Woe! No lemon cucumbers!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The garden center I go to didn't have any lemon cucumber plants for me to buy! Those were so tasty and refreshing last summer. I did leave space so if I come across any, I'll have room to put them in.

But everything else is in. Strawberries plants abound! And I bought a cherry tomato plant and a watermelon(!) plant too. Then I have seeds for peas, carrots, spinach, and red leaf lettuce that I also put in. And we got a good dumping of water over the weekend so everything should be well watered.

Also this weekend we bought some grass seed. It's supposed to work really well in shade and it is supposed to be able to take over weeds. So maybe under our trees will no longer be the haven for weeds and baby trees that it currently is. We seeded this weekend and then you are supposed to do it again in the fall and then AGAIN in the next spring and that's when you start really seeing the results. If I remember, I'll let you know next year how it went.

Our long weekend was pretty good. We gardened (obviously) and I had my class and my favorite author (Robert J Sawyer, SF writer) was in town so we went to a reading and he signed my book. I made a pecan pie. Which is fabulous but really not healthy in anyway :D And we made roast beef which neither of us had ever done before and it came out really moist and tasty! Yay for experiments going right!

  

Work BBQ

Friday, May 21, 2010

Today at lunchtime work gave a bbq for lunch. It was alright. The smokie I had was not the best I've ever had. I had a bite of Mark's burger and that was pretty tasty, I should have gone that route. I had a smokie, potato salad, and they even bought low fat/cal ice cream treats along with the drumsticks so I had a fudge bar too. Then Mark and I wandered over to the nearby park and just sat on the grass in the sun and talked. It was a nice lunch.

Except for the part where as I was going to put ketchup on my hotdog bun, I spurted ketchup ALL over my skirt and leg. Nice. I'm going to have to get it dry cleaned too because it can't go into the washer.

So when I went on the bank run this afternoon, I went home first and changed. (We live like 5 minutes from work so this is feasible) But Venus (our cat) was so happy to see me. Normally we go home at lunch and today obviously we didn't. We gave her extra food before we left this morning so she wouldn't be hungry but she likes the lovin' too. I scooped her up and cuddled her and she was purring up a storm and then when I put her down, she raced me to the door, all excited to go outside too. I had to close the door in her face because she can't come with me to the bank. It made me sad to have to do that to her. Hopefully she doesn't hold it against me when we come home after work.

And our sun has turned into this drippy clouds. Grr. It wasn't supposed to start raining until overnight.

Alright positives - 1. It's the long weekend in 1 hour and 15 minutes or there abouts. 2. I've got some Bubbly Mike on CD in the car to listen to on the drive home. 3. The drive home should be super easy because everyone is already gone for their holidays. 4. We're getting garden plants tonight and soon we will have tasty cherry tomatoes and lemon cucumbers and oh so many strawberries!

  

Gratuitous blog post

Thursday, May 20, 2010

I'm bored at work even though I have work that I should be doing. So I'm doing everything I can to get as many SparkPoints as I can.

So uh, what's up with you?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TURBO-GIRL 5/20/2010 3:29PM

Hahaha!!! I love it. I'm guessing you're just working your way down the list of "daily SparkPoints you can earn". How great! Report Inappropriate Comment

ALLYBEHR 5/20/2010 3:12PM

Too funny! I am doing the very same thing right now. Work is driving me nuts today! Lots of work to do, but no desire to do it. Here's hoping for a more productive work day tomorrow for both of us!! Comment edited on: 5/20/2010 3:12:31 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

CREATINGAMANDA 5/20/2010 2:37PM

Ha ha. I do that sometimes. Umm, what's up with me is that it's SUNNY out and I'm getting no lunch break today. Boo to that! I want to walk outside! Report Inappropriate Comment

Sunny with a side of dandelions

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I just can't stop loving this weather, and why should I? It's hot and sunny and yet not humid. It's FANTASTIC outside. So why am I inside????? Plus the bugs aren't out yet. I haven't seen a mosquito yet nor the worms that chew up the leaves. All in all, it's fabulous and I plan to make the most of it.

Last night I spent 30 minutes with my dandelion killer machine and got rid of everything yellow and everything that I could see had a flower ready to sprout. And at lunchtime today, it was like I'd never been out there! But because the soil is so dry, it's a lot easier to pull them up. And last night I may not have gotten ALL of the root but I got a big chunk of it for most of them so that should slow them down a bit. I guess I'll spend some time tonight. As well, I've heard of a grass seed called EcoLawn that supposedly will choke out weeds and grows well even in shade. Considering under our trees by the back door is basically weeds and baby trees, I'm willing to give it a try. As long as it doesn't cost a horrendous amount.

I also have my rollerblading class tonight. Third one. She says she's going to teach us how to cross-cut. We practiced the basic move of cross one foot over the other last class but that was just standing still. Tonight we will try while gliding. SCARY!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

KARENTOO2 5/21/2010 12:30PM

Have you ever tried eating dandelions salad? Have to pick young leaves as older ones are tough, but it's fun to add to a salad! (Of course, if you have a LOT of them you can make a whole salad -- hope you don't have that many!) They taste good, like mild spinach, and there's something cool about eating wild things... Report Inappropriate Comment

CATSMYTH 5/19/2010 7:28PM

I know what you mean about those nasty dandelions!! They are not even indigenous to Canada.... Report Inappropriate Comment

Weights and Water class and things to remember for the MSC

Monday, May 17, 2010

We're at the halfway point (wah ) so the instructor changed our circuit around. We're using a lot more machines this time which is good, this way we can learn to use them properly. I think it will be tougher too. I'm feeling it this morning and it was only one circuit through (because she spent the first half of the class showing us what we are going to be doing).

Next weekend is the long weekend. I wonder how many people are going to show up for class. Yesterday there were only four of us. Next week it might be me and the instructor! I don't understand that mentality of not showing up. We paid good money for this class, I want to get everything I can out of it. I am going to be missing the class after next weekend but that's because I paid even more money for the Motorcycle Safety Course. SO CLOSE NOW!!!

I've driven by the location of the course a couple of times in the past weekends, just to take a quick peek at what they are doing. I'm getting nervous about it. I'm sure that I'll pass, I just don't like going into new situations where I don't know what is going to happen. And I really need to remember to buy some moisture wicking socks. My motorcycle boots do not breathe AT ALL so on a warm day, my feet are soaked through. I don't know how much wicking socks would help but anything is better than potentially having a puddle in my boots at the end of the day. Probably a moisture wicking shirt too because while my jacket breathes, it really only works when we're traveling, not so much when I'm just standing there in the sun.

I'm investigating gyms here in Winnipeg. I really like my w&w class and I wish it would continue on. So I'm looking for a gym that has lots of classes, that are available when I am - ie - not during the day. I've heard good things about GoodLife Fitness (the gyms in Superstores) and the Seven Oaks Wellness Institute, which is in a hospital and has a pool. I've joined a Winnipeg Spark community to ask for other places to check out.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

ANITAWPG 5/17/2010 11:46PM

Hi, I have a rec centre pass - so I can work out at any of the rec centre's in Winnipeg - for me that is mostly Pan Am, but sometimes Sargent Park. I can also do any of the drop in classes in the leisure guide. My DH bought a coupon book as a fundraiser - it has a 2 week pass to Goodlife so I am also going to give that a try Report Inappropriate Comment