Fort-ene March 2016

A Monday, apparently I have fallen ahead with the new seasonal time change OK & in fine fashion. Waiting for the sun to rise and making the list for work & activity this day. Trying to decide also coffee or tea ?

Decisions, decisions.

I need to be thinking in the background of an image for today while all this is going on.

Yesterday Patty came over & we did one of those Rites of Spring, very early but probably NOT what you're thinking. That’s why I LIKE you. Nothing wrong with letting ones mind slip or drift into the gutter from time to time. Having a legitimate, proper & timely sense of humor makes for a well-rounded, well-balanced & fun person to be around.

There’s the sun now bursting up over the neighbors roof and right on time. The window was open last night & it is 10 (C degrees) so cool and now light. The birds sing in a modulated volume,

rhythms & tones near distance and farther. Motorized traffic in the distance completes the sound picture. An occasional local vehicle passes under the open window carrying some poor neighbor from the hood to a place of employment.

SO WHAT IS THIS NEW RITE OF SPRING ANYWAY BEFORE WE ALL FALL ASLEEP ?

Sorry, I digressed.

Today, THIS MORNING, I MUST continue to completion the annual crepe (or crap) myrtle massacre & holocaust. I arranged for Patty to show up for lunch & stay for dinner so I could fire up the chain saw & whack back three (3) of the stands of the woody weeds. She was brought on primarily as an observer to call 9-1-1 if that little NEED arose however she proved her worth & metal when time came to cut the larger trunks of the trees into fire place logs. Well done young Lady. She didn't even b***h if she broke a nail which I don't know if she did. I gave her the gloves for hand protection as running the saw was fairly benign compared to what she was doing grabbing trunks & branches.

McKinney is trying to brand itself as the ‘crepe myrtle city’. Me thinks the Compost Capital or maneurville would be better & more fitting.

Whom ever Mickey Crepe Myrtle was that started planting these invasive, obnoxious & indestructible ‘decorative’ weeds hopefully was shot, strung up, lynched, drawn & quartered. This plant cannot be killed. I know because I have tried numerous times hence the annual whacking back with RECKLESS ABANDON. TOTALLY.

Anyway, I MUST complete cleaning up the carnage today lest some warply intended neighbor calls the HOA & files a complaint.

We chunked up the larger trunks into little logs & they must be stacked for seasoning. Under the blazing summer sun all the water needs to be baked out before they will burn properly in the fireplace or chiminea.

Also, exercise, workout and bike ride. The fasting & abstinence program as Lenten observance are seeing pounds drop & weight loss nicely. There are some letters & correspondences to write & send out. Another sympathy card. Supplies running low on sympathy cards.

And I can't not mention all the other projects. The mirrored window frame needs to be hung. My original place is OK but the hanging hardware Leon gave me needs to be moved a bit before I try to fit a stud thru the sheet rock. The piece is slightly substantial and very cool if I must say so.

It fits perfectly in the fourth BR which is now the gym but not for much longer. The gym moves to the garage when enough space is created there.

Fish, signs, ducks, a shorebird & jewelry could all make the agenda today. Oh. The long-awaited peppermint angelfish pattern from Anthony Hillman arrived on Friday. Did I mention that ?

I spoke to my brother & he is ready to cut out & ship the new pattern. The original drawing is truly a work of art & I plan on framing it and hanging it up. Problem is the drawing is a little bit larger than life size. Like 2.1 cm. Most people wouldn’t realize it and I may even do one or two larger but I need to shrink one to a 7 cm overall length. Quite small by fish standards & I am expecting the challenges of working small. The colors are brilliant & I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Rest assured at least one (1) photo will be posted. Live specimens are still commanding $20,000 from commercial sources down from $30 K in the article I first saw. YOU TOO can have one for $5 K & NO WATER to change. No worries of fungus or fin rot. EVER. Think it over.

The sun is up now in my eyes & blinding.

I think coffee will be the morning beverage of choice this day. Assess the grounds, further develop the Plan and then A-T-T-A-C-K.

Still working on an image.

HA ha. Patty snapped this one on a (rare) break. Crepes destructivous (L) The crepe myrtle mangler of Meadow Ridge. Stamping out crepe myrtles one at a time, at a time, at a time …

Note the bulging biceps, total lack of blood and an overall appearance of peace, contentment & tranquility. The noise, dust & exhaust mingled with fuel is a male rush. All about hormones like testy & adrenoline. I love it.

Patty is the quintessential Frontier Women. Without question in an earlier life she rode westward in a Canastota wagon cooking, working hard and biting the heads off snakes, bears or Indians. Oops. Native Americans. Two out of three ... very respectable.

I was impressed. Gave her the option of lunch/dinner or a days labor at her Sierra Club-adopted park project south of town. She opted for the day of labor. Me & my big mouth.

Just glad she was around & didn't have to dial 9-1-1 on my behalf.