Gearing up for garden season. Just ordered a raised bed planter to create my new perennial garden. Have been going back and forth, considering all my options - cinder blocks, custom built, galvanized stock tank, retaining wall blocks...nothing was ideal for one reason or another. Took one more look online this morning and found this planter. It was the least expensive option and will do just what I need it to do. Plus, it will add some color to the yard.
I have another planter on the way that I was going to plant daffodil and tulip bulbs in, but may wait to plant them in the above bed instead. I can use the planter for annuals. It would look awesome with geraniums and gazanias.
The grapefruit tree did well this year. Lots and lots of grapefruit on the morning sun side. I have given a bunch away and still have plenty on the tree. Those will have to be picked soon as the tree needs pruning in the next couple of weeks.
This year's big project is done. I bought 4 ton of pea gravel and resurfaced my yard. It wasn't as bad as I though it was going to be, took about 5 hours of shoveling and spreading. It looks so much better! I was so sick of looking at naked ground. Everytime I did something in the yard, I lost gravel. It gets worked into the dirt and looks terrible. Plus, I needed to raise the level up to the patio to cover the mortar from the wall rework.
There were several naked spots, this was the worst area. I brought the level up about two inches. The yard is much more even now. No more low spots.
I'm happy with the way it turned out and it wasn't super expensive. $150 for the material and the labor was free. (me)
I have also made a few changes indoors. After spending much of the winter indoors, I couldn't stand that any longer. Splurged on new curtains and a rug.
The new rug is the gray and white, the tan one went into the bedroom once the new rug arrived.
The garden is surviving. I did not heat it this year. Trying to keep the electric bill down. I did loose my cukes, but not much else. I will replant them as I finally got more than one off a plant for the first time ever. And they were good. Everything else pretty much went dormant and will start growing again when it warms up a bit more.
I spent a LOT of money in January. Now I need to stop and catch up. I'm shooting for a no spend February. I have plenty of food on hand and I think I have or have ordered all my garden stuff for now, so I am hoping to catch up and maybe put a few dollars away this next month. I do pretty good most of the time about not spending at work. It is the online shopping I have issues with. It is just too easy. I am also going to try to do the 40 bags in 40 days lighten up challenge. I have way too much stuff that I don't need or use. I have been doing much better about not bringing stuff home I don't need.
I got to see Mike at Christmas. Keith and I made a day trip to Chandler to see Mike and Judy. We had lunch at Panera. Thankfully Keith did all the driving. I would have had a hard time doing both ways in one day. Especially at night, there was a lot of oncoming traffic.
Got a new cover for the golf cart as the old one was dry, brittle and cracking. Also got some seat covers for it. But I ordered the wrong cover and didn't realize it until I got it on. I will have to live with it. The front window doesn't zip open on this one.
I sold Snowflakes From Vermont ornaments. Minimum order was 48 and I have about 15 left. Not sure I will do it again this year. I did make my money back, but was short $150 from goal. Didn't sell them all.
If I do sell them this year the critter is going to be either a roadrunner or a coyote.
Trying to think if there is anything else....I didn't realize it had been so long since I had written last. Not much changes from day to day.
The park is full, lots of new owners this year. Dues went up yet again plus an additional $100 "special assessment". Electricity has gone up as well. Still driving the same car, but the blinker switch broke and I have to turn the blinkers off manually now. Too expensive to have it fixed. I have my eyes open for my next car, but haven't seen anything that grabs me yet. This one is still running and will drive it until I find the next one. Maybe another Jeep.
Guess that is about it. I will try to write more often. But as I said before, there isn't much to write about. My life is work, sleep and wait to go to work these days. Sigh....
