Hmm. Perhaps it would help your perspective to have a "before" picture, to get the full effect.


- posted by Laura @ 12:54 PM

 
Landscaping Goodness!

I couldn't resist taking some pictures of my sunny new back yard today while I was at lunch:














- posted by Laura @ 12:50 PM

 
Like, totally gag me with a spoon.
- posted by Laura @ 8:52 AM

 
Man. This sucks.
- posted by Laura @ 6:52 AM

 
Public Service Announcement

Something new over at Operation :: Goddess.
- posted by Laura @ 6:55 AM

 
The story of The Falling Man. So hard to read, so poignant.

Two years tomorrow - it's hard to believe.

Link courtesy of Sarah.
- posted by Laura @ 4:22 PM

 
Better

aka: "For Those of You Following Along at Home"
aka #2: "Is This Thing On?"

I'm feeling a lot better today. The cold seems to be departing (knock on wood). And joy of joys, the landscaping was finished yesterday, with just a few minor things that needed to be addressed today before I gave the their final installment. It's so *nice* to be able to look out the bedroom windows and see greenery!

Before, during, and after pictures will be put up as a ~Snerkology~ entry, I'm just waiting for the grass to come in a bit better before I take the "after" shots.
- posted by Laura @ 10:14 AM

 
Feelin' Ookey

This week of all weeks I've come down with a cold. As I was e-mailing with Heather earlier today, I had eight-count-them-eight meetings in the course of my 8:00-6:00 day. The rest of the week is just as bad. And my head is stuffed and heavy and I'm finding it hard to concentrate on the crap I have to do.

Wah.
- posted by Laura @ 2:02 PM

 
The Measure of a Dog

This is how stupid Gadget is. This morning I went into the kitchen, and both the dogs perked up from "their" rug, which is positioned under the dart board and in line of sight of the kitchen. So I called them over to give them a "cookie" (rawhide chew). I gave Gadget his first, and he promptly trotted over to the walk-off mat in front of the door that goes out into the garage. I gave one to Gypsy, and because Gypsy was getting attention, Gadget had to interrupt. So he drops his cookie and gets all up in Gypsy's face, chasing her as she trotted back over to their rug. Where he proceeded to pace back and forth in front of her, watching her as she gnawed on her cookie.

He totally forgot about his own treat, and was pouting because he didn't have one.

So I called him over to the kitchen again, and pointed out his cookie, still lying on the walk-off mat. "Hey, Gadge, what's this?" He pounced on it, all excited, and raced off to their rug to eat it in front of Gypsy while *she* stared at him.

God love the dog, he is an idiot.
- posted by Laura @ 7:41 AM

 
Impending baby goodness

We talked to Michael and Lilly on the phone last night, and she's ready to go at any moment. So they're going to call us when they're on the way to the hospital, and we're going to jump in the truck and drive the six-ish hours to the San Diego area. Hopefully we'll get there in time to be present when the baby is born. She wants me to be in the room with her! How wonderful is that?? This is when my hours of watching "Birth Story" on Discovery Health (I think) will come in handy.

Eep! I'm about to be a grandma! I hope I honor my own grandmother's example.
- posted by Laura @ 7:17 AM

 
Woo!

The work on the back yard landscaping begins today! I've taken some before pictures, and will take some during pictures, and then (gasp!) some after pictures. Because I am foolishly, stupidly excited about all of this. I mean, think of it! A yard! In which I can spend quality time! And frolic! My life has had a serious lack of frolic in it, lately.

Take a girl who is used to running around in field and dale (at least, I think there was a dale, I'm not sure how to recognize them), where there is grass and trees and fauna goodness. Then, move her to a desert, stick her in a box, and give her bedroom a view of rocks, dust, and dog doo.

So sad.

But soon to be happy! Even though there will be no fields, and no dales (I'm pretty sure), there will be grass! And a few trees! And some natal plums and heather, and trumpet vines, and hibiscus (sp?). And some other plants I can't think of at the moment. Oh! Pygmy date palms, and honeysuckle, and mountain laurel! And the internet is astonishingly short on images of these plants, or I would give you links to visuals. And a pretty brick border, and sprinklers under which to run if I'm so motiviated. And a little brick pad on which to roll out the grill, so that it no longer smokes along under the covered patio, billowing smoke into the living room when we go out to tend whatever it is that's burning on it.

The dogs are gonna love this. As long as they don't dig.
- posted by Laura @ 7:13 AM