Category Archives: Tim

David, Project 365, Sarah, Tim

A Bit of Earth

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When Kathy and I were first married, we frequently listened to The Secret Garden soundtrack, partly because it was one of the only CDs we owned (along with Les Miserables and Joseph and the Amazing, Technicolor Dreamcoat). We both enjoyed the story line and the excellent vocalists.

At one point in the story, Mary Lennox gathers her courage and asks her guardian for ‘a bit of earth’ in which to plant things with her friend Dickon and (ultimately Colin Craven). Granting the request, Archibald little suspects that he is really granting her permission to reopen his dead wife’s Secret Garden that he has locked up in his grief. The landscape design process is the foundation for every successful landscaping project.
Throughout the construction process, the landscape design is referenced every day. Observations and suggested changes should be noted because they too will affect the ultimate outcome. In many ways, the landscape designer is the quarterback of your project. You have hired them to create your project and take it to completion. There will hand-offs to construction crews, but how can you be confident that your intentions are carried out?
Most important it finding a professional landscape designer that you trust. Then be sure to discuss the common landscape design mistakes so that your project meets your standards.

All she wants is a bit of earth ...

All she wants is a bit of earth …

Today, with much less pathos and hardly any singing, we began to re-develop our own ‘bit of earth’, in hopes of a vegetable harvest this summer.

I waited much too long this year to transfer my tomato seedlings from their seeding tray into pots — they were badly intertwined with one another, and I had to use way too much force to separate them. I’m afraid a lot of them will not survive my rough treatment.

I don't think this little guy is going to make it ...

I don’t think this little guy is going to make it …

Time will tell. We converted David’s bedroom into ‘Tomato Central’, since he has a south-facing window. Sometime around the 11th of May, it will be safe to plant them outside.

David mowed the lawn, and I did a little weeding in one of our raised garden beds — with a few more weeks of effort, our yard will be ready for Spring! Of course, by that time it will be Summer …

A mighty mower, o'er the land.

A mighty mower, o’er the land.

Project 365, Day 117
Tim

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Budget & Money, Project 365, Tim

Handyman Victorious

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I’ve been called many things in my life. Some of them have been positive. Some, not so much. But one thing people never call me: a Handyman.

There is a good reason for this. I have a certain anti-genius when it comes to fixing things or building things (except for decks). When I get involved in a home project, you can expect that you will be paying for materials twice and STILL end up hiring someone to do it properly.

But there is one force in my character that is even stronger than my handyman ineptitude: I am very reluctant to pay money for something I could (even potentially) do myself. So this morning, I decided to remove our dishwasher, which broke down a few days ago. As it turns out, dishwashers cannot simply be wrenched out from under the counter, but are attached to the rest of the house in three fiendish ways: a water intake tube, a water drain, and electrical wires. Removing each took a lot of patience and effort in cramped (and damp) places.

Not a face that inspires confidence ...

Not a face that inspires confidence …

Somehow, I persevered, and removed the dishwasher without (a) damaging the house, or (b) electrocuting myself, even though the copper water tube was VERY hard to detach, and the electrical plug had to be un-wired (it wasn’t a simple matter of unplugging it).

It was a pretty good day. We bought the new dishwasher (a swanky Bosch model), but (of course) it was in the warehouse, and we’ll have to wait a week or so for delivery. I can hardly wait for it to arrive, so I can amaze you all with my installation prowess. Stay tuned.

Project 365, Day 115
Tim

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Kathy, Project 365, Tim

Essential Allergies

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While we were down in Portland, my allergies returned full-force, and I was somewhat miserable. It is hard to laugh as much as I like to laugh at (or in some cases, with) my brother when my sinuses are so congested.

Three little vials of essential oils.

Three little vials of essential oils.

Back at the tail-end of the last decade I became desperate, as my allergies had seemed to worsen by about 10% each year. So (after much ‘encouragement’ from my lovely wife) I went to an allergist and started allergy shots. After a year or so, the shots were pretty effective, so I kept up the treatment regimen for nearly three years.

I probably should have continued. Only a few years later, I am back where I started.

