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corn

HOT!

So, it’s hot in Portland. My computer thermometer says 104.  The all-time record in Portland is apparently 107 or something. That is expected to be broken today, I guess. BUT – it’s already almost three, so the heat better get a move on, or it won’t be the hottest day ever.

I do not like super hot. I can deal with 80s & 90s, as long as I don’t have to move much. But, since I’m a runner, I guess that means I should be moving, right?  Right?

I did run yesterday. I am swimming tonight (with my anti-drowning support crew). Tomorrow morning, I will run again (speedwork, weather willing – I am not a machine like Kristen!), and yoga in the evening (guess it’ll be hot yoga tomorrow). Friday I will probably take the day off. Or maybe go for a little bike ride to remind my legs how that works.

Last night, the architect, who is the most amazing coolest most talented and handsome man ever, installed a ceiling fan in our living room. Where we slept for the 2nd day in a row. The upstairs is HOT! And the ceilings upstairs cannot have ceiling fans, due to the pitch of the roof.

So – we will all likely survive, and the guys on the news last night, despite numerous efforts, proved that it is not yet hot enough to fry an egg on any outside surface. So don’t try that.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a corn update – they’re back after their post highschool backpacking trips through Europe, and I can’t believe how much they’ve changed in just two weeks! (They change so fast at this age. *sob*)

Corn Chronicles (Part IV)

It is time for your weekly corn update! (I am fully aware that this is probably not nearly as interesting as the suspiciously absent shoe porn feature, but I love my garden so much.)

The corn is having quite a growth spurt lately – even the crazy storm last Thursday couldn’t keep it down for long!

Carrie Corn (still the biggest in the garden) is about 2 feet at her tallest point (an 8-inch growth spurt in the last week). James Corn, who was a measly 7″ last week is now pushing 12″ – and was one of the few corns not knocked over by the storm – his smallness protected him, I believe.

They are getting to that point in their lives where they no longer listen to anything I say, and I think a few of them tried to sneak out of the garden last night – perhaps to meet up with some of the corns down the street.

The rest of the garden is growing like crazy. I think my potatoes are growing a few inches/day, too, and if you look real close, you can see tiny baby broccolis.

I also have baby pumpkins, butternut squashes & yellow squashes.  The bamboo is settling (kind of) into its new home, and I just hope it doesn’t get too crappy looking before recovering.

The architect & I are going camping this weekend, so the garden will be on its own for a few days. I hope those crazy corns don’t get into too much trouble!

Hi! I am still here.

This week has been busy! Between not getting enough sleep, having only three days to do five days of work (usually I have four days to get my five days in), having two big projects due this week at work, and having all these social engagements, this week has been craZy (with a capital Z)!

Tuesday evening, I totally bailed on my kick-ass new neighbors and our planned taco night. The architect made me dinner, and I was in bed by 8, asleep by 9.

I chose to skip the pool Wednesday morning in lieu of an extra 2 hours of sleep (and that was definitely the right choice). It was only later that day that I remembered that in our party-minds Monday evening, we’d decided to have a cheese party Wednesday evening (the 2nd set of kick-ass neighbors have Wednesdays & Thursdays off, so it seemed a good time to schedule that – at the time).

So – I decided that I would get my swim in Thursday morning. I worked hard all day yesterday, hoping to get home in time for either a run or bike ride before the cheese party. Shortly after 5 PM, I closed up shop, walked out of my office, locked & closed the door. And then, not 5 seconds later, I said, “Fuck.”

Do you know what was in the office? My keys. Car keys. House keys. Office keys. There was no one in the office, and I didn’t have the information I needed to contact people who would let me back in. So I called the architect, and he came & got me. Of course, by the time I got home (with a stop to get cheese & wine), there was no time to exercise pre-cheese. And if you know me, you know that I am never late for a cheese event.

I made a rhubarb crisp, and then there was cheese! And wine! But only a little wine. I had one glass & had just refilled when my neighbor (from kick-ass set #2) requested a garden tour. And since I could talk about nothing but my garden for days on end, I, of course, obliged.

I told everyone all about the evil mole that I will slaughter with my bare hands (if I ever catch it), all the different produce that we have, the problem with slugs, and this weird creeping disease that’s plaguing some of our greens. I was in the raised bed gardens talking, and decided that instead of turning around & walking out like a normal person, I would continue to talk and back out like a graceful person. There is one problem though – I am not a graceful person.

I tripped over the side of the raised bed & went ass over teakettle. I did not, however, drop my glass of wine – and only spilled about half of it. I would’ve felt ever so much better if I’d actually had more than 1 glass of wine pre-fall – because falling while drunk is funny. Falling due to stupidity/clumsiness is just pathetic. *sigh*

So, I have a pretty bruise on the back of my right heel (where I hit it on the side of the garden) and general soreness. And now this overwhelming fear that my kick-ass new neighbors are going to start avoiding me since every time we hang out, I fall down.

Today, the architect drove me to work, so no morning workout today, either! However, I will yoga tonight, and will run/swim tomorrow. I’ll probably bike on Saturday & then I’m doing a trail run with a kick-ass person who is not my neighbor on Sunday, so although I’m not hitting all my workouts, I should get most of them. And, I really was treating this as my last week of ease before marathon training starts June 1 (holy crap).

I didn’t measure or take corn pics last night (due to the fact that I was falling out of my garden), but rest assured, most of the little corns are doing well. There are a few scrawny stragglers (I’m looking at you, James Corn), but Carrie Corn is pretty much the queen of the corn field!

Happy Thursday, peeps!

And good luck all you crazy marathoners in San Diego this weekend! The Ambitious One & Mr. Pi, Aron, Tara, Maritza, Danica, Julianne, Amanda, Kristen, Maddy, Shelly, and anyone else I may have inadvertantly left off the list. I’m sad I’m not there to see everyone’s San Diego abs, but I know you’re all going to ROCK this thing! Have fun & run strong!