TP

Time passes.
This blog post is not about toilet paper, although a few things about bathroom tissue have been mentioned.

Because life is speeding by faster than I can comprehend, the quote to the right comes to mind.  It really does seem that each day of my life whizzes by faster than the last.






In the movie 'Forrest Gump', Tom Hanks also compares life to a roll of toilet paper in a similar yet more somber thought.


I have no desire to get into the great debate about how to hang a roll of toilet paper, nor do I intend to tell you the right way, although I have my definite preference.  But I find this interesting... the original patent from 1891 (left photo) shows the designed rolling direction for this marvelous invention.  (Before this, I suppose news paper had just been piled in a stack near by.)  So, why did people hang TP under if it was supposed to go over?
Further research uncovered the reason why the rolls were switched around.  It is because if a cat (dog or child) gets near it, they will spin it til they win the jackpot.  Hanging it under prevents this problem.  So there you have it.

Saturday morning was designated to finishing last week's blog.  Stevie took a rest from bird watching to lounge on the cushions we store on top of the hot tub.

Once I was done here at my computer, I went out to do some concrete work.  Again I needed to prepare more rocks to get them cemented in.

After finishing one batch (40 lb bag) of concrete and covering my handiwork with plastic, I decided to rework the pavers down the hill.  Rather than three across (seen left) I moved them to just two across.  Because of the large roots in the way, two across will fit better as I curve the trough down the hill.  I moved dirt, to replace what had washed out, and got the ground level.  Then  I got the next four blocks cemented in, seen bottom right.


But, I felt the need to scramble to finish more wall before the next bout of rain was to come (predicted for Tuesday).



TP - time passed quickly, and it was almost 8 pm by the time I quit work outside.  Having been bent over with yard work most of the day, I decided to take Maggie for a nice long walk, giving my back a rest and getting in a little cardio work. 


As the sun set and the nearly full moon rose, we went to check out life in the pond.  A TP - turtle pair came up to investigate us, as did tons of fish.  Look closely in lower photo, you can see the fish.
  





I kept Maggie back away from the waters edge, recalling one of these snappers biting a lady's finger.  These two were not afraid of us, and seemed willing to come right out of the pond if they deemed it beneficial or necessary.




I did try to get some photos of the moon, but without much luck.

Sunday morning I did household chores, like dishes and laundry, and then after Church got a little done outside before my 2-8 work shift at the CC.  Mostly I just moved rock and dirt to fill in behind the cemented wall and then I tried finding more stones for additional walling, that I would need soon.


I accidentally uncovered this little Ringneck snake while moving rock.  It was quick to slither back under another nearby rock pile.


We were very busy at the front desk during the first half of our shift.  Wyndham had 189 units checking in, in the afternoon, so folks came here to see what we have to offer.  It did finally quiet down about 6:30.  Gwen let me slip out 40 minutes early, so I could get home to feed and walk Maggie, since Joe was still gone.

Maggie and I had another walk on the golf course and I made several more attempts at photographing the moon.  Maggie was willing to pose.  There are so many fairways with beautiful views.  The last twenty minutes of our walk, we were navigating by just the moonlight to get us home.


Monday I worked out in the yard the bulk of the day.  I cemented more wall and four more pavers (seen left).  But I used up my last two bags of crete-mix so then just messed around with the lower end of the hill.


I moved rock around, trying to visualize how to end the trough here.



The hummingbird stake marks the corner of our's and Allen's lot, and below that, is golf course or Glade property that I probably shouldn't concrete on.

See (left) the large roots that are causing me problems?
At the bottom of the hill, seen below, I fit flat blocks/rock between the roots and with each other (TP - tremendously puzzling) to complete the descent to the large rock slab.

 I will see how they hold up (stay in place) during the next torrential down pour.








I met Shirley and Judy at Mirror Lake Blast.  We had a fun time, although there was not much dancing, but it was great listening music.



Below is an attempt at taking a panoramic shot of the crowd.

We stayed until the 8:20 ending. 

I took Maggie for over an hour long walk, feeling the need to get more exercise in.  It amazes me that I can walk the roads for over an hour and not see a single car.  Of course, I didn't start my walk until 9 pm, and this place folds up the sidewalks at that time.






