The Ultimate Cheat

Today was an odd day. Normally, we just go in, get the milk, out of there. I had big plans for working in the garden once we got home.

When Ron called the milk man (Lechero in Spanish), he was told a substitute would be covering the route. Our Lechero's brother was violently assaulted a few weeks ago, and el Lechero had to take care of his brother today. Of course he did. I'd be a monster to complain. I pray for all of them, even the attacker. Normally we get our milk between 7 and 8 AM. It didn't arrive until 11 AM. On the postive side, I did EVERYTHING, cookies, chips, crackers, candy, you name it, I stocked it. The machines looked fantastic. On the negative side, since we put the ride on hold we ended up staying 3 times longer than we'd planned (good thing I brought the Lithium!).

When we "took the ride off hold" to come home, we got a ride in 20 minutes. Pretty awesome!

Not so awesome - by the time I got home I was utterly exhausted, in desperate need of a nap. I was starting to get really cranky. The sun had vanished and I didn't get to garden. But after I see my doctor tomorrow we should be home in plenty of time for me to have fun. We'll also maybe go get my soil amendments on Thursday if Chuck doesn't mind.

Ron did give me an advance, so I'm happy. I don't ask him for money, I ask for advances. He pays all the bills and the soil amendments and getting the book "How to grow more vegetables" from Bountiful Gardens is not life and death.

It will be a lot of fun.

About the only negative thing in my life is the fact that the determinate tomato I've been coddling has already started to bloom. That's bad. My seedlings (salad stuff, mainly) are all really leggy and wimpy looking. Not good. I need to get one of those 2-foot "stick lights" and put it on top of the seedlings (I plan to prop the light up with some cookbooks or something). It's been so gloomy the poor things haven't had any light. I don't blame the plants but I'm disappointed. I hate wasting good seed on a mistake.

I won't even thin. I literally plant one seed per Jiffy pellet so I don't have to decide who dies. I love them all. Since I've got a 10-month growing season, I can afford to do things this way. If I make a mistake (like I did with the not-enough-light), I can do-over.

I'm half-hoping I'll find a nice 6-pack or two at the Home Depot if we go with Chuck on Thursday. Ready-to-go transplants are the ultimate cheat.