Summers coming!

So what will you be doing to prepare for the summer months? Do you do anything different to the inside or outside of your houes, if so what? When do you gardeners get the soil ready for planting? This year I hope to have some nice squash, tomatoes and cucumbers. Not much room for anything else as most of my yard is stone.

Its gotten cold again today after a week of 80 degree weather and I was going to clean all the bird feeders and baths but have to wait now until it warms up again.

Chatty have you seen the upside-down tomato planters? I think they would be easy to make without buying them. You could also try pot/bucket planting.

It was sunny and in the 60s on Sunday so I was outside doing garden and yard clean-up. I enjoyed every minute of it. Can't wait to get back out there, but yesterday it was 28 degrees again. What?

As far as the house goes, there was a time when I did spring house cleaning, but I don't do that these days. I may take pillows from sofas and bang the dust out of them and place them on the patio to get some fresh air, but that's about it. There was a time when I would go room by room, clean windows, oil furniture, etc., but those were the good old days.

I can't wait to throw open the windows and get some fresh air in here. And, thurn off the heat that's been running forever!

Anyone spring clean?

I bought three upside down planters already Chick, not expensive at all. One for grape tomatoes, one for squash and maybe some roma tomatoes. I make my own stewed tomatoes every year and freeze enough to use all year long. I have a box planter I'll use for cucumbers.

We can't "spring clean" because Spring brings WIND. LOVERLY! We often say our seasons are Winter, Wind and WAY TOO HOT! That's it!

Gardening: DH has the two gardens ready for planting about Mid-April, when we are clear of frost. It's loaded with local cow manure and our own compost.

The peach tree is LOADED with pea-sized peaches. UGH! WE canned over 100 jars in '07 and are NOT thrilled about maybe doing them again. We'll sell them at the market too, if need be since we still have jars left over.

I help DH...not a gardener at heart. But LOVE the harvest. He wants to do Yellow Watermelon, tomatoes, squash and cantelope. That's all I know for now. We LIVE on the melons all summer.

Love melons.

Admittedly we don't do much differently in terms of household chores. Let's see here:

Open our balcony door and windows...we live in a highrise condo. It doesn't have air-conditioning. But no need, our summers never get real super hot like southern Ontario or prairies.

He likes to buy some potted herbs and he tends to be the one watering, etc. Not alot of effort.

Sit out on our balcony early morning and evenings to eat and see sun go up and down.

We better clean our balcony door. But our windows are washed by the contract service that the strat/condo building pays for.Happens twice per year.

Life is not that complicated in condo living.

Oh how I'd LOVE living w/out air conditioning. Thankfully this time of year requires no heat or a/c. Just wind!! But cheap utility bills!

Condo living sounds fab. We have thought about that but we are both so creative it'd be hard to "sit still".

I'd also love to live without air conditioning. I'm always the last on ei nthe house who wants to turn it on and the first to turn it off. Give me thrown opened windows with no humidity and I'm loving life.

We do however, get lots of pollen on our furniture. You can wirte your name on the dresser during spring. That's kinda gross to think about what we're breathing in, but it feels so good.

Hate air conditioning too Dotsie, but in this desert heat one would probably die without it.

Di, we too have those winds, having some today and my wind chimes sound like an orchestra.

As a kid in Indiana we never had air conditioning, used window fans and that was plenty.

I can also write my name on my furniture but its sand dust, not pollen. Just as nasty however.

Well, as I write, my husband is out on the patio doing who knows what out there in the rain, but that's where he was when I came home. He put a lot of pansies out (my favorites) last week and had to actully bring them back in for a few nights. that's never happened before. But, it got pretty cold again. He put them back out there and he's been sprucing up the deck. But, in the rain! Tomorrow he will be complaining of a cold.

At the moment Orchid, I'm not too fond of condo living. We had a problem with the dryer vent that caused the dryer motor to burn out. $400. then the guy hit his arm on a pipe to the hot water heater trying to get some of the lint out. It's a very tight setup in the bathroom with the piggy back washer/dryer and the water heater in tight quarters. More $$ for the plumber to fix that. The dryer guy had to set up a temporary fix to ven the dryer because of the lint and we had to have vent fixer people come. An estimated $800 to fix that. It has to go through the condo association before we can take care of it.

But on the up side, we had a terrible winter and it is always nice not to have to shovel driveways and sidewalks and stairs anymore. And we do have air conditioning. Only need it when it's muggy out so I can breathe. We're on the water and usually get a nice breeze. I'm wondering when we can expect that?

Well I live with air conditioning all year round for the most part. This year, however, we had several times when we needed the heat but I held out as long as I could. I like it also when I don't have to use either.

I stopped doing spring/fall cleaning a long time ago. It's enough for me to just keep up with the daily stuff. The windows are on the agenda though. Can't see through them I think. Going to get hubby to do the outside windows for me. I'm not tall enough on the ladder. Maybe I should get a taller one -- umm -- nope! That's a job for him.

Winter is the best time here. We have had 80's on and off for several weeks now. Will be almost 90 this week already. I'm so dreading the heat of summer.