Joe arrived home from Illinois after midnight, technically Tuesday morning I guess.  Once up, I didn't linger here at the computer too long, because it was supposed to rain in the afternoon so I headed outside intending to work until it rained (TP - till precipitation).



I put cement work on hold, one because of the high chance of rain, and two because I was out of concrete mix.  I moved lots of rock around, bringing the stacks down the hill and spreading them out, so they would be handier when I get back to wall building.






I continued to place old concrete sections from our front porch between roots for the base and on edge for the side of the ditch.





While 'rooting around', I discovered this large rock which I spent great effort getting dug up.  It would make a perfect step, over in another spot on the hill.


I worked at rolling it to the spot I had in mind, which was no easy task since it probably weighed as much as me.  Getting it over the large roots was extra challenging and then it got stuck at this spot (seen left) between the rock slab and tree.

Seen below, a photo series of the cat and dog, taken during my lunch break, where I sit on the back porch, looking out at the hillside and dream up more ideas.

Stevie just can't leave Maggie alone.
But then Maggie gets too rough with the cat.
And I am the TP - tenacious peacemaker.

Joe brought me a load of dirt, which I unloaded along the most recent wall.  Moving that was easier than moving the rock.  I also dug up and moved more sod as I carved and prepared this level walkway across the bottom of the hillside.




I had to water everything because it never did rain.  I was out till dark, and thankful for Joe who bought needed groceries and salad which we had for a late dinner.

Again Wednesday with rain in the forecast, I went out to work until it rained.  I got the large rock moved farther up the hill and started moving sod as I was preparing to mulch were I had planted grass.  I also continued work on the walking path.


In the process of  digging, I unearthed yet another large rock slab (seen below).  I worked at getting it uncovered and then altering how I had envisioned the path to go.









I also tried to figure out the best placement for the large rock, but since I could barely flip it over or 'roll it around,' I needed to be sure where I was going to put it.


Fatigue and darkness set in and I was TP - thoroughly pooped.  I couldn't lift the rock for one more try to place it, so just left it right here for the time being.  At 7:00 the rain finally came just after I got all picked up for the day.  It didn't amount to much, and I didn't even get a chance to go out and observe the drainage ditch.  In fact, it barely got the ground wet.

I had Thursday morning to do outside work before having paid work at the CC.  Again, all new plantings needed a good watering.  I used a small rock block under the 'boulder' to get it to tip, rock (play on words) and swivel, to get it moved into the desired location, which is TP - totally perfect (see below).


I widened the walking path and then mulched it (seen below).
To the left, an earlier photo shows the narrow path where in went past the rock slab. 


Work at the CC gave me physical rest, but was a little taxing mentally, causing some stress.  But the shift went very fast due to how busy we were.

It rained much of the night with a few storms bringing strong wind and some heavy down pours.  It also really cooled down the air temperature.  And the cement blocks at the lower end of the drainage ditch did not wash out. 

We had a buck come to feed around 6:00 Friday morning.  I had the porch doors shut because it was cold, so Maggie didn't hear or smell this visitor, or bark to scare him away.

I worked at this blog post all morning while also doing dishes and laundry. 

Stevie swiped Maggie's bed, causing the dog to be TP - temporarily perplexed.

Nearly four hours of my day was spent going to town and shopping at three stores, then hauling supplies home and getting them all unloaded and put away.

I had over a two hour window of time to work out back.  It was still a little muddy from the rain, but good for moving sod since the grass roots were damp and the wet dirt (mud?) helped hold it all together better.  Placing the TP - turf pieces is also like working a puzzle.  I lay out the sections I have dug up (seen left) and then work them into a TP - tight pattern to cover the slope in grass.




Once Joe was home from golfing, I TP - talked persuasively to get him to haul more mulch down to where I was working on sod removal.







I spread the mulch out over the ground and called it quits for the day.  It was past time to help Joe with dinner preparation.  He grilled the pork chops and vegetable kabobs I had skewered, while I got the pasta cooked.

A long walk after dark ended the day.

Here is another correlation between life and toilet paper, which uses potty mouth (sorry) and maybe needs to be cleaned up (with TP).

I'd like to think that I am still on a roll rather than "in the drink," so to speak... getting flushed down the can.