UH OH ....

Oh my!  The condo mean girls are going all out in defying the HOA.

This year we had set aside $10,000 for barkdust for the complex.  Our community is pretty large so a few months ago I asked how much mulch would be applied.  Landscape Committee said about 1/2 inch.  Good grief!  That would blow away in about two weeks!  I suggested that we keep the $10K and ask for another $10K so we could put down 3 inches.  

Our landscape maintenance company blows the area and the last time we had mulch applied, it was completely gone in two months.  I prefer that pine needles and leaves just be left alone as they decompose and add acid to our soil (which needs it!) and have the guys just blow or rake the sidewalks.  Some others are offended by the tree droppings but want the areas raked (too time intensive for our budget) not blown.

So our wise and wonderful HOA Chair put out a survey asking yes on bark this year or no on bark this year.  It was voted down, 2 to 1.  Oh the hoopla that went on after that was announced.  Landscape Chair wanted to do another survey.  Others said we had the money so we should do it.  Neighbors called neighbors and gave them a hard time for whichever way they voted and wanted the NO voters to call and change their votes.

We have had our annual election and our HOA Chair was re-elected and also re-elected as Chair.  Which made some of the crabby old ladies angry (they wanted the bark).  Last weekend ... five of them decided to apply their own barkdust in front of their buildings.  One lady lives UPSTAIRS.  All of them used that red bark dust rather than dark hemlock mulch, which is what was recommended by the landscaper.  It's a blatant nose thumbing to the Board ... and the rest of our community.  Each of these people has been on the Board and on the Landscape Committee so they all are well aware of our procedures.

IF you want to change the green space in front of your area, you first talk to all three neighbors to be sure everyone is on board with it.  Then you take a sketch to the Landscape Committee who votes.  IF/when it is approved, they present it to the Board to be sure it will blend with the community.

Ralph and I did that when we first moved in.  All we had in front of our dinky cement patio was a half dead little maple tree.

Guess what is about to hit the fan!  Some neighbors have talked to the Barkies who say "what can they do about it?  Make us take it up?"

Oh yeh.  I sure hope so.

WHEN TO CALL THE POLICE

There are times when I wish there was a Grammar Police department.

Using the incorrect word has always been a pet peeve ... of mine, of Mr. Ralph's and of course Kate.  In fact, she wouldn't date a young man in high school because he couldn't or wouldn't use the proper there or their.  So funny!

This little graphic is even better than my favorite book, Eats Shoots and Leaves!  

I have a few friends who were not born into English speaking families and am always amazed at how they can even learn our language.  Just those ten examples above!!  Then when you add slang into the mix ... YIKES!

We hosted a high school girl one summer from Spain.  Yolanda.  She always carried a little spiral notepad .... mainly to write down slang words and what they meant.  I remember saying we could drive over to the coast one Saturday or maybe on Sunday if the weather is iffy.  She loved IFFY!  Because we weren't sure IF the weather would be good or IF the weather might be too rainy.

I'm still learning English.  I'm in love with my thesaurus.  I do think learning Chinese would be tougher.  The same words can have different meanings just by the tone and loudness of your voice.

TEA PARTY POLITICS

I can't believe how much national politics we have going on right now considering how far away the elections are.  Good golly.  For the first time in my life I watched the second round of Republicans and am enjoying all the Hillary nonsense.  How anyone could even CONSIDER her to be anywhere in our government after all the scandals she's been associated with is beyond me.  My all time favorite photo is her weight Donald's hair!!!

But the main tea party up for discussion is Mr. Braeden.  He wanted to put on a tea party on his Mom's day off.  Sorry I didn't photograph his little printed menus ...

Tiny sandwiches of turkey, cucumber and cream cheese eaten with little picks.  Fruits and veggies, assorted chips and look at that dessert plate!  Even Dad joined in.

I think they had apple juice instead of tea.

I was having a bad knee day and was in my room keeping my crankiness to myself.  They parked outside my bedroom door to take their little afternoon snooze.

I love being a Gramma!

P.S.  

THE GREAT HARVEST

Farmer Braeden found the last batch of strawberries growing along our patio sidewalk.  Maybe a dozen luscious little bites.  They were almost TOO ripe but he carefully put a tissue in his little tin and gently plopped them in.  He took them to the bathroom to give them a wash ... and then he shared one with me.