Louisa my mom is a trip and a half, she laughs and says the only way she knows for sure what the weather is is to stick her head out the bedroom window and see. She moved awhile back into a Senior community and is on the third floor. She said she throws open the windows now and just enjoys the fresh air without air conditioning.

Louisa - you'll see later, once your appliance and plumbing is fixed..you and hubby will be glad to have do maintenance on hand, especially physical stuff.

I'm not surprised about the piping..that has to go through condo strata.

Di- if your hubby does woodworking and hobbies like that you want to ensure in future he has on-site facilities for that. I did in my previous condo building.

We have a retirement community in MD that has a woodworking shop. I thought it was such a neat idea. I also like the places where residents can do some of their own gardening. I walk through a retirement community that has a big area along the walking trail where residents have little fenced in garden spots. Some use them for flowers only, and others grow veggies.

In the community where my brother lives they have a small lake, many, many fruit and flowering trees and a community garden where you can have a piece all for yourself to plant what you like and then there is one everyone shares. My moms building is just across from my brothers so she will share a space with him for their peppers and zuccini plants.

Whats so nice about where they live now is they each have their own apartments in different buildings and yet are right across the lawn from one another too. She can still take him shopping and to doctors appointments. It is a win-win situation.

Summers are brutal in the Gulf Coast part of the south...humidity that will soak you to the bone after ten seconds of walking outside. Then there's the flies...deer fly, yellow fly and another one I can't think of at the moment...but, it also bites the heck out of you. I swear one year I took netting and attached it to a straw hat and draped it all the way down my body to keep the flies away from me so I could walk down to the mail box and back without getting eaten alive...it's miserable...so, once it gets to this point I just stay indoors and watch the electric meter spin like crazy. Spring is the best time where I live...summer's suck! Then there's the hurricane season...June through Nov 15th...during the storms, the electric meter is given a break and nothing electrical works so Larry will crank up the generator and as the little window AC unit brought in from the garage does its thing, I sit with my face smack in front of it trying to keep cool. Okay...someone please explain to me why the heck I live down here? Sheesh!

I spring/fall clean some; stuff I don't use, I give to the Good Will. WB already replaced seven house windows and has six more
to replace. He shampoos the rugs throughout, too. I take my time cleaning closets and dressers, etc. We have air conditioning in our bedroom only. I ask myself, in the wintertime, why I live here. Otherwise I love it. There isn't much WB can't repair, and I'm thankful. Never heard of upside down plant holders. I've heard of upside down trees, but that's all. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't like housework. Don't do any canning, anymore. Did once. No more.

Well if summer is coming it has been sidetracked. Today we had 60 mile per hour winds, and the temp dropped 45 degrees to COLD! Plus its raining. Where the heck is this global warming they keep trying to shove down out throats?

Cleaned up our yards this eweekend and what happened is a laugh to say the least, see my blog for the whole story PLUS!

Know what you mean. The electric went out at 5:30 a.m. until
9 a.m., today. There are several inches of snow on the ground.
WB just got the yard cleaned up, Weeping Willows are dirty
things as far as losing branches; and wind blew like it was
a January storm. Geese. Spring, please come to stay!

Today, they say the temp will be in the 50s. Long range forecast
calls for snow and cold, the beginning of the week. It's like
a rollercoaster ride 'round here.

Its 73 degrees here today and kind of sunny but still really windy with intermitant cloudiness.

More rain, which we need. Everything popping through the earth and the grass is getting greener every day. Looks and smells good. Just in time for Easter.

My weed man came today and cleaned up all the weeds, he raised his prices again from $35.00 last year to $50.00. But he does keep the pesky little ones that keep popping up all over the place, cleaned up all summer.

How does he do that? I'd love to know. We're getting the gardens mulched this week, but in two to three weeks, the weeds will be popping through again.

$35 to $50 is a big percentage increase. It doesn't sound like much because it's only $15.00 more, but it's significant.

Yes I agree but he earns his money. He is a wirey little man and crawls all over the yard pulling those pesky weeds. Oh, first he pulls the weeds, then sprays each section with a strong weed killer called Round-Up. This supposedly kills the smallest shouts and the roots. Then in a week or two he comes back and makes sure no new ones are sprouting. He does that throughout the summer so he really earns the money he is paid. The weed killer costs $20.00 a gallon by itself so he really only gets $30.00. I alway have cookies or a cake to send home with him when he is coming by.

WB is my "weed man"; Is your weed man a handiman too?

Chatty, I've heard of Round Up, but never used it. I may have to give it a try. Thanks.

Jabber, he is my weed man, my roofer man, my window washing man and inside the house for smaller stuff man. He is a little 5ft.5in. Italian man who has a full head of snow white hair and is cute as a bug. He has been my handy man now for 19 years. He and his wife Barb and I are good friends. He keeps my costs down and I invite them over once a month for dinner or a cook out.

chatty, sounds like a winner. I love fixer upper men. Men who can do all the little chores around the house and year, rock. There aren't too many of them left these days.

