Curb Appeal

Today we had great expectations, since Trevor took the day off and we had two adults and two kids. Ergo, we could conquer the world! Or, we could walk to the farmer's market, at the very least.

However, today being July 3, the weather was of course freezing and rainy. We bundled the girls into their strollers with coats and blankets and hats, and they still weren't warm. Walking up and down the hills of the neighborhoods by the market didn't even warm my body, let alone my nose or fingers.

But we tried. We even took the dog, who was so pleased to feel loved for once in three years. After the farmer's market, we quickly tried a park, then another, and ended up throwing in the stiff, frozen towel.

Berit and Trevor went to his parents' house, where his brother and family are staying for the weekend, and Marta and I went off in search of curb appeal for our house. Having the ability to only carry one large hanging arrangement in the back, one small hanging arrangement in the back, a big potted plant on Berit's car seat (washing to be done after this post) and a giant hanging arrangement ON my passenger seat (vacuuming to be done after the washing), I wasn't able to get the thousand other things our house needs. Now that we've decided to add about 40 cedars to the front, pavers and plantings, four more big potted plants and three flowering trees to our "landscaping," I'm jumpy and frantic to get it done. Not so much that I entirely want to forego Fourth celebrations tomorrow, but almost. We're also going to re-paint the steps, rails and rocking chairs, and I feel all of this will surely take several weeks to accomplish if I don't force it to be done this weekend.

When Trevor hung the giant hanging arrangement, the weight of it pulled the ceiling of our covered front porch down. As he, the arrangement and the "ceiling" fell, Trevor yelled, "Why'd you get one so heavy?!?" And I said, "I'm so sorry. I didn't consider that a big hanging plant would pull our house down." Which is what I think led Trevor to agree to all the improvements outside, to hopefully lure a buyer in and let us get on with building our house to Trevor's load-bearing specifications.

P.S.: The picture above is of Marta, after she took one of the dirt-filled trays holding a plant and dumped it over her head, resulting in dirt stuck to every teensy part of her body, including, somehow, in her diaper. She then ran around the yard wearing the tray as a hat shouting, "More dirt! Need more dirt!"