drying out

Monstermustdie's birthday party was fun, without too much cleaning time before bed. Thanks to all who came and made it through the unexpected flood of red mud in the front yard. The new neighbors next door have reshaped their yard, raising it all up to one level that now drains directly into our front yard.

Inside the house still looks cleaner than it has for months. The fridge is full of yummy leftovers.

Landlord is sending landscapers to the house Sunday morning to determine what can be done about the water running into the front yard. They're also planning to plant a border of Leyland Cypress around the back yard for additional privacy and sound barrier.

A strange lanky fellow came into our building today asking for money, who said he used to work for Art Laminating. He was tall and nervous and I was not in the mood to deal with him.

I still have the post-Dentist sinus infection / allergies / cold-like malady. Ready for it to be gone. Why does this happen every time I go to the dentist?

Looking forward to the weekend

Got Monster's birthday gift today at work. Now I can check that off my list. Still have to wrap it in an attractive style, after sneaking it into the house.
Tried to order a birthday cake but I couldn't get anyone on the phone in the bakery at both Publix and Kroger near us.
I'd appreciate any good cake bakery recommendations in the Doraville/Chamblee area or Midtown (where I still pick up my mail on Saturdays).
Now, I just need to get the house in order. This is one of the best parts of inviting people here - we both get motivated to clean and tidy things up here.

Monster's Birthday coming up

Monster is having his birthday on Monday. Thinking about having a few friends over to Rancho de WereMonster for very casual snax or dinner and a movie on Saturday.

What do you think?

lookalike

Does this German chick at fashion week in Paris look like me or not?
That is, except for the oh-so-80's outfit. Not me at all.

Hold on to your hat... and your jacket.

Looking at the weather forecast for the weekend.

Today, before the storms come, the high is predicted to be 78 degrees.
Then the cold air blows in and we get overnight lows in the 30's and a high on Monday of 48 degrees.

The difference between today and Monday is going to be not ten, not twenty, but thirty degrees colder! How wild is that?!

The green is gone.

I am officially giving up on gardening this year.

This morning, as I was showering, a crew arrived from a lawn service that our landlord had hired. This was a complete surprise to me. They sprayed the entire yard - lawn and all - with herbicide. They almost ignored the pinestraw and weed covered area that they were probably supposed to maintain if I hadn't pointed out, once I was dry and dressed, that was the only area that needs weed management of any sort. It's the only place we can't mow and rake. The obvious place. The only place we would not want anything bigger than a tree to live.

So now the struggling, spotty lawn is doused with chemicals, which means we will probably lose what we've planted and what little green we have, and we can't work in the yard until a few good rains have washed the chemicals on the grass into the soil. And we will not be spreading new grass seed, which can't germinate now, to fill in areas of bare ground.

On the positive side, I won't be spending as much time at home and MonsterMustDie will not have to bother with any yard work - what's the point?

Oh - we also have six bails of pinestraw and some landscape cloth on our back porch if anyone wants it.

had to share this

Dave Grohl in Esquire Nov. 2007 — “Anybody who has to focus on being real has a problem. It’s like having a panic attack over how you’re prone to panic attacks.”

Spent my tax refund today

With some extra money from MonsterMustDie, I bought this.