Chatty,
I was teasing you. But I'm glad there is someone like him for you
count on. Too bad he's married. A back massage would be nice?

Dots,
WB can do anything, no matter what it is. He's a mechanic, accountant, builder, repairer, pool man, and yard worker, whatever. Except: He does not do the back massage thing. No body is perfect!

Neither of my two GOOD husbands were handy. Ed, number one called my dad to help him which usually meant my dad ended up doing it all. There was noting my dad could not do or fix, he was amazing.

Then number two, Chet, he just hired someone to do whatever needed doing. He had the money so it was never a problem.

Number three, I laugh just thinking about him, the ass can't even bend over to pick something up and is good only at breaking things. He hasn't got a pot or a window, so I hire it done myself...

Thats when I miss my dad the most. Oh, and I am always surprised at how much I can do all by myself. I learned a great deal helping my dad, from my dad.

Chats,
Love that line, "the a*& can't bend over and pick something up."
It's probably true. But at the same time it's funny. Men. Geese.
Wonder who said, "Can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em?"

By the bye, my first mate couldn't do much other than chase
women. Now that I think about it, he was a sailor when I met him.

chatty, I recall reading something about you following your Dad around while he worked outside. What was that? It was good.

Ross fixes what he can and hires people to do what he can't, or doesn't have time to do. It works. In fact, right now, the contractor's here for the kitchen, the plumber is hooking up the sink, garbage disposal, and dishwasher, and the yard clean-up crew is here getting ready to mulch.

We've always done our yard clean-up and mulching until two years ago when both of us threw our backs out and landed in the chiropractors office for weeks. Ross did his shoveling and I did mine lifting boxes and shifting stuff around. I've decided it was a good thing. I love working outside, but hey, they can do the big clean-up and I'm totally cool with it.

Dotsie, From the time I could walk alone, I followed my dad everywhere he went. He would hand me a nail and hammer and say; "okay snooks, pound this." By the time I was 15 I could have probably roofed a house alone, plus I know how to rig things so they work awhile longer.

I learned fixing things from dad and cooking from mom and grandmom. I always enjoyed being around the adults as a child. I was inquisitive, and wanted to know how to do everything. I thought kids my own age were silly and babyish.

Chatty,
I did the same thing. From the time I got on the farm, I followed
dad everywhere. I hid in the milk delivery truck and yelled, "Surprise, daddy. I'll help you." And from that day on,
I helped him deliver milk to neighboring towns. I was in the
barn, more than I was in the house. Today, I'd make a better farmer than a housewife. LOL...

Guess summer is here. Had my air-conditioning unit serviced yesterday and it seems like it is shot to hell!!! They showed me the rusted through parts. I guess I can't complain too much, it is 20 years old and was worked hard all summer for all those years. Its just that coming up with nearly $4000. right now is a real pain and dwindles down my reserve to just about zero...They'll be here tomorrow morning to put in the new unit.
>>> This is me waving goodbye to my money <<<

Wow! That's a lot of money. We don't have air-conditioning
throughout the house. We have a small unit in our bedroom and that's all. But I don't live out west, either. Not that I
wouldn't like it. I would love it. Newly built houses in the area have air-conditioning. But gosh, chats. That's a lot of money when it needs fixing.

All the more reason why I've chosen to live in condos over past few decades...I'm not really keen on hrs. and hrs. of outdoor work. I'm also not a gardener/shrub pruner at all. Though I did latter when I was a teenager for my parents.

He is abit mechanically inclined for simple stuff. Once upon a time, he did build his own farmhouse. The most interesting part is that he likes to wear the lab latex gloves when doing super greasy/gucky stuff involving his fingers. I think his obsession with keeping his hands clean (he never gets dirt stuck permanently in his nails) is from his childhood illnesses/sicknesses. (tuberculosis, ringworm, etc.)

I'm not mechanically inclined....but I personally know women who take apart an entire bike and put it back together again. One good friend who is single, childless and owns her own house, LOVES going to Home Depot on her own to get building supplies for her next mini renovation project. She managed to transfer a 5ft x 10 ft patch of flat backyard in a huge, thick lovely garden oasis which includes several bushes and trees over 10 ft. tall. It is incredibly impressive work when sitting around having a barbecue with the shade of this oasis jungle with her. (She is a boomer at 52.)

Many younger women than I, are comfortable doing basic computer hardware replacements...ie. motherboard cards, DVD drive swaps, etc.

I can't do any of that stuff. If it comes to electrical,
mechanical, heavy work, forget. I hope WB outlives me. Otherwise,
I'm gonna in deep doodoo!

I don't do much spring cleaning as we are still 'under construction' and there isn't much point. I do shovel off the dust occasionally - that fine desert-grey dust that seems to seep through the walls! LOL I can dust one day and have an inch of it on everything the next. Today is calm, but we've had 30+mph winds off and on for several weeks now. And that's not counting the gusts (as high as 70mph) that can topple huge eucalyptus trees. Spring can be wonderful here, except for the wind.

chatty, how's the air conditioning repair going? I hope you got a couple estimates.