Grapefruit Tree

We planted three fruit trees about five or six years ago. A grapefruit tree, a plum tree and an apricot tree.

The first to produce was the plum tree which had a very brief season each of the last two summers. Also, the apricot tree gave us some fruit in 2008. Both of those trees have grown quite a bit since being planted.

But the grapefruit tree has been a little bit slower in its growth and never produced any fruit until just a couple of months ago. There are about a dozen or so fruit on the tree and they are slowly growing and ripening.

I think maybe another week or two until they have enough weight and are soft enough to be picked and enjoyed. We have no idea what they'll taste like but we'll find out soon.

Staying Busy

We have been very busy here lately.

Both of us have been working a lot and Aimee has been playing softball several nights a week.

We did have time to put up some Christmas lights on the house for the first time. We put them on a timer and they come on each day at dusk and look pretty nice.

We also have a small Christmas tree in the living room that smells very nice. It has lights and ornaments and there are other lights above the fireplace mantel.

Aimee has fit right in at her new job and they like her very much. They also keep her quite busy. It's a good thing Aimee often has a softball game to go to after work, otherwise they'll keep finding some reason to keep her there at night.

Cleaning the Pool

The other day we had the pool drained and cleaned. Apparently, the pool is supposed to be drained once every several years or so and have new water put in. If not, there is an accumulation of Total Dissolved Solids that makes keeping the pool clean very difficult.
I've lived here for over nine years and never had this done before. I have no idea how long it had been before that.

Once the water is out of the pool, the plaster is given an 'acid wash.' It involves pouring a cleansing agent on the sides and bottom of the pool and then scrubbing.

It took about 6 hours to drain the pool and twice that long to fill it back up. Now we've got a much cleaner looking pool and the water should be easier on the new pool equipment we installed earlier.

ND's Slow Start

SI.com looks at Brian Kelly's awful start as head coach.

Arriving at the Game

Aimee's Car

Aimee celebrated her new job this week by getting crashed into on her second day.

She was heading to the office on the 101 Fwy. when traffic up ahead was stopped. Apparently the lady behind her, in a small red car, didn't notice that traffic was stopped and slammed into the back of Aimee's car.

Maybe if the lady hadn't been reading while driving this wouldn't have happened.

Fortunately, Aimee anticipated the impact and did what little she could to angle out of the way. She is not hurt and the car survived with the body damage you can see in the picture. We'll find out if there is any more damage than this when we get it to a body shop. For now, she continues to use the car while we wait to work things out with insurance.

There just happened to be a CHP officer at the scene when it happened, so he took a full report and told Aimee just to stay in her car and wait until he was done.

Aimee's Job

Thursday is Aimee's last day at her firm.

After six and a half years at WWCOT the time has come to move on to a new challenge. Beginning October 4th Aimee will start working for URS Corp.

This company has contracted with the Los Angeles Community College District to build new facilities on many of the LACCD campuses. They have been Aimee's clients on some of the projects she's been working on the last few years.

They have gotten to know Aimee well and have high regard for her professionalism, organizational skills and pleasant personality. She will be joining their group as a Design Manager who is responsible for helping guide these projects through the approval process. Therefore, she will still be in close contact with some of her colleagues at her old firm.

Her new employers have indicated they want Aimee to get her Architectural license. This involves a series of 8 or 9 exams taken over a period of months. Aimee is going to be busy studying for those (her first one is in a couple of weeks) while she starts her new job. Also, softball season has just begun and Aimee is involved with several teams. She will have a full plate for a while.

Obviously we are very proud of Aimee and excited about her new opportunity.

Dodger Game

We went to a Dodger game recently. They were playing the Braves. Don't remember who won.

We were part of a group that got tickets through the sports program of the Down Syndrome Assoc. of L.A.

We might try to go to a game next week. The Dodgers have been out of it for a long time and they're playing S.D. and Colorado on the final homestand. Tickets should be pretty cheap.

Joe Torre probably can't wait to get out of there.

