I’m so glad Michael and Antonio were able to take this gently used and huge umbrella that was at my house under renovation. I’m going to design a gazebo to cover this area and create privacy, but I know I’ll get to enjoy some of its shade and privacy at their pool since they’re moving in next to two of my other dearest friends nearby who also have a pool. Shea and I carefully mounted this huge thing on my SUV and drove it over where it was easily reassembled.
Shea visited the house under renovation again today when he was out and about. To my glee, the three sliding doors went in, as well as a lot of the windows.
After very frustrating delays, we swung by the house under renovation when a neighbor advised us that they were putting windows up finally, which includes sliders. I’m so relieved. Some of these pictures I took by putting my camera over the fence and had to look at them afterwards. Even the half circle above the front door is installed!
I can’t believe I’m still here a year later, although this was within the predicted timeline.
I continue my painting projects inspired by many DYI and upthrifting Youtube videos I’ve been binging. I love thrift store purchases and some of the haul I’ve gotten from Facebook Marketplace, but I’m also glad I didn’t discard every fire-damaged item. Many items I’m spray painting are damaged from that terrible day. There are many things when I look back at the fire damage pictures that I regret not pulling out of the debris pile on my driveway and from the soot-covered insides of the house, but I was living in a fog at that period.
The few things that survived the fire, even if they were in the backyard , often had lots of paint damage to them. A fresh coat of paint helps a bit, although I might redo some of the colors. The red is a little too bright for some of these objects.
Spending some extended time in the sun today was good to get my mind off the shit show in DC. I was able to use my day off to work on plants and outdoor decor. I know the dogs appreciated the sun and warm outdoor furniture with me.
There’s a lot going on in this video. I was in the garden with the dogs today as we had 65-degree (F) weather in January! I’m proud of this globe I painted, which is on a solar spinner. It survived the fire and was previously located at “ground zero” where the fire reportedly began. Still no explanation except “electrical anomaly.”
Front yard blossoms:
By the way, that is NOT poop that Hobbes is chewing on. It’s pineapple or bark.
I worked on my plants, thinking about what I’ll do with them and the outdoor decor from this rental when I move back home in a few months. I think about the move back all my waking hours at this juncture.
I put together a very utilitarian table out of repurposed, broken parts, which I’m very proud of. I love practical furniture.
The dogs bring me such joy, as does the sun.
Enjoying the warm weather with the dogs and Shea and appreciating what a great man this holiday is in honor of. I’m not watching the travesty in DC and do not want anything to do with people who are normalizing it. I pity this country and rejoice that I can pursue my EU citizenship, even though I’ll stay and still do what I can, more on the local level in the foreseeable future, to make life better even for those innumerable fools who vote against their best interests.
I will actively seek to disconnect from fascists and I will also make it quite clear that they are no longer in my life, especially the ones I’m not related to and have no reason to stay connected to. There are enough toxic people in the world already that I have to deal with, and the political ramifications of their existence and corruption.
Bonnie and Calvin evening wrestle. This is why most people can’t believe Bonnie is completely blind. For those who don’t know, her eyes were surgically removed to reduce pain after she went completely blind in August.