I'm taking April off- and probably May, too! As I've said before, I'm finally getting my hernia repaired (Tuesday). It's going to drive me nuts to not be able to do anything, but after 4+ years of very hard work, I guess I'm ready for a 'vacation'. I'll keep busy though. Number One on the list is to put together a photo book of our entire build process, from raw land through the finished product. I also have a stack of books to read, and when I'm able to get out, I need to find a job.

I got the barn under control, cleaning and organizing enough to move around out there. I got our raised bed ready to plant, and got plants in in the front flower bed, put some grass seed down as an experiment to see if it will grow, and planted 50 myrtle plants on a steep slope in the back.

Mushcreek, be well!

I didn't get any of my projects from last month done, except a little organizing.. But still felt pretty productive.

1. deck clean

2. chair cushions

3. small closet organized with cleaning supplies

Yesterday, the GD and I coffee dyed feathers for the lamp shade project.

Caroline I am so sorry you have not been well. Take your time to get well as relapsing is always harder to kick then the first time around. Your quilt and fresh ironed cases are lovely. LOVE the color of your room.

Jakkom. Matching paint is tricky. HA why I usually mix my own. Certainly not the best thing to do but I have always had good luck with it. Eating your way through Sonoma County must have been delicious. And always good to have tax work in good order. All win win to me.

Jay best of luck and smooth healing with your surgery. GREAT idea to have a photo album in the works lined up to work on during recovery. WOW Four years already. Very impressive all you have accomplished. I remember when this was just beginning for you and your decisions on what to keep and what to get rid of. Then all the planning for layout. There was so much good discussion on all of this. Please let us know when you can how your surgery came out.

Wendy some times , and many times for me, I do not get done what I had planned but go off in a different direction. No regrets as long as I am still moving. Sounds like you have been very busy. Can't wait to see the lamp shade.

I am still plugging along on the catico/doggie-O re-model. Slow going. Body complaining violently. Hoping cleaning up the mess will go quickly. Thinking positive. Back to work. Still too soon for photos. It looks like a disaster right now.

Shades, your constant improvements and glass works, and especially while dealing with various serious pains and illnesses, is such a motivation for me.

Mushcreek; you have to take care of that hernia. I've never had one, but I know how horrible they can be.

Wendy, my deck had snow on it this morning; so I have a reprieve there! LOL

JAKKOM; I lived in Fairfield for many years and worked at the 1,200 inmate jail there for 7 or so years. I rotated many weekends between Sonoma and Napa. It was heavenly. And San Francisco and Sacramento were day-trip easy, too. I sure miss that area - not the job, crime, or traffic, but the day trips and food and sights and so many wonderful people - I do miss that!

I'm setting very small goals for myself this month.

Ms. H will hopefully finish the 36" wide closet door and hang it this week. It's a bi-fold and of course now I'm thinking...should I try the French Door technique I saw on another thread or Pinterest...

The small section of the south wall, between the door and closet, is next. There is a 2" long chip in the baseboard; I salvaged the sliver and am simply going to glue it back in place, prime and paint the area. Also on that same wall is there damaged areas that have been filled with drywall and sanded...and then left. I am going to prime and paint them too. Right now I have an old painting hiding most of the damage. :) I had command hooks there for a couple of robes. Sam (dog!) got rambunctious one day and pulled the robes and hooks off of the wall, leaving holes.

I'm also going to finish packing away some winter woolies and take that tote, and the few purses that survived the weeding down to the basement and look for an area rug.

A tiny area with a lot of work to do.

The lumpy bundles on the top shelf are the three sets of winter flannel sheets and two quilts. I wrap them in sections of sheets and store them here since I use them seven months out of the year. In the winter, the thin cotton sheets are stored there.

The box hiding behind the extra dining chair has been returned to the store. The pillow in it did not work in the room.

You can see the gap where the baseboard was damaged. I still need to caulk and repaint the crown molding, but that won't be done until we know if half the bedroom is becoming the new laundry room and then the bedroom will expand and stretch westward!

Funny how those tiny areas can add up to a lot if work. Felt the same way when painting the bathrooms and laundry room.5 DAYS in the one room seemed insane to me. Your trim wood is lovely. Wish my closet looked as nice as yours does. I really need to weed out again. Just not into it right now. Soon Soon I keep telling myself. Maybe next cold or rainy day.

