Checking For My Friendly Tuxedo Buddies

The nights are long and the days are short in California this time of year.  I expect Spring to be sunny, warm and full of color from blooming flowers.  Unfortunately what I have is a lot of dead looking branch type flowers that have been water logged for the past four months.  The good news is my grass is as green as can be without using one drop of my well water.  I even have to admit the gardeners have done a pretty good job of keeping everything shipshape.

On the other hand, nothing lasts forever, including my fences.  These are 18 years old and ravaged by overwatering over the years.  Mostly that happened before I got here.  You would think they would build them with good redwood that doesn't rot so easily, but you and I would be wrong.  

The thing that fascinates me most about fences is how the nails just work their way out and fall on the ground.  I'm guessing it's the wind ... but with them being so wet and the wood swollen up, you would think they would stick.  Oh heck no ... boards are falling off right and left.

So yesterday, I gathered up all my supplies ... my handy dandy battery operated drill (I love this thing), my box of deck screws (better than nails) and a hammer just for good luck. 

It takes some strength to get the screws in all the way, but it went fairly well.  I admit, I dropped a few big limbs over the fence to the neighbor's yard. BAD Nancy!!  He's the one that refused to help pay for the $5,000 repair of this fence last year and it's HIS trees that are making the mess!  

I gingerly walked the entire property looking for any sign of black and white digging.  OH NO!!!  There was one huge hole under the back corner.  Those little buggers!!!!  From the smell of things, I was SURE the neighbor had disposed of all of them.  I guess I'll have to get my trap out yet again!!

APRIL FOOLS!!!  I didn't find ONE hole in my corral.  I feel kind of bad, because really they ARE cute little guys who eat lots of bugs and spiders.  It seems now I'm being overrun with gophers, but at least they don't smell so bad!!

Just for giggles and a little morning exercise, after whacking at the fence for an hour, I spotted these panels that I had laid on the ground in the back to keep the skunks from digging under the fence.  It's a huge three block dog kennel that has come in handy over the years for everything but dogs.  I could never leave Cooper outside anyway.

I gathered them up and drug each piece clear across both corrals to the covered stalls.  At least they are out of the rain, even if only a few months too late.  Woohoo am I ever out of shape!!!  This may become my new exercise routine ... dragging them back and forth.  The three biggest panels will have to wait until I have help.

All that morning work exhausted me, but to be honest, it's what keeps me limber enough to keep going.  Of course as you know, muscle weighs MUCH more than fat ... which is why the toilet seat broke when I sat on it yesterday.  That will definitely wake you up in the morning!

I have three bathrooms in my house and I've already replaced TWO broken seats.  They just don't make ANYTHING like they used to.  In my entire life, I've never had that happen.  It's the cheap plastic connectors ... or maybe someone is trying to tell me something.  Hey, you can't even blame it on the ice cream because I haven't had any in two weeks!!!  I know, April Fools!!

When I returned home, I found a small package of pork loin in the freezer ... perfect for my low fat diet which is now back in full force.  I wasn't sure if you used that marinade before or after cooking.  It seems it should have been after since it burned rather nicely.  No problem, that adds more flavor.  It was actually delicious!!

Then it was back to the sewing room to see what I might do with this panel.  It's definitely a GUY thing, but requires a little more oomph!  It needs to be a little bigger, so today I'll head on out to the quilt shop .... OH DARN .... to see what I can find.  I have several pieces I thought I could incorporate, but alas, they are all too small.  

Cooper is barking up a storm, so I better go see what's up.  There are usually four reasons for this.  Either the neighbor is out walking, a car is going by or worse yet ... a DEADLY KITTY CAT is lounging on my front sidewalk.  I'm not entertaining the fourth idea AT ALL .... and that is one of my tuxedo buddies heading back to his hideout after a night of carousing in my front yard.  And THAT is why Cooper is NEVER allowed to go out by himself in the dark.