Good Friday - Happy Friday!

We did get the new roof, finished in one day and it looks better in person than in photos. The architectural shingles, in 'weathered wood,' is really a great choice for the farm house. Gives a cottage look to it, not plain nor too sophisticated, will look good with whatever siding color we later decide on. And it is coordinated with the new patio pavers. Slowly, everything is coming together.

Tom is finishing (finally) the bathroom project: sanding, re-mudding, sanding, painting, reinstalling the moulding (top and bottom) and the cabinets, towel racks and like that. Big project, little room! As you will recall, this bathroom re-do was started in August, with the entire room being thrown in the trash, even the walls, the door moved to the left and every new fixture put in a different place. It will look like a show-place.

Also wrapping up the patio re-installation project - he got the special sand/grout mix to put between the bricks from a local landscaping specialty store. He's worn out a pair of leather gloves doing this job.

Since my uncle died and the episode at their house Christmas, it is easier to be at my house - closer for my sister and her family and friends. Our 'old' neighbor, Eric, is also joining us. That will make nine of us! I miss my uncle, terribly. My aunt is bringing everything and using my kitchen to make dinner, she's coming down this afternoon. Next weekend we'll ride....

May 6 weekend is the 'Spring Round-up" at the LOMH - big deal - lots of horses and trailers in one spot - that sight is amazing (looks like Texas!) and hope that we can at least swing by there then, if not camp out.

We met a woman a few years ago that now has her own farm - she boarded her ONE horse for years. Her husband was not a horse person, but she rode three or four times a week (indoor arena, blah, blah). He bugged her over time about getting their own place with room for the horse because they had to live somewhere, blah, blah. She finally caved and they have a gorgeous place: 25 acres on the NCR trail - Circa 1890 Victorian with an old bank barn, several outbuildings, etc., but now has no time to ride. The house was a disaster, the barns were in terrible shape, the fencing needed immediate repair - now they have over a dozen horses (they board horses and ponies) and she says she's only ridden a couple times since they moved. I had reminded him, over and over, about their situation. I don't have time to make all the mistakes, I try to learn from others. But he is a horse person, so he misses riding as much as I do, maybe more?

And Skip looks fantastic - almost fat! The down time has ensured that he is looking robust, like the Halter horse that he is. The grass is growing and they are eating it as fast as they can. I brought them in last night; they wanted to stay out. The weather forecast said it was going to be colder than it was at 10pm, and they would just eat all night long, so I brought them in and hayed them all. Just a matter of days before they start staying out all night, right?

Tom really is productive - he also picked up 10 bags of mulch, and we'll spread that around the end of the patio that will not have pavers on it. I want to put the cattle carpet on top of the sand base, then put down the mulch, to protect the sand base from the mulch. I also want to get big faux terracota planters to place on the mulch. Maybe not this weekend.

There is always something, right? I want stall mats, but then he'll bring something else up that we NEED that isn't even on the list! I have a list, and things are getting crossed off, slowly. I also had a short list of New Year's Resolutions, but now can't remember them! I do know that one of the items was renting our old house. Waiting for the signed lease to come back with a move-in date of May 15.

Irene still needs to be spayed. Her mother had 6 kittens on Wednesday night. I AM NOT GETTING ANOTHER CAT!! But they are cute! Her mother is a good mother so they aren't afraid of dogs or people, large farm animals or loud farm equipment because she takes good care that none of them are molested in any way. I AM NOT GETTING ANOTHER CAT!!