Well this is outside stuff at our small house but I did create another little living space for the summer time. First I had to move the old dog house to another part of the yard. It is super heavy so I leveraged it up on the fence and went over instead of packing it all the way around. Both pieces. Then hooked them back together and to the outer yard fence to make a little garden shed in the small transition area of the yard from upper to lower yards.The white roof structure it is 9 1/2 by 4 with a metal roof on it.

Then were the old dog house was I placed a 6 by 10 foot cyclone dog kennel panel to make the sloping roof over the dog houses.. It is supported by the three metal posts. Then I added the tarp over both kitty kennel and dog houses. Kitty kennel is on the left dog houses on the right of walkway. My clothesline is above the walkway and I also finished off the last bit of the walkway. It needed four more pavers laid.

I only had two disasters. The whole slanted panel fell on me once and almost knocked me off my ladder to the cement. I caught myself in the kitty kennel and hung on for dear life. I really did not want to face dive into those pavers. Then I backed to far into a planter with post driver on top of post and everything went down and I landed in the planter. No serious damage except the huge bruise on my leg. The post driver did not break my ST Francis statue. Amazing it missed it by 1/4 inch. Divine intervention on that one. The wall showing between chairs is going to get a great big mosaic when I get time to do it.

So now I need to go out and mow the lawn after lunch and then I hope to get back to painting on the dinning room rug.

caroline - I was identifying with you there for a line or 2 - as a slow moving turtle human... then you took off like a house on fire so I'm backing away from you. reading about all of this activity is exhausting! you're moving up there with shades! zoom!

do be careful with pneumonia - I've had it at least twice and was afraid I was getting it again in the fall of '14 - but I didn't. it takes just forever to re-coop from it.

shades - yep, you sure zoom along with things. how is Joe doing?

jay - prayers for a great surgery and speedy recovery. do try to exercise the fingers when you get home and let us know you are ok! we'll be thinking of you.

I need to get a small spurt of energy tomorrow and move a few (that's more'n 10) things/boxes to make way for the washer delivery. Jed came by yesterday to move anything big or heavy that needed moved and he put me up a clothesline (version of one) across the width of the pen. 2 of them as temporaries. they'll do for now. I'm hoping to do a few loads of wash this week /wkend to test it out. i'll have to space them out since the 'lines' aren't that long. but things should dry within an hr or 2 here in AZ.

I am going to need something w/wheels to put the laundry in to get it to the 'lines'. I'm thinking that a basket on the 'bed' of my wagon will work - after I get the 2 missing wheels put on it. for this week I might put a laundry basket on the dolly and use that - or my wheel barrel. both have wheels.

Steph I use an old laundry cart. I have had it for years. I had to make a new bag for it a few years ago and I also made a clothes pin bag to match while I was at it. Mine is like this one with out the pocket on the side. It is wonderful.

http://guide.alibaba.com/shop/easycomforts-laundry-cart-with-wheels_10411762.html

geeze shades - I had no idea those types were still available! I searched on amazon and was shocked at the options! of course, some are pricey.

it would also make it easier to haul laundry from the bedroom to the laundry room too.

YES I love mine and since I have to pack it out side and down steps this one is light enough even with the added weight of the laundry. i some times fold the clothes as I take them off the line placing in the cart. Then deposit them where they go on the way through the bedroom and hang the cart back up when I get back to the laundry room. Or when I have to do a second load I bring the cart back in empty and fill it up from the hamper to go to the machine. It is a little work horse and well worth the cost. If the cart broke I would order a new one right away. Joe made a wall hanger for it behind the laundry room door. Very handy.

i'll need a wall hanger for whatever I get too (unless I stick with the wagon/wheel barrel) and I need one for my large outdoor extension cord. I bought one last yr for things on poles - broom, mop, long handle microfiber duster etc. I'll have Jed hang that up in the laundry room too. i'll have to browse in HD to see what kind of hooks they have. I want to get some little hooks of some kind to put along the lower part of the siding to hold the tv and phone cables up off of the ground.

and I do need something to hold my clothes pins. I keep thinking i'll make something up - but so far I haven't. will look at T in a few weeks to see what they have. in another 6 wks or so I won't be going out much (so that'd be less than my 2-3 x a week now). it'll be heating up more. it should be about 90 today. warm like that all week. next wk shows a bit of rain and cooler temps - down to mid 60s - 70s. I'll like that much better.

