Weekend update

On Friday night, we grilled out for the first time this year. Yummy!

Saturday morning we took a load of cardboard boxes to the recycling center. We purchased 800 lbs. of top soil (in 40-lb. bags) at Indiana Mulch on the way back. After all that work, we had lunch at BW3s and played trivia. Later, Steph learned that things like playing trivia keep your brain active and help prevent senility and Alzheimer's later in life. When we got home, we painted the rest of the balcony railings and post. One more coat on the floor and we're done! The rest of the afternoon and evening we spent organizing my music in preparation for moving it onto the server. We also started watching The Muppet Show, which I've never seen before, on DVD.

On Sunday, we got the wheelbarrow out and unloaded the 800 lbs. of top soil into it and moved them all to the deck in the back. Steph planted some flowers we'd started indoors, and we sat on the porch and read for a while before taking the dog for a w-a-l-k. After several false starts, I managed to move my music over to the server, and then we went over to Elizabeth's for dinner because Joe was in town.

Weekend update

Steph's in Austin, TX, for SXSW this weekend, having a fabulous time. I'm keeping busy.

Friday evening I hung out with some co-workers at Alan's house and then came home and watched a little TV.

Yesterday I met with the roofer, who's finally finished with the gutters; took Lucy to the vet (just a checkup, though today she wouldn't eat -- she might be feeling bad from the shot they gave her. She just peeked downstairs, so I hope that's a sign she's feeling better); checked on my house; took Spike for a walk around the neighborhood, during which I picked up a bag's worth of garbage and one of recycling and Spike peed on everything and made friends with a few neighbors; took Steph's truck to get an oil change and filled it up with gas; went to Best Buy; and attended Douglas's birthday party.

Today I remembered about daylight savings time when I woke up, so I changed most of the clocks. Then I called my mom, gave the dog and cats special food, skated, and got out on the roof to finish priming the balcony railing.

While I was on the roof, my dad called to say that he won a European vacation and he doesn't want it, so he's giving it to me. (Yeah, I know, he must be crazy.) I almost fell off the roof. Fortunately I didn't, because broken limbs would make it uncomfortable to walk around Europe.

Finally back online at home

The router at home had trouble just before we left for Thanksgiving, so we weren't able to get online until yesterday. Recent highlights:

1. We went to Steph's grandparents' house in Brighton, Iowa, for Thanksgiving. Steph has a very large family, and I've always wanted a large family, so it's especially fun for me.

2. When we got home, I took Steph on a carriage ride around downtown (neither of us had ever done that before and we both wanted to), and I asked her to marry me. She said yes!

3. I rented my house! The tenants take possession Friday.

Blogging at the Abbey

We decided to come down to the Abbey to have some tea and some dinner (Chef's Signature Portabella wrap! Yum!) and use their wireless. (Steph is participating in NaNoWriMo, so she needs to get some writing done.) The Abbey moved to Pennsylvania St. in the last year or so; I'd been going to the old location since 1995 or so. The new one is nice, but I liked the charm of the old one, with its funny triangular shape and the tables against the wall with wingback chairs that you could pull close enough together that the wings prevented you from being seen.

Earlier today we took the recycling, and then I skated. I came home and Steph had raked several large piles of leaves, so we bagged some of them and then it started to rain.

Yesterday I showed my house four times, and all four took an application. We'll see how that turns out.

Trees and branches

Our neighborhood association is paying for the rental of a wood chipper this weekend. Steph offered to help transport tree limbs and branches for people who don't own a truck, and we drove up and down several streets and alleys and picked up about eight truckloads of them. We may do more tomorrow.