Trixie

Isn't she cute?
I bought this XS dog life jacket a couple months ago. Yesterday, Trixie and I went in the pool. She's swimming fast toward the steps. I should have taken a picture of Bandit along the side cheering Trixie on. Woohoo - you go girlfriend bark! I think Trixie enjoyed her swim - when she got out and I took off her life jacket she was doing the Snoopy happy dog dance.

The Game Room

You can see the Merit "touch" game and the side of the Free-N-Easy slot machine.
On this wall there is a Bally's Strikes & Spares pinball machine, Ms. Pac-Man with two casino Wheel of Fortune chairs, Rampart, Golden Tee, Two Tigers and a Triple Diamond slot machine.

This picture has the Merit "touch" machine and the 9 ft Air Hockey table.

This is the Bally's Strikes & Spares pinball, Ms. Pac-Man with casino chairs and Rampart. I thought I'd share picture of the game room. The company is coming tomorrow and we'll probably be using this room a lot. There use to be a plasma tv with a Wii in this room too, but that was taken when our house got robbed last year :( Tomorrow I'll post pictures of my husband's EX- wife and her husband - our company!

WHAT???

My sister sent me this picture today. Her son proposed Saturday, April 25. She said yes. I thought the picture is adorable.
They scheduled the wedding at the LDS temple in Mesa, Arizona and the date last week. WHAT (you're thinking)?????? That's what I said also ( but was practically screaming)! He proposed after they got the church and a date? Yep. They are getting married June 19, 2009. WHAT (I'm screaming again)???? Let's see proposed April 25, 2009 - then graduate from college June 12, 2009 - move to Colorado - get a place to live - get a job - come back to Arizona and get married June 19, 2009. In 56 days - WHAT??? ( I screamed through the whole conversation on the phone with my sister.
Those like me who are not LDS can not attend the wedding. I wish them well :)

a lot of hubba bubba

My husband took all the trucks out and parked them on the street. He "man"icured the front and back yards!!! Everything in the front and back is perfect. He then took each truck and washed and waxed them!!! What's all the hubba bubba about, you say???

Well, we are having company. We've known for a couple months. Now you're thinking WHO could cause this much work? When my husband told me if I couldn't get all the house clean in time for Wednesday's company - I could hire a MAID!!!???

There is only one person that I would go to that much trouble for .... I wish it was "the apple of my eye" returning from Iraq coming to Arizona :( but it's not.

The "company" are flying in Wednesday, late afternoon. They are staying at a hotel in Scottsdale. I didn't realize it was that big of a deal until....

hubby told me he took vacation time starting Wednesday. ummmm

*** last year when his Mom came to visit there was a tiny bit of "hubba bubba" - nothing like this!

To: Minot, North Dakota

Dear Ann,

I am so glad to hear that you are having such a good time driving and hiking and sleeping at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Your postcard is adorable! I am also so glad that you can't wait to come down here. I think, though, you might be disappointed to find that Larry (Dad) and Melanie do not live here. In fact, when we bought this house 4 years, we did not buy it from a Larry and Melanie. The people we bought this house from were the original buyers when the house was built. But... please do come to Arizona, anyway.

I'm hoping you get this message before you head out for Arizona. Drive safe - be careful. We'll put some steaks on the BBQ when you get here.

Sincerely, Dee Dee

There's a Monster!

:::howl::: woof, woof, woof, Mom..... there's a monster in the pool - woof, woof, woof
I just happened to have the camera - Bandit was watching her reflection. She would run around the pool and stop, then look in and find her reflection was still there. Puppies are so much fun!

Yesterday, I looked and looked and looked (and looked) for patio chair cushions, lawn chair cushions and umbrellas. I should have bought them back in February when the stores put out their summer goods. Finding 6 chair cushions, 2 lawn chair cushions and three umbrellas that match - that are the right color - that are the right size :::shaking head:::
These are just for the patio furniture by the pool. I am sooooooo glad I replaced the cushions and umbrellas for the patio furniture over by the BBQ area last Fall :::still shaking head:::
It is so hot here that anything outside needs to replaced sometimes yearly. We don't take things "in" during the winter time because we use the backyard year round. Anyway.....