Back home! Surgery went well, but they had to repair my bladder as well, so I have a catheter for 10 days. Very uncomfortable, but I'm on the mend!

Oh my; I hope the healing goes quickly.

great Jay! glad they found and fixed bladder problem while in there. a catheter has its good point too - lol! do what the doc told you to do (no laying down flooring, building a wall etc) - work on that photo album! watch some movies for a few days and heal.

Happy April everyone.

I cannot believe it's April already!

I thought I would be finished with the loft for awhile, but apparently not. I worked out how to make a by-pass sliding trap door to the loft. The big shelf the spinning wheel sits on should be able to slide into easier access so I can learn to use it and a door that closes the loft when I'm not using it can slide out of the way...no more getting splinters moving the plywood board I currently use. I'll try working on that this weekend.

I may get a chance to cut the wood I need for boxes to mount at the back of the ladder steps for yarn storage. I'm stockpiling yarn for dyeing, so I need that storage space ASAP.

I need to do some garden work. What I really want is a student or apartment dweller who desperately wants a garden...they can have mine. I'd provide water, tools, even seeds in exchange for some order and a few veggies or flowers.

Other than doing something about the yard and garden and the trap door this is a month to prepare for gardener's market sales; dyeing, cranking socks and weaving.

Jay good to hear the surgery went well/ sorry about the bladder and cath but getting it all over with at one time is a good thing. Do as Steph says and just rest and get well. What an accomplishment to be able to work over your photos of the Dream and build. Still so amazed how much you accomplished by yourself and how Gorgeous it all is.

Stringweaver your trap door sounds very interesting. I think all of us living in small spaces are always working to make those small spaces work better for us. Some times I am frustrated by it but most times I am much happier this way.

Well I am going to have to take the top off the kitty kennel and do it over. My tie down did not work. This time will be better. Just bummed I have to take it off to start over. I wish I had come up with this new idea before I got the top all the way on. OH well. Live and learn. I am going to give it a few days or more to let my own body heal. Mean time I was able to get more rug paint today so will get to finish painting the dinning room rug.

sorry you have to redo it shades! but do take a few days to rest before the redo. it is frustrating to get something done and then find out you need to start over again. such a bummer. I do a lot of that. I don't mind 'redoing' sleep tho. or resting before I redo it... lol!

the washer got here this a.m. very nice guys - very efficient! my cold/hot faucets are flipped... not a problem to me. but, the cold does drip a bit. i'll need to have Jed check it - maybe replace it.

I didn't attempt to run a load today. figured I should take time to read thru the instructions first. And I wanted to do that on a day not broken up by a delivery and a trash 'run' (take to my sister's). I'm going to need to keep a close watch on it at first - especially with that drip. The guy did put water in and out again but he only had about 2 min to do it (while I was walking back from the pump outside). the basket did look wet.

btw, the washer takes up a lot of space in the laundry room! I was used to a very open room. it isn't anymore.

And I got so many phone calls today - what's up with this? got at least 8 and only 1 was from the delivery guy. all others were mechanical calls, solar panels and who knows what - I kept hanging up. it irritates me - and the dog. she whines and jumps on the bed - waiting to see if it's for her I guess. She probably hopes it's Jed coming over for a 'playdate' with her. I think she thinks that is why he comes here! She does love him.

I'm really tired so am taking a mini nap, then later I'll make up some soup. later i'll gather up some things to wash tomorrow.

Mushcreek, take care of yourself.

Shdes, sorry the tiedown didn

t work. But, it looks awesome.

Steph, are you on the no call list?

I've been working on my shade. about half done.

plans for livingroom/diningroom combo · More Info

plans for livingroom/diningroom combo · More Info

love that shade!

yes, I should be on the no call list. but, when someone turns 65 (about the yr before too) they get a list from SS and sell it to everyone I think. Senior this, senior that... medicare, SS, extra ins. , other senior benefits (that are most likely just scams).

Wendy your lamp shade feathers are so Gorgeous. So LOVE your lamp.

that lamp looks wonderful Wendy!

There's a new house going up near me. It looks quite small. The foundation was poured last fall and now the walls are going up. I can't wait to see how it turns out and who buys it. The foundation is shaped like a snowman, with three attached circles, large to small. I walk the dog down that way every few days to monitor progress.