Then he noticed two of his cherry tomatoes were just ripe enough.  After harvesting those, he asked if we needed any basil or rosemary so  I said of course we did!

Yep, T-Rex had to be in the picture as well.  He found two HUGE snails in the basil pot (which Gramma had to remove and dispose of) although T-Rex was willing to eat them.  He thought we needed a scarecrow for future crops ...

I hope they plant a few more vegetables next year!  He has loved every phase from planting to watching them ripen to picking and eating.  I think he has a bit of my Dad in him ...

OH NO. MAYBE IT'S TIME

Weight Watchers is working for me.  S-L-O-W-L-Y.  It's hard to live with this young family with growing boys.  Last night was indeed taco Tuesday at our house.  Thankfully, I had a meeting through their dinner hour then visited a condo friend who was having a really bad day.

By then, only the fabulous aroma remained.  I went to my room with a large glass of water ... and a banana.  My new junk food.

And that's what I'd really like!!  EXTRA FRIES!

Weight loss happens faster if I exercise while taking in fewer calories.  It's noon here so when I'm finished, I'll head to the pool to get in a bit of movement.

I spent all morning setting up appointments in preparation for knee surgery on Sept 17.  Good golly there are lots of meetings!  Pre-op physical.  Pre-op with surgeon.  Meet hospital short stay department.  Meet my "hospitalist".  Finish admissions with nurse practitioner.  Find physical therapist.  

Maybe I'll take a nap instead ....

NO TALKIE BEFORE COFFEE

People all have their own way to start the day.

I used to get up as soon as the alarm went off, shower, dress, throw in a load of laundry, make breakfast and pack a lunch (for the first 18 years of her life)(sometimes lately I've been surprising her!), blow dry the hair and put on makeup then wake the two of them up.  Geez I'm glad those days are over.

Now I love to start off slow ... sipping really good coffee, reading my email, checking the headlines, perusing The Skimm, check Facebook and catching up on Words with Friends.  Best of all, I like to be outdoors for this first hour or two.  Maui, of course, is year round sit outside and enjoy.  Portland?  By the end of September it's a bit too brisk.

My good buddy got me a bracelet with a little coffee cup and a charm that has that saying!

Lately I've had a small male roommate at the foot of my bed, in a dinosaur nest.   He semi wakes up in the morning and checks to see if I'm still in bed.  If so, he goes back to sleep.  If I sneak out at 7:30, he's usually good til about 9am.  Lately they have all fallen back into the night owl routine and he really needs to sleep til 10 or 11 (going to bed at 10 or 11).  He has a cool clock that parents set to show GREEN when he is allowed to get out of his bed.  But if I am out, he comes plodding out ...

Last night he got a lecture from the parental units to stay in bed until his light is green.  After they left, as I was giving him a last snuggle ... he asked me if I could bring my coffee back to bed with me and do my computer work there.

Well.  Of course I will!  Slept in til 10:30 today!!!

BOOK CLUB

I've always wanted to be part of a book club.  A small group, maybe 10 or so ... we could then meet at each other's homes.  It would be good to be invited by one friend and then I could meet others to see if we have any friendship genes in common.

My first venture was through the local library.  It was way too large with the room too small.  Most people had indeed read the book so it was interesting ... just not enough to get me to come back.

The next foray was with the Mom of one of Kate's friends.  She had belonged to this group for years so I was pretty excited.  They met at one another's home and included brunch.  Double exciting.  The book that was chosen I would never have read on my own which was a good exercise for my brain.  Except only one other person out of 15 had read the book.  They just liked to get together and show off their $1M kitchens and gourmet cooking.  And drink a LOT of wine.  Honestly it was like Stepford Wives.  All surgically enhanced chemical blonds with expensive casual clothes with matching shoes and jewelry.  I came in my jeans.  And I don't drink that early.  And I had read the book!

Oprah was my next book club and it worked out the best, so far.  Her book picks mostly are tragic without happy endings so it just added to my situational depression.  

Yesterday, on Facebook, I got the PERFECT idea to start my OWN book club ... we will meet in the evening, with wine and accompaniments ... and we will read wine labels.  I have a few friends and cousins and siblings who may want to join me ...