Here's a panorama of the driveway side of the house on April 2, 2011. I've been painting the stucco underneath the windows, scraped the peeling paint off of the porch post, and I removed the stupid decorative (if that's the word) 2x4s that ran from the post to the wall between the door and the garage.

So the guys finished the stuff that required getting on a ladder and/or getting on the roof, which leaves me to paint the rest in peace, and at my own work pace, i.e. slowly. I did a fair job on the post, it looks OK. I am going to hire the uncle of the guy who did the clearing and painting and wood replacing to install a new garage door. I also want to replace my front door. And I need to clean up the remaining plant life and paint the stucco next to the porch. But things are looking better, I suppose. Anyway, all my neighbors have been complimenting me!

Above, on April 5th we had a pretty day, and here's what you would have seen approaching the house. By the 8th I had finished painting the stucco of the porch, and disinterred the camellia (which to my surprise was still alive). Despite a week or so of gray uninspiring weather, I eventually finished painting the stucco, the metal window frames, and putting up a trellis. Below is the side of the house as of 25 April, there is still some planting that remains to be done, but basically the painting is finished, at least for now. There is, of course, the rest of the house that needs to be done, and perhaps I'll get the wood painted in the front. However, I really need to get started on re-doing the Master Bathroom. Not to mention the landscaping in front.