Wendy, that is just downright witty, it makes me smile. The little glass egg the bird is holding just sets the lid on it.

Stringweaver, maybe geodesic domes? Or yurts?

There is a plywood 'wall' propped up all the way around, capped by a flat board...I wonder if the walls will be poured concrete. It's going to have a terrific view, on a hill with a never to be obscured view across the valley to the mountains on the west side. A wall of windows would be great for the view and awful for hot afternoon sun.

How exciting stringweaver. Curios on the three circles.

The kitty kennel tarps are down tied together and mostly back up. Been a pretty long day working on it along with other chores that always need to be done. I think this time it will be fine. PHEW.

Steph hope your washer worked well for you. YES they do take up so much space. We have a fairly small laundry room and I had to move the washer and dryer in and out to get the painting done. At least I also got a good cleaning in under them. Last time I moved them out I lifted them and put the sliding feet under them. This makes them easier to slide but it still takes some effort to get them into place right or they will not fit. I only have a little over an inch to spare.

Shades - you're always so busy, I get exhausted reading about your activity! glad you're almost done with the kitty kennel redo. take a pic to show us.

I don't even want to know about 'chores that always need done'... it might cause me to think I need to do something like that too.

I haven't even run a load yet! I finally read thru the instruction sheets this morning. Knew it couldn't be too out of the ordinary, but still with new fangled things these days I thought I should flip thru it. loved that it said not to put any gasoline soaked clothes in it... now what do I do? lol!

I needed to go to the store to get some non scent type of fabric softener and more clothespins. I haven't used a liq fab softener in many decades. I found 1 that said 'no scent, no dyes'. Then by the time I got home I was tired. I ran water to do dishes and thought I'd pop in a load - but it looked like rain and I didn't want to have a load washed and not be able to hang it out.

by the time I got a few other things done I decided just to wait til tomorrow. So barring rain tomorrow i'll fire that thing up and see if it works. I sure hope it does - I have several loads waiting.

oh, and while at W I realized I'd better buy a new laundry basket. I thought I still had one but figured it's here somewhere packed with junk - and since it is surely over 25 yrs old, I just got a new one. I got a smaller one cause I really don't need to fill up a big one anymore.

Do you think your washer will dance away during the spin cycle with those sliders under it?

Thanks, everyone!

I really dislike how big washers and dryers. My "laundry room" is not really a room. It is the walkthrough from the garage to the house and is teeny tiny. There is no place to put laundry or anything. Just room enough for the machines. My hope was that I could have the washer and dryer in the kitchen, but that did not work out. But the spare bedroom closet is on the other side of the walkthrough wall. So, the new plan is to move the washer and dryer to that closet and turn that small walkthrough into an actual garage entrance with some cubbie storage, hooks, and seating bench. I'll need to remember to take before pics when we start that project.

Steph, I might re-register on the list.

Stringweaver, that sounds SO interesting. Can you get us progress pics on your walks?

Shades, are the new tie downs working?

I am still trying to decide on what washer/dryer to get, whenever I get the closets drywalled and ready. I'm waffling between a stacking apartment sized top-load, which is cheaper and will fit. Or a more expensive all in one combo.

My laundry 'room' is a five foot closet, which will also store all my cleaning supplies, vacuum cleaner, etc. So the all in one unit is attractive for space saving. We have one at work, it works.

But I keep thinking about the laundry I take out of the washer when visiting my sister, who has a big top load...the socks come out soft and practically sparkling. Everything seems cleaner. Same cold water temperature. The differences between the front load laundromat machine and hers is the agitation I think- we use the same detergent. She's on well water, so her water is a least as hard as the water here. So currently I'm leaning toward the stacking top load unit. Plus it would be easier to use for spinning or fulling woven stuff. The rough plumbing and vent are in place for the stacking unit.

With the bedroom arrangment the way it is, I can quickly set up a table or ironing board at the foot of the bed for folding or ironing. With good organization I can fit all the cleaning stuff in the broom half of the closet. Laundry hampers, which currently fit in the clothes closet right next to the broom/laundrey closet would have to stay there. I was hoping to get them into the laundry side.

I need to charge my camera batteries and take it on the walks and get pictures of the snowman house. I don't want to carry my tablet on dog walks.