Water :)

28 hours later.... the water has hit the bottom of the tile. With two hoses in the pool going "full blast" it is almost full. We picked dove grey mini pebble and it makes the water look a medium blue shade. It makes me want to do the "Snoopy happy dance." Tomorrow, after they put in the chemicals and start the pump, I'm going shopping! I need new patio chair cushions and matching umbrellas for the pool's new look. Yesterday I bought one of those basketball backboards with hoop and ball (for the pool). The guy told me he'd take off 20% soooo.... I bought it :) Oh, by the way, Lanny: Yes, you were correct! This all started when we replaced the pool cleaner (Barracuda G4) for a Barracuda G3. It is connected to the filter which is connected to the pump. And .... the new cleaner sucked off my tile. Rather than replace the tile - we remodeled the pool. Woohoo

did acid today!

Today they acid washed the pebbletec. Before they did that though, they pulled the wires for the light. They connected the wires to the light but set it up on the Kool-deck. That is so - when they pour the acid on the pool it does not get into the light. Then they put the acid into a water can with a little bit of water - then poured it around the edge of the pool. The other worker had the water hose and sprayed it down. They did the whole pool that way.

Then one worker took a power washer and sprayed the pool again. The other put in the jets.

When that was done they put in my light :) !

The last thing they put in was the new drain. My pool is now filling. I'm not excited to see my water bill. The pool will fill today and tomorrow. Friday they put in the chemicals and start up the pump. Yesterday it was 102 here in Phoenix. The record was 103. Good Golly ... I can't wait until we can use the pool. Thanks for following along on the pool remodel.

Pebble-tec Day

At 5:30am this morning they started working on my pool. This big truck in the alley mixed the cement and the pebbletec. While he was mixing up the pebbletec, the others got the pool ready. They covered my tile, the Kool-decking, the pool jets, the light and the drain. Then they put up a network of cables above the pool to hold the sprayers.

They each wore these shoes - see the spikes?

There was a crew of 7. One held the hose that was coming from the truck in the alley. The other men troweled the mixture making it smooth. As they troweled they sprayed it with water. They sprayed this mixture 4 times. After the last time they sprayed the mixture, they did their final trowel. They sprayed away the top of the cement to exposure the pebbles underneath. I wondered how they got the pebbles in there! It's in mixture from the start. It was fun to watch!

At the end they leave one man behind to do the finish work. He was there an hour after everyone else had left. He takes off his spiked shoes and walks out of the pool to leave. The mixture was semi-dry by then. The whole process took five hours. I LOVE the color! Tomorrow they put in the light, the jets, the drain and then acid wash the pebbles. When they leave the water goes in the pool. woohoo

Fountain

My husband won at the auction the wishing well fountain and this one. We put this one in the backyard in the planter over by the barn. (Remember it's not really a barn - I just call it that) I wasn't expecting to put anything else in this planter but... this seemed to fit. The wishing well will go in front of the house. We'll have a do a bit of rearranging to get it in there. The pool gets Pebbletec tomorrow morning at 5:30 am - woohoo! I won't have time to put the wishing well fountain in until the weekend. The "dog" fountain went for too much $$$ :( the plants you see in the picture are: sweet potato vines on the block fence, rosemary is the plant on the left, a pencil tree and a hibiscus in the pot on the right side of the picture.

Fountains

We use to go to the auctions all the time. There was one in Mesa (Country Club/Southern) on Saturdays that was our favorite. It closed and the other one in Mesa (Country Club/Brown) on Monday closed too. There is one in Phoenix (7th Street/Indian School Road) on Wednesday mornings and then again in the evening. They are ummmmm...... not too honest :( The only really good auction house left is wayyyyyyy out in Sun City (10109 NW Grand Ave). We don't go out there unless there are somethings we really want. This weekend they have these cute fountains. (and other really cool stuff) If we win the wishing well fountain, I'd put that in the front of the house under the tree. The dog fountain I'd put over on the side of the house where we put the new pavers and planters. Might be posting pictures of fountains in the yard soon :)

Almost!

