Fredericksburg Pictures

Okay, I finally posted pictures from our sixth anniversary weekend in Fredericksburg on Flickr. Click on the link to the right to see them or go straight to the set here. We had a great time. I highly recommend checking Fredericksburg out on a weekend. We hit four vineyards, two free dances, the Nimitz Museum and a bunch of stores, restaurants, shops, galleries, etc on Main Street. We didn't do all we planned but we planned more in case we had more time. Obviously we only had enough time to do what we did. It was great. We'll just have to go back to finish the rest. And we had so much fun together. It's definitely been six fun, adventurous, wonderful years. The pictures have more information and links in the captions about our weekend getaway. Enjoy!

It's About Thyme

I went on a little field trip of sorts today to a nursery right down the road from our house. I have been anxiously waiting the need to go buy compost, mulch and plants from them. And today I was finally ready. In anticipation for the sod coming next week in the back yard, I wanted to get some flower beds installed so we wouldn't have to pay for grass that we would eventually dig up later. So before the guy came out to measure the back yard yesterday I put in my edging around the deck below the benches so he would know not to measure that area. And today I got to the point that I was ready to fill those bad boys up.

It's About Thyme is a local nursery which has been open for 28 years. The people that work there are not only super nice, but have tons of wisdom and knowledge about landscaping, gardening, etc. And they love to share it by hosting free classes. Any question I had they were able to answer with good advice and accurate knowledge. It helps that I have been doing this for years so I know some, but can't always remember it. I felt totally welcome and appreciated there. Even with my maroon A&M cap in a sea of burnt orange caps and shirts. The gentleman who helped me load my truck even gave me a pat on the shoulder when he said goodbye and told me to come back again. They were great and their selection is unbelievable. Their plants are in great condition and they have lots of everything. I had no idea where to start but all I had to do is ask and they took me right to it. And there was always someone nearby or they appeared right when I had a question. Unlike some of those national stores where you can never find anyone to help you. That drives me crazy. Plus I felt great putting money back into my local economy. Not only was it a local business, but they supported local businesses as well. All my compost and mulch came from the local area, Austin and Cedar Park and one from Slaton which is close to Lubbock (still Texas!). And to make it better, all the packaging for the compost and mulch was recyclable. Awesome!

You definitely need to go check them out when you need any gardening and landscaping products or have questions. And just to give you some secret information. If you buy local farm eggs on Saturdays at the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market, you can get them $1 cheaper per dozen at the nursery anytime. They have a refrigerator in the little shack where you pay for everything. And there's a coupon on their website. The nursery is full of funky yard art and cool stuff inside the house. So shop local, help out your neighbors and have a great time while you do it.

Our New Deck

Well, our new deck and arbor are almost complete. I'd say it's about 97%. All that's left is the skirting around the front bottom of the deck. The gentlemen who built it, Art & John from Aust-Tex Fence and Deck, were awesome. They are super skilled master carpenters. They reminded me a lot of my dad. Roger didn't get to meet them until day five and as soon as he met them when we walked back into the house the first thing he said was they reminded him of my dad. I seriously could sit there and watch them they are so talented. You could tell this wasn't their first deck. But it was best to leave them alone to do their thing. They did like to talk too so it was better to be out of sight and out of ear shot. But they were great and did an amazing job.

We are so excited about it. It's huge and beautiful. And once we get sod next week and I plant some lantana in the flower beds below the benches our back yard will be gorgeous and done! I can't wait. The sand lot back there is unbearable to be in for more than a few minutes. It doesn't help that there's an empty lot next to us and there's still a large part of the subdivision vacant and under construction. But at least we won't have the tornadoes of sand in our back yard anymore. We are so ready to have some grill outs. So get ready for an invitation!

SCUBA

When I was at Walter Reed, I took free SCUBA diving classes and was on my way to getting PADI Certified, but my doctors said they would not approve it since I could have a seizure underwater and die. I was heartbroken, but understood. I hope that some day the risk will decrease and I might be able to try again.

Today, I came across this news snippet. It was interested because of my try before and experience with the SUDS program. I watched the video and lo' and behold, they interviewed Roy, one of the guys I had Aquatic Physical Therapy with and we were in the same SCUBA class together. I'm glad those guys got some media attention! Go Roy!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy