I made a lot of progress out front this morning, but eventually it was 'time' for a break, and in more ways than one.  

Had to chuckle when I glanced at my watch

 and discovered that it was 10:00 on the dot!

The first thing I'd done was to empty out two of the large, 

and seriously overcrowded, pots of aloe onto the porch.  

After separating them I selected the largest pieces 

to plant in yesterday's holes.

Next, many of the smaller pieces of aloe 

were replanted into one of the just-emptied pots.

I swept up the remaining bits of 'aloe-ettes' and dumped then into a hole I'd dug in the corner where the potted palm had originally sat. 

Now that they've been covered up 

I assume that they will be (reasonably) happy and take root. 

But if not I can always scoot the palm back into that spot. 

Naturally the porch needed to be hosed down, but before I did that I rinsed off the windows.  When I'd been taking Alex's birthday pictures on Monday, the afternoon sun streaming through the windows had made it readily apparent just how filthy they were.  

With that the initial layer(s!) of dirt removed, this afternoon I used my wonderful window cleaner to finish up the job when I ventured out there again.  About that time Alex had come over, and I corralled him to reach the very upper parts of the windows.  

I still need to clean the insides of the windows (though even without having done that yet they look a WHOLE lot better!) 

but that next step will have to wait until Tom and Alex move off the couch so I can get to them. Currently there is another the iPhone tutorial underway there.  

 

The pool guy is here (guess we're on his afternoon schedule?) 

so obviously I could have enjoyed a morning soak.

Chatted with Marilyn today (starting her holiday shopping and needed to know what size shirt to order for me) and we caught up on a variety of subjects.  At one point I could hear Stubby in the background barking furiously; turns out some turkey vultures had had the nerve to settle on 'his' roof!

And speaking of Stubby's adventures, the other day he was MIA. After Marilyn had driven around the ranch in her car looking "everywhere" for him (sometimes even on some of the back roads where the car doesn't 'do well'), she called Don at work in tears, insisting that he come home (with his truck) and look for Stubby.  At which point Don asked if she'd thought to check in the garage...

 And there was Stubby, waiting patiently (and quietly) 

for someone to find him and let him out.