I cannot tell a lie

[spacealien_vamp]

On Monday I had a cherry tree planted in my yard...a pink weeping sakura, to be precise. I hope it flowers nicely in the spring.

Backtracking a bit, my parents and I went to a home/garden event on Sunday, where many local companies set up booths to promote their shelving/windows/landscaping/cabinets/etc. services. We spent a couple hours there gathering pamphlets and looking at products. Afterward, we went out for Indian food, getting to the restaurant just minutes before they started clearing away the lunch buffet. We couldn't identify most of what we were eating, but it tasted good.

My parents are now packing up after the months they've spent here. They'll be leaving in the morning to attend various family functions. Remember what my living and dining room area used to look like? Well, thanks to their grueling labor, it now looks like this. (This view shows more of the trim, with a design based on a Japanese style depicted in one of the books I've been reading.)

The list of changes includes:

• Updating the electrical service to 200amps
  
• A complete rewire to remove the knob-and-tube wiring
  
• Installation of LED ceiling lights
  
• Insulation of the attic and all exterior walls
  
• Smoothing and repainting the previously textured (and hideous) walls
  
• Sanding and refinishing the floor
  
• Scraping and repainting the wall furnace grates
  
• Removing and replacing all of the trim

I really can't thank them enough.