So Kathy turned to the interweb. As it turns out, many people get relief from a wide range of ailments by inhaling the aroma of various essential oils. No, I’m not making this up. There is a whole industry offering these oils which can be topically applied, inhaled, and in some cases, ingested.

Kathy and Sarah are either praying or snorting essential oils. You decide which.

Kathy and Sarah are either praying or snorting essential oils. You decide which.

My wife picked up a few samples from a friend, and we’ve been trying a blend of lavender, peppermint and lemon oils, several times a day. I have to admit, they do temporarily clear out the sinuses, and there seems some mild relief from the worst of my allergy symptoms. Kathy likes the smell of the oils, and the ritual of pouring out the drops, rubbing our hands together, inhaling the scent, and ultimately rubbing the residue on our necks and upper chest is very entertaining.

I’m a skeptic about these things, but I must admit that desperation makes me very tractable. Further bulletins as events warrant.

Project 365, Day 70
Tim

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Daily Life, Daniel, Tim

Another Busy Saturday

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Today the sun was shining brightly, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the day. Daniel went out longboarding with a friend for hours. Tim and David walked Sarah to her afternoon meeting; I met them on the way back, sneaking in a little walk myself. We ran errands, organized, did laundry and dishes, and completed a huge collection of random To Do’s.

Sarah sorted and organized shoes WHILE talking on the phone.

Sarah sorted and organized shoes WHILE talking on the phone.


I think we filled this white board 3 times with small odd jobs.

I think we filled this white board 3 times with small odd jobs.

The kids all went to church for youth group activities, while Tim and I planned some silly activities for tomorrow’s Sunday School class on Exodus 16. How many different recipes are there for manna? I wonder how the Israelites would have done on Top Chef or Chopped? Hee hee hee.

Poor Daniel. He’s been suffering since Tim, David and Sarah started exercising and went off sugar. Once a constant staple, now there’s no more ice cream in the house. There was an old container of sherbert in the freezer which Daniel managed to make last a good couple of weeks. Today I decided to spoil him and buy some cookies and cream at the store.

Look at that happy face.

Look at that happy face.

I don’t think Tim was prepared to watch Daniel savor that ice cream while he went without. Uh oh.

"You won't share with dear old dad?"

“You won’t share with dear old dad?”


Please??!!

Please??!!

Daniel is a resourceful and thoughtful son. He quickly found something for Tim to eat instead of sugar-laden ice cream.

Enjoy your lettuce, Dad!

Enjoy your lettuce, Dad!

Not sure a leaf of lettuce is quite the same treat as a bowl of ice cream. But you can’t say Daniel didn’t try to help. LOL!

Project 365 – Day 59
Kathy

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Project 365, Tim

Project Tyranny

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When I agreed with Kathy to restart our blog with Project 365, I didn’t think she would be quite so … relentless about it.

My share of the project sounded like not such a big deal — just post a quick picture every other day — what could possibly go wrong?

I didn’t know there would be all kinds of rules.

Today is an odd-numbered day, so I’m responsible to uphold the sanctity of the Project. Never mind that I’m tired, and my bus was late, so I missed my train. Never mind that I spent all day in a 5th floor cubicle, and that I didn’t take any pictures today. Never mind that it is 10:40 pm, and I have to be up at 5:30 tomorrow morning.

“I’ll just use one of the great pictures I took yesterday,” I told Kathy, confidently. I took 87 pictures yesterday while we visited Mount Rainier for David’s birthday. A number of them were pretty darn good pictures, if I do say so myself.

“No, you can’t do that!” Kathy was aghast. “You have to take a picture today!”

“Since when?” I challenged, lamely.

“That’s what Project 365 means,” Kathy insisted, rather scornfully.

Fine. She doesn’t want one of my great pictures from yesterday, and hogged the day for her own pictures of that glorious mountain? I can roll with that.

This is the face of a man who forgot to take a picture today.

This is the face of a man who forgot to take a picture today.

Today is also an historic moment in the life of our blog — with this blog we will exceed (in 2015) the number of postings from all of 2014, so some might say we have already succeeded in our effort to enhance our blog-writing.

It looks like it might be a pretty good year, for blog-writing.

It looks like it might be a pretty good year, for blog-writing.

Project 365, Day 48
Tim

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