Sorry for no new posts the last few days. I’ll try to make up for it here. 
Work is good. It’s been very busy getting my project into QA for testing. A few bugs, but nothing major. Everyone’s happy so far. New projects that I’ll be the lead on or involved in are already getting started. I’m excited to see where AA.com is going and how much of a hand I’ll have in getting it there.
I bought some roleplaying goodies today. The GURPS Character Assistant for 4E rules finally came out from Steve Jackson Games so I have that on order. I was too lazy to go to my local comic/rpg shop and see if they have it, especially since there isn’t one very close to my house. It’s a software program loaded with all the rules that will allow me to easily create and store characters, just printing them out when I need them. Also, I purchased some items from rpgnow.com, one is a city resource book with sample shops and characters, the other has maps of buildings that can be used in the sessions. I like RPGNow’s approach, it’s good to see someone finally taking advantage of the digital age. They sell almost solely digital merchandise: everything is a PDF, graphic file, etc. You get a secure link on purchase to go download it. In the world of roleplaying, many supplements are not published because in the already small niche market there is not a sufficient number of likely buyers to make it likely it will be profitable. However, with digital sales, there’s no cost of printing, distributing, shipping, etc. So you end up with a larger variety of smaller, more targeted supplements. I just wish there were more for GURPS. Steve Jackson Games has created “e23″ (their online store is “warehouse 23″) for this purpose, but they don’t have much e-content up yet.
Ian and I are working on some art ideas for the house that he’s had (he’s always so creative, I wish I could come up with art ideas for the house like he does!). I hope to get the game room a little more finished out. With the bar (and a really cheap bench we found at Eurway), it’s getting close. Some art for the high wall is needed, and then some lighting. I want to do track lighting above the art, but the trick is hiding the cord. There’s a new strip that will cover it, stick to the wall, and can be painted, but I’ll have to see if that can pass muster around here 
The final touch, IMO, would be to get a small runner rug between the air hockey table and bench. It would be cool if we could get a matching square rug for the living room to tie it all together.
The yard is looking good, though you know me, I always want more. The backyard is really about where I want it. I can’t make it bigger, which is the only thing I’d want to do. If I could have my current back yard, with a pool and hot tub, and a larger lawn area for the dogs, it’d be close to perfect. Everything generally grows very lushly back there with lots of sun, water, and fertilizer (and bug killer, and weed killer, ok Tim, organic I am not!). Most things have filled in to give the landscaping a natural, pleasing, casual look. I still haven’t got the climbing vines on the shade nook filled in to my satisfaction, nor have I managed to keep plants in hanging pots alive through Texas summers, but each year I do better on both counts.
The front yard is still my annoyance. The look I planned for this year totally did not come through as the caladiums and …. and …. CRAP! I can’t think of the name of it. (Coleus!!! I thought of it as I was hitting submit for my post!) It’s bugging me. And Google is failing me, beause it’s hard to search for something when you don’t know what it is! Anyways, they didn’t fill in and the front gardens have looked very bleh this whole year. I have put in more shrubs and those are looking good. I need some more nandinas next year, and I’m going to try and fill in more with perennials like mums and lantanas (I love my lantana by the pond in the back!). To top it off nothing I do to the front lawn makes it grow like the back. Bermuda is just, in my opinion, not that amazing a grass. Can’t take intense heat unless it has lots of water, MUST have lots of sun (the main problem in my north-facing front lawn of a two story house), and can’t be trampled on too much when it’s filling in, dormant, or waking up. The fescue on the sides (where bermuda won’t EVEN grow) has done ok, but it has to be reseeded each year or two or it will get bare spots like mine does, and it stays green through the winter and looks odd against the brown Bermuda. Still, there are days when I contemplate putting it in the front yard. The beds around the front trees got to looking so bad I took them out, and our craptacular green elm (the one that didn’t fall over last year) has begun leaning yet again so this time it is staying on the tieback. I don’t care that every lawn care person I’ve spoken to says they’re great trees, neither of mine, nor the one down the street put down sufficient roots in four years to avoid being knocked over in heavy winds. The Schumard red oak on the other hand is looking gorgeous. Eventually I’d like to put in Pavestone pavers around the front flowerbeds and the front trees, but that will be a ton of work (not to mention money), so I’m about half convinced to leave the front lawn looking so-so until we move and try again in the next house. It’ s not THAT bad, it looks pleasant, it’s just frustrating I can’t keep the front yard up to par with what I have in the back despite putting work in on both. Ian and I found some very cool solar-powered LED spotlights that I’m curious to put in the yard (I was looking for lights for the front walkway since vĒlast ones shorted out and died). I may put these spots in the back eventually, and possibly for the trees in the front.
Well, that turned into a long-winded rambling recap of my yard. Like you care! Hope everyone is having a good weekend. Despite my griping, I know I am. We found a new wine bar this weekend that is nice, but still not as good as Cru. Just kicking back this evening for some chili and a movie. Later.