Staining, Planting and Drinks

This past Saturday Rick and I decided to restain the patio.
Izzy went to doggy day care to play with her little friends and to keep out of our hair.
She would so want to be on the patio with us and would not understand the concept of not walking on the wet stain. So taking her to play with other dogs and wear her out was much easier of a plan.

We started the day by attempting to go to the community yard sale at 8am.
It took us a long time to find parking.
In fact it took us longer to find parking than we stayed there.
Then once we got there the stuff was awful unless you have kids.
I was looking for furniture to repurpose or games.
Not Mickey Mouse Monopoly either.
I was looking for possilby checkers. I was planning on taking the checker board and framing it. Things like that to put in the game room at the lake house. But I wasn't into lego's or mickey mouse or barbie this or that. We went down one aisle and about threw up with baby stuff so we left.
There were a lot of dogs there so Izzy enjoyed that a bit.
She really does like people more than dogs though.

We then went to buy some petunias and some other assorted flowers for the patio.
Dropped off Izzy and work began.

It was very warm and humid and that called for drinks. It was Cinco de Mayo you know.
So Margarita's for everyone as we cleaned and stained the patio.
We still don't have all things planted or all furniture out there but it's coming along nicely.
The neighbors stopped over and we all had drinks and work went out the door.

We all had to make fun of Rick because he insists on keeping this dead miniature japanese maple tree. It was big and beautiful at one time.
Then we got snowmaggedon and the heavy wet snow snaped the branches.
Now it's a stick in the dirt. He refuses to throw it away.
He trimmed it and said to us all, "Doesn't it look better?"
We all just laughed and said, "NO!"
Here is what I am now referring to as his Charlie Brown Maple.
Sad isn't it?...it's that stick on the left corner.
Rick is nuts to want to keep it but he seems to think it will come back.
I keep asking, "Come back as what exactly?"












Remember Dr. Oz's Bloody Mary idea?
Well this is where I sat Sunday morning while kicking back my metablolism booster.

Yep that's right, that is what I am now calling my Bloody Mary's.
Thank you Dr. Oz.

We also planted some pablano and jalapeno peppers on the other side.  I wasn't the one taking pictures so I have none of those today.
We buy so many pablano's and jalapeno's at the farmers market we decided to try to grow some this year.  I'll let you know how that works out.
We love to grill em' stuffed with cheeses and things like that.
Mmmm....can't wait.

I will end with my gal pal Izzy.
This is she and I sitting on my front stoop watching the neighbors go by on Monday.
Yes that is my Croc sneaker in the shot.
I'm obviously not a photographer.
I just love how she will sit here forever with me.
She doesn't like this one woman who walks by and she will growl very softly at her.
Makes me laugh every time. If I wasn't sitting on top of her I wouldn't even hear her.
I have no idea why this little old woman is someone she doesn't like.
The lady has to be late 70's early 80's and she walks every day past our house.
She is hunched over but very spry. She walks fast and is in a take no prison form.
She nods at us as Izzy growls. I don't think the woman can even hear Izzy.
We have corrected Izzy when she growls so now she does it real softly as though we can't hear her. Iz won't move just watches here intently and softly growls. It does humor me.