Week-ending. Improvements.

This weekend has been pretty crazy, yet productive.  On Saturday morning (at 0'-dark-thirty), I loaded up the car, picked up breakfast, and headed over to Harvey to help my two friends with their yard sale. Of course, I ended up with books:

^^  I haven't read any of these yet...  (still trying to get through Koonz's "Odd Thomas")

And I also received a lot of clothes (especially shorts and capris - I didn't realize how much weight I actually dropped - SIX SIZES - squeeeeeeeee!!).  So, I was happy-happy-happy that I didn't have to go shopping (which I detest - trying on clothes, getting frustrated, and then ending up kind of pissy about the whole shebang).  I'm usually not the *thrifty* type, but I'm pretty sure my husband is thrilled that I didn't blow the bank.  :0))  Besides, I fully anticipate losing more inches.  So, when these new-to-me clothes get too big, I'll just pay it forward to someone who can use them.  Karma, baby.

 ^^  I don't care how long I live here in New Orleans, I still love looking (and taking pictures!) of all the palm trees.  I was sitting underneath this one... quite shady, actually.

On Friday (okay - my days are sadly out-of-order), I went with A. to Lowe's and picked up some tropical plants for our tiered deck.  It needed help, desperately.  We have a bunch of elephant ears growing wild (and I think they look pretty good), so we picked up tropical ferns, Boston ferns, a pretty purple wandering Jew, and some smaller accent pieces for the other side table.  This is where I'm at thus far:

 ^^  View of the happy table, chairs, umbrella, ferns...  A. thinks I need some sort of indoor/outdoor carpet under the table.  I'm a bit torn on that one...

 ^^  Coming around the corner from the entrance...  I'm still working on that other corner, so no pictures yet.  I feel like I'm creating a secret garden, because there is NO indication that any of this is back here from the outside of the fence.  I love that aspect...  something that looks bland and generic from the outside, but lush and beautiful once you walk inside...

^^ KMart had these lights on sale...  24' of 100 lights for $6.99.  The cool thing??  If you bought one, you received a second box for half off.  So, I ended up buying four boxes.  :0))  White decorative lights are the bomb-diggity all year round.  So it's not like they'll end up in a closet somewhere...  I'll use them regardless of whether or not it's inside or outside.  

So, after the gym tomorrow morning (I'll be leaving here at 9:00 AM - but setting my alarm clock for 7:30 AM so that I can get my housework out of the way), I'll go to the pool for about an hour to do laps, and then I plan on finishing up the back porch.  I've also got some Mardi Gras beads to hang up.  And then, I'll be close to having a proper New Orleans "courtyard".

We also have a series of Wednesday Night Concerts in Algiers Point starting this week.  I'm going to get the info and post tomorrow.  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!!  

x0x0