Deck for the Garage

In between the new back porch build and the blue house addition, Steve had time to build a deck for the garage. Necessary once parking in the garage, the deck will provide a safe walkway for mom. He ended up making it deeper to provide a covered workspace for projects and even covered it so we could still work in the rain. Gorgeous approach using the rebar and dad's fancy columns (meant for another project at one time).

I extended the garden path the rest of the way to the new garage and made a few complimentary beds.

FireworksTonight!!!

Perhaps this many boxes means I bought too many... The Castle strikes again! I went in with the plan to spend less than the previous year - but ended up spending more. However, I must say, I believe we got less for the money in this economy.

They see us coming every year - whichever family member goes! I went the first time - and got crucified for how much I spent. Then Mom went and had the owner help her pick out the fireworks... The next year Dad said he was going and would put a stop to this ridiculous phenomenon - he spent more than all of us!!! Ha!

New Construction

Steve has begun the new screened porch on the back of the main house. Unfortunately, it won't be quite ready for the 4th - a special screen that is better suited for pets is still on order. It will create a whole lot more room for the cats to spread out and offer amazing outside views with ceiling fans and no bugs when we eat! It is absolutely huge and connects to the old porch on the creek side - will be really nice! We will still get to enjoy it for the 4th - just won't be screened in yet. I helped Steve for a couple of days put braces on the joints in the beams - holy cow, that's a lot of nails!

Parting Shot

Made a couple of new beds around the golf course. One was to keep the dirt around the new tree intact. In the process, I finished out the end by the garage adding another bed for interest. I found that really cool rock with the hole cut in it when I was digging through a pile of rock for the rocks I used to make the new beds... so, built-in rock koozie on the golf course!

Of course, he found his way into the hole...

Upon arrival this trip, I found an amazing site. As I was cleaning up the golf course getting it ready, I found one of Dad's cranes had gone exactly the way of nature. Last year during the 4th I used the 1000 Cranes belief in Japan to make a few strings of cranes in memory of dad - several people participated making the cranes. I strung them together and hung them out in a tree on the golf course. The intent is much like the Tibetan Prayer Flags that are hung in the Himalayas (most notably on Mount Everest). They are exposed to the elements and eventually return to the earth from which they came. A beautiful cycle of life and death with a peaceful ending. They have been in the tree for almost a year now and one of them broke free from the string and found its way into the cup of the first hole. Hole in one? A nice little sign from Dad.

Starting the Day off with a Bang... or a Boom Boom!

The day started with a now rare opportunity to see Space Shuttle Discovery fly overhead on it's deorbit. The moment I saw the possible groundtracks I had no doubt it would be the second landing opportunity to KSC (orbit 238) because it showed the path NE of Tulsa. I had hoped it would be like the time I saw it fly low over downtown Houston at night - much like an airplane coming in for a landing. Another time it was supposed to fly north of Houston and was too low on the horizon - but I heard the sonic booms.

So with those possibilities I set two alarms, and awoke to see the first deorbit opportunity did not happen. Napped some more and then Mom and I headed out to watch the second landing opportunity. But we were looking North as reported and the shuttle actually went south of Tulsa. Of course we heard the sonic booms which was cool enough because the orbiter viewing was only a contrail. Here is a video sent into one of the Tulsa news stations.