The Cool Breeze of Catching Up

We spent all weekend reducing our to-do list.

Friday night, we finished most of the tomato cages. 10 more. I also transplanted the scarlet runner beans from their temporary home amid the tomotoes since they were winding their way up the tomato cages. They didn't like being moved and most of them now look like they're about to croak. I think we finished at dark before crashing on the couch in a exhausted motion.

Saturday morning, we knew what we had to do and powered through it. I've never been so happy running errands. List: check, check, check. I made my coffee while Ken took Kinley for a walk. We went to the Re-building Center first to look for windows for the garage. The plastic coverings it has now just aren't cutting it. We found 3 casement windows that we'll install vertically for $9/piece (they charge $3/pane). Amazing. I am in the process of refinishing them now: removed the cracked putty, removed the panes and stripped the first 4 coats of paint. I have one more coat to go then I'll sand them, Ken will hang them and I'll put in some stained glass panes. Sadly, I'll probably cover them in plastic for temporary purposes first. But they'll look beautiful soon. After the Rebuilding center, we went to a big box to pick up some odds and ends and wait-for-it.....

a room air conditioner.

We knew that it was going to be hot this week (102 forecasted today). And we knew that they always sell out of fans and A/Cs during the hot weather. Add in the well-documented finding that Ken and I both get fussy in the heat. So, we decided to beat the rush and got ours while it was still 80 degrees. And presto. Instant marriage bliss. Wow. What a difference. For under $100, we both slept like a babies despite the hot weather last night. And cool babies at that. Ideally, we'll put central air in throughout the house, but that is down the road. So for now, total happiness. Turn it off during the day. Turn it on right before we go to bed. Amazing.

Ken demolished the rest of the garage this weekend (i.e. removed the old siding). The rental place ran out of siding nail guns so we rented one from a big box. Mistake. Their gun worked 1 out of 20-24 times (I counted). Ken was super frustrated. Part for the gun, part for not reserving the one he wanted. Anyway, we didn't get to finish the garage and now have to work on it this weekend. However, we got the back finished and are halfway up the west side.

I installed wire mesh as a trellis along the west fence since the honeysuckle and jasmine vines are starting to take off. My goal is to have the entire fence covered in fragrant and/or evergreen climbers. Oh, and they finished the fence between our house and the duplex. Looks great. I heard someone put an offer in for the one closest to us, too. Don't know if it was accepted nor do I know any of the details. Our neighbors' going away party was fun. They have great taste in wines and cheeses and plants. Makes me sad that they're leaving. They gave me an orchid since I'm one of the few people they know who may not kill it. I've never grown an orchid before but am excited to try it. Jenner and his family always used to grow them. They're like cacti in the benign neglect part. Don't overwater. Give proper sunlight. I have a cymbidium. I hope the poor thing doesn't mind my learning curve.

Other than the above, still waiting for the city to approve the land deal in the back. Paperwork. Once it's finished, we can finally put up the fence in back. Taryn and Paul's families are coming through Portland this weekend. They got a hotel but we've offered for them to stay with us and/or come over for a bbq.

Got my hotel reservation for the neuroscience meeting. A bigger ordeal than you think. Lots of website crashing. Also, when I was getting my coffee I saw an advertisment for a knitting group at work called "Neurotrans-KNITTERS". I don't knit but I thought it was such a cute play on words.

Resubmitting a paper and making a new stable line today. It's also the farmer's market this afternoon. Ken's softball game tonight. Followed by sleeping in the cool air. I'm excited for all of it.