Brief update

Let's see, I think Tuesday morning was the last blog post.  The past couple of days are pretty blurry.  After getting our art bench picks turned in at the last minute, we hiked the Bell Rock Courthouse loop.  Logged 1:50 as were lollygagging.  After climbing the Long Canyon Hill four days in a row, Bell Rock felt like a health spa.

Spent some time burning a fire break in the afternoon.  Dear Friend Marsha came to visit about 4 and stayed until about 7.  Had a nice campfire and mini-Mex dinner outside by the fire.  Thanks, Marsha, for all your great ideas and positive energy!

Yesterday we decided to walk up the Blue Grade--it's a nice gentle hill that's actually a road.  Susun's GrandPa actually worked on the road way back when.  We love the Blue Grade because you don't have to look where you are putting your feet.  You can enjoy the view and walk safely side-by-side.  We've decided to swap the Blue Grade for the Long Canyon Hill--we've had enough of that one--the downhill on Long Canyon will eventually make one of us fall and hurt ourselves--it's not a matter of "if," just when.  Blue Grade won't hurt us so we're going to do our hillclimbs there.

Susun had a "Girls' Lunch" yesterday so I skee-daddled out of Dodge about noon and returned about 4 pm.  Spent the time over in Cottonwood shopping.  Also had to go to Camp Verde to pick up more herbicides.  Dale left them at Kevin's barn once again.  It's an odd way to do business but  it works for me.

Much to our surprise, the National Park was running water in their new ditch last night.  It was a real hoot and we celebrated with a Giant White Man Fire.  Gary & Robin came over to join the festivities and a good time was had by all.  It was so fun toi see that water flying by along our south fenceline.  Only the Good Ol' NPS could possibly run water than fast through an irrigation ditch.  Gary and I speculated it would probably downcut the ditch a few inches in one single night--it was moving that fast.  Hilarious but a great sight to see.

UP at 5 am this morning and feeling like I am already running late.  Don't you hate that feeling?  It's only 7 am but the morning already feels like it's half over.  Dang.  Looks like today's going to be a spray day.  I'm having trouble getting psyched for putting on all the protective stuff and gearing up to spray.  I sure like to enjoy the rewards of spraying but I sure don't like having to actually DO the spraying.  Oh, well...it sure beats carrying a heavy weed eater all day.

We have officially lined up our first "for sure" volunteer assignment in Idaho Falls.  We will be grinding, scraping and painting a ugly railing that overlooks The Falls of Idaho Falls.  The Parks Director gave the "go" to the idea yesterday and they are lining up tools and paint for me.  I told him I would tackle it in the first week of May and be done by Memorial Day.  I can hardly wait to get started on it.

Perhaps half of our bench choices made the final cut.  I will be producing a show of the finalists here in the next few days.

Well, guess I better get cracking on the spray stuff.  Ugh.  Cheers!  jp