We dug ditches in Jon's yard today, and here I am with my prey, victorious after the hunt. Actually, the palm was very easy to dig up. I am a big fan of plants, but if they are in the way or don't belong, I will get rid of them. Palms do not belong in north Texas. Besides, it was in the way of my ditch. We were digging ditches in order to bury soaker hoses around the house foundation. We managed to get them all done today, and get all the hoses and timers hooked up. Victory!

Every time I take a vacation, I make a collage frame of the pictures from the trip. So far I have the Caribbean cruise that Susan and I took, and the trips that Jon and I took to Virginia, New York, Chicago, and Colorado. It makes me feel good to see the memories. I only have one place left in my hallway to hang a frame. Then I'll have to move to other walls.

I went to mow my grass today, and noticed that there is a large puddle in my backyard. It was on the fence between me and my neighbor, and I could see that their backyard was flooded too. I poked the ground in my yard, and the puddle does not extend up to my house, and I don't have any pipes in this part of the yard. I told my neighbor, and she said she's heard water running the last few days, but hasn't figured out from where. I hope the leak is on her side. And I did finally get my grass mowed!!

I used to get up at 5 am regularly to work out. I would hit the snooze once, twice at most. Now I struggle to get up at 6:30 to go to work. I could sleep later, but then I'd have to work later, and that is no good either. I don't know why I'm so sleepy in the mornings now. I sleep well, and go to bed around 9 or 10. I do force myself to get up a few times. I've been doing a pretty intensive weights workout for the last couple of weeks and I like it. I've been running intervals on the treadmill too, and I don't like it as much. I like running through my neighborhood as the sun rises better.

I bought groceries today, and I used my canvas shopping bags. I love them. They are larger and more durable than the reusable bags you buy now for a dollar. I got them a few years ago, and I haven't seen any others like them around. I try to take them with me to the store every time. I hate it when I forget them. Plastic bags are weak and flimsy and small, and then you have to do something with them or recycle them.

It is Monday, class day, but I am home by nine. Nice. The instructor lets us leave after we finish the classroom exercises. We use the H&R Block software, and I have a lot of experience using non-intuitive software, so I breeze through the exercises. I like the classes though. We go through the book, but the instructor does a good job of explaining the tax codes and providing examples. Just reading the book can be a little confusing. Tax stuff is complicated, but still fun.

This is my next attempt at mowing my lawn. I returned the lawn mower that only mowed once and got this one. I cannot get the wheels on. The lazy mechanic who assembled this at the factory did not line up the holes when bolting the plates together, and the bolt for the wheel will not fit through. This is pathetic. Do not buy a Bolens mower. They are crap.