IT GOT POURED DESPITE THE RAIN!

After delaying the pour five hours because of rain, which threatened for a day and a half, our contractor decided to chance it and pour the eight and a quarter (8 1/4) yards of concrete. Then, when the rain threatened again, they put plastic down to protect the concrete, which set up in several hours despite the rain drops. The pad has now cured out and after a couple of 95-degree days, our porch has come out beautiful.

The concrete also wrapped the house on three sides and after a weekend of showers, very little water has seeped into our basement - yeah! We've put on the patio furniture and displayed Bizzy's Mother's Day present - the new grill!

One problem that "surfaced" during the pour - the concrete truck was so heavy it rutted our soft asphalt driveway, which has now led to Charles calling asphalt contractor's for more bids!

THE CONCRETE IS DOWN!

This is looking from the driveway across the patio toward the mud porch. After the concrete cured for three days, we set the fence back up. That metal stand in the middle is our 50-foot television antennae, with which we can pick up South Bend and, sometimes, Chicago. The only problem - birds sit atop the tower and poop all over the brand new concrete!

TIME TO POUR THE CONCRETE!

Our contractors discuss how the concrete pad is going to be shaped. To give you an idea of how much concrete is going to be poured, the pad will be flush with the bottom step coming out the back door. Oh, that's the mud room that served as the break from outside to inside. It has served us well during this past winter. In fact, after the pad was prepared, Charles crawled under the mud porch and insulated the floor. He plans to enclose the bottom once the concrete is poured.

BEFORE SHOT!

This is how our yard looked before the concrete was poured. Along with pouring the concrete, we had our contractor dig around our foundation and treat the basement outside walls with waterproofing.

THE MOST HEARTFELT COMPLIMENT ONE COULD GIVE . . .

Last weekend we were out visiting Biz's parents at the lake and I came back on Saturday to check on some concrete work we were having done, when, lo and behold, I found this waiting for me. . . er, waiting for Bizzy.

Our neighbors said its a tradition that occurs when graduation approaches (it's this weekend!) that students will go out and get crazy, teepeeing one's house with toilet paper.

That's OK. I laughed it off, pulled out the garbage bag and . . .

"You didn't call the police, did you?" my next door neighbor asked as I was stuffing the Glad Bag not so gladly.

"Oh, no, of course not!" I replied.

"The kids must like you, because you were paid the highest compliment they could give," she added.

"Really?" I continued to stuff toilet paper, wondering, 'Could I reuse . . . ? Nah!'

"If they didn't like you, they would have just egged your house," my neighbor said, emphatically.

We put out the word to the kids who tell, that is, at the High School where Bizzy works. One kid said, "Gee, Dr. Ratliff, you're not going to give them ISS are you?"

"Oh, no," replied Bizzy to the wondering tattle-tale. "I'm going to get even!" When he asked how, she told him how she was going to stuff the guilty party(ies) locker(s) with . . .

Needless to say, one only wishes, and we laughed off this particular practical joke.

I SEE WHAT YOU DID!

Plymouth High School students tried to hide their antics behind the bush, thinking we wouldn't see it. Well, we did! Our next door neighbor said she was worried that we, being from Arizona, wouldn't recognize it as a compliment.

So, we've been complimented!

The name is . . .

As the school year comes to a close, one of the things students look forward to is prom. And, where there's prom, there's the high school administration and staff supervising.

When Biz works for a high school, I always look forward to attending the events with her. The events are fun to attend and to watch the kids as they enjoy the fruits of their labors. The other thing I look forward to is the pictures. And, as sponsors, we get to take our picture right along with the students.

This year's prom at Plymouth High School was, duh, themed "007". The gym at PHS was decked out like a casino, with two big screens on opposite walls playing Bond movies. The sound was turned down so that the kids could enjoy the music and dance on the floor. The art dept. and student council really did a wonderful job decorating. We also enjoyed attending the event.

So, here's the picture we took at this year's Prom at PHS. The photo was taken by Ron Zimmerman, a local photographer. If all goes well, we plan on having our family photos taken in the fall with Mr. Zimmerman.

Have a wonderful Spring!