#10: 2024 Already?!

Well, hello, and happy 2024! We are finally getting back into the swing of progress at our place after about two months of holiday festivities and traveling to be with family in all their lovely homes and cities. Mid-December, I said good-bye to my mom’s mom, who lived to be 99 1/2. I like to think all of our passed-on relatives and friends will be with us in spirit during what would be their favorite parts of our boat journey. Come one, come all, since weight won’t be an issue with our other-worldly visitors! In other news, I joyously baked my heart out at my brother- and sister-in-law’s house. No pic of the delish chocolate chip scones, but here are some tantalizing pixels of the drool-worthy homemade chocolate chip/tahini/chia seed cookies:

So . . . where did I leave my blog off with our landscaping? We had poured concrete six times before December came upon us, and they were all smashing successes. Here’s a pic of the fam’s seventh pour: a footing for the next pour’s 6-foot-tall concrete wall that will be big enough to hold a gate from both sides of the horseshoe drive.

For the past few days, Nick has been hard at work outside, forming for the wall along the street (that will rest on our beautiful footing that no one will ever see). Boards will be in place during the pour to give the concrete a horizontal texture, like the rest of the wooden fence on the surrounding sides. It’s detailed work, but we hope the finished product will look nice and give the wall a contemporary feel.

We also picked up some light-colored rocks in the past month that we dropped into place between the finished concrete. Pay no attention to the alien in the space suit, trying out his new mask.

Oh, hey, and guess what else? We’re picking up our boat kit this week in Houston! It’s finally in Texas! Yaaaaaaaay!!!