Just watched Northanger Abbey on PBS -- thank goodness for DVRs! Michael and I were both a bit confused about some of it but it was still a good program. Northanger Abbey is the only Jane Austen book I have not read. I think I tried once but got bored with it or something. Might have to try it again.

Michael bought two new trees today -- another Leyland cypress and, big surprise, another Japanese maple. This one is a weeping tree. My husband is obsessed with Japanese maples. We have only five of them but our little backyard is getting quite full of trees. Thankfully, he is willing to plant the cypress in the front yard. I want him to plant the staghorn sumac I bought a couple of years ago in the front as well but he is fighting me on it. He thinks it has an ugly shape but I don't care, I want that damn tree in the front. Our front yard could use some curb appeal. Especially the color of the house -- federal gold is not my favorite color and it is really ugly looking. Plus, the white trim is starting to peel -- looks like the person who last painted it didn't believe in primer 'cuz there is nothing underneath the peeling paint. And a lot of the trim is coming off the house on the ends. Might be dry rot. Oh, joy!