Another Month Gone By

April is winding to a close in a matter of hours.  It was a busy month for Thomas and I - in and out for work, lots of weekend commitments for me, EASTER!, and more work on the house.  We've gotten lots done.  The texturing has sure come a long way.  I plan to spend some evenings putting up the primer on the kitchen/living room upstairs and the bathroom. 

I mentioned spring blooming before - these little purple things are just the loveliest splash of color!

While I went in early to get ready for and sing at the Easter Vigil, Thomas finished the southern wall inside.

While I stayed late on Sunday for a First Communion retreat, Thomas moved the scaffolding onto the stairs and started on the corner and trimming out the windows.

Thomas and I tackled our bathroom walls together - textured with a little straw broom.  It sounded better in Tom's head.

It was less messy in mine - guess I get to clean the floor!

Hooray for these little flowers!!!  And hooray for the buds on the lilac bushes and forsythia.

Boo hiss for the bind weed that has pushed its way up EVERYWHERE and for the locoweed that is also blooming all over.  No time for weeding.  But at least we've been blessed with moisture!

Happy as a Pig in a Puddle!

We've been so lucky to have had lots of mud lately.  I am not really a big fan of the mud, but a huge fan of why we've had it!  Last week we wen to sleep in a blanket of white on Sunday - three inches, they say!  And then while Tom was out of town, I called him Wednesday evening to tell him it was raining.  The next morning I woke up to snow again.  Easter morning it rained and rained...what a sign of new life for us in the desert!  And then Monday and Tuesday, too!  It's been awesome!!  Thanks, God, for the moisture!

Yesterday I went for my walk after work.  I was able to walk our road, as it was dried out enough.  I am not sure if all the rain and snow have anything to do with it, but about fifteen yards from our drive, on my walk back home, I saw it - my first ever on a walk - a three foot long snake across the road!!

I always keep an eye out for snakes when I walk, as I know they like to lay out on the roads to warm up.  I've never seen a live one, though walking the highway I've seen the ones squished into the asphalt.  Yesterday I was especially aware of some branches on the side of the road that were the right size and shape, but all were harmless branches.  Even though I was on the lookout, I was still surprised when I saw the real thing!

My first instinct was to moan, "No, no, no!"  I was seven or eight yards away, and though I could tell this was no curved up branch, I couldn't tell which way it was pointing, where the head was.  I decided this was a decent sign, as it meant there weren't any rattles on one end of it.  I'm guessing it was a bull snake, which I am told are not aggressive, but since when has rational thinking ever helped?  It's not like I could defend myself with my earbuds.

I walked to the edge of our property thinking I could hop the barbed wire fence, but it wouldn't hold me and was strung too tight to squeeze through.  I picked up a few rocks and lobbed them in the direction of the snake (without hitting it, but within a foot of it).  Nothing!  So I started walking back up the road thinking.  I turned around and lobbed another couple rocks.  I noticed it started to slither its way to the other side of the road (not onto our property).  I waited until it cleared the road before walking purposefully on home.  No need to run, though my heart may have been racing a little!

Let's Do the Time Warp Again

I am so off today - completely confused about whether I am coming or going or or ???  It's a long day for me in town, as I am not going home before the Holy Thursday service.  I have music to practice for the five services of which I get to be a part between now and Easter dinner, so I won't be bored.

But I just can't get my bearings with the time today.  Last night I went straight to Fire Training from music practice.  I was hungry and cold when I got home, as we were outside doing water drills in the rain.  YES - RAIN!!!  It was very exciting to have rain.  I got a fire going and a hot meal in my belly.  I was tired enough to go to bed early, so I did.  It was wonderful to fall asleep to the sound of rain on the roof.  Around 11:30 pm the power started flickering, which caused the fire pager to tone the "powering up" sound repeatedly.  Then finally the power stayed off, noted by the fading sound of the smoke alarm losing power.

It came back on sometime in the dark of morning, but in my morning fog, I didn't think so clearly.  I turned off my alarm and got ready for work.  The rain had turned to snow at some point, and there was a wet layer of it across the car.  I planned to stop at Philmont to make copies, so I wanted to be sure and not leave too early or the office wouldn't be open yet.  I checked the clock and saw that it was already ten till, so I took off.  About half way to work, I realized it wasn't even 7:40 am.  It was only then that it occurred to me that the kitchen clock is electric, and I really didn't know which hour it was ten till.  At least I didn't get caught behind the school bus.

I got to work extra early without copies in hand.  Silly me...what time is it?

More house pics...

I haven't kept up with the photos too well, but here are some more revealing our progress.  The past month has been crazy - Tom was gone, I was gone, then Tom was gone before I even got back.  We took off for Santa Fe one weekend to buy supplies - a couple more ceiling fans, some lumber, glass blocks, bathroom tile...the usual suspects, too - produce, pizza, frozen fish, etc.  Tom was gone again, and was gone again, but gets back tonight!!!  And then I am gone again before he will be gone again a few more days each.  It's kind of cramping our working-on-the-house lifestyle, but I've also been able to get in a little more on weeknights after work.  We'll just keep chipping away at the to-do list.

  Last weekend we finished up the texturing of the north walls in the kitchen, and installed the window box over our bedroom door.  Plus, Pop and I got the drywall up around the window frame.

A Sunday I worked late in town, Tom got the windows finished in our bedroom - both are trimmed out in  wood.

A couple weekends back we finished installing the ceiling and the center beam.  It looks real beautiful.  I have come in with some light sanding of the section pictured, but still have a lot to do.  Then it will be oiled and done!

Tom got these two window boxes installed, and I hung the drywall this week in his absence.  It might not be too long before the whole north wall is textured.

We continue to plan and revise and adapt - easy to do when you are your own contractor!