Fixing The Mess!! Grrrrrrr

One of the more frustrating things about RV traveling is coming home to a yard that looks like it's got mange, not to mention all the dead bushes.  Why aren't service people responsible enough to provide a decent service??  I just don't get it!!

After a quick walk-around, I discovered eight dead or dying plants, simply due to lack of water.  I've gone over this with my gardener again and again, and he promises to adjust the sprinklers and make sure everything is working.  Promises promises!!!

The biggest problem at this point is their use of the weedeater to weed the flowerbeds.  As you can imagine, the drip irrigation lines get cut right and left, not to mention ripping the emitters off the hoses and sending them flying away into never neverland.  Even though he promised he would fix those EXACT drip lines, when I checked them yesterday, I picked up four lines that were attached to thin air.  

Now I'm MAD since I had to PAY his dad to fix them the day before I left on my last trip.  This is the THIRD time I've told him about this problem, but it seems to fall on deaf ears.  I guess I have to fix them MYSELF!!!  No worries, I'm deducting it from his check!!

So what's up with THIS??  One whole section of my front yard looks like it's got mange or something.  Now tell me they can't see this when they mow the yard!!!  For this I pay him $170 a month for the front and back yard!!  The problem is, like everything else around here, it's hard to find someone to even show up, let alone do a decent job. 

This corner of the back yard HAD five nice plants here, blooming beautifully when I left.  Every drip line was cut and all but one (barely surviving) has died.  I rebuilt and buried all the drips for this area, but doubt the plants will come back.  

My long row of rose bushes ... really they were supposed to be carpet roses when the original landscaper planted them .... looks great except THIS one.  Obviously, it's dying.  Can't they see this??  Apparently they are blind to the fact that it's not getting any water.  I just don't understand!!

I don't mind working in the garden, in fact I love planting things and watching them grow.  I guess as usual, instead of counting on someone to take of things while I'm gone, I'll just have to do it myself.  

Cooper volunteered to take a chunk out of his leg and I think I'll take him up on it.  Either that or not paying the bill might get their attention.  

You know all those advertisements for Home Advisor?  I looked them up on the internet and put in for some landscape/security lighting around my house.   Amazingly, I got a call within the hour from a Landscape Architect/Water Advisor.  Perfect!!!  I'm going to get his input on more security lighting, as well as my front lawn.  

My next request will be to remove all the grass in the back yard (except one small section for the dogs) and put in stone, or something that doesn't require mowing and water.  Maybe even the names of some cactus I can plant that don't need drip irrigation!!  That should cut my bill WAY back.  I know, I should sell the house and go full-time.  Unlike other motorhome families, I really need a home base ... someplace to go back to ... and I really do LOVE my house.  If I sell this one, it will be to buy another in Oregon!!  

With most of the yard work completed, a gorgeous sunset soothed my ragged nerves as I sat with the puppies outside last night.  

The trees looked like they were on fire!!

Tonight I hope we have the same beautiful sunset, as I will be out at our little Lake Yosemite ... the mud puddle outside of town ... for a Hawaiian Luau fund raiser.  Definitely taking my camera and hoping for some sunset on water pics!!!  In the meantime, it's back to checking sprinklers!!