Round Up....

There are two things I really hate.

1. Round Up - an herbicide that the previous owner of this house used with abandon and killed all sorts of wonderful things... It's been 10 years and it's still devastating. The house was originally owned by someone in the botany department at UGA. 

2. Poison Ivy - a weedy indigenous perennial plant that has oils in the leaves which when in contact with human skin results in really bad itchy rashes that break out in little clusters of boils which spread when scratched. 

Of the two, and while it pains me to admit it, I dislike being incapacitated by poison ivy rashes which I have a REALLY BAD allergic reaction to...  the poison ivy growing near my office got it.

Monday Monday

This morning I got to work on the office.

For all sorts of reasons I didn't do much over the past week - not with regards to the office at least. It was a reasonably good week, but getting back out to the office was great.

I stuffed straw. 

But really, it was pushing straw into small gaps so that there won't be any holes. 

And I wrestled chickenwire. I'm glad I have a recent tetanus shot... I think. 

More soon. And pictures. I promise.

I'm such a political geek!

Okay, get this...

It's the weekend. It's how out, but nice. Both Bill and James are home. And what have I spent the whole day today doing?

Sitting in front of the TV watching CNN.

The Democratic Party Rules Committee is meeting, and it is ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING!!

(again, yes, I am such a geek)

How will the delegates from Florida and Michigan be divided at the DNC Convention in August? Who who be the nominee? HOW LONG will this Primary drag on? 

I've got a PhD in Political Science, have worked with some amazingly talented professors, including Dr. Paul-Henri Gurian, who is my hero and (almost) lives for Presidential Primary Campaign Politics. I've taught American Government at the university level 17 times...

They've just come back... from a 2 hour lunch...

THE TENSION IS KILLING ME!!

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!

(again, I am SUCH A GEEK!! - and PROUD OF IT!!)

stay tuned...

The office will get built... under someone's administration... :-)

. . . 

update:

FASCINATING!!

My Grandfather, Samuel A. Wells was a Democrat back in the days when being a southern Democrat meant all sorts of things. He stuck with the party through the challenges of desegregation, and through the Carter era. He always wrote to his representatives, and they knew him. Many many years ago, I had the privilege of attending the Georgia State "Jefferson Jackson Dinner". It was a who's who of politics in the South, and he proudly introduced me to Senator Sam Nunn, Zel Miller (who really was a Democrat long ago), and even the handsome Senator Al Gore. While I was young, and an idealists, I knew that I was with someone special. GrandDaddy obviously had the respect of these powerful men. I was so proud of him too.

When I introduced him to Bill (my husband) his question for me was not: Is he a good man? or Can he provide for you? Nope. GrandDaddy asked "Is he registered to vote? and is he a Democrat?" That's what mattered to him.

But GrandDaddy wasn't just a politico, he was a man who genuinely believed that government had the duty to serve the people, and people have to duty to participate in their government. He could organize people and pull them together to work on something that would benefit them all, even when they wouldn't do it on their own. He was tough and had the highest standards for himself and everyone else, but he was always fair and always pushed me to do better, not just for myself but for my world.

One day, he paid my son the highest compliment he ever granted anyone. James was 4 years old, and insisted on holding the door open for everyone going into a coffee shop with us. GrandDaddy watched him thoughtfully and said with a mist in his eyes "That boy will make a fine citizen." My heart swelled and I could not have agreed more. 

Watching the Democratic Party today work together towards finding a fair compromise, towards avoiding further division, and taking steps that could bring someone who wants to unite this badly divided country to a position that could help heal this country has been amazing. It makes me wish my Grandfather could be here to see it. I think he's agree the compromised they reached was the right thing to do.

And watching something this historic with my son, who  is a fine citizen, indeed, gives me hope that Granddaddy was right, and that in his own way, he is also with us. 

That is a very special gift. 

Good work DNC Rules Committee! Good work!

(at least now you know why I'm such a political geek)

Sad News... a memorial of sorts...

Yesterday, we got some sad news...

Harvey Korman died.

I grew up watching Harvey Korman on both the Carol Burnett Show and in all of my favorite Mel Brooks 

movies.

He was absolutely brilliant in all of his roles, and tonight we're watching "Blazing Saddles". 

I first saw this movie when I was 8. My father took me to see it. I didn't get most of it, but I loved it. And I still do. And all the other movies, lik

e History of the World,Part I and Dead and Loving It.

Harvey Korman has always been a constant in my life, like a funny uncle I looked forward to seeing at reunions.  

Whether it is Hedey Laman (HEDLEY!), Count De Money (DE MONET!) or Harvey Kormam (KORMAN), I'm glad that he was in this world, and could made it a lighter, funnier place. 

Thank you, Harvey Korman!

Reasons construction work is not good for your manicure...

The chicken wire is now up... And it's wet and rainy today.

So I'm taking Flash (my scooter) to the coffee shop and out to a doctors appointment instead.

I have a Sea World poncho I wear when I'm on my bike. Nothing like having Shamu on your back in the rain puttering down the road.

I've had some good inputs from folks about the next steps. For some reason stucco vs plaster is really catching me. A couple of neat places www.yestermorrow.org and www.expertvillage.com

But my building guru at Lowe's is on vacation for the week. (Good for hiM!!) So I'm waiting. . .

or stalling. . .  

Okay, Time to go!!

Wish me luck!

A good days work...

Today we got out there later than I would have liked,  but it was fun. 

I have to say having someone to work on this with is really a boost.
Bill helped get the two top side windows framed in, and that additional braces for the top bales... 



This is the view from my loft. I love my loft. I spend lots of time up there already.... and the boards are all the seats from the Barbaritoes ... It's yummy up there.
Of course, when someone wrote that it took them 6 months to build their shed, I remember despairing that I could NEVER wait that long... now it seems like a journey that may never end...

Bill seemed to feel the same way....

But we got to work, putting up that Proposition 65 Chicken wire. It was a good thing we weren't using it in California. Evidently it is trouble there...
We did have a visitor trying to move in...

You know, I never thought that chicken wire and 2x4s could be so lovely...
I think that is a definite sign it's time to stop for the night...

Until tomorrow.

Known to the State of California...?

Sometimes, there are things you just don't want to understand....

I thought Proposition 65 was something completely different ...

Oh well....

Does this mean that in the State of Georgia we don't know what it does? Are we in the State of Denial? State of Confusion? State of Grace....?