Saturday's Action

We were both battling the sniffles over the weekend while watching the football on TV.

The ND-Michigan game was pretty exciting. It was tough to concentrate on the finish of that game while the fifth set of Federer-Djokovic was wrapping up on CBS.

Both were nail-biters and fun to watch and the best part is we're both at full strength now.

Tennis Night

Recently we went to a charity tennis match at UCLA that featured John McEnroe vs. Andre Agassi. It was an exhibition to promote the ATP tournament that was being held that week and proceeds went to Agassi's school in Las Vegas.

It was fun to see the legends play a match in person and the crowd mostly enjoyed it, but McEnroe was not having a good time. He played very poorly and was not in a joking mood even though it was a simple exhibition match.

Several times during the match, McEnroe would curse and break his racquet after making a bad play. I think the crowd thought he was playing it up for their entertainment but he was clearly not in a good mood.

After the match, which he lost, he left the court immediately without a word to the courtside interviewer and supposedly busted up the locker room at the stadium.

Too bad. It was a fun night otherwise, with a celebrity doubles match to start the night that included Jim Courier and Michael Chang.

Another Visit from Nils

Recently, Aimee's brother Nils was in our area for some work and he was able to stop by the house on his way back to the airport.

He was only out here for about a day and a half but fortunately had just enough time to come over on his way back home.

It was a good visit with Aimee, Nils and Nils' boss who was traveling with him. They had dinner at a place nearby and then spent some time at the house.

It seems that Nils and Rosebud became very good friends in the short time he was here.

Camping at Bass Lake

Here is our campsite at Bass Lake. We have stayed at this campground five times and at this same exact site twice. We like it because there is plenty of room and plenty of shade.

We were there for three nights. Bass Lake is about a four and a half hour drive north of our house and just a little ways from Yosemite Park. One of these times we'll make our way to Yosemite.

Rosebud very much enjoys her relaxing time at the lake.

Sedona

After leaving Monument Valley we drove about four hours south to Sedona, Arizona. This is a beautiful area known for its stunning Red Rock vistas. Our first night we had barbeque food on an outdoor patio with a great view of Snoopy Rock across the street. You can see Snoopy lying on top of his doghouse on the right side of the image above.

The next morning we took Rosebud for a hike to Bell Rock which was just a couple of blocks from the hotel where we were staying. Because we were on vacation we didn't get a very early start. By the time we got going, after 10 a.m., it was already quite warm. Too warm for the dog it turned out. We made our way back to the hotel for some swimming and napping.

Later, we made it out for another attempt at hiking to Bell Rock and then climbing up as high as we could. Even at 6 p.m. it was still pretty warm so Rosebud had to wait for us back at the room.

Here is a shot of Aimee surveying the scene after making a courageous climb halfway up Bell Rock. I went a little bit further and we both got to enjoy some great views.

Sedona was a fantastic place to visit and we both look forward to visiting again sometime.

Monument Valley

Monday morning, after the wedding weekend, we headed West on I-70 into Utah and then South toward Monument Valley.

We arrived in the area at the same time as a pretty big windstorm. That was kind of unfortunate for us because the view on that highway is spectacular and much of it was obscured from us by all the sand blowing through the air. It was quite a surreal scene but not the one we were hoping for.

We checked into kind of an unusual accommodation. The campground contained RV sites, tent sites and this 'casita' that you see pictured here. We enjoyed it quite a bit. It was like a little house. Inside was a bedroom with a King, a full bathroom, a washer/dryer, a fully-equipped kitchen with dining area, a living room with couches and flat-panel TV and air conditioning. The outside, where we ate dinner both nights, had a deck with a partial view of the Valley floor.

We were there for two nights. During the day we took a trip into Monument Valley which straddles the Utah/Arizona border. The scenery was fantastic.

The bulk of the day was spent on a 17 mile drive into the heart of the park on an unpaved road that featured a dozen or so spots where you could park and walk around and take pictures and peruse local Navajo jewelry stands.

