I have been in the house on Manioca Road for nearly six years now. You would think I would have the place pretty much finished at this point. After all, it feels like all I have done is work on it constantly. I added on a master bed and bath, put in a new front door and back door, built the flagstone patio, insulated the attic, built the dog runs, built the garden, renovated the garage and painted the damn place to name a few.
Last weekend, the wife mentioned that the elm trees needed to be trimmed up. I told her I was planning to get to that. To which she replied..."the only way you are going to get to that is by picking up the phone, and calling someone who knows what they are doing." Of course my first feeling was one of indignation. What the hell does she mean by that? I can trim fucking trees for crying out loud. A few more glances up into the upper branches of these massive trees, and I had to admit she was right. Well, I can sure as hell cut down that ailing Arizona Cypress by myself. Khiva's response? "How about you finish up some of these other things you have been meaning to get to before you start on something else?"
Again...massive indignation. I have worked my ass off on this house for six years. What could possibly be started, but not finished. I challenged her..."Like what?", I sneered. Bad move...bad move, indeed. Women have much better memories than men. Never challenge them with something, unless you absolutely know the answer.
The short list includes:
1. Fix the brick wall that has been on the ground since we moved in.
2. Paint the adobe walls you were supposed to paint two years ago when you painted the house.
3. Work on the landscaping in the front yard we have been talking about for three years
4. Finish the armoire.
5. Strip and re-finish the Adirondack chairs.
6. Paint the gates.
7. Pour the concrete behind the garden you said needed to wait til the winter (this was said last summer...Oooops).
Anyway, I told Khiva I would begin to attack these things, and ,By God, get 'em done. So far, I have finished the Adirondack chairs, and started on the landscaping. Oh yeah...I almost forgot...I also made that phone call to get someone who knows what they are doing to take care of the trees. They came out today and did one hell of a job. They even managed to get that Cypress down without my help. On the flip side, I put in a bunch of yard lights without their damn help.
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6 comments:
IS the armoire in the house now?
Yes, it is in the house...awaiting the paint brush.
Good. I am at peace now.
Have the dogs been fed yet???
I think I finally just saw that episode of "Two and a Half Men" that you were so desperate for me to see -- the one where Charlie and Alan complain about getting old, and Charlie thinks he has had a heart attack after a night at the club with the twenty-something's.
Ace Line:
Alan (complaining about his hearing loss after a night at the loud club, goes to Charlie's piano and starts hitting keys until he finds the tone that matches the ringing in his ears):
"Aha! C-Sharp is the sound of encroaching deafness!"
That's the episode. It summed up what I mean every time I say, "I'm getting old."
Doesn't mean I am really old, just not interested in the things I was as a younger man.
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