Tuesday

Overcast and cool out this morning.

The tomato planter stuff arrived yesterday. Ordered two too many planters. I thought that five would fit in each tray, but only four do.

I need to figure out how to support the planter and mix up the media. Need to find some horticulatural sand. 

The tomato seedlings are nearly ready to transplant, I think. 

What else? Not much else. At home again. Got the kids up and took them to school.

 

Tomatoes

10 Two-gallon "Perfect Pots" 49.50
2 42"x8"x4" American Ag trays 39.90
2 1/2" fill/drain fittings 5.90
10 ft of 1/2 tubing 5.00
1 21-liter bag of Higromite
3 .4 cubic ft bags of Vermiculite 11.85
3 .4 cubic ft bags of Perlite 11.85
1 qt Fox Farm Grow Big
1 qt Fox Farm Big Bloom
1 qt Maxicrop Liquified Seaweed

$219.80. Ouch. Much more than I'd intended to spend. The trays are what I was searching for. The "Perfect Pots" ought to fit into them. I can suspend the big trays on something and then just pour the nutrient through several times a day.

The eighteen seeds I planted (three different kinds of tomatoes) have almost ALL germinated. Four each of two varieties and three of the third variety. 

I intend to grow the tomatoes on the cement side of the house, attached to the fence. I'd tried large containers and soil one year, which didn't work out well at all.

I think this will work. I think that I'll enjoy it.

Too much money. Spent over $100 on two pairs of Under Armour shorts and underwear today. And a new pair of giant swim trunks. And a tie-dye t-shirt. Nice lime green color.

Looking forward to the tomato project. I hope that things work out as I've envisioned them. I'm hoping that two gallons per plant is enough for a root system. It won't need to support the plant, but I want enough room for the root ball to develop.

 

Washed the truck

Nearly time to go and pick Flynn up. Time to go and wait for Flynn, anyway. 

Set aside money for taxes. Pay off the truck. Pay off the credit card. That will leave about $28,500. Keep $10,000 in an interest-bearing account and put $18,500 away in the IRA or kid accounts. Something.

Time to go get Flynn.

Here I sit. Monday at 10:20. 

I've gotta remember to pick Flynn up at 12:30 this morning, not 3:15.

Both kids have testing today. Hopefully they'll do well. 

I could not get out of bed this morning. I resented my clock's alarm clock. 

I looked forward to the weekend and when it finally arrived it flew right past.

Need to work on Cassidy's home photo project. I ought to find her camera and transfer the photos to her account on the computer.

Monday again already.

Friday again. Went to Plough Boys and Bisher's. Bought chicken breasts at Bisher's. Make chicken picatta. Bought some ground beef to make meatballs and meat sauce with for spaghetti. The kids can have white sauce with meatballs and spaghetti. Also bought some frozen veal chops and some fish.

Cassidy was difficult to pry out of bed this morning. Got both kids to school. Up, clean, dressed, fed, delivered. My primary function is getting them up and to school on time, clothed and fed. Ideally with their homework done and whatever supplies they need with them. So far, so good. Flynn's GPA is now a C-, so he's raised that quite a bit. Good for him. Cassidy is breezing through first grade.

What else? I noticed that out of the eighteen spots in a seed tray I planted with three varieties of tomatoes, in one third only one seedling is up. Hmm. Have to pamper that seedling. Still undecided as to where to let them grow. The cement side of the house seems likely. Build a planter box and plant the tomatoes there..? Use buckets as hydroponic units? Train the vines along the fence? Grow them in soil?

Still waiting for a check in the mail.

Called Diane, we'll pick her up tomorrow instead of Sunday. I like having Sundays off. Possibly go to the beach or to the glider port near Torrey Pines. Always wanted to see that. Sounds intriguing.

What else? Not much else. Took the kids out for Chinese food yesterday afternoon. Got some Chinese food to go, also. It was delicious. I get tired of cooking and having the kids reject whatever I serve.

I could use some more dryer sheets. Maybe I'll go to Ralph's and buy some of those Hawaiian hamburger rolls and some dryer sheets.

I'm anxiously awaiting a check in the mail. A large check. I'll pay off the truck, pay off the Visa card... I'll have no debts. I'll own the truck.

cares of the past are behind
nowhere to go but I'll find
just where the trail will wind...

Cloudy Saturday

Some rain, wonderful to see the raindrops fall in the pools of the fountain.

This may be the last rain we see this spring.

Glad that it rained a bit. Wish it would rain more. I study the satellite and radar maps, hoping to see massive storms heading our way.

That rarely happens. Oh well. I certainly enjoy what rain falls here.

A set of casseroles arrived today, very happy to have them. Something that I didn't have. And will use.

Flynn arrived home yesterday after being at school-at-camp since Monday. Good to have him home. He's squabbling/playing with Cassidy.

I hope that it rains more.

Wednesday

Some rain. Nice to see the raindrops fall in the water in the fountain.

Nothing much happening. Kelly e-mailed and told me that she'd received a check for me from Linda. That's not terribly convenient. Kelly will mail the check to me.

Spent too much money last month. The windows, Cassidy's closet doors, chairs for the kids, spices from Penzey's. 

Most of the bills are paid online, automatically. That saves time.

Just sitting here. Listening to the Howard Stern show I recorded earlier today. Looking out the window.

It may as well be a day back in the house on Carnation long ago.

Twenty-five years have gone by, going on thirty. Wow. Now I'm getting into the last chapters of my story.

Rain Tuesday night. Cloudy this morning. Doesn't look like much rain today. I'd be happy to be wrong in this instance.

Sat down last night at 7:30 with a glass of ice water to watch Cassidy play a video game and to watch the fish (cleaned the tanks yesterday morning). Fell asleep, woke up at 8:55 again, missed American Idol again. Oh well. Nothing new there.

Friday morning

Cloudy out, agreeable.

Scraped off a small section of the ugly popcorn ceiling near the small bathroom. What a mess. I hate popcorn ceilings. I'd like to get rid of it.

I'd like to paint the kitchen, too. I like that one section of wall in the dining room that I painted yellow-orange.

Installed the new camera at the top of the eaves in front of the house yesterday. Managed to destroy the other cameras ripping them down. Shit.

Haven't made any progress digging an 18" deep trench for the fountain wiring. Reluctant to dig up those two white rose bushes again, they've just recovered from my having moved them over a few inches last year.

I would like to get that done, however.

Two Brownie events and The Flying Karamazov Brothers this weekend. Busy weekend.

Seeds

Tomato Caspian Pink
Tomato Black Krim
Morning Glory Granpa Ott's
Lettuce Heatwave Blend
Basil Bounty
Tomato Big Rainbow
Book Putting Food By
Cypress Vine
Hyacinth Bean Purple
Stock Evening Scented
Sweet Pea Matucana

The vines sounded interesting. I love having flowering vines in the summer time. I don't know where to plant the tomatoes. Maybe in hydroponic units by the shady side of the house?! And train them on the fence..? I think that would work. I love tomatoes.

Last night or night before I needed a lemon and I remembered that I'd seen one on the Meyer lemon and went out and picked that. Very nice.