![\"Colorado](\"http:\/\/www.appleattic.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/30552.jpg\")
<\/a>Colorado River, April 26th<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Roan Plateau, April 19th<\/p><\/div>\n
Our commute is long but does give us an opportunity to view\u00a0changing weather conditions. \u00a0We can observe the weather and check on a couple of eagle nests as we drive back and forth as well.<\/p>\n
Daughter Felicity is now out of France and heading for\u00a0a cruise, departing from New Orleans and going to the Bahamas. After that, she will be back in Portland (Oregon) before heading to Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada) where she will be trading some web site programming time for a place to stay. Quite the nomadic life.<\/p>\n
Pam connected with son Toby to find out how his waiter job is progressing. \u00a0(I \u00a0know, Toby a waiter, boggles the mind.) Toby has also started part-time umpire duties for the summer ball season in South Bend.<\/p>\n
I finished sealing the underside of The Box in an attempt to keep rodents from entering. A good cleaning and restocking and it will be ready to roll.<\/p>\n
New tires were put on the Honda – all season Michelin Defenders\u00a0– not cheap at $576.00 for the set of 4 but they do carry a 95,000 mile tread-life guarantee. I\u00a0will check on their\u00a0performance over time.<\/p>\n
Temps hit 80 this past week but a cool-off is in the works, down to our normal average in the low 60s. OK by me; I have not yet put our swamp cooler into summer operating mode. That will be an after-work project for later this week.<\/p>\n
All the normal spring tasks are getting done; lawn mowing, weed whacking, dandelion digging (I don’t like using a lot of chemicals with all the animals running around) and cleaning. Pam is going through “kid” boxes\u00a0we took out of storage and I am cleaning the garage. Both of us are getting restless to get up to The Lot and get going on our summer projects, as well as starting to look at more properties that might suit as a retirement home.<\/p>\n
We filled out the application to refinance this place and I will be going in this week to talk to the mortgage lady. It will\u00a0be nice to secure a lower interest rate but it also means some costs to refinance. When we bought this place we qualified for a no-interest 2nd mortgage that will have to be paid off,\u00a0which\u00a0is where most of the re-finance cost will\u00a0come in. We can afford\u00a0the expense, but it will put a hit on our savings\u00a0—\u00a0worth it in the long run for the lower interest rate, but a short-time hit none the less.<\/p>\n
Pam has a “spa day” set up for the dogs; they will be getting their summer “buzz cut” trims later this month. Blondie, with her short hair, always looks pretty much the same but Bru and Jo really benefit from a complete\u00a0trim.<\/p>\n
Our lilacs are beginning to bloom, tulips, peonies, flax, and iris are blooming, and other flowers are starting to show colors. The lawn is very green from the recent rains. It looks like our columbine will pop in the next week or two. The lilies are growing every day. It is pretty obvious we are transplanted Midwesterners!<\/p>\n