I'm NOT an Engineer

4/25/2025

"Which of these walls are load bearing?" the women asked at my Sunday Open, pointing at the long hallway running down the center of the home.

"Well, certainly the exterior walls are," I said.

"I meant which of the INTERIOR walls are load bearing?" she repeated, clearly impatient with me.

"You'll need an engineer or a contractor to answer that," I said. "I'm not qualified on that topic." (Nor would I hazard a guess.)

"Then what are you here for?" she snapped. "My son and daughter-in-law are interested in the house, and I've come all the way from France!"

"Bon jour," I said, "but that still doesn't make me an engineer . . . "

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Baby, I Was Born to Sweep

4/18/2025

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Here we go again . . . I spy the tell-tale signs of a bird's nest under construction on a rafter high above my exterior side stairs. This feathery duo return each spring (like the swallows of Capistrano) to build their roosts. Theoretically, I don't object to birds nesting around my house . . . it's just that these birds are slobs (truly, they make a MESS). It begins with twigs, straw, strings and grass littering the steps, then once the chicks are born and on a 24-hour feeding schedule, it gets really ugly, really fast . . . (need I say more?).

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April Showers Bring May Flowers

4/11/2025

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I spent the morning in my garden planting for a tour I've agreed to host in May. Five of us were asked to open our gardens to a visiting club from Pasadena, and while I'm happy to do so, between you and me, this is both an unexpected honor, and an awfully BIG CHORE . . . which is why I've been working on the flower beds a little bit at a time.

That being said, gardening is one of the few tasks that pay you back in spades . . .

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The Buck Stops Here

4/4/2025

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I spent last weekend in bed recovering from surgery. Like many people, when faced with the prospect of an invasive procedure, I had put it off for a few years, but I could no longer ignore the problem. Now that the issue is resolved, it's back to business as usual. (Thanks for your well wishes.)

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I'm NOT an Engineer

Baby, I Was Born to Sweep

April Showers Bring May Flowers

The Buck Stops Here

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