Outdoor Weekend!

When the weather is cool and sunny, that is the best time to get outdoor work done. We had several projects on the list for a while, and this was the weekend to man up and get some exercise. So with that in mind, I headed outside on Saturday with chain saw and wheel barrow. First on the list was to clear back about 20 feet from the edge of the "lawn" that was littered with old log sections and pokeweed carcases. I use the term "lawn" loosly, it's more of a weed smorgasbord.

I should have taken a before picture, but just imagine about 20 large rotten tree trunk sections lying in the leaves covered with dead weeds and brambles. Most were too heavy to lift into the wheel barrow with out doing bodily harm to my back. So I cut a 3 in deep line across the end of the log section and split each one in half using 2 wedges and a maul. Half a rotten log was managable to get in a wheelbarrow and take back into the woods to dump.

The Russian Olives are gone!

On Sunday, I cut down the 3 once prized Russian Olive Trees that bordered the corner garden by the porch. Russian Olives are the shrub equivalent of a large, ill behaved, mixed breed dog. They might be cute when they are little but pretty soon you wonder what possesed you to buy them. They grow like a weed. You can hack 5 ft off the top every fall and then next year they will grow 8 ft more.

By 4:00 PM Sunday, the work was done and the dogs needed some attention.

Patton being brushed. He likes to hold the tasty bone.

A snack on the porch, Patton likes his crackers too.

A lot of work accomplished. I'm going to be sore tomorrow, but it will be a good sore.

Bikes and Taxes

Yesterday after we spent a nice weekend visit with my sister, I decided it was time to start working on the taxes. So with hopeful anticipation of a much needed refund, I got out all the documents and logged on to the H&R Block website and began the yearly ritual. After about 4 hours of data entry, research, minor swearing and sighs of disbelief, I came to grips with the reality that our deductions had graduated and left home. So it turns out now that the Feds want 10% of my gross income.

"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income."

- Benjamin Franklin

Welcome to reality folks, and it ain't gonna get any better with a 14 trillion national debt.

For a real scare, visit this site.

"I'm going for a bike ride" I said to my wife. "Good" she replied, sensing the need.

I took off heading east, planning one of my 5 mile round trip routes, but when I hit the half way point, I just kept going. I was just getting to the nice farmland roads, wheat fields greening up in the early spring, a fresh smell to the air but still a chill from a just completed winter.

Perfect weather for a ride.

The 2 lane road was all but deserted as I cranked for several miles further, mulling over in my head the tax predicament and trying to come up with an additional $850.

I finally turned around at a white barn set against a hill of green winter wheat.

When I was just about home, the solution came to me.

I'll mail them a toilet seat. They can even keep the change.

Bike rides really do wonders for the thought process!

Reilly takes to water

The fear that our shepherd has had of water had previously bordered on psychotic. Just splashing some water on her feet after a run in the mud caused her to emit cries and screems that would rival the best horror movies ever produced. She was so over the top that we had to stop after washing just one foot for fear of causing her to have a heart attack. Gradually she has gotten better with this, to the point where I was able to rinse her off with a rag and she managed to hold her emotions to a nervous full body tremble.

So yesterday at the bay was a really big breakthrough for her in doggie water acceptance.

First Patton, the master, shows her how it's done.

"harummpf, dang kids! Alright, let me show you how it's done"

Then, with a little coaxing, she makes the move.

"Come on, you can do it. Here, let me help you back to shore"

Now she's all in.

"Oboy, Oboy! This is fun. What have I been missing! Splash, grunt, wheeze.."

Bike ride therapy

If you're in a funk, a good bike ride will usually help to get you out of it. If it's 45 degrees and the wind is blowing 25 mph, all the better. There is something satisfying about facing down a good cold blow on a bike.

On Tuesday I was home while it was still light out and decided I needed a good road ride to blow the cobwebs out. I headed for my usual route which was about 2 miles of flat eastern shore road and then 3 laps of the local "hill". Around here, a hill is anything that is a 10% grade for more than 20 feet. Pathetic by any standard across the bay or north of the mason-dixon line. To make the ride as challanging as possible, I leave roadie in high gear and stand on the pedals to the top of the hill. It makes for a good leg pump.

After returning to my lane, I decided to keep going down Truslow Road to the end. I'm hitting a downhill grade and pass a local guy that I always see walking his dog on the road. But I'm unable to ellicit a return wave as I blast by him at 25 mph in my Coleman Cooler helmet and face mask, waving a friendly hello with my gloved hand. Bikers are so misunderstood!

Weekend gone to the dogs

If it seems like I haven't been posting anything for a while, well it's because I haven't. Not that I haven't wanted to, in fact not being able to post anything significant makes me feel a little guilty. After our trip to Virgina we both were sick and then I have been preoccupied with house projects. There's that bathroom that had the black mold problem that I have been renovating for the past almost 2 years. Saturday I finally finished insulating the crawl space and completed the subfloor. I just need to insulate the walls and then I am ready for drywall. This has been a never ending project, as my wife will attest to. Like Elvin, the painter who never finished on the show Murphy Brown (ed note: references to old chick shows may cause temporary damage to manliness).

Yesteday Irma and I painted the "office", a good rainy day project. I wanted to go for a mud ride in the rain but I gave all my energy at the "office". However, we did have to make an effort to execise the dogs. Without some sort of exercise, Reilly can be unbearable inside. It's like having a hyperactive kid on a sugar rush. So we put them on the porch and encouraged a doggie tug of war. It wasn't as good a making her circle the house for the chucker, but it was all we could come up with on a rainy day.

Patton and Reilly tug it out!