Monday, Monday ver. 983.1

I'm working my way through my task list for the day. Still a bunch of things on the list, but I'm working away here.

Have to run out to Pasadena today, I think. If not, then tomorrow morning.

So, Bram is all excited about the patio table on the back courtyard. Today, I was talking to Nicole and Tom about how to make the courtyard far more pleasant, and I started thinking about your idea for putting up some cross pieces between the garage and the house, and maybe finding some sort of climbing plant to go up there that would create and arbor cover - Nicole suggested Wisteria. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisteria

Tom says that I could build planter boxes up along the top of the wall and have the wisteria grow along the wood cross members - it would create a cover over the entire courtyard that would flower in the spring. It would block the sun during the summer months, and would thin out during the colder months, allowing more sunlight onto the courtyard.

And, the plants on the courtyard floor would stop cooking.

I think it sounds like a winner idea! The only thing is that apparently, wisteria is VERY strong, grows VERY sturdy, and would be heavy and .. unforgiving on the roof structure etc.

This weekend, we had people over for dinner and DVDs both Saturday and Sunday night. Funny how only Thursday, I was thinking (to myself) that I would make this house into a social destination much as Larry's Stroud Plantation was in the late 1980s for all of my friends back then. So, here at the Bend, we started the program conceived only 48 hours earlier in an informal but very successful way. Saturday night, we had OJ, David (with whom I had seen "SiCKO" last week,) Bram, and Bram's "boyfriend" Geo. Food was served in the manner of Divoghetti, which was well consumed. We watched "Accepted," which was a hoot, "The Bourne Identity," and "Connie & Carla." Bram and Geo headed upstairs shortly after the last crust of their garlic bread soped up the last gram of Divoghetti sauce, not to be heard from again until the morrow.

Sunday morning, I dragged OJ to church, followed by the board meeting. We didn't get home until nearly 3:00 pm, and pulled into the garage to find Bram Bramalizing the courtyard. He was so excited about the patio table and chairs that Nicole loaned us that he had to tidy up, sweep, hose down and then mop the courtyard. After sundown, he dashed out to buy a box fan to use out there, and bought some cushions for the new chairs. He lighted tea lights in all of the candle holders outside, and held court out there until nearly midnight.

So, we're going to see what we can do to cultivate that.