Sunday, September 27, 2015

A look back a summer

September 27, 2015

I love everything about autumn. Cooler temps, cleaner air, beautiful colors. I get energized by autumn. It's usually the time of year we do a lot of home and garden projects. Note the word "usually." This year was very different, and I say that with gratitude. As of yesterday, we crossed off another major item on our To Do List and now we will enjoy the fall with little to do except sit on the patio or a porch and sip a beverage. 

The projects began back in May with another visit by the tree trimmers and then swapping out a tub for a walk-in shower. It was a necessity for the man of the house and I confess I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I knew I'd adjust but after four months I admit I rather like it. I'd thought I'd have to get a smaller dog, one I could wash in the kitchen sink, but with the walk in shower another Lab is possible. Yes, if any dog wants to sleep on the bed, they must be bathed on a regular basis. 

The shower was quickly followed by new shingles on the shed roof, removal of the roof ridge vent on the house and repairing the roof (no more leaks! and no more fucking ridge vents EVER!), new gutters and downspouts, a new sliding glass door for the sunroom, composite deck boards on both front decks, burying a discharge pipe to carry rainwater father away from the house and down the hill, painting the trim on the shed, and lastly, painting the house shutters. 

Oh, and don't forget setting up the pool and then taking the pool down. And buying another Charger. And the man's cataract surgeries. 

No wonder I'm tired! 


Surprise! 
My slush fund is down thousands and I don't mind a bit. The money was well spent. Yesterday morning we enjoyed our coffee on the sunroom porch and agreed that, come next summer, we won't have a lot to do. Of course, we know that living in the woods is full of surprises. Mother Nature can drop a surprise big limb in your front yard while you're in the middle of composing a blog. 

Next summer will surely bring something. Thankfully, the slush fund should have time to recover by then. And with any luck, we'll be recovered, too.  

KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks

2 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That's what the slush fund is for, isn't it? A lot of work you did. And I imagine the lab enjoys getting into the walk-in shower.

KC Kendricks said...

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

Jett was the first dog I ever had who'd jump into the tub and wait for the water. But as he got older, he needed help getting in and out and I'm older too so it became difficult. The trick is to convince them when they're young that bath time is fun. Then you have to remember to close the bathroom so they can't join you every morning :)