Where Has All My Time Gone

I haven't written much in the past couple of weeks. It seems as if all my time has been consumed by other activities (well, I guess in fact is has because all time is consumed). I have spent time rebuilding a fence in the back yard and trying to keep my lawn and gardens alive with the terrific heat. Tonight, a week after I completed rebuilding a portion of the fence, my neighbor who shares the fence thanked me and said that it looked good. It had been held up by braces in the yard (and mine until I put my lawn in and tore them down) for the past three years. Tonight they were actually out in their yard cleaning things up. I heard many years ago that if you want you neighbors to fix up their property start with yours. If I can get them to clean up their backyard then it will leave me with only one bad yard that neighbors mine. My how my life has progressed. When I was young and newly wed, I lived in a country club neighborhood where a number of the residents petitioned the home owner's association to require garbage pickup from behind the home so that garbage cans were never placed on the street. Now I live in a neighborhood where 75% of the residents don't even had a yard in. Oh well, I will just keep working on mine and rebuilding the fences so that I don't have to see theirs. At work I spent the last week doing hard labor. Well, it wasn't as hard as the young kids that regularly work in that area of the plant, but it was a lot more physically demanding than anything I have done at work in years (other than climb the stack a few months ago - but that was one time). I lugged 50 lb bags of salt around; pulled 1500 degree, glowing red lances from molten salt; replaced chlorine gas lines; crawled around in the bowels of the plant. It was very educational and I have more respect for the people who do those jobs every day. But I certainly am glad that I don't do those things every day for a living. Last night I had to repair a flat tire on the suburban. I still need to complete the transmission repairs on the van. I have been trying to decide if I want to participate in the cash for clunkers program. I have four cars that quality (lucky me). But, I really don't want a car payment so I will probably perform the needed repairs on the cars I have and try to nurse them along for at least a couple more years. If I can just make it until Jared and Jordan get back from their missions I will be in a better position to acquire a new clunker. I really should get to bed and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be another very busy day getting everything ready for Jordan's farewell on Sunday. I had planned to do a few things tonight, but I was just too tired, so after dinner I just sat in the back yard for a couple of hours, then watched part of a movie with Jonathan (it was too tiring to sit and watch it all) so I decided to update my blog and go to bed. I guess I can say that I have updated it so now I will sign off and get some much needed sleep.