Returned in 2023, and this feels like a familiar ghost, this time, since I left here on June 1st, 2011, I arrived again on May 31st, married and owning a house. This is a huge leap from those days, when I was single and trying to figure out my future. Fresh start, new beginnings, but I have gotten involved with my old Burning Man community because there are so many people there who are important to me.
(2023 to Present) 2026 Update
The Backyard Garden Project
Another major project around the house was installing a garden. When we moved in and bought the place, there was nothing but stone and plastic grass in the yard. I got rid of that, shifted some of it, and really worked on something new and amazing.
As seen here, the yard was pretty sparse. I have a 20′ x 40′ space to work with, which is larger than the majority of my neighbors’. I started this off after watching a few British gardening shows and a lot of Gumshoe, but that was expensive at first. And painful, because I was breaking my back moving stones from the back yard to the front yard. You’ll see in the follow up photos where I made a lot of changes and got a lot of plants, not only to grow, but thrive in the space. I hope to put some finishing touches this spring (2026).
2026 will be the year I complete this project if all goes well. I will be using some of our tax refund to finish the yard, then look into the front yard. I have a plant to redo, too. I have already given the front yard a glow-up, but this time it will be a facelift.
Archer
Look familiar? Yes, he looks a lot like my dog Tom from back in the day. I found Archer at the Animal Foundation here in Vegas about 2 months after we settled in. He is a great dog. At his arrival, he is a seven-year-old German Shepherd (2023) and is the sweetest boy ever. He likes to push buttons sometimes, but that’s a dog for you. I have made him fatter than he appears in this image, trust me, I spoil him. I call him my Princess, but other names include dick-head, piggy, and boo-boo. He responds to all of them. He loves cuddles and eating anything he can.
