel barrels in there and there are no tools out along the bluff. So nice! My cardinal was making quite a bit of noise! Just as he had when I was cleaning dad’s garage room!

I fixed all the fountains… and we have two fabulous monster frogs enjoying one of them!

Finally got to play some in the creek… it looks good this year. Good holes in convenient places. I even walked up the bluff side of our creek – first time in years it wasn’t stagnant, gross, and too scary! Looks like there is some great potential.

The yard guy came back and weedeated the lower bluff area – big job! Usually would take dad several weekends to get it shaped up for the start of the summer. All those little things he would do every other weekend or so have piled up a bit. Mom had only been here once briefly since he died. So all of this is the first real heavy work we have done this year!

I am not doing much cleaning… trying to focus on the bigger items that mom can not do. Although, I gave my porch a good cleaning because it was stacked high from the winter with things that came in from outside and that cats would spend some nice time out there.

Weather has been real nice! We went straight from winter to full heat summer in Houston in a single day this year. So I am happy to get one last breath of winter. The cool front has just made it completely lovely out here! Also had a nice little shower both this evening and yesterday evening.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

New well and pump!

Mom had a well drilled and they installed a new pump. In the process they pretty much left that entire area in complete disarray. I have rebuilt the fence - had to get creative because the new pump is pretty much right where the fence joint was... may have to move the whole north side of the fence some time.

Went to storage sheds… success!!! Had no idea if we had any keys! Mostly checked for large power tools – seems they are all gone. Must have been under the deck and our little visitor made off with them. Brought a few things back that would be nice to have here when mom arrives.

Bought food for my Memorial Day feast… but the igniter on the grill won't light... remembered later it didn't for dad either. He must have used a lighter to cook. Did a test run with some chicken wings this evening and it will do for now.

I am pretty much jumping from project to project as I go get something to do a job and find another job that needs to be done... then much later I remember the first job I was doing. Kind of a viscous cycle - but the way I work best even at home!

The power had gone out – or breakers may have been shut off to put in the new 220 breaker for the pump. So all the timers on the lights were off and that is why someone probably broke in… being so dark and looking deserted. Several outside plugs had also quit working and one string of lights had been sliced. Fixed all of that and had to do some serious cleaning of the fridge over in my house!

Turns out Cathy is coming some time on Memorial Day – so it will be nice not to spend the holiday alone.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Memorial Day weekend at Flint 2009

Got here super late last night - held up in Dallas. Hell bent on waking up here today though. Not many days do I have here.

Lots to do... first order of business was to fix the screen where someone broke in. But, I need to think about it a bit. Don't remember how we put those together. Every time I walk by, I look at it and I am thinking about it in the back of my mind. Need dark aluminum screen and have not been to Lowe's yet. So, no rush.

I am predominantly staying over in my house. Mom isn't coming until later (after Memorial Day... I will need to do the lillies at the cemetary I guess). My list of things to do is growing while I am here...