Papers and Maters

The Bloggie Doggie doesn't know many tricks. He's very good at just being very cute. See?

But we're trying to teach him to bring us the paper. He hasn't quite perfected the entire task yet. He will get the paper and bring it to the door, but then won't really give it up once he gets inside. Needs more work. But here's a lovely shot of part one of the trick....

I received an email from a reader of the Me and My Good Life blog asking about my 'tomato crop' and offering her help to come over and help can tomatoes....Well, thanks for the fan mail and for checking on the "Great Tomato Project" . Unfortunately there is no salsa in my future. My tomatoes. *Sigh* They just never amounted to anything. I had several blooms and even those evolved into little teeny tomatoes, but then nothing happened. I'm wondering if that excessive heat just did them in. Since the plants were exposed in that stupid Topsy Turvy thing, I'm sure the sun just sucked up every bit of water that I was putting in there. Or maybe I'm just not cut out to be a gardener. I'll get out there and take a picture of that poor project once the sun comes up so you can see it in all it's miserable glory. In the meantime, keep those cards and letters and comments coming!

It's already Hump Day people. Even if it only feels like Tuesday. Have a good one. Peace. Out.

Random thoughts on a hot morning

There is not a lot going on this morning...other than the oppressive heat.

Jordan spent the night at Mom's last night with my niece for their Girls Night. Anytime Thing One or Thing Two is missing, the house feels unbalanced. Much quieter. But unbalanced.

I completed Week 1/Day 2 of the Pushup Challenge this morning. It's not gonna' be easy at all and there is nothing fun about it. The only good thing is that it doesn't take very much time to complete. And hopefully I'll gain some upper body strength and a little arm and shoulder toning which wouldn't be all bad.

An update on the Great Tomato Project....as you can see, part of the plant looks good but part of it is awful. However, on the good part, there are about 10 blooms. And this morning I saw A TINY BABY TOMATO!!! The dead bloom had fallen off and there he was - a teeny weeny baby tomato. We'll see if he can make it to term. Since I don't have extensive tomato growing knowledge, I don't know if this Topsy Turvy grower thing really does better than good ol' ground planting. I would think that maybe I am having to water it more since it's a free standing container of soil - I think that may dry out quicker. Who knows. Anyhoo, I water him every day and am trying to pull off the dead parts so the healthy part can grow better. Stay tuned.

In sports news, Brett Favre has asked the NFL to be reinstated. Now the ball is in the Packers court. I really like Brett Favre, but have not really been a fan of how he has handled this whole retired/unretired thing. Guess it is a lesson for all of us: Better think through a situation pretty darn good before you make some kind of major decision. I guess everybody is entitled to change their mind, but when he said he was retiring, they moved on to another QB. So it's not fair for that guy to now play second fiddle. Anyway, will be interesting to see where he ends up. If anywhere. I'm personally tired of hearing about it.

Cooper was outside last night, came in, flew through the house, ran to his room, and headed back out to the backyard with his binoculars. I think he was watching dragon flies. We've had quite of a few of those lately in our yard. Anyway, the next thing I saw was this:

So take the Bloggie Doggie's advice, and be on the look out people.

My 3 H Day

I can sum this morning's 5k up in three words: Hot. Humid. Hilly. It was just brutal out there. The race started at 8am and by the time we finished up and made it home, it was already 87 degrees with 70% humidity. HOT HOT HOT. Plus, there were quite a few hills on our little course. You know how I feel about hills. No thank you.

I guess the official results will be posted in the next day or so. I believe I did it in about 48:00 which is a nice little 15:30 mile. Average for this turtle. The Speedy Captain did it in about 28:00. He's uber fast.

When we got home, the kids had made a little surprise sign for us.

Note that Cooper signed his alter ego - Batman. He also put 3 "o's" in his name. Time to go back to school.

Maybe it was the heat or maybe just my lack of any sort of real running in over a month, but the race totally wiped me out. I've been sleeping off and on all afternoon and really have no energy to do much of anything.

An update on my toenail....it is definitely coming off. I can see where it is growing away from the base of the nail. Totally yuk. Coach George is thrilled.

