FALL CLEAN-UP

Home in PCH; 73 degrees, cloudy

Ugh...owww....it hurts to move.

My honey and I spent the entire day working in the backyard. We have 26 sable palm trees back there and they all needed a serious cleanup. We used a 26' pole pruner and it was definately a team effort. The palm fronds were enough work, but those seed pods were a ton of work. We will call Waste Management tomorrow and schedule a bulk pickup. We get two of those a year. It's nice that we can decide when we want it, as opposed to Phoenix, where they scheduled it for you. We also took down some gigantic bougainvillea and pulled a bunch of weeds from our little beach. Have I mentioned we are sore? I even took a palm boot to the face, giving me a boxers cut above my left eye. It's official...we have put our sweat AND blood into this yard. I've said it before: This place is like working a farm.

It's clouding up quickly now, at 6:15PM. I'm hearing some thunder and hoping for rain. We haven't had any significant rain since last Tuesday. I put some selective herbicide down on my lawn on Friday and watered it in, but I need more rain. I'm trying to kill off all the weeds in the grass and kill off the crabgrasses too. We have about 50% of St. Augustine and it will greatly improve this "winter" if we kill off all of the competition. Nice steady shower falling now.

Yesterday I spent the entire day on the boat. Unfortunately the boat was on the lift and I was cleaning it. It was long overdue. I can't believe the amount of debris that accumulates on deck. I don't recall the Sea Ray being this much work to keep clean, but then Kathy reminded me that we had a full boat cover on the Sea Ray and it wasn't parked next to 26 palm trees. Someday we will afford a cover for this one.

I was having some pressure problems on my starboard side fish well. It fills up with rainwater or fresh water when I wash the cockpit. It probably holds about 25 gallons and it is supposed to pump out by pushing a button at the helm. The pump pressure was so poor, the water just seeped out of the drain. I opened up the engine bilge and found two more sea strainers I didn't know were there. After opening them I found each one covered in sludge. After cleaning the screens, the pumps worked like brand new. Woohooooo! I love it when I figure stuff out. This is another example of messing about in boats. Wow, it's really a downpour outside now.

My workout plan is still going strong. Kathy joined me again on Friday and she pushed me pretty hard. She is a very fast walker. I stepped onto the scale tonight and had a nice surprise. 257.5.

This is the middle of my sixth week and I am down 22.5 pounds. I even treated myself last night for Kathy's birthday. We went to Rib City and enjoyed some delicious BBQ ribs and corn on the cob. We also split a very tasty slice of Key Lime pie. Happy Birthday, honey!

My trip to the Keys was nice, as always. I did my walking along the Overseas Highway, as the sun set over the Gulf. The workout is always easier when you are walking new ground. Along the walk I passed a street light pole with an old bumper sticker on it: Perot For President. Wow, how long ago that seems. The Manatee Resort at Key Largo has a new GM and she fired a bunch of the staff we liked. Our tiki bar bartender, Iris was let go. I figured I could find her if I went to Snooks Bayside restuarant and I did. She said it was clear the new GM was out to clean house. Too bad, that place had a good thing going. The tiki bar is now closed during the week. Iris is having trouble finding a replacement job. If she's unable to find anything in the next few weeks, she thinks she might leave the Keys and go stay with her niece in Maine. Talk about a change. She's been in Key Largo for 12 years and seems to fit so well there. This economy is hard on so many people. I went away feeling bad for Iris but counting my own blessings.

It's 7PM and raining steadily still. My body is crying out....get in the hot tub!