Wednesday the new tile was put around the pool. Today they came out and repaired the rebar. Then they got the pool cleaned up and ready for the Pebbletec to be done on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday they acid wash the pool - and put in the light. By Thursday of next week they start filling the pool. Then Friday - one week from today - the chemicals go in and they start up the pump. I'll show it off when the pool is finally done.

I really like the tile. They used gray grout because the Pebbletec color is dove grey. The steps that are in the side of the pool (that are by the slide) were done in grey too. In the picture he is repairing the rebar just under the hole for the light. Woohoo

LOL

Today Deb in Texas posted about a gun-toting grandma in Florida - you HAVE to read this http://www.ladybugfromtexas.blogspot.com/

Got dirt?

Yesterday, I went over to the town of Guadalupe, Arizona. This is one of those towns that is scary even to drive in during the day time. But .... we needed a load of dirt and this place has the best prices. My husband didn't get his day off this week so I got the load of dirt.

When he got off work yesterday, he shoveled the dirt. It took one truck load to fill both planters. (Remember, he made these two weeks ago)

Today, I went to 6 different nurseries. The nursery that is a block from my house had the best selection and the best prices. Doesn't hurt to check them all out - plus it was a fun day. I'll be going back there to get more plants for these planters.

I picked out these four roses trees in different colors (yellow, red, lavender, orange). I'll put two in each planter. I haven't decided what else to put in there. It will have to be something that "likes" hot Arizona sun every day - all day long.

The pool tile is being installed tomorrow morning - woohoo!

Scorpions, Snakes, Coyotes.... and Alligators?

Here in Arizona we have some unique "critters" that the other states don't have. You expect to find scorpions, snakes, tarantulas, wild boars, coyotes, geckos, ...... but the other day I found an alligator. So of course, I took a picture of it. This worries me, though, because it seems to like houses with grass in the front yard. And my house is the NEXT house from this house that has grass.

Rainy Day in Phoenix

It's a rainy day in Phoenix. I love rain! That white spot on the picture is a rain drop on my lens.

I hope it rains all day.

I go out to check the plants in my new planters every morning. We put two tomato plants in some buckets. There's a little tomato already!

And there is a little tomato on this plant too. See it? I might be able to make ONE salad by summer time - woohoo :)

Pool Day 2

They brought in a big truck. It was back in the alley. It took two truck load to empty all the plaster from my pool. They put the plaster in wheelbarrows - then up the ramp - and into the truck

They shoveled all the plaster into buckets. Then they lifted up the buckets to the edge of the pool. Someone then put the plaster from the buckets in the wheelbarrows. Golly, if their backs didn't hurt when they got to my house, I'm sure they hurt now.

This guy jackhammered for 4 1/2 hours.

This guy chipped off all the tile. There were 6 of them working on my pool today. The pool contractor told me it would take at least 6 hours. These guys had it done - cleaned up - and gone in 5 hours. Woohoo!

Just Stimulating

I scanned the picture out of the book of the new pool tile. It's the 6 inch Marble Series in Indigo Blue (top left).
These are the nasty looking tile that the pool cleaner sucked off the side.
Yesterday the pool contractor came out and did an inventory of our existing pool. He told me that the pool skimmer was cracked. He said it would cost $900 to fix that. Ahhhh no!
I told my husband that - you don't want to hear the words he used!
Today the pool is being drained. It is draining really fast. *** might be because it's had recent experience - shhhh!
Thursday, the crew comes to chip out the plaster. I know it has to be done but..... I am really not looking forward to the noise and mess. We'll I gotta go do some more "stimulating" around Phoenix. Be good :)