Company a Goin' and a Comin'

A busy couple of weeks.  My pal, Joan, left on the 20th for Nampa, Idaho.  I think she enjoyed her stay and was satisfied with the funds she earned to remodel her new home.  I certainly enjoyed her company as well as the companionship of her doggie, Maddy.  For several days after they left I kept thinking I heard the clickety-clack of little doggie toenails around the house.  Hmmmmm.  Could be a hound in my future.

I was not alone for long, however, as my good friend from high school days, Tim Milnes, arrived on the 23rd for a visit.  Tim was anxious to do some hiking and I believe he has exceeded his expectations in that regard.  On Tuesday we hiked Perseverance and although it was overcast it was nevertheless very pleasant weather-wise.

Folks must be thirsty when they get to Ebner Falls...

Tim spotted the relic below above the trail just as you start the hike.  I'd walked by it many, many times and never noticed.  It's about twelve feet above the trail...and been there for a hundred years or so.

Don't know what it is or how it got there...but kinda cool.

Tim and I have done some of the regular tour stuff - the glacier of course - and we happened upon Scott and Sandy Spickler at the Shrine.

 Scott, Sandy and Tim - not lookin' too bad for a bunch of fifty somethings...

Thursday it was time for a real hike.  It was a beautiful sunny day as we clawed our way up Mount Juneau.

Looking west from the summit

We made it!

The hike down the mountain was much more taxing to me than the hike up.  It's pretty steep and my quads were complaining bitterly by the time we got to the car.  But it was big-time fun!

Friday evening we had a supper party; but photos are unavailable - the crew was very modest.  Van Sundberg, Tracy Miller, Alison & Doug and Stu & M'iva joined Tim and I for a very satisfactory pasta feed.  Don't think anyone went home hungry.

Yesterday, Tim hiked Granite Creek with Tracy and some of her friends and I mowed the lawn and weeded flower beds.  It appears that I am going to have ongoing deer issues.  They seem to be quite pleased with my flowers - in a culinary sort of way...

Tim and I were having coffee on the deck the other morning when this character played through...

"Thank you, sir.  The irises and lilies were delicious"

So there you have it! 

Finally - Something Worth Posting

Well, another promise broken - haven't posted again for awhile.  But the truth of the matter is that there just hasn't been much worth posting until now.

The lower part of my yard has been bugging me since I moved in...it's a gravel area that hasn't seen any new gravel in a number of years.  The entire area has been covered with a weed control material; but over the years moss and debris had taken hold and it was looking very untidy.

Ugh.  What a mess!

So...on Thursday I placed an order with a local sand and gravel outfit and the next day 12.01 tons of gravel appeared in my driveway.

That's a lot of gravel

The question then becomes how to move said gravel from point A to point B without ending up in the hospital in traction.  Well, the answer is as simple as 1,2, 3....

Joe, Reese and Sean

Mr. Slagle, Mr. Saviers and Mr. Bavard are all the sons of Juneau friends - went to school with some of their parents and other relatives.  Damn good workers all of them and before you know it...

...the gravel was hauled and spread...

...without the need for chiropractic care.

I couldn't be more pleased.  It got halfway nice yesterday and every hour or so I had to go wander around the yard just to marvel at the change.  I am a happy camper.