Stijn!!

[GH85Carrera]

The mean boss's wife cracked the whip again. She had me plant a Mexican petunia several years ago. Evidently Mexican petunias are related to bamboo. It spread from a single small plant into a 5x6 foot area of solid roots and it was determined but the mater gardener to have overgrown he designated allowed area. So I got to dig up a solid mass of roots and eliminate all but one small area. Then I was instructed to cut the bottom of a fairly large flower pot, and then shove that down around the Mexican petunia to keep it from spreading.

The bees and the bumble bees love the thing when it is blooming.

[GH85Carrera]

We have a project that is in the far west part of Oklahoma in far west Cimarron County, OK. The only county in the US that borders 5 states! The project is just a few miles shy of New Mexico. Anyway the client is another surveyor, and they want a real map, so targets are required to be accurate.

Some poor low man on the totem pole will get to spend all dang day driving to the end of the panhandle, put down targets and then drive all the way back home. It is a 4 hour and 30 minute drive each way. It is a long flight for us, but we get to fly a direct path at a lot faster speed.

[flipper35]

Was 85 on saturday and 7 to 10 inches of snow by this morning.

[GH85Carrera]

Yuck!

It is 81 here today. Mow the yard day is tomorrow.

[GH85Carrera]

Yard is done. The boss's wife drug me outside just before sunset yesterday to lay plastic sheeting over the grass that is now inside the new flowerbed area. I had transplanted several bits of it into weak areas from where the big tree was taken out a while back. The grass that is now in the way got two rounds of roundup, and now a sheet of plastic over it to kill it off. In a few weeks when it is very dead, it will get covered in mulch, and some sort of plant or plants will be put in. I will get to dig the holes, but that is the end of my part, I am just the shovel crew. I am good at playing "city worker" and just leaning on the shovel and just supervising the work going on.

[flipper35]

Well, dad's lawn tractor is worn out so I went a bought a new one for myself.

Mine is in good shape, just rebuilt the deck last spring, new tires and belts. Oil changed every season and has about 600 ours on it. Needs the ring gear replaced so once that is done dad can have it. He will insist on paying for it so it will go in a separate account in case they need money for mom's care since it won't be in their name any longer they don't have to report it.

Dealer even said he would deliver it. Crap, wanted to use the new trailer more!

Should be back to shorts weather next week. Cold with thunderstorms and hail today. No SNOW!

[GH85Carrera]

It was in the 80s yesterday. Then a front came through and we received a whopping .26 inches of rain. The good news is the hail went around us, and the multiple tornadoes were south and east of us. If a mesocyclone goes through an area it can drop a tornado for just seconds, than a minute later poke down another one and that is considered two separate tornadoes.

Today is is 55 degrees and the high will be in the 70s so really nice weather.

[flipper35]

Got up to 55 here today.

[GH85Carrera]

Burr. 48 overnight. The master of the gardens has one plant that the experts say will die if exposed to below 50 degrees temps so she has to leave it is a pot, and bring it in at night when it is this cool.

It seems funny to me a plant will not like 40 degree temps. That is a long way from freezing, and a plant does not have nay body temp, so how can it tell? No point worrying about it, she is in charge of the plants.

We only got to the mid 70s yesterday.

[flipper35]

Sunny and 55 today. Woo hoo!

[GH85Carrera]

We have calendar slippage again. The highs are in the mid 50 for the next 7 days a good 15 degrees lower than normal. Just weird.

[GH85Carrera]

I ran an errand today to pick up some shirts I had embroidered with my company logo. They are in the city of Edmond. I then drove down to a small business that sells mostly to professional sprinkler companies, but is happy to take my money.

The highway was two miles east of me, so I just went down a city street. I left Edmond, went through parts of Oklahoma City, then through a part of The Village, not a village, but the city name is The Village, Then back into Oklahoma City, then on to Britton. All within 7 miles. If I went another two miles south I could have entered Nichols Hills, and then on to Warr Acres.

Oklahoma City has swallowed and surrounds all those other cities. They all have their own police departments, and judicial system. They all just contract with OKC to supply water and sewer services. There is usually just a small sign at the boundary of each city, and no real difference in the road.

They were all suburbs way out in the country back 90 to 100 years ago. Now they are still suburbs, but surrounded by OKC.

When I first moved to the city, long before cell phones or GPS, I needed to go to a business. I was told just go to Bethany, and it is right on 36th street you can't miss it. I was thinking OK, out to the countryside, and then come to a city named Bethany. Nope, it was just a couple of miles and only a small sign delineates the city boundary. I missed the business because I expected a separate city. I found it on the way back after driving for miles past it.

[GH85Carrera]

I used my new grill for the first time yesterday. Two really nice prime hunks of meat. I had my business partner help me unload it from the El Camino, as it is a bit heavy. I sent him the photo of the steaks, and he replied to be sure and cook them really well done, and use lots of ketchup. He loves a good steak, and knows that was the last thing that would happen. Nice and rare, and cooked to perfection. We even used the wood smoke option with a box full of chips making smoke.

To Quote Jerry Clower, It was so good it makes ya wanna slap yer moma for never serving a meal that good!

It is nice to have stainless steel grill and easy cleanup.

[Porsche-poor]

Morning all. I'm back. The big island was fun. Seeing the volcano even if not erupting was really cool. Now its off to work.

[GH85Carrera]

Welcome back to the real work of working!

We we lived in Hawaii in the late 60s and early 70s we went to the big island on vacation. We went to see Mount Pelée and I instantly said the misspelled it, it should be Mt. smelly as the reeked of sulfur.

It is a pretty amazing place.

[Porsche-poor]

yep there were steam vents and sulfur vents to walk by.

[GH85Carrera]

It is weird, we have water just falling out of the sky!

Until yesterday we had only .21 inches of rain this month. Now we have received over an inch more, and more is supposed to keep falling. Yea right. I will believe it when I see it.

[GH85Carrera]

The water continues to just fall out of the sky like magic.

1.32 inches in the last two days. No flooding for sure, but nice soaking rain.

We have two couples coming to visit today. We only have one guest bedroom, so one couple get to stay at a nearby hotel. My wife is making enough food for a hoard of hungry teenagers, and the couples are all um mature! Yea that's it. No huge appetites.

Ah well, I just stay out of her way, and help when asked.

[flipper35]

Finally nice weather here.

[Porsche-poor]

afternoon all. nice and sunny here.