Things I like

• Chicken Strips and beer tonight at our local favorite dive with amazing friends--congrats to Sara on the new permanent job and a Happy Going-Away!
• A going away party for us on Thursday
• Making a good dent in my laundry list of things to do before I leave
• Receiving the much-dreaded "Supplemental Property Tax" bill only to find they are giving me a refund
• Finding out they lowered my property taxes, which lowered my monthly payment
• Discovering that Placer County has both the lowest property taxes, the lowest sales taxes (8.25% versus 8.75% in Sac & Yolo Counties, and 10.75% in some Los Angeles County cities) AND the second lowest energy utility rates in the State. All the more reasons to love my new town.
• Getting approval from Roseville City planning dept to reduce my fence set-back from 10-feet to 5-feet, which adds enough land to build raised garden beds in my backyard.
• The Euro is at a 4-year low, saving us 30% across the board on our trip. (Reduces the cost from 'ridiculous' to 'ridiculous minus 30%')
• My new "chainsaw on a stick," because seriously, is there anything more fun for a guy than a chainsaw on the end of a 15' pole?

And these three backyards go on my vision board:
I like moving water (as evidence by my career choice), so a fountain would add some interest to my dry creekbed area of the backyard. I will find a tall ceramic outdoor planter and install my own pump and lighting--a perfect recipe for a backyard disaster.


Raised garden beds



And minus the pool, a new set-back fence, yard lighting (circuits I will of course build with LED) and my existing Arizona sandstone pavers as you see here.



Don't hold your breath, there's a reason it's called a "vision board" and not a "completed projects board." And no, my backyard will never look that amazing, but you can bet it will be lit like crazy.