Making Friends with UPS Man

     I have ordered so many items for the yard  and my photography hobby that the UPS man made four stops to my house in a week and a half.  Also, I found a robin's nest in the bush near my front door.  My camera techniques need improvement.  The problem was mostly that I did not want to be pecked by the mother.

Scanned a few more old art projects including a couple of calligraphy projects from high school.

 

More garden photos:

Roybie's photo from before he left for Vietnam in the late 60's.  He is in the center of the photo next the guy with glasses.  Also scanned Roy's great-grandmother's confirmation certificate and Roy's uncle's handwriting certificate.

Renovations Completed

I signed the last check to my contractor--for now.   The siding, foundation jack-up, foundation re-stuccoed, mahogany floors, beadboard chair rail, painting, additional insulation, gutters with leaf guards and roof vent are complete---wow.  Even though my bathroom and kitchen needs updating I do not think I will tackle those projects.  No more spending for a while but I have been checking out the high-end massage reclining chairs from Berkline.  I have read the dimensions of the chair but don't know if it will fit through the 35 inch front door.

Parade Of Police and Cyclists

Hundreds of police officers from across Central New Jersey rode through Jackson Township and my my town on Monday morning en route to Washington D.C. on the annual Police Unity Tour.  The Police Unity Tour is an event where police officers ride their bikes to the nation’s capital to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum and to raise awareness for fallen police officers. The tour took them right by my house and I ran up to one officer and asked him what it was all about.  He graciously told me about it as the parade continued by.  It was beautiful:  first the slow moving motorcycle officers with lights flashing in what seemed like red, white and blue. Then the cyclists acknowledging my wave.  I wanted to run and get my camera but the officer said it would be over shortly but that he would email me a photo.  I found these on the web.

He said the group had made their way south by all back roads.  I told him that I once went north to Great Adventure taking all back roads and that my son plotted the route on a map for me.  It was such a thrill for me.

    Also David, my nephew, came and helped me with the lawn but I don't think he minded that he didn't have to use the push mower since I had my new John Deere lawn tractor. I appreciated that he helped me do a few other jobs around the house.

Visiting the Home

Spent time at the home.  A very nice meal was being served:  Stuffed flounder, fresh aparagus, new potatoes and strawberry cheese pie.  R-bie ate everything!

Nothing runs Like a Deere

    My mowing area expanded significantly since last year.  The back road to the new high school now has curbing and grass planted by the school's grounds people.  I can tell that they expect me to mow that grass.  It used to be natural pinelands landscaping with its sparse vegetation on the sandy soil.  The school mows the grass on the opposite side of the street but even though I let that rye grass grow to about 10 inches they ignored the side that lines my property.  My regular lawn does not grow half as fast!  Also, the code inspectors go around slapping fines on people who do not mow lawns.  Little sympathy is given.  The town's taxes are outrageous so I think they are trying to make money off the fines.  There are quite a few eyesores that the town can't seem to attack.  I care about my yard and I am grateful that my neighbors care about theirs as well but something about these codes irks me.----Oh, that brings me to what I wanted to say----I bought myself a John Deere lawn tractor. Hope to post photos tomorrow when I finish mowing.

I knew it was my fault...

After two days of searching my garage and yard I found the pruners behind the shed on the ground.  I tried so hard not to suspect that one of the many workers that were at my house---it kept crossing my mind that one of them stashed it away in their truck and took off.  But I knew that my history is that these things turn up when they are lost.  It has been my policy to let things be lost and many times I refuse to search for things and get all worked up about it.  It is my own advice and I should have followed in this instance.  I have been tipping each worker for the various jobs that they have done but today I let the two gutter guys go with just a "thank you".  Both were Spanish speaking and very polite.  They did a great job, too.  Amazing how the gutter machine works.  It just runs out the metal troughs and they snap on the brackets that screw into the house.

Ok--I'm back--Where are my pruners???

Dealing with health issues but still trying to do yard work. I have decided to call my nephew for lawn mowing. I pruned a few bushes yesterday and laid down my pruners to do another task and then returned later and I couldn't find the pruners.  I spent at least an hour looking for them with no luck. Just gives you an indication of how large my yard is or how poor my discrimination skills are.
      Three seasons of the year Harley riders parade by my house. I love the biker look--tatooes, beards, bandanas and the rest of the acoutrements.  However, the last thing I would ever do is ride a motorcycle or dress like a biker.  So I am always entertained by the traffic going by my house.  It is also a popular route for cyclists.  I have to watch out for the joggers, too, because they sneak up on you and I am easily startled and might let out a scream when I am working close to the road.  Today I looked up and my 62 year-old sister was approaching on her bike. I am very impressed with her active life style. She bikes on weekend treks alone. A short trip would be the one from her house to mine.  Her odometer says it is exactly 10 miles.  Also, she has all the gear and usually buys the best:  Italian biking shoes, glasses, shorts, gloves, top, jacket all specifically made for the sport.  In addition the the cycling, she belongs to a dance troupe that will be performing locally in late spring.  Hope to get a photo of her in her dance costume.  She likes the latest hip-hop type of music. Later in the day the worst rag-tag group of cyclists that I have ever seen went by.  A mix of youths and adults and a good percentage didn't even have helmets.  They did have a trailing car for support.  I felt like asking what was their purpose for the trip.
    Also, I took photos of some of my art work from high school days and have posted them here.  There is one of my son--a charcoal drawing of him when he was about six and it was done on the Boardwalk in either Atlantic City or Ocean City.  I am ready to toss some laminated magazine pages of Jack Kennedy and Eisenhower.  Maybe another time I will post some of the prints from my many past cruises.  Haven't been on one lately.

     Above you will see a pair of cow birds--male and female.  The brown-headed one is the male. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.

Have you seen my pruners?