Today is a semi good day. I am going skiing. As is my habit, I packed up last night so I will be ready to leave quickly tomorrow. It’s really important to be on the lift immediately this late in the season. The snow gets slushy very early in the day late in April. And slushy snow is sticky and slow. So I like to start first thing and get whatever frozen snow nature has to offer.
Living in Auburn is a real boon to my skiing. It’s only an hour plus a few closer than Dixon, prior home, but that hour is huge. One must remember I gain two hours since it’s a round trip. I used to leave the farm about 530 to 6 am on a ski day. Now I can leave at 7 to 730. Sweet.
I got Emily out of the house and on her way. All chores done. Did a few things around the house and took off. Today I am going to Squaw Valley, the only hill still open this season. They are always last closed. Has something to do with all others being on Forest Service leases which expire on 4/21. I don’t know the particulars.
The drive to Squaw is about 80 miles. About an hour and a half on dry pavement and little traffic. Today was one of those days and I arrived at Buck’s shop at about 840. Turns out the shop is closed Tues and Weds. I called Bob to see where he was and he was still 30 out. So I drove to the Squaw parking lot, geared up and went to the lift.
I got on the snow a little after 9. Already getting soft. And slow. No matter, lift to the top, and down. Had a great time. Managed three runs before Bob showed up. He wanted to ride some other runs I had not tried yet.
A few minutes later we met up with Buck and two friends of his. Then we proceeded to ride all of the mountain, at least the mountain that was open. Had a blast.
I have an appointment in my office at 3 so I left by noon. The trip back was very fast, again had dry roads and no traffic.
I arrived in time for my appointment, lasted about an hour, and he made another appointment for tomorrow. He has about twenty tax returns for me to do. They stretch back to 2015 and are for their company and 3 shareholders. Last time I prepared taxes for them it was the same deal, lots of returns stretching back a few years. People are funny.
No more work appointments for the day. I stayed till five and headed uphill. I have to meet a property clean out guy and get an idea of an estimate for whacking all my weeds. Like a wise guy. Also gonna find a maintenance guy to keep it nice on a monthly basis. Which it needs.
So finished out my Thursday and got home right on time. Met Mike Rohrs who was already there, in my driveway. We walked the property and he had several good ideas. Like what I just said, clean out then get a maintenance guy. Brilliant. He charges $1400 per day to clean out. No, not a typo. I can bring in goats I said, those are $700 per acre. About the same price. So this will cost me. We are not gonna start for two or three weeks. That way the summer will take over and nothing will grow back. And I can hold my money for a little while longer.
My evening was boring. Emily is at yoga camp, and will be till Sunday. I fed the animals and had dinner. Did some chores. Went to bed. When Em is gone, no bad TV. I don’t want the noise.
Friday morning. It’s a little easier getting going when I don’t make coffee, or Em’s breakfast and lunch. I don’t mind doing it, it’s just a way quicker morning when I am alone.
So I got out earlier than usual and to work sooner than usual. Not that it does me any good since I seem to never get more done with more hours. I had five appointments today, the first was a phone call. I had to speak with a clients financial advisor who also reviews his tax returns. Always a joy to have your work questioned by someone who is trying to justify his own job by finding at least one thing wrong with my job. Really pointless.
Next two appointments cancelled. Or should I say one cancelled late and the other was a no show. Both are ok by me. I worked till about 430. I have to meet an insurance guy by 530 at home. Needs to inspect the inside of the house for some reason or another that I don’t understand, or want to.
So I had to race home really considering it was late on a Friday traffic. And the traffic was the usual crap. I got to the house at 528 and the guy was leaving. I reminded him what 530 meant. And he was an asshole. Lovely. He came in, took 8 pictures and left.
I made a cocktail and my dinner. No, cocktails were not dinner. But there are enough carbs to satisfy a strong hunger. Still, I had an elk burger on a cauliflower bun with a side of asparagus. Very nice.
After dinner I planned out what I needed for the big yard work weekend. After giving much thought, I added a very small rake and a larger rake to my list. I cruised the yard to get an idea of where I would start and then went in for the evening festivities.
I tried to watch a little TV, unsuccessfully. I just don’t care much for most TV. I can handle about an hour a day before I lose interest. I always think of what my Grandmother used to say, if you don’t watch you don’t miss anything. So true.
I went to bed. Tried to read but was too tired and went to sleep.
Up at 611 Saturday morning. One of those mornings where you just wake up and are awake and know it. So I got out of bed.
Put the dog out and fed the cats. It’s Saturday so we let the cats outside to play all day. They can then be in by six for dinner. After years of rural living, and over 10 dead cats, we are careful. The nighttime makes the cat happy until it doesn’t. So they spend the night inside. On weekdays we get home too late to let them run around outside before it gets dark and dangerous. Back on the farm our cats were 100% inside cats for prior noted reasons. Here, far isolated from most daytime dangers and loose dogs, they can go out.