Honestly when hubby is gone the dryer will follow and then I will have a lot more room in my laundry room. For just me I can easily manage with out a dryer. I already have the hanging rod across the full sized bathtub in the guest bath right next to the laundry to hang some thing to dry on a damp day when I can not use the clothes line. The hardest thing to dry are the sheets and they dry laid on the bed in master bedroom turning them a couple of times The ductless heater in there blows right across he bed. It is his clothes that the dryer gets used for the most.

Friend was showing me her new top loading washer with no agitator in the center. That looked pretty good to me but until this washer quits me I will not be getting a new one. Her machine seemed to be taller than mine now but maybe just an illusion.

With dryer gone I will have room for a folding table and better arrangement for cat food storage/litter box. ORRRRRR I might build a taller cabinet than the dryer was and use it for the broom closet and vacuums. I think I would prefer the table to that as now the vacuums do fit in hall closet just fine.

Wendy your change sounds great. Always nice to have cubbies/and shoe storage coming in from the garage. Not having to change plumbing much is always good too. The laundry room before this one was so narrow when I pulled the washer out to paint I had to climb up over the top of it to get behind it. Funny how that experience made me totally dread painting this laundry room but this one is much wider and I had room. Just had to move one piece at a time cause I do not squeeze well through a one inch gap.

Kitty kennel top still needs to be finished tied down but I believe it is working now and much smoother. PHEW as I did not want to have to do it again. It feels pretty tight with center tied down and only one end all the way across and a few ties down the 20 foot sides to hold it. Heading out there now to finish that up then get started on the fence re-do. I swear I just make work for myself.

" top loading washer with no agitator in the center"

shades, does she like that? do her clothes get clean? in the mega # of reviews I read, most did not. most said they'd never get one again like that. so, having the agitator was a top need to have for me. it isn't as big as mine from the 70s, but it's there, just more streamlined. most said the clothes didn't seem clean, dry detergent still on clothes after the rinse.

I don't use dry detergent, so not a concern I had.

Steph she said she likes it and it holds a queen sized comforter. Well mine with agitator also holds a queen comforter. I use liquid detergent too.

I did my first load and I survived! so did the clothes. they are on the line now - flapping away in a nice breeze.

One thing I didn't really think about tho - the basket is so deep I can't reach the bottom of it! yikes... I did manage to get clothes out but I think i'll be buying some long handled (grilling) tongs next trip to W.

The online pic of washer showed the fabric softener dispenser in a front corner - it isn't. it's in the top of the agitator. I'm going to make up a large print cardboard for my laundry room listing the amount to use for small, large and super large loads. that's how they are marked, no 'medium'. I take it the normal medium is the large on this washer. I'm going to do the same for bleach amounts. I can't think of anything large I'd want to bleach but small - yes. a small load of all of those cheap white W wash cloths and bar cloths.

my washer should do a qn comforter too. I think that very deep basket will help with that! i'll try that tomorrow, then Sunday i'll do towels and wash cloths.

I do believe I'm gonna get used to having this machine and like it - lol! I found some plastic storage bags (zippered) on amazon and plan to buy a pk (5 for 20.00) to store my blankets, comforter, spare comforter (marmaduke) in spring thru fall. We do have some summer dust storms and that dust just blows everywhere and seeps inside into everything.

shades - I'm glad your friend likes her agitatorless washer but she'd be in the minority in the reviews on washers.

Steph, that was always my problem with top loaders, too deep.

I remember it happening yrs ago somewhat. I always ended up getting everything out of the bottom even if it was a struggle. This one seems even deeper and I don't think I've shrunk any. I also don't want to struggle to get things out so i'll pick up a 'helper' to grab what's left at the bottom.

I think with the number of changes they've made in them that I don't like I won't let this little problem bother me. I got one with a non locking lid, without the limited water per load, it has an agitator, the option of an extra rinse, will do my qn sized comforter and it's mostly mechanical instead of all electronic. belt driven - which means if that's a problem, Jed can fix it. oh, and if I want to use hot water in it, I can. On many now you can't.

from what I read online about washers these days, I'm feeling very blessed to have found this one - at least so far (1 load - lol!)

Steph good to hear the new washer is working for you. I never had trouble reaching to the bottom. Long arms I guess. I am also taller than you are by a few inches.