It was pretty warm but not too hot. Later that day we took Rosebud there for an early evening hike before dinner. They had a great 3 mile trail that goes completely around one of the large buttes.

Nap Time

Here's Aimee and Rosebud getting set to take a late afternoon nap in the new swing by the pool.

The seat folds down into a flat bed so there's plenty of room for stretching out.

Apparently, Rosebud got kicked out of the bed for moving around too much and disrupting the sleeping process.

Meanwhile, the tomato plants have been producing tomatoes as fast as we can eat them.

They are some of the tastiest tomatoes we've ever had.

Patio Update

Here are some photos I took the other day of the backyard. As you can see, the patio has come a long way since the pictures I put up a month or so ago.

The new pool equipment is now housed inside this custom-built enclosure which has three large doors for easy access. There are two doors on the front and one on the side.

There is also a bench/storage area that has lids that open up to keep things inside.

You may have noticed the house has a different color. We've been painting over the gray with a yellowish color that we like better. The job is not yet complete (we're planning to do the entire house and these things take time) but it will be in a few months.

In the back, against the wall, is a cabinet that Aimee built out of some wood that was left over from another project.

We are also thinking of a tabletop that Aimee can make to fit on top of the palm tree stump.

Raffle Time

Five dollars is all it takes to purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win a brand new Apple iPad and help out a very good cause.

Our good friend Erik has started a youth sports program for kids with Down Syndrome. The program offers soccer, kickball, basketball and baseball. So far, the response from the kids and the parents has been very positive and the first year of the program has been a success.

Funding has been tough to come by so a fundraising Poker Tournament is being held this month. At the event, a drawing will be held to award an iPad. The raffle winner need not be present to collect the prize.

$5 tickets can be easily purchased here by clicking on "raffle tickets."

The Marble Man

New Patio

The other part of our project involves the back patio and replacing the tin cover over it. It has been there for some time and while it is O.K., we have a new plan that we think will be a huge improvement.

The first part of the job was to get rid of the palm tree next to the patio. When I first moved in almost nine years ago, the tree was a lot shorter and provided a lot of good shade. Now it has grown so tall that it gives us almost no shade and just makes a big mess in the yard and pool below. It has become a nuisance.

So we had it chopped down, leaving only a stump.

Next, I got on a ladder with a hammer and a screwdriver and dismantled the patio cover.

It was a lot of work but went quickly once I got rolling.

Now it's time to repair the roof joints, replace the facia and build the new patio cover.

Pool Equipment Area

Part of the new pool equipment project involves tearing down the shade structure that is over the area. Those white posts are now gone and the tin shading material that was on top has been recycled.

The peach tree on the right has been dug up and cut into firewood for next winter.

In this area a new wooden enclosure is being built and the house exterior painted a new color.

New Pool Equipment

We are in the midst of two projects in the backyard.
The first one involves replacing this pool equipment, which has been here since at least 1981.



Now we have a new heater, two new pump motors and a new filter.
Already, we have seen a dramatic improvement in the performance of the new equipment over the old stuff.
Hopefully we will see an improvement in our power bills since the new equipment is a lot more efficient than the old.


This area will be cleaned up and painted and a wooden enclosure is being built for it to hide it away a little bit and soften the noise from the motor.

Hiking in Calabasas

Here we are out for a walk a couple of Sundays ago in Calabasas, not too far from the house.

Rosebud had a good time but had to bushwhack her way through some of the over-grown parts of the trail.

Brian Kelly

SI.com has a feature story today on the changes taking place at Notre Dame under new football coach Brian Kelly.

Easter Quake

On Sunday there was a big earthquake south of the border and the epicenter was a good 300 miles from where we live.

At the time, I was taking a nap and felt the bed start rolling back and forth like someone was gently shaking it. I looked around and nobody was there so I went back to sleep and then the bed started moving again.

Aimee was on the couch in the living room and didn't feel it at all.

As usual, Rosebud slept through the whole thing.