Dog in. Fed dog. He is not an outside animal. He is completely deaf and has very poor eyesight. He follows his nose. If he got farther than 25 feet from the house we would never see him again. Inside dog. 15 years old, all he can do well is sleep and eat. Takes five different Rx’s. Special food. Eats well. Poops himself. Has to wear a diaper if left alone. But he is the baby and we take care of him. Our last dog. No more after him.
I got myself fed, showered and clothed. I could go out naked to Home Depot but then all the guys would no longer feel like real men. I can’t have that on my conscience. I am a giver.
Got my rakes and whatever else. And back to home. From nine am to about 6 pm I weeded. By hand. And the mosquitoes were out. What fun. Bug spray is on my Saturday eve/Sunday morn list.
Our yard is full of boulders, big ones. Kitchen and moss covered. Beautiful. But, there has been near constant rain since January and the weeds are freaking insane over our five acres. Today, I am weeding the “back yard” area we have that can be seen from the house. An area the landscape guy says is difficult to weed whack. And I want weed gone, not whacked. So this is a hand weed. Yikes. Lots of up and down and move around. In the full sun. What fun. And mosquitoes. And, btw, normally bugs leave me the hell alone (professional courtesy?) and bite other people. Pisses off my wife and son, human pin cushions that they are.
So, I was saying, this is a hand weed job. Not difficult, just insanely continuous hour by hour. I may have had near a third done by the end of the day. Maybe. Fortunately?, I still have Sunday. Yay.
At six I went in and showered to get comfortable. Had some wine. That helped. Made a burger with a side of broccoli. Yum. And relaxed. Ran some more errands for Rx and groceries and BUG spray.
Got home and made a momentous phone call. Yes, momentous. It will affect my life, while I live here, for the next thirty years. Wow. What a call. As I have mentioned in prior posts, if you are paying attention, I need to build a garage and a workshop. I had received a bid from Tuff Shed for $25k for two buildings. Today, Saturday, this evening, I called the number on the carport sign out on 49. I drive by the sign 2x a day minimum. So, I call, and get the owners personal cell phone. Which I like, cuz it’s the owner and just like me she posts her number for all to see.
So I spoke to Debbie for about half an hour. I like her. Does not hold back at all or rein in what she says. Just like me, no filters. We got along well. At the end of the conversation, she gave me a verbal quote of $11k for a 3 car garage. Winner winner!! Chicken dinner!! The shop? About $2500, no quote yet. I said write that fucker up. I will send money. Half the Tuff Shed price and their price was good. I feel richer all of a sudden.
Had some more wine. Did a few things around the house. Went to bed.
Sunday I woke up with a thoroughly sore body. And stiff hands. Not great. Got dressed, fed animals, and did what would make me feel best. I went out and started weeding again. I am only working till maybe 130 which is when Emily leaves yoga camp for home. I gotta do some housework before she gets back like towels, sheets and change beds. Nothing dramatic but at least she can see I wasn’t sitting around while she was sitting around all weekend. I win.
I got maybe got 40% of the “yard” front and back weeded. Save rest for next week. I have more landscapers visiting to give bids to but I will still probably have to do this part by hand anyhow.
So I did quit at 130. And did the bed changing laundry thing. Had something to eat. Stalked Emily’s progress on find friends every few minutes. I love that app. Have it on my daughters phone too. Track her from 2500 miles. Haha.
Emily ended up getting home late afternoon. We got her unloaded and unpacked and put away. I showed her my fine weeding job. She can’t do things like that. 10 minutes into a job like weeding I start to hear complaints about her back and her hands and blah blah blah. Which is why I always tell her not to help. I don’t want to hear. Fine by me, I have same complaints too I just don’t verbalize them much. Got to get done, unpleasantness is part of the job, just get finished. Emily is better at other jobs. Jobs she puts up with. No big.
About six I told her we were going out to dinner because I was tired and did not want to fix dinner even though I had it prepped and ready. Still requires cooking.
Off to Old Town and dinner at Club Car. About the only dinner place open in Auburn on a Sunday. And I like it too.
I was tired and sore. So, we both had two cocktails. My first Manhattan was excellent, her margarita disappointed. I had a bbq chicken salad and Emily had I can’t remember. Mine was great. Sunday dinner out is a nice treat. We do usually stay in and fix our own but the combination of factors forced us to go out. That’s my story.
It was getting late when we got home. End of a long weekend. We went to bed almost immediately upon getting home. I don’t blame me for that. Emily wanted to watch TV but fell asleep instantly in the living room. Off to bed, better choice.