Good news from the Great Tomato Project. I have blooms on my tomato plants!! One of them has opened and I can see the yellow flower. And there are a few other little blooms on there too. If you look really careful in this picture, you can see one unopened bloom right in the middle. Look at about 1 o'clock from that bloom and you can see the tip of the yellow bloom. Hooray!

The Bloggie Doggie hasn't felt very well today and last night. His tummy has been upset. That's always nice - cleaning up dog puke. But he still always asks to play with his Frisbee.

We're just laying low this afternoon. Nice for a change.

Stay cool people.

Could it be?

I think my tomato plant has two blooms on it!!! I tried to take a picture, but they were too small and my camera couldn't focus. So stay tuned.....

Great spinning throw by my boyfriend last night to help the Yankees beat the first place Devil Rays last night. Here's another clip of his two run double. Jeter was on fiiiiii-yaaaaah as was pitcher Andy Pettitte.

Another very hot day today. The Bloggie Doggie reminds you to hydrate.

For some reason, I had problems with my shins during this morning's intervals. So I just had a nice little slow run on the treadmill and then did the regular Fit Yummy Mummy exercises. I'm half way through week three....The planks are getting a bit easier, but no funner. The squats remain painful.

Celebrating birthdays today are Tom Hanks (52), Jimmy Smits (love him) (53) and (if you care) O.J. Simpson (61).

And lastly, in the "What Was You Thinking?!" department, Doneal Mack has decided the grass isn't always greener. Go Tigers!

Half Way There

Welcome July! Today marks the first day of the second half of the year. Is it just me, or is this year flying by already?

I ran this morning. Actually took it outside. Nice for a change. I haven't done that in a long time. Temps were pleasant, but I think today is the last day for that.

There is no activity with my tomato plants. They don't look yellow anymore, but there are little brown dots on some of the leaves. Just on a few of them, not many. It must surely be a bug of some sort, although I don't see any critters on it. How long does it take to get a tomato? My excitement for this project is waning. Maybe I haven't waited long enough. Maybe I'm not a gardener after all. But good grief. It's just 2 little tomato plants -- I can't even grow one stupid tomato?!?!? What are these little spots?

Today's bloggie doggie picture is brought to you by Gauge who is lobbying to change his name to "I Ate A Cardboard Box And I Am So Proud Of Myself."

Help Please

What's the deal with my tomato plants? Am I overwatering? Not watering enough? There are parts of it that look yellowy. Those leaves are only at the top part. Well, actually it's the BOTTOM part of the plant if you want to get technical about it. But it's the top when it's hung upside down. Whatever. The rest of it looks ok I guess. And those little holes - are they bug holes? I didn't see any worms or bugs on them.

I'm not a gardening expert. And I've never really planted tomatos either. May be hard to see because the sun was shining on the plant. Oh, they also get full sun all day long. The plant faces west -- the sun will come up behind the playhouse. If you can figure that out. If sun matters to a tomato.

Can anybody help me?

Hot Tomato Cussing Frisbee

Looks like a hot week for us. Just the first of many to come. There may be some rain coming today.

My mother in law ordered a Topsy Turvy tomato grower thing. You basically grow your tomato plants upside down and it's supposed to help them grow faster and avoid fungus, worms, etc. We finally got it filled, planted, and hung yesterday. It was actually quite heavy once we put the potting soil in it. We hung it on an arbor by the kids' playhouse. So begins the Great Tomato Project. Stay tuned...

Just read where George Carlin died yesterday. See kids, cussing will kill you....

Thursday night is the NBA draft. Will be interesting to see where everybody goes. Most mock drafts still have Derrick Rose going first. To Chicago. Interesting since that's where he's from. And of course, where will Chris Douglas-Roberts end up? They've got Kevin Love coming to the Grizzlies for the 4th pick. Should be interesting.

Today is National Pink Day. Too bad I just read this and am already dressed.

And, for your Doggie Picture of the Day....Here's Gauge with his new favorite outside toy. He *loves* this thing and would play this forever....

There really was no other title for this post. But for some reason, it works.....