Been working in the front fence move. It is finally coming together. Too soon for pictures. But hopefully in the next day or so. All depending on anything else that comes up. It is in the hot full sun during most of the day so I can only work out there early morning and evening. I can not take the full sun and heat.

Loving my newly covered clothes line area. I think the clothes will not take such a beating in the blazing sun. I know good to brighten whites but I can hang them on the one sunny end. The rest is light and bright but filtered sun with the white tarps covering. We have not had a good strong wind yet to see how well my new tarp tie down is working. I do not know what else to do so I really hope this does work.

Nothing else going on around here but chores. Hope you all are enjoying your weekend.

"Long arms I guess. I am also taller than you are by a few inches."

and that's an important 'few inches' ! lol! all I'd need is an inch or 2 more... and it's the small things that stay on the bottom - like the wash cloths. but i'll end the struggle with some tongs to grab 'em.

I hope your tarp tie down works with the wind after you've worked so hard on it.

my clothesline is 'under cover' now too. under the top of the dog's pen. it's worked out - at least for now.

I understand about being out in the sun. I can't take the heat anymore either. so it's do it early - or later after the sun goes down on the west side of the mtn west of me. (a very small mtn compared to those like the smokies/rockies; a hill compared to those!) - or it doesn't get done outside. it's not bad yet, but come June i'll be inside hiding from it.

I've been kinda sorta spring cleaning. Slowly going through things throwing out, donating, finding an appropriate spot. Feels productive if nothing else.

I think it is going to warm up enough to get some deck painting done, here soon. I'm hoping.

I need to find a place for a clothesline. My old one was on the deck. One of those removable square pole lines. I need to figure out where it cnn go now.

I have to use a coat hanger to fish out the clothes when I visit my dad and do laundry. And use a stepstool to reach the detergent on the shelf the builders installed at the very top of the closet which is the landry room.

Woot! Turns out three grad students at work have no garden space and are thrilled to help me with my too large for one garden. I believe I will be able to finish building, filling and planting the rest of the raised beds. Well worth sharing most of the produce and supplying water.

Snow today, but we might get out there sunday afternoon.

ah stringweaver! a hanger - of which I have many! I didn't think of that. I did plan to keep a few of the metal ones - knowing they can come in handy for 'things'. I bought some of those huggable hangers and was getting rid of my old ones. keeping a few tho... i'll put one in the laundry room and give it a try - might save me a few bucks. I do have tongs but didn't want to use my food tongs in laundry, even tho the laundry would be clean... just seemed weird.

I have some shelves up high too, I put things I won't need much up there which you can't do since it's your dad's place. I put in some lower ones to use for regular things. i'll put some more in I think since I don't plan to get a dryer.

i'll have to put a hook on the bottom of the shelf over my washer to hang the hanger if that works out...

congrats on finding the students who can help / use the garden space. you'll all benefit from having the fresh produce!

I need to find a place for a clothesline.

think out of the box on it. my temp lines go across the width of the dog pen. while standing out with the dog one day back when and looking around, that's the only place I could see to put one right now until the flatten trailer is out of here. it might be some time before that's done. I don't have any trees up around the house or out buildings to run one end to. Jed will eventually sink a post into the ground for 1 side and hook it to the siding up by my back door.

but for now, it's the only place that had any posts up high to connect a line to. so, it goes from a post on 1 side of it to a post on the other side 2 x giving me 2 short lines. those 2 should be enough for me to hang anything that might be in 1 load. the other day I had a single bed size comforter, a qn sheet and 2 pillow cases on 1 line. I won't have more than twice that at 1 time.

Steph my lines are only 10 foot long but I do have three of them very close together. I am loving the new line set up. Well the lines are the same but to be able to turn around on the spot and also hang clothes on hangers behind me is so much easier then carrying them over to the awning the way it used to be. I think we need to do everything possible to help make things easier for us. Steph maybe you can get one of those lines that you hang the laundry from your back porch and the laundry rolls out and back in on the line. I never figured how that worked . Pulleys I guess. For you it would be great.

Stringweaver I missed your post about the students helping with the garden . What a sweet deal that is. I am sure you as one person will not deplete the produce enough and every one is in a win win situation I would love to do that here.

