A NEW STRUCTURE

Adding a sort of carport to the south side of the garage, has always been on the project schedule, and yesterday, it got moved to the top of the long list.  Extending the roof line of the garage 14 feet will give me a covered, semi protected place to park the trailers, and the tractor.  I think I'll call it a tractor port.

 Because I'm still several weeks away from getting a building permit for the RV shade cover, getting started on this next project seemed like the right thing to do.  Sitting around, not doing much of anything just isn't in my wheelhouse.  Besides, staying physically active serves another purpose.  After 5 months of travel to Alaska and back, the body weight had reached an unacceptable level.  As of yesterday, 14 of those pounds have disappeared.  Yes, I miss my buddies, Ben & Jerry, but I've deemed them a bad influence, and they are now officially "outcasts". 

To get this newest shade cover project off the ground, I first had to level an area 12 feet away from the garage.  This is where the concrete footing for a retaining wall will be built.  Instead of the great wall, I think I'll call this the "Small Wall".   The supports for the extended roof will rise from the top of the wall, and be firmly attached to the concrete.   When finished, this area will be 12 feet wide, and 48 feet long, plenty of space to park the trailers, and the tractor.

I finished leveling, and framing for the footing late yesterday afternoon.  Next up is some rebar, then pouring the concrete.  This footing will take a little over a yard, or approx. 62 bags of 60 lb. premix.  The cost for the bags is about twice the price of a yard of concrete off a truck, but most of the concrete companies have a minimum delivery of 4-5 yards.  Since I don't need that much, I'll use my electric mixer, and do it myself.  When the concrete is still a little bit wet, I'll lay the first row of block, and insert vertical rebar in the block.  I think about 3, maybe 4 rows of block should do the trick.  When the wall is finished, then I can start thinking about building the wood structure.  First things first!
 

The backhoe minimizes the amount of hand digging, but I still had to move a bunch of dirt with the shovel.  By the time I had the last nail in the frame, it was time to call it a day. 

Tomorrow morning, I'll be taking Patty to the Tucson Airport, where she'll fly to Phoenix, then on to Fresno, CA.  Nancy will be picking her up in Fresno, and then they both leave for Costa Rica on the 4th. I think I have plenty to keep me busy while she's gone.

IT MIGHT BE "SNOOPY"

When Patty called the company that handles the registry for micro chipped animals, she was pressed for a name.  At first it was Lilly, then Holly, but after watching this little critter for a day or so, I think her name might just turn out to be Snoopy.  Talk about a curious cat!  She found a couple of places under the kitchen cabinets, where she was able to crawl inside, effectively disappearing for several hours.  When I looked closely at one of the entrance areas, I saw some fur where she had rubbed against the wood, giving me a clue where she was.  Later in the day, Patty was able to coax her out, and took her to the Vet for her first checkup.  While they were gone, I did some carpentry work, and sealed up access to the kitty's secret hideout. 

Over the weekend, I received the 10th signature from an adjacent property owner, and forwarded it to the county.  That leaves only one adjoining property, where the owner hasn't signed off on our proposed RV shade cover.  Pima County will send a letter to the Union Pacific RR, probably going out today, and they will have 15 days to object to the project in writing.  So, with a little bit of luck, in about 2 weeks, I'll be able to get a building permit for the metal building.

A NEW BABY

It was Sunday evening when I heard "come here and take a look at this".  Patty was on the computer, and had discovered a new posting on Petfinder.  The Snowshoe kitty pictured on the website was rescued from the Green Valley Humane Society, and was being fostered by a lady who lived about 25 miles away.  When Patty called the humane society yesterday morning, they first told her that the cat was gone.  A little more checking revealed that it was an offsite adoption, and we would have to call the foster home to determine if the animal was still available.  When Patty made the phone connection with Lynette, she discovered that the kitty was still available.   Needless to say, she made an appointment, and a few hours later, we were at Lynette's house.  I think it was the proverbial "love at first sight".

Replacing our Gracie, who's life only lasted about 5 years, was a priority for Patty, but the plan was to search for a new kitty in earnest, when she & Nancy returned from Costa Rica in mid November.  That plan went out the window yesterday, when we brought home the newest member of the Chance family.  Patty bestowed the name of Holly on this little girl, symbolizing an early Christmas present.  She's a true scardy cat, and gaining her trust will take a little while.  We can already tell that she's an affectionate kitty, and is approx. 1-2 years old.  

With 4 new little feet running around the house, we are no longer pet less.  We both love animals, and giving a forever home to this unwanted kitty makes us both feel good.  Somehow, the house feels more like a home now.   

 A beautiful ending to a day that presented us with a new baby.

A CAT, & LINK TO THE PAST

Marc, Chandra, and Laila came out to the house, bringing birthday wishes for Grandpa, who turns a year older near the end of each October.  They also wanted to show us Laila's Halloween costume, which turned her into cat woman.  As usual, we had to convince Miss Laila that a picture or two really wouldn't hurt, and that a photo of her for the blog was mandatory.  She really looked pretty darned cute, right down to the penciled whiskers on her cheeks.  Speaking of cats, Patty is on a mission to replace her beloved Gracie, but I won't know any details until later today.

