It was a fairly tough workout at the gym yesterday morning since even the lowest weight of some of the new machines were quite challenging. 

When I got home, Mitch had arrived, and he and Tom had already started work to fix the irrigation issues.  They had made considerable progress digging the trench, uncovering the existing pipe (during its installation last year Tom had told Steve he didn't think it was large enough to carry our volume of water) and making room for two "new" ones on each side of it.   Then the guys towed the old cement pipes from 37th (at least now we'll be able to mow there) to lay on each side of the new one.  We still need some additional pipe, but when they went to get some it turned out it needed to be  ordered.  That pipe should be available for pick up today and then they can finish up the project.

As you can see, Brownie was on hand (paw?) to supervise.

While the guys were working on that project I took full advantage of the nice cool day and worked in the backyard, raking up the remaining piles of leaves and also trimming LOTS of foliage here and there.  I cut back this happy bush because one of my next projects is to pull up some of those stones to make it so this gate also opens inward; I'm tired of pinching my fingers trying to work the latch from the inside!  

This prolific bush got a major trim since we don't want it impacting the roof shingles any more than it already had!

So just one day after trash pickup one can was already stuffed to the brim - 

but the yard definitely looks better.    

I had just finished showering and was drying my hair when Marcie and Latina came over, bringing all sorts of goodies: leftover gray fabrics, another quilt to bind, and a container of a yummy chicken dish for dinner.  I had hoped to attach the label to the bound pink quilt so I could return one quilt to her, but yardwork intervened.   However I do expect to make substantial progress at Busy Bees later this morning.

Linda called yesterday in the late afternoon.  They are still on vacation in Colorado (and seeing lots of snow) and she had a favor to ask.  (They had tried calling several of their neighbors to help them out, but couldn't reach any of them.)  It's a working vacation for Rick, but he was experiencing issues and couldn't access his home computer to get to the program he desperately needed.  So after rush hour let up Tom and I drove out to Sun City West.  (We got rained on during that drive, and saw a glorious intense full rainbow with hints of a second one.  Wish I'd had my camera...)

No problems getting into the house where I rebooted their home computer and got Rick up and running again.  Yes, I actually "solved" his computer problem!!!  

But true to form <G> I then had trouble getting out of the garage... turns out when we went in and I lowered the garage door behind us I had accidently hit the lock button. 

Read until about 11 last night, and woke up a little earlier this morning than I would have liked, but at least did sleep through the night.  Was just finishing up this entry and getting ready to post it when I got this discouraging e-mail from Sandy:

Andy got a call from Arbor Ridge. They told him that your mom now has shingles and is in quarantine. Andy spoke to her last night. He asked her to call at least one of us a day and report her progress. We have the same trouble getting through to her on the phone. I haven’t been able to get over there this week. Now I can’t. Poor lady! 

No idea how effectively they're able to treat shingles, or how long that recovery will take.  I'm guessing she won't be able to do her PT while she's in quarantine, and was wondering how this would affect Mom's target release day of April 26 when she called.

Her voice sounded really dopey - or as if her lips were swollen - but when I asked she said they were just badly chapped.  We couldn't talk too long because someone came into the room to do something,  but she had been able to confirm that her release date has been moved out to April 30.  Of course I had asked how she was feeling, and she said "it seems to be a mild case" (YAY!) and she doesn't feel as bad as she has heard from others who have experienced shingles.