With Thanksgiving coming up I’m hoping it will be a fairly quiet week work-wise. Around The Great White Shank’s hacienda, however, there is lots going on as we’re less than two weeks away from the great house-painting adventure. I bought some solar patio lights to replace the old and broken ones that have kept dark sentinel over the front walkway for years; the new ones create a very nice light, and at $40 for six you can’t beat the price. How long they’ll last is anyone’s guess.

I also prepped the backyard for the lighting folks whho are also coming the same day the house is being painted. Tracey and I cut back some red yucca plants that had grown too large, giving the painters plenty of room to move around. We also have a couple of new plants that are going in to add some nice color to places that need it, and Carmelo and the landscaping team will be doing the planting this coming week.

Supposedly, the east-facing side yard will be completed this week; the “first wave” came last week to move the sprinklers away from the house and the facing wall, as well as to kill the grass that will be covered with rock. It’s a fairly simple design, but one that will really make the yard look nice and much more practical in terms of the kind of use it gets (which is none).

We’re on pins and needles waiting for word as to when the Section 8 people will be inspecting Tam’s new apartment. There will be lots of activity involving movers and shakers when the time comes. We’re hoping she’ll be in her new place by Christmas – which would mean the guest bedroom will be ready for visitors come the New Year. It’s an anxious and exciting time for Tam, and we’re hoping for the best. I’ve often said life is 50% being in the right place at the right time, and 50% recognizing it when it happens. Tam’s already hit the first 50% by just getting on the housing list when she did; here’s hoping she takes advantage of this situation and reaches for that brass ring once she’s in and settled.