I have been taking it easy the last few days. Still worn out. I need to learn when to quit instead of pushing through to get done. I did spend a few hours in the pottager yard digging weeds and filling and planting a couple of containers. I put chives and feverfew in the wheelbarrow. I plan on putting zucchini plants in the two small garbage cans. Tomatoes in the other two oblong planters Maybe some cucumbers in the big round planter. I am trying so hard to not let the yard get away from me this year. With no more big projects on my plate other than taking care of Joe I hope the yard will get some much needed loving. And after some of the wilder plants flower I am lopping their heads right off and not letting them set seed this time. It is the only way to gain some control because I have some really prolific out of control plants living here. Eventually they die out.

I did go to a thrift store with friend yesterday and found some of those strung bead necklaces for $2 for all 40. I out them on the curtain rods that I exposed taking down the lace curtains. They kind of hide the mini blinds. I need them some times so have to leave them up.

Edit to add photo. They are just wrapped around the rod. Can come right off.

shades - that is soooo beautiful! love the beads on the rod. is the lower part across the blinds your glass work? it is so beautiful!

Thanks Steph. Yes the lower part is some glass dishes and glass bits and beads mosaic on a dump shopped window. I had to partially close the blind to get the beads picture. I have those valance like windows in three of the dinning room windows. One actually covers half way down the window. We have a white metal garage roof out side that window that causes glare so the larger glass on glass over window really helps that and it does not block the view other than the garage roof. I am always gathering windows and pretty glass dishes at yard sales/thrift shops. they are really fun to do. I am also collecting old shower doors to do some for the yard.

Adding a photo of the moved fence weeds and all. I have one more sink that needs to go in the line up along the bottom of the fence. It mentally helps to keep the dogs from trying to dig out. They are not in this yard left alone but should they happen to get out of their yard to this one the heavy sinks on the outside hopefully would stop them from going further.

the landscape plan is to just spray the weds off and call it good. let it be gravel. I have not had a chance or weather to spray. When I am ready the wind is blowing or it is going to rain.

the curved headboard is now a gate on hinges. I need to dig out the bulbs in the walk through. Waiting for them to die back so I can transplant and they will bloom this summer. They are naked ladies.

I love how you used the headboard and rails on your fence! and the sinks along side of it.

do you plant in the sinks? ugh. I knew I should have had Jed keep the sink in the old place. I thought about using it for a planter but so much was going on here at the time and he had so much work to do - and I had so many 'this, that and the other things' for him already!

a friend put fencing on the ground along the edges of my dog pen then covered it with dirt. it was a great way to keep the dog from digging out.

The fencing on the ground would be great to stop digging. So far our pups have not been diggers once the female got past her just digging holes to dig. Not trying to dig out. LOL She is a bit cray cray.

I managed to get the 5th sink moved out of the yard to the line up and the other three sinks moved down the fence line and I finally have my Sinkville back. Years ago I had the sinks in partial shade down a pathway at our last house. I planted them with petunias. One sink was a fountain.

Now I have chives in the three flat sinks and so far nothing planted in the two high backed sinks. It is a hot dry area where they are now so maybe some succulents would work. The chives do well in the sinks. Moving the fence lets me get the sinks in easy watering position by the yard sprinkler and hose when I water the front of the house flower bed.

Stringweaver, were you able to start the garden?

Shades, wow! that window looks amazing! And the fencing, some serious awesomeness. Incredible creativeness. Good for you.

Mine isn't as exciting. But, have managed to get the deck straightened up and scrubbed off about 1/3 of the decking. Going to have to bleach the handrails again. Hoping to get some painting done tomorrow. Also hoping to get one of the raised planters moved/ready for some veggies and another built and in place.

Two came to work the garden today. We finished weeding the existing beds, shoveled in some new soil where it had settled, turned it, installed the drip system and planted greens, roots, bok choy, kale and peas. All the seed I had on hand that can be planted now. It's another month to last frost date. The big 14 by 3 foot bed remains to be planted. I'll pick up broccoli and br sprouts and such starts tomorrow and some herbs. That's 1/4 of the planned garden set up. Now I need to add more beds. I have lumber for 3x8 and 3x12 foot beds and possibly enough soil to fill them. Then I need to borrow a truck to make a landfill run for compost and get more lumber. And get out there with the mower and weed eater. I'll just keep the area between the beds trimmed. I don't want to sit or kneel on pavers while weeding.

wow, my friends are so into this garden! I may get all the veg beds built and filled this year. I got 1/4 built and filled last year and all are planted already. One of my friends seemed a bit daunted by the idea of 36 tomato plants, but I said do you want to can any? She thought a moment and said I like to make ketchup. H wants lots of pesto and winter squash. We got kohlrabi, collards, broccoli, brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale and various herb starts planted yesterday-I love instant garden. We have lots of seeds planted, but they aren't quite as visually satisfying right away. I need to get more lumber for more beds.