Guru of Go

This Saturday April 3, ESPN will show a documentary on Loyola Marymount basketball and Hank Gathers. The film will air on ABC-TV in the afternoon before showing up a few times on ESPN. I have seen most of it and it is very good.

L.A. Marathon

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Marathon was run through the streets of L.A.

The runners started at Dodger Stadium and made their way through Downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, West L.A. and finished at the Santa Monica Pier.

The course went right in front of the building where I was working on Sunday morning and I went outside to get a few pictures while I had time. Fortunately for me I was out there just minutes before the elite runners leading the field made their way by.

This point was at Mile 20 on the course and I was amazed to see, in person, just how fast these guys were running at this stage of the race.

L.A. Marathon (cont'd.)

After the top runners came by I saw these two guys who were participating in the handcrank division. That group starts out earlier in the morning and nearly all of them had made their way past this part of the route quite a bit earlier.

But the guy on the right in this picture was really struggling. It seemed like maybe he was having some doubts about his ability to go on. We could tell this by the encouragement the other guy was giving him as they were going.

His partner kept telling him to keep going, one stroke at a time, keep moving forward and other things to motivate him to continue. It seemed that without the encouragement and inspiration the guy would have no chance to finish the course.

Hopefully, he did.

Office Changes

Today, everyone at Aimee's firm was fired.

On Monday, everyone will be re-hired. This time, by the new firm that is taking over operations at WWCOT.

Initially, not much will change. Over the next several weeks and months we will get a better idea of how things might be different with the new company.

Aimee has been working at this office for just about six years. Fortunately, that time will carry over to the new company with respect to vacation time and other benefits.

Another change we just learned about is that Aimee's brother Nils is leaving his job in Binghamton, NY and heading back to his old company in Atlanta.

Apparently his job in NY was not proving enough of a challenge and he will begin working in Georgia in mid-March.

Aimee's Office

A couple of weeks ago we went to an Architectural Awards dinner where Aimee's firm was one of the companies being honored. Some of the award-winning projects were ones that Aimee was quite involved with and we were very proud to see her and her co-workers recognized for all of their hard work.

One of the speakers at the event was talking about how this economic recession was the worst since 1990 for the industry and maybe worse. He reminded the audience that, currently, as many as 50 percent of the architects in the area are out of work.

Aimee's firm has been through several rounds of lay-offs the last couple of years including just last Friday when they let some more people go.

Now, they have announced that the company has been bought by a larger, Midwest-based firm that is looking to expand its presence on the West Coast.

It will be interesting to see the changes that will take place as the merger goes through and the principal partners in Aimee's firm transition to officers in the new company.

Fortunately, Aimee still has a lot of work on her plate and is well-liked by everyone she works with.

Almost Champs

Well, we almost became the 'B' league champs for LA City Valley's Wednesday night co-rec softball. We will have to settle for second place this year. At least the trophy is nice and large!

Under the Weather

We went to a Super Bowl party at a friend's house on Sunday.
There were maybe about 15 people there including several little kids.

Apparently, one of the kids had a pretty nasty stomach virus that hadn't kicked into full gear yet. It did that night when they got home.

The next day several of the adults and a few of the kids were very sick as well, missing school and work.

Fortunately, Aimee and I were spared and we went to bed on Monday night feeling fine.
Well, Aimee was very sick by the next morning. She tried to make it to work but had to turn right around and come home to spend the entire day in bed. She was miserable all day and couldn't keep anything down.

Today (Wednesday) she felt a little better and went to work with some saltines and ginger-ale.

We think that as many as 12 of the 15 people there for the game got sick over the next couple of days.

Good game though.

Makin' Some Funny

We saw this spot during the football playoffs.

Lots of Rain

Today is another wet day for us.

It has rained here six days in a row.

Poor Rosebud has been stuck in the house with nothing to do for an entire week.

She's barely even gotten out of bed this whole time.

Hopefully, we'll get a little break this weekend.

It's supposed to rain some more next week.