Thanks for the note about Saturday. I can help set up the grill around 3 if that works. The brisket recipe you mentioned sounds like it needs a good dry rub and low heat. Let me know if you want me to bring the smoker or if you plan to use your own. Also I have some extra oak chunks if you want a deeper smoke flavor. We should probably plan on starting the fire around 2 so it has time to come to temp before the meat goes on. I can also bring a cooler with ice for drinks and some sides like coleslaw and baked beans. Let me know if you need me to pick up anything from the store on the way. I can grab extra charcoal and some sauce if yours is running low. Looking forward to it. Just let me know what time works best and if you want me to bring anything else.

Also I wanted to ask about the potato salad recipe you mentioned last time. I think it had dill and a little mustard. I would like to try making it for Saturday if you can send me the proportions. I remember you said to boil the potatoes with the skins on and let them cool before mixing. That makes sense so they hold their shape. I will practice it tomorrow night so it comes out right.

I wanted to follow up on your question about the garden layout for this season. I think the raised beds should be oriented north to south so the plants get even sun throughout the day. The tomatoes and peppers will do well on the west side where they get afternoon heat. For the cucumbers I would put them on a trellis along the back edge to save space. I have some extra cedar boards if you need them for building additional frames. We should also think about drip irrigation this year since last summer got so dry. I can help you run the lines if you want to set that up before planting. The soil test results came back and it looks like we need to add some lime and compost to balance the pH. I can bring a bag of compost when I come over this weekend. Let me know if you want to adjust the layout or if you plan to add any new crops. I have some seed packets for zucchini and basil that I can share if you want. Also I noticed the raspberry canes are starting to send out new growth so we should probably prune the old ones soon.

About the shed organization you mentioned I think we can get it sorted in an afternoon. I will bring some heavy duty hooks for hanging tools and a shelf unit for pots and soil bags. We can move the lawn equipment to one side and create a workbench area on the other. Let me know if you want to tackle that this weekend or wait until after planting.