After a nice visit, the kids were headed back home, where the 8 year old was destined for an early bedtime.  It seems that during her sleepover at the birthday girl's house, the 5 young ladies were awake for most of the night, and getting to bed early yesterday was a priority.

Before, and after the kids visit, I finished my latest digging project.  This area adjacent to part of the circular driveway has been on my radar to level, at least as much as possible, expanding the drive area coming up to the garage.  When I'm finished with all of the dirt moving, the entire drive area will be covered with gravel.  With all of the rocks in our soil, using the backhoe is the only way to get the grade down.  Scraping with the front loader bucket helps finish the leveling process. 

 The small embankment at the upper left of the picture is our property line with the neighbor.  At some future time, I'll build a small retaining wall, and put up a fence along that border.

I received an unexpected package a couple of days ago from my cousin Diane in Stockton, CA.  Since the passing of her mom, my Aunt Martha, Diane has been finding links to the past, that she has been sending to me.  Most of the items have been photos of my Mom & Dad, but the items pictured below, belonged to my Grandfather (my Moms dad).  Grandpa Walt had 5 Grandchildren, and since I am the oldest, Diane thought these items should be in my possession.  I wish I knew more about his past, particularly his military service.  Based on the two Veteran of Foreign Wars hats, he obviously served during wartime, probably WWII, but possibly WWI.  Thanks Diane, this might inspire me to dig a little deeper into my Grandfather's past.

 

RETURN TO THE SECRET HIDEOUT

It was a leisurely Saturday morning, with cartoons on the tube, a bacon and french toast breakfast, and no hurry ups in order to get to school on time.  Around 11am, Marc arrived to join on us a preplanned hike out to an oasis in the desert.  Armed with sandwiches, snacks, and plenty of water, we set off on a trek out to the famous secret hideout, named as such by Laila, when we first discovered the place earlier in the year.  This was our third walk into the Cienega Preserve, and Marc's first.

 From the bottom of the wash, a view of the "Great Wall", with the new fence on top.

 This giant Saguaro Cactus is on our property, with a Palo Verde Tree wrapped around the base.

 

At the drainage tunnel under the Union Pacific RR tracks, this is where we use the tunnel to get into the dry river bed leading to the secret hideout.  From the tunnel to our destination is only about 1/2 mile, through an area that becomes a raging river during the summer monsoon season.

I've described the place before, but for those who haven't read that narrative, this location on Cienega Creek was dammed long ago, as a way to divert water for irrigation.  The area behind the dam has long since filled with dirt & sand, but the water is still diverted into a pipe, for what we think is now irrigation for the downstream golf course.  With the willow trees, and lush vegetation behind the dam, it's an instant contrast from dry desert on the downstream side, to an oasis on the upstream side.

It was a warm, bright sunny day, with temps in the mid 80's.  On the way back to the house, we were all feeling the heat, and the old homestead was a welcome relief from the bright sunshine.
  

 It won't be too long, when somebody will be taller than Grandma!

After a short rest at the house, we packed all of Laila's things, and she and Dad were headed home.  Later in the day, Laila was going to a birthday skate party, then a sleepover at the birthday girls house.  This morning, it's back to our normal, and I can't believe that I stayed in bed till almost 6am.  The enjoyment of having Laila be a part of our daily life is hard to put into words, but suffice it to say that we're already looking forward to her next stay with us.

WHERE HAS THE WEEK GONE?

 What a great way to start the day!

It seems like only a few hours ago, when Marc brought Laila out to the house to spend the rest of the week with us.  The last 4 days have flown by, as we've transitioned from retired folks with our own agenda, to a world that has been focused on our 8 year old Grand Daughter.  Except for the 6 hours that she's been at school, most of our time has been devoted to Miss Laila, and it's been an absolute joy!

 

 Part of breakfast yesterday was a Grandma egg omlet. 

Laila was going to stay with us until tomorrow, however, one of her friends is having a birthday party this evening, so  she'll be leaving this afternoon for a skate party, then a sleepover at her friends house.  Our second grader is at an age where Grand Parenting is truly an interactive relationship.  Communication has progressed to the point where if you closed your eyes, there are times that you would swear you were talking to an adult.  Watching this child grow and mature, and being actively involved in her life,  has become an incredibly important part of our lives.

 

 Our little cowgirl was ready for school.

The last two panels of the wall fence went up yesterday, and that project is now history.  Drilling into concrete is not one of my favorite things to do, but the labor was worth it, now that it's done.  

After dropping Laila off at school, we went by the county offices, and filed our application to modify the zoning, hopefully leading the way to a building permit for the RV shade cover.  Out of the 11 properties that border ours, we got 9 signatures from the property owners.  The county will have to send letters to the other 2, one of which is the Union Pacific RR.  The administrative cost for this process was a mere $263.  If one of those 2 remaining property owners objects to the building, the money is not refundable, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.  It will be about 3 weeks before we know if we can throw more dollars at the county for a building permit.

