The green green grass of home

Yesterday was a total bust. The Oscar party Sunday was fun, but it wore me out. I wasn't the only one, I texted Becky @ 9pm to say I was in bed already and she replied with confirmation that she too was hanging out in the "adult suite" and was thankful for a tv in the bedroom. (For the record, I use to loathe the idea of a tv in the bedroom, but it is a glorious thing!)

I had a lot more energy today and got quite a bit done at work. Sometimes I enjoy the talky talky part of what I do, and other times I like to jump into data and spend a day in a spread sheet (OH MY GOD...NERD!)

There was even a trip to the gym today. I feel a little bit proud of myself for stepping up the intensity of the workout. Oh, I'm not bragging - I am nowhere near where I was before I started dating "him" but every trip to the gym is a victory.

There are stresses in life right now, there's the boring back yard and the pressure to learn lawn maintenance. Our back yard is small but definitely needs something. I look at the styles of friends and am intimidated. Jen has an soft, organic and delightfully lush outdoor experience with large colorful plants that provide privacy and color to her urban neighborhood. Yumi has a small yard like us, and she has successfully incorporated their retaining wall into a peaceful zenlike space that requires no mowing. Yumi's friend Andrea has a stunning lush yard and garden with lovely blooming things that were Sunset Magazine-esque.

These folks all have different yards than ours. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to create a nice space to enjoy in the summer when BBQ season begins. I also have hopes of eventually replacing the mildly useless concrete slab provided by the builder with an actual deck so our bbq and table and chairs can live as the family they are meant to be.

For now, we look at the yard. Jason has mowed it a few times with the ecofriendly push mower (that Jen gave me crap about driving home in my gas guzzling SUV) and we've spotted weeds that need attention. I'm sure we'll get lots of advice about what to do with the tiny yard, but the plan is to take our measurements and pictures to MOLBAKS and abuse their salespeople for ideas.

But not this weekend.