Maybe I'll go to bed early...

...so that I can get up earlier and start working around the house tomorrow.

See, it's going to be BEAUTIFUL tomorrow (comparatively speaking) here in Chicago...60s and sunny. I can't believe it myself!

I missed going to the gym today, but I did buy a new bike, which I've been itching to ride. So maybe I'll get up really early and take a long bike ride. Then come back and do some work. I've also been itching to get to work outside, but I want to make more progress down in the family room before I start playing around outside.

Still, I bought a bunch of dormant plants at Costco the other day, including a batch of grape plants, which I'm REALLY excited about planting. Gina loves grapes, and I like them. But it would just be cool to be able to grow them and pick them and all that good stuff. Of course, I have grapes, but no trellis or pergola, or really a ready spot for them. So we'll see. I might have to improvise. Some of the outdoor projects I want to knock out this year:

1. Cut down and dig out the yew bushes in front of the house. Gonna keep the nice, full ones on the side of the main face of the house, but the ones in front gotta go. They're in sad shape, and I want nicer curb appeal.
2. I bought some ferns and some other shade-loving plants for the front (we're north-facing) to replace those at least as a base for this year. This way, I have something there if I don't get around to totally renovating the front.
3. HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO replace the fence in the backyard, and especially the gates. They are in sad, sad shape. This will be an early project, I'm hoping.
4. Want to tear out the hot tub and the "carport" covering it, and then reclaim that for grass. I would reclaim it for, say, a mini prairie, but with a child and possibly others in the future, I don't know if reality would win out in that case. But, hey, maybe...now the wheels are turning. :)
5. Definitely going to build a garden in the back, next to the garage, though. That plan was brainstormed long ago, and I'd like to move on it this year. I'm hoping that I'll be able to do that, but we'll see.

So there's much to do...

I did get one thing done yesterday, I should say. I took the day off because of A.J.'s one-month checkup, and spent part of the afternoon tearing down the soffit in the family room so that the plumber has access to the water supply pipe for replacement. Hopefully that will be able to be scheduled for next Saturday. That would be nice, let me tell you...

So what are you all doing this weekend? Anything cool?