Monday, June 22, 2009

Blogs

I'm having trouble, for whatever reason I really can't quite pinpoint, warming up to KCL. It's not the people - I really just can't pinpoint it. I really feel like THIS is my home, to be honest. I've stated it several times: I'm sick of moving around blog to blog, just find one and stay with it. If people come, great, if they don't, the purpose of the daily journal stands. Maybe with time I'll start to getting a feel for KCL and start feeling like it's a home?

I was out working in the rather hot sun this afternoon digging yet more holes. These plants either need to get planted or I need to get rid of them. Leaving them in plastic pots indefinitely isn't doing anything. I have 3 or 4 more plants left to go and it's done. It will cost no more in water to water them in the ground than it has been watering them in the pots - I just had to dig so many holes in that rock-filled soil, I got tired of it and stopped. Not anymore - I had 3 boys out there digging holes today. The funny part about it is - none of them are MY kid! lol. He's up in the mountains with his grandmother.

I'm also filling up the empty pots with rocks and carrying them out front. Figure pretty soon I will have most of the bare surfaces covered. The situation in front of the front wall next to the sidewalk has me a little perplexed. Mary wanted to get pavers and fill that area up with those after finding out that plants simply do not grow, for whatever reason, in that patch of soil. So, I bought the pavers from a friend of the next door neighbor. They told me they would be sand-colored, instead, they are an ugly reddish color. Mary started on that project and then I picked up on it - but - I do not like the look of it.

What I had wondered is why we just didn't do the same thing there that we did with the whole front yard - just haul rocks from the back to the front and have the same theme there? Perhaps put some lawn style ornaments in there to spruce it up and it's done? Well, I discontinued that project. I was going to buy more sand to put in there for the pavers, but I do not believe I will like the end result. No, I think I will sell those pavers on Craigslist and just start hauling rocks out there as well. Okay, the drawback is that I will have to start digging in the dirt to unearth more of the rocks, though there are still quite a few laying around that can be picked up and get a very good start on that project - but only after I finish the front yard first.

Ummmm - well anyway. Just a particular person around here helping himself to various people's things --......---
G'nite!
ben

Monday/Morning

Caleb left early this morning, even earlier than I get out of bed.
Where was he going?
With my mother up to her property for the week.
I was all for it - she needs some help up there and undoubtedly, she will put him to work. I do hope, however, if it gets carried away, that she gives him a little something for the effort. I know she has fencing to repair and a lot of cleanup since last year's pine needles and weeds and whatever have popped up.

As for what the boys do while I'm working away all over the place around my house - whatever I tell them to. Really. Michael used to get pissy about it, but now he just does whatever I ask him to. Caleb never says a word. I have them cleaning up the dog dung frequently at this point. I also get them vacuuming the entire house, taking out the trash, just various "mundane"/daily chores like that.

However, I gave Caleb a break this weekend because I know his grandma's gonna make him slave away up there - again I think it's a good thing. Michael has not been around this entire weekend. He left before I got home on Friday and came back last night after I went to bed. The "extreme" motivator in getting them to do anything is a simple threat: buh-bye to the Playstation III. I haven't actually had to DO that yet, though I have pulled the plug on my computer several times.

I have 5 plants left to plant that I acquired from the auction last year. I have 2 more holes started and filled them again this morning with water. By the time I get home from work today, they should be good to dig the rest of the way out. However, digging holes in 106 degree temp doesn't exactly sound alluring.

And with that decree - high temps - comes high electric usage and I am fretting this one big-time. Financial things aren't exactly rosy right now and facing $400 plus per month electric bills is hardly a thing I am looking forward to. The lady tenant is drying all of her laundry on the clotheslines - as am I - Ken waits until today - Monday mornings usually - when I am gone at work - to do his laundry and dry it in the dryer. The newest addition I have no clue - yet. I'll be checking video surveillance to see what he does. He's a pretty good guy - and clean too - but hanging clothes on a laundry line is not on some people's list of priorities to do.

All fine and well, but if I find they are doing laundry in the middle of the day during the hottest part of the day, the dryer is going to mysteriously stop working during the week. Actually, it ISN'T all fine and well, but I can't force anyone to do anything. Only getting rid of them and getting new tenants that will comply will take care of that problem. Won't be doing that, either.

Well, I'm at work and the work day is about to begin - have a great day!
ben

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