Monday, September 5, 2011

Things Cut - Parks, Hair, Downspouts

I had intended today to visit another couple of our lovely  State Parks marked for closure - Bothe-Napa Valley State Park and Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park.  However, as both Joseph and I were also feeling the burden of things that need doing, that pleasure has been deferred.  Hopefully not too long. 

Joseph spent much of the day working on computer issues.

Andrew cut his own hair - as is his habit since some time on his mission.  He keeps it pretty short. It looks good on him, but it took some getting used to for me.  I think he has great hair and I miss the more traditional business cut he used to wear.

Benjamin and I went to Home Depot where we ordered a freezer (upright - because of floor space and frost free, but I still want a chest freezer - maybe a small one later, when I figure out where) and bought diverter supplies to turn the force of water from being directed straight to our foundation when the rains come.  Then he went to get a haircut (more the style I prefer, but a little shorter than usual this time) while I picked up milk and a few other food stuffs.  Benjamin has been observing the hair cutters each time and may one day attempt to do his own.  But the business cut is more difficult that the style Andrew does.  Why does their mother not cut their hair, you ask?  Because they hope to be able to be seen in public without having to wear bags over their heads, that's why.

The guys and I spent more time than I had expected wrestling with downspouts, but I think our foundation is now under much less of a delugenal threat.  Also we did battle with a few weeds, but I must say the weeds are still in command of the battle field.

Eventually we decided we had worked enough.  Joseph built a fire in the family room fireplace.  Andrew popped in a DVD of some of America's Scenic Wonders or something like that - Pacific Coast -- Death Valley, Big Sur, Yosemite, Olympic (or is it Olympia?) National Forest, Glacier Bay, and unpronouncable, unspellable volcano on Maui, and maybe others.   We roasted hot dogs and made s'mores.  Lazy, stay at home "camping" fun.

We did not play a game  Learn the Scriptures While Harnessing Your Inner Geek.  I did not do any recreational reading although my book lists, both personal and Reading Club (the "boys" and I), are quite long and getting longer.   I did not untangle Debi's furry yarn. I still have not started anything for Christmas, and oh, boy am I in trouble.  Oh, there are hosts of things I did not do.

Again I lament, as I so often do, weekends, even three day weekends are TOO SHORT.

But it has been a good one and I am grateful.  

3 comments:

  1. How did you guys solve the issue with the draining water? I need help with that on my front spout.....

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  2. With most of the downspouts we put down concrete splashguards or whatever they are which merely divert the water away from the house so the water does not simply pour on to the foundation. I don't know how confident I am about these in the backyard and patio area, but that's where the rain goes anyway. When the yard floods, we pump. On the south side, we connected a plumbing pipe which we ran along the side of the house towards the front so it will flow on to the front yard. Come over and look.

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  3. Hey, any 3-day-weekend that removes some of the stress is a good one, in my book. The end of your last day sounds yummy, we don't have a working fireplace here and I do miss that from our house in the Bay Area. Sometimes the pressure of 'having' to go somewhere just because it's a holiday is more trouble than it's worth :)

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