Productivity & Sunshine

As I type, hub is busy at the stove preparing chai and harassing me to come up with a protein packed snack option for the hike we're about to go on. It's been a beautiful two days, even if today is overcast. At this point, a few days without rain are heavenly! We spent the afternoon yesterday out in the yard finally---still MUCH to do but we removed 6 bushes, shaped 4, laid down mulch, pulled a lot of weeds, and cleaned up the entryway. The yard has been neglected for several years so there is a lot to get accomplished, but already what we did yesterday makes a big difference.

Still hoping to get to the following in the coming weeks:

---Rebuild the raised beds using cinder blocks and wider construction
---Take out 5 bushes in front, move 4 others, trim 2
---Streamline flower beds (ie plant like flowers w/ like)
---Till front entryway and a strip of side yard for gardening

---Mow front yard; seed/fertilize back yard

---Purchase starts, seeds, etc; Make trellis for peas/beans; Purchase blue berry bush?
---Hanging basket; Bird feeders
---Plant juniper bushes along back fence (although might be next season)

---Remulch

(All the bushes we ripped out in a pile, our rhubarb flourishing along the fence, and the raised beds that are a great height but starting to fall apart.)

By cutting back one bush in the back corner, we opened up the perfect spot for a lil chicken coop to be built alongside the shed....although we'll still have to look into that option and clear it with the landlords.

It feels like a whirlwind of a week with a few longer days at the office and two long days coming up next week. I am loving my job, but every job has it's transitions and I'm putting in extra time each week. Sometimes a part-time job can be a full-time mental occupation at times. ;) Hub had an old high school friend in town on Monday who he hadn't seen in five years, so we spent part of the day with her and with several other high school alumni. I got together on Thursday evening with two of my favorite PDX gals, catching up on work, love, and life from the last two years---incredibly great and rewarding to be back with the two of them. It's always so rewarding to have friendships where so much time can pass without talking but it feels like it always did when you finally meet up again. This week hub also built the entryway table, cleaned up the garage, and replaced the toilet in his bathroom with a new, better functioning one---very impressed with all his handyman skills!

(Still needs staining, but we're having a debate over whether it should be cut down by 2-3 inches or left alone! ;))

Our trip home was amazing---too much to do in too little time, but so rewarding all the same. The long weekend was full of great eats at our favorite dives, a stroll on the beautiful Oregon beach, beers and laughter with some of our closest friends and family, helping out with the high school pageant, and comfortable ease in my parents house. Sometimes there's nothing quite like going home again.

It's been a relaxing but full weekend so far--the type you look forward to all week. Still much to get done in the days ahead, but much to enjoy too! Hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend :)