PSA for the 'Hood and a Spring Break Re-cap

The Bike Garden is pleased to bring you this Public Service Announcement: There will be a meeting of the UNIT neighborhood association (Tech Terrace) tonight at 5:30 PM, at J.T. Hutchinson Middle School.

And now, on to a re-cap of my busy-ness over spring break:

Removed an ill-advised trumpet vine, pursuant to replacing the cyclone fencing at a later date with something more attractive:

Here is the before:

I forgot to take a picture of the after, but trust me, it looks better.

Refurbished some patio furniture I inherited from my parents:

Starting with having a part re-welded by a local shop (Liberty Welding), who did it on the spot when I showed up, chair in hand:

I cleaned flaking paint and rust off with a wire disk inserted in a drill. (I also used a dust mask and safety goggles for this step):

I repainted everything with an undercoat of Rustoleum Rust Reformer, and a top coat of Rustoleum traditional satin black. (I wore an organic vapor mask and safety glasses during the process):

(A quick word about both the dust mask and organic vapors mask: most masks sold in hardware stores are too big for women's smaller faces, and consequently, create a poor seal. I special ordered these in a smaller size. If I remember to do so, I'll look up the manufacturers and suppliers and do a quick post on it this weekend.)

Then some neighbors and I tested the furniture on the wine patio:

Built a "ruins bed" (thanks, Nell Jean, for that perfect name):

Took a trip to San Angelo to visit Mom in the home (shown here with a sister):

Took some photos of the garden surrounding the art museum in San Angelo while my mother and sisters were shopping for quilt fabric in a store nearby:

Love this galvanized metal utility gate:

Back in LBB, I searched all over town until I found a replacement for a beloved, but now fundamentally cracked garden cart:

And, finally, I hung some sparkly lights above the wine patio (no photo yet).

I would have done more, but out of eight spring break days, two were rained out, three were travel days, and one day I set aside to have a migraine.

Now, for the weekend...