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march 27 -link to this day-
@ 9a | 2 cents...
We had a very busy, fun and tiring weekend building a new raised bed in our backyard this weekend.
march 21 -link to this day-
@ 10a | 2 cents...
Over the past few weeks we have been searching for a good deal on a weightbench. Early last week, we found a guy on craigslist who was selling his son's barely used incline bench. When we got to Cary we noticed it was bigger than it looked in the posted photos! Thankfully we were able to get it into the truck with minimal effort, but the VUE certainly wasn't accelerating at normal capacity. It is now reassembled in our "dining room" and things will have to be reorganized a bit in there. We'll probably pick up some more weights specifically for the leg lifts, as even I find 60 lbs easy.
march 20 -link to this day-
@ 11a | 2 cents...
March Madness has struck again... I guess my pick of Kansas and Ohio State meeting in the final was a poor choice. Oh well.
In happier news, the bread baking class I attended yesterday was very informative and delicious. I brought home a little bite of each bread to see what Eric liked the best. Our favorites were the ciabatta, the traditional white loaf, and the focaccia. In total, I learned to make:
Cranberry-Pecan Bread
Walnut, Apple, Bleu Cheese Brioche
Classic Baguettes
Ciabatta
Multigrain Sandwich Bread
Herb Focaccia
All-Purpose White Loaf
Parker House Rolls
While I was baking, Eric was busy raking, reseeding, and fertilizing the front and back lawns. He also dug out the remainder of the holly tree stump so we can start working on expanding the flower garden. We plan on matching the existing pavers, but they weigh about 20 pounds each, so we may need to ask a few friends to help us get them home in separate vehicles. We are also looking into getting a few cubic yards of soil delivered.
I've also updated our garden page with photos from this season and added last year to the archive.
Last week I finished the biological illustrations for work, a few of the best ones are below...
march 17 -link to this day-
@ 4p | 2 cents...
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
March Madness has begun... I was 13/16 yesterday although I have a sneaky feeling I will not be as lucky with my picks today. My friends are at a bar watching the games. Eric has had one green beer already and is walking around the UNC botanical gardens. I am at work. So. Not. Fair. The good news is that I am working on more anatomical drawings, so at least it's relatively fun.
Eric requested that I somehow work this into a journal entry today... Last night as we were getting ready for bed, Eric stopped flipping the channels when he reached AMC because we were absolutely riveted by the horrendous 80s movie music eminating from the television. The movie itself is awful (I admit, I've seen the whole thing once), but the soundtrack is even worse. If you decide to click on the above link to see what movie I am referring to, please read the reviews of this album. HOW ON EARTH it got five good (albeit sarcastic) reviews, I'll never guess. And here's the icing on the cake.
march 13 -link to this day-
@ 12p | 2 cents...
Many things did not go as planned this weekend, but we managed to make the best of things and enjoyed ourselves. Since Illinois and UNC didn't make it to the finals in the Big Ten or ACC tournaments I took a break from basketball this weekend. I really only watch college basketball in March (save for the occasional Illinois game and the Duke/UNC games), usually because I am asked to join a pool. Just in case, I have my bracket all picked out. :)
Saturday was my cousin's 12th birthday, so we called South Africa to wish her a happy day and remind them that we will see them again this winter. I cannot believe it's been two years since our previous (and first) visit.
Some yardwork was also accomplished: Eric trimmed up our crepe myrtles and I painted the wood post by our front porch. We also ordered several new plants for more color this spring and summer. This week, I am lugging out a long planter from the garage and filling it with mixed lettuce seeds. Instant baby greens for salads whenever I wish! Yum!
march 6 -link to this day-
@ 11a | 2 cents...
We had a lovely time visiting my folks and Gram in Florida this past weekend. We ate tons of great food, played some tennis, took a bike ride and sat around in the sun. Unfortunately, I managed to get bitten up pretty badly after tennis by some nasty bugs, so I have been dousing myself in Benadryl spray and taking the oral medication at night to sleep. All this itchiness, however, still could not spoil the palm trees and sun!
Photos in order below: various sea birds hanging out off the sea wall on Pass-A-Grille in St. Petersburg; anhingas perched in a tree in my parents subdivision; and a walkway leading out to St. Pete Beach.