I put in raised beds because my soil is rocky enough to break rototiller tines. So I haven't put in a proper fence. I don't want to dig post holes and I was quoted (long ago) $35/hole minimum in rocky soil. I recently saw an item on pinterest where someone had made a wooden 'slipcover' to go over chain link posts to dress them up. I may explore cladding T-posts in wood. They had put hog panel wire mesh between the posts and capped them with a little wood trim. Which is exactly what I'd like to do. Mesh to keep the dog in (and the neighbor's dogs out), but not solid fencing or too pricey and nicer than the T-posts and plastic garden fence I'm currently using.

Interior work and cleaning very much on hold right now!

well, April is on its way out... I think all I've managed to do is some old laundry. I have a large comforter on the line now. the washer survived it - and didn't even try to walk around the laundry room! awesome.

I found the 'small' load is very small which I think will work out for me since having only laundry for me, it isn't a whole lot at a time. I had wondered how long I'd have to let things like towels, wash cloths, dish towels etc build up to make a load. with the 'small' (tiny) load option it won't be long at all! I do have enough 'stuff' to last for weeks and weeks and weeks but I don't want dirty laundry hanging out here anymore. I've hated it in the past while waiting to go to a Laundromat. with a washer here, I don't want it to happen again. I'll just rotate things around to even out the usage.

I'm super happy the washer didn't go bonkers on the spin cycle with the comforter in it. now I can safely wash up the other 3 or so comforters to have on hand and clean if someone should show up and need/want to stay here for a night or 2.

Now that I've gone thru a series of load sizes and rinse options and it's behaved itself, I need to decide if I want to pay the extra $s to get a 5 yr warranty on it - covers parts and labor for about 60.00 $s. Sounds worth it to me from what I read on reviews and those who have had trouble a few months to a 1 or 2 yrs down the road. At the price they are, they should last 5 yrs or more - hopefully.

eta - I forgot to post that on Tues (day to docs and errands that exhausted me) I stopped at the hdwr and exchanged the 2 wheels I'd bought for 2 larger wheels. the rear wheels on my wagon were 2" larger than the ones I'd bought. I figured those 2" would just make the wagon 2" higher for me and probably easier moving around on desert ground. they were 5$s more each but I think it will be worth it. They also had metal centers rather than plastic. Plastic doesn't last long outside in the AZ sun and my wagon lives outside. I haven't checked the 2 back wheels on my wagon yet to see if they are metal or plastic - but if/when they go, i'll replace them with the metal center wheels. It was the plastic part of the front 2 wheels that cracked and fell apart.

Steph I am so glad your washer is working out for you. I do find myself using the different sized load options often. Awhile back you asked if the added feet on the bottom of my washer makes it slide around and no not much unless the load becomes unbalanced. I always make sure I am close by when doing rugs or heavy things to be able to shut it down fast.

Yes April is about gone. I just spent several more hours up in the loft seriously purging. I feel confident now the stuff that was just stuff is heading down the road and what is left up there is sorted to all like things together so I can find some thing when I need it. My previous sortings have been great to get into looking for the flower pot or metal pieces to make some thing or or or. Lots of wood items I was going to mosaic on are going away. I do not have the desire to do them any more and since I am not selling anything now there is no point in keeping them. Friend is having a yard sale in a month or so. I will take them up there for her or down to the thrift store. I am done storing projects.

I managed to empty four suitcases and will take them to the recycle free shed at the dump. They are not the cute flat top ones but two of them are the old Samsonite and one even still has the key for it. I cleared them out. I have two packed boxes of stuff I do not think will make the yard sale cut and not even sure why I was keeping it. I still need to sweep the space and I am really happy with how it all turned out. A big sigh of relief. It has been hard to let some of the stuff go.

Editing to add I am now DONE!! Floor swept car is loaded to go to the dump. I am so relieved this project is finally done.