Dinner with a View

We've had such a wonderful day -- but at the moment Mr. Fun is waiting for me to join him in the pool. It's 8:00 p.m. Friday, so I'll come back later to tell the story of this day. We have just had a fabulous dinner on our patio and the view is spectacular. My point-and-shoot camera caught the late afternoon sun and washed out the foothills at the south of town, but it doesn't matter. We've had more work completed in our backyard (some of you might be able to see it) and we're having more work completed real soon -- I'm very excited about that. So, it'll be midnight before I get back to write this, but I will. Till then, don't get into any trouble and I'll promise not to either ;-) Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka

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Saturday morning:

An addition to our fence was completed this week by a man who is a master brick/block fence builder. That portion of the fence had previously been wrought iron and it used to be covered with vines . . . but a lot of work to care for. Our desire is to have a low maintenance backyard. The yard guy does the front yard, but Mr. Fun prefers not to have him in our backyard. When the vine was removed, we were looking right into the neighbor's yard. It is sort of visible in that linked photo. We were looking right at their spa. Ugh!

Our solution -- fill-in that portion with the slump stone (like the rest of the fence). Neighbors didn't want to. Bigger ugh! Our solution -- we attached thin bamboo fencing to the wrought iron. Some time ago in a windstorm, the force of the wind caught the bamboo and broke the block that was attached to the wrought iron pole. Long story -- but the neighbors finally agreed to allow the fence to be filled-in. It is so wonderful to have a completely private yard.

So Pat, the master fence builder, stopped Friday morning to get his pay and I asked him about fencing in a lovely garden portion of the front yard that includes the fireplace and all of the rock, so that it is no longer front yard; it is just beyond the fountain in our backyard, He loved my idea. The cost is affordable. In the next week or two we'll have a slightly bigger back yard.

Then Pat stood out front with us for the next hour telling us about growing-up in his Irish family of 12 kids. He is number 9. What amazing stories he told. I could have talked to him all day -- I love non-fiction or "real life" as I like to call it.

We are needing to build or buy a barbecue unit and Pat is advising us about that as well. We had a built-in barbecue that was removed when we did all the pool/patio restoration last summer. So Pat sent us to Thompson's Building Supply to see all the displays. Thompson's has state-of-the-art built-in barbecues (nicer than my indoor kitchen), amazing fireplaces for the yard, bar units, and waterfall fountains (like Disneyland). We came away from there thoroughly confused with the variety of options. So we'll make due by barbecuing on our little Weber for awhile longer (is that decision by indecision?).

On the way home from Thompson's we stopped by a favorite place -- the old country, old world feel at the Historic Galleano Winery. The grounds of the winery are park-like with a miniature zoo--two donkeys, dozens of guinea pigs, several geese--big shade trees and 4 or 5 wooden picnic tables. The little wine tasting room/store is quaint. Two of the dessert wines I purchased were Muscat Late Harvest and Moscato D' Asti. They are both delicious. Then we walked to see the guinea pigs (I love animals). Mr. Fun asked if I'd like him to go back to the wine tasting room to purchase some cheese and salami; of course I said "yes" and a door opened to a lovely moment of snacking, talking, and listening to the breeze in the tree leaves above us while watching a couple of youngsters delight in seeing a couple of guinea pigs who had escaped from their large caged area (which I think is a common occurrence). The grass is always greener (well not really!). ;-)

After leaving the winery we stopped at the grocery store to purchase an armload of veggies for dinner. Home was then our destination. We both put on our swimsuits and I brought the portable burner out to the patio to saute veggies and the late afternoon turned into a lovely evening. With music in the air and a little outdoor fire flaming, we stayed in the pool until 10:30. If you can take the mushy-ness, Neil Diamond's "Play Me" fits our 16 hour day well. It was a day worth duplicating many times.

Now, if you have read this far, you truly are amazing! Thanks.

I'll be blipping later on this Saturday. For now it is time to go play.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol