Fort Worth was Awesome last weekend

But I'm not going to write about that trip until I download the pictures from my camera. All I'll say now is that it is August in Texas and we had a beautiful weekend and a great time in Fort Worth. Etta's Place was awesome lodging and a great location.

I decided that I need to be more active. I'm working out in the mornings, but I also decided that at lunch, I should get away from the office and get a little exercise. I decided I should go shopping so I can be somewhere cool and indoors. Note to self: Bad idea when you are trying to stick to a budget.

I decided it was time to quit playing every weekend and get some work done around my house. For starters, I bought a new chainsaw...and of course, when I get it home and read the directions, I realized I need chainsaw oil. I  hate that kind of stuff 'cause then I had to run back out again. I have a pecan tree that had branches hanging on my roof. So, I live on a busy street and I'm sure it looked like the circus came to town. My boyfriend and I didn't have a really big ladder. He's on the top step with a chainsaw while I try to hold the ladder.

We had some branches that were really high. We used an extension cord as a lasso to pull the branches downward. That took him throwing the cord quite a few times. It's not as easy as it looks. Kudos to all those lasso guys out there. I never appreciated how talented you really are.

So then, I reach up and pulled the branches down with all my weight after he lassoed them and got them low enough for me to reach. They were very heavy. I was afraid I was going to be sling shotted into the next yard. My boyfriend got on the ladder over my head and chainsawed them down. All I can say, is that my $50 electric chainsaw was so worth it.  The tree 'surgeons' wanted $300 for my two front trees and with a $50 chainsaw, we were done in less than an hour and it looks good.We cut some pretty big branches with that little saw.

Also, I'm finally getting pecans. I'm very excited about that. Last year, I wasn't living in the house yet and the trees never got watered. The pecans all fell off prematurely and were tiny. They are big and green right now. This is what I see in my future.

So the work didn't stop. Sunday, I decided to clean out and organize my garage. Wow. What a chore. I bought some 6-ft tall shelves at Target. OMG!!! I worked on those things for hours. If I were to sell the shelves in a garage sale, I would ask $250 (they cost $26) because I spent so much time putting them together. The directions said NOT to use a power drill. Well I would have never finished them if I didn't. They gave me flat-head screws and not all the wood had precut holes. Ugh.

So the scary part is that when I picked up a throw rug by my kitchen door (in the garage), there was a HUGE dead tarantula under it. Thank goodness for the dead part. I didn't tell Hayley about it. I was afraid she'd never  go to the garage again to do her own laundry. I can tell you that I'll definitely be on alert when in the garage. 

School started today in Frisco. What a pain. I sent a utility bill with Hayley but forgot the signature page for the handbook so they wouldn't let her go to class. I wasn't allowed to scan and email it....I HAD to fax it. Then, Hayley needed lunch money and it's been months. Couldn't remember my user name and password for that website. Bah humbug. 

And of course....the commute today. School buses everywhere...and where did these dang DART buses come from? I don't recall seeing a DART bus in Plano in months....they were everywhere today.

So I'm done griping. It's a great day. I'm going to get my exercise at Willow Bend Mall :)