 

SUNRISE TO SUNSET

 Sleepy head just got up, wrapped in the Afghan that Patty made for her during the summer.

My mornings usually begin pretty early.   Laila's day starts at 6:30am, and she has about an hour and 15 minutes before it's time to pile in the truck, and make the 35 minute drive to school.  From wake up, to walking out the door, lots of things have to happen.  I'm usually in charge of breakfast, while Patty makes Laila's lunch.  Everything else, from getting dressed, having something to eat, to fixing hair, all happens pretty quickly. 

 Somebody decided it was too early for a picture.

Two more panels yesterday, and only two more to go before the metal fence is finished on top of the Great Wall.  The fence looks pretty good, and it will serve the purpose of keeping anyone from tumbling off the wall into the wash.
 

On the way home from school yesterday, we stopped at Lowes, so that the girls could pick out some plants to go in a small piece of pottery.  I think it was mentioned that these succulents may find there way home with Laila, and that there might be some sort of secret that goes with them. 

We had another pretty spectacular sunset yesterday evening, and I tried to capture some of the beauty, with another beauty posing in front of the new fence.  The school week comes to an end today, and we have Laila through tomorrow before returning her to Marc & Chandra.  I think something was mentioned about a birthday/skate party for one of Laila's friends tomorrow evening, so we'll either take her home, or take her to the party at the end of the day.  Today is TGIF, and yes, even 8 year olds recognize the importance of Friday's.  Another hour, and Grandpa will play the role of alarm clock.

TWO MORE PANELS

Each metal fence panel is 8 feet long, and 33 inches high.  The metal posts are 36 inches high, with 4 holes on a base plate.  Drilling the four holes into the concrete to support each post is the tough part of putting this fence up.  Sometimes the masonry bit goes the 3 inches into the concrete like a hot knife through butter, and sometimes when it has to go through rocks in the concrete, well, it takes awhile. 

I put up two more panels yesterday, making a total of five so far.  That's about 40' of a total 70+ feet, so I'm over half way there.  After we take Laila to school, I'll pick up two more panels, posts, and brackets from Lowes, which will finish the high part of the wall.  A total of 4 more panels, and the wall fence will be done.

By the time we pick Laila up from school, and get back to the ranch, it's a little after 3pm, and depending on how much homework (yep, she has homework every day), the routine is pretty much the same.  Yesterday, after Grandma washed Laila's hair, and after dinner, they decided to make some pudding.  The pics show Laila mixing the liquid with a hand mixer that I just had to have while watching a demo in Quartzsite earlier this year.  Since the way too expensive purchase of this gizmo, the must have tool has been sitting in the drawer, but at least it got a workout yesterday. 

If anybody is looking for a good dual sport bike, my 08 Kawasaki KLR 650 is for sale.  I'm pretty sure that my off road riding days are done, and it's time to get rid of one of the dust gatherers. I said this once before, when I sold the Honda 650 XRL, but I think this time, it's for real.  It's listed on the Tucson Craigs List for $3,900, with only 3,300 miles.

SCHOOL, A NEW FENCE, BANANAS, KITES, & FISH

Getting ready for school begins every morning at 6:30am.  After "rise & shine", there's the routine of getting dressed, something for breakfast (blueberry pancakes this morning), and the last must do is fixing that long beautiful hair so that it stays somewhere away from the face, at least for most of the day.  Fixing hair is above my pay grade, so that task is firmly implanted in the Grandma category.

From our house, it's about a 30-35 minute drive to Laila's school, which is located in the heart of Tucson.  During her time in school, I started putting up a metal fence on top of the "Great Wall".  I only had 3 panels, so those went up before it was time to head back into Tucson to pick up Laila from school at 2:30pm.

The first order of business after school is usually some sort of snack.  One of Laila's favorites is slices of bananas, with peanut butter spread on top.  Of course I had to try one, and I think it's safe to say, that I won't be getting out the peanut butter jar when there's a banana around, unless it's for Laila.
 

After the snack, I got out the kite we purchased for Laila while we were in Long Beach, WA.  The normally brisk wind was questionable, but we got the kite up for quite awhile, at least until the wind died.  At one point, a pretty good gust came along, and somebody didn't have a firm grip on the string.  We both watched the kite, string & handle sail across the ravine, with the kite landing on the other side.  We both climbed down into the mini grand canyon, retrieving the kite, and deciding that we would wait for some better wind conditions for the next attempt.

 The wayward kite on the other side of the wash.

Before dinner, Grandpa attempted to show the kid how to be a winner at the time & tested card game called FISH.  We played 3 games, and I left the table a bit more humble than I had planned.  There was only one game where I even came close to winning, and the other two, well let's just say that I was given a lesson on how to play the game.   Having Laila stay with us is certainly a disruption to our normal routine, but wow, is it ever a great disruption!

The Champ!