Tree_Fall

A few times I've hired a guy to do landscape tasks like bed removal, bed installing, major pruning, etc. He's a very reliable local guy very experienced after years working for landscaping companies. Now he has suggested I hire him on a regular basis 1 or 2 days a month for 4 hrs to keep a quarter acre with several plantings in order. That's mostly weeding, mulching, pruning. That excludes grass.

I like the idea, but don't know what the pay should be. Right now I'm paying a crew of 3 Spanish speaking guys $60 to cut and trim the yard at breakneck speed.

There are a few concrete fixer/coating franchises around: Ninja, Wise, Sam the Concrete Man, etc. How good your local franchiser is can vary a lot. Some know very little about concrete, slab problems, moisture problem, etc. You might want to start with a good concrete patch specialist. They will shape the cracks to hold a patch. Then hire a coating company to grind and coat. You are right to worry about a buyer's opinion. Anybody who has ever had any slab problems is going to look at that garage floor and run away.

I was checking out the meat counter at a grocery near Henderson La and found 2lb packages of chicken hearts and thought it might be bait. Was told by cashier they were for heart gumbo. I'd like a recipe if anybody has one. Packs of chicken liver are pretty common, but I've haven't seen hearts anywhere else.

On a tour of Ireland 2 years ago I met a couple whose travel centered around QE2 to the UK followed by a tour of their choice then a return on the QE2. They swore it was the only way to travel. They planned 2 years in advance matching ship and tour schedules. They didn't think it extravagant when you compared QE2 costs versus business class air, lodging and meals. The cost of travel really didn't seem to be a big concern.

International air travel really has become unpleasant. A top cruise liner sounds very attractive.

If you are on I-10 I'd forget BTR and stop at Henderson the west side of the Atch. Pat's is large, may have outside seating, overlooks the water, and usually has oysters. LINK
I suspect they are "dogs OK outside" but call ahead.

Working against your wife's desire for oysters and eating outside with the dog is BTR's 90+ noon temps now. You can always buy oysters but the bacteria count soars in summer. Some people say the quality declines because it's breeding season.

French Market Bistro has great oysters, but those 3 or 4 outside tables can be miserable. Try this, call Armstrong Vet Hospital (225) 756-5193 . It's a small clinic in the very same development and ask about a 2-hour board. while you dine inside. They are nice people and can get your dog updated on shots while you dine. If they can't help you ask them about groomers nearby.

If I was picking 2 museums, I'd stick to the Mall and see Air & Space then Natural History. Both are part of Smithsonian. The original red Smithsonian "castle" is mostly admin space, skip it. There are hop on/off buses that circle the Mall from end to end. For a change of view ride a water taxi LINK Go to Old Town Alexandria, visit Torpedo Factory shops and eat in any large seafood place nearby...very family oriented.
Georgetown is mostly food, booze and shops. Out of the way colonial era house/museum/garden is Dunbarton Oaks LINK
National Zoo is nice. It's part of Smithsonian too.

Thursday & Saturday BTR Farmers Market, Anna Maria seafood van. The fish are good quality frozen. Usually a nice variety but availability varies. I like to get sheeps head. Whole fresh fish is available on order, just ask. Brace yourself, a "display quality" 10lb whole red snapper will be expensive.

The special thing about Tonys is the live catfish dressed and cut to order. Bone-in 2 inch thick steaks makes great Vietnamese fish stews. In the chain groceries read the labels very carefully, I've seen a lot of something being sold as tuna, pompano and red snapper from Vietnam (written in tiny letters). Low prices are a tip off.

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I'm 70 now,

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Time for a split king with at least separate adj tilt and height. Agj firmness if desired. I bought Saatva 8 years ago... still good. I don't know current brands and models. Come in super handy during the occasional recuperation.

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about to learn a lot of Bryan

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Don't expect a whole lot. Bryan was once a thriving cotton & cattle town in the Brazos Valley with A&M College down the highway in the scrub where the cadets could fire their cannons without killing the neighbors. Now the whole area is Houston urban sprawl west. For a nostalgic experience drive downtown Bryan at 7:00am. Find a place serving breakfast and order a plate of Migcas.

Appearances can deceive.
Many of those ornate old buildings had bolt on cast iron facades that corroded so badly they started falling into the street. Elegant interiors were painted plaster. Few were built to last.

Preformed/stressed concrete beams and panels along with hanging sheet walls did a lot to make minimalism the accepted price point.

That big old Caddie was falling apart after 2 years, long before today's common 100k miles cars.