Tomatoes from Outer Space!

Here at 7,000 feet, our "frost free" date is June 15th. Last year I risked it/didn't know what I was doing and planted tomatoes and more about mid-May. We had a frost, the plants all died. And then I was... busy [that Rwanda episode...] ... and didn't get to replant until almost July. So the short growing season was made even shorter and we ended up getting some tomatoes and a lot of squash and peppers that would have done great if they had had another month or so to grow. My green thumb is only getting greener, though, and today I got these guys- the wall of water. They're supposed to protect the plants down to 16 degrees. They're basically like a circle of pouches filled with water to insulate. So they sit on the spots for a week, warming the dirt, and then next weekend I can plant tomatoes inside them. It's exciting (a relative term, I know) and I have plans for all kind of other veggies- asparagus, onions, potatoes, peppers-- and raspberries. We're even thinking of growing hops in case we ever want to take the homebrew to the final level of hominess.

I'd heard and last year proved true, that gardening up here you really only need to worry about watering through June. There are these crazy weather things I had no idea about with this area, one of them is the "monsoon" where it rains heavily every afternoon. Inconvenient for some things, convenient for the lazy gardener!

This is My Life

Me: Hi, is this Tim?
Tim: Yes.
Me: Hi, I’m a lawyer in Arizona, I represent someone I think you know, Dave Johnson?
Tim: ...
Me: I’m sorry, he told me that he knows you from work?
Tim: Hillbilly Dave?
Me: ... I’m, um, not sure. He does odd jobs where you work, he also rents space the... he's blond...?
Tim: Yeah, there’s three Daves here, I call him Hillbilly Dave.
Me: Ok, well then, Hillbilly Dave is in jail, I am trying to get him out, can you write a letter about what you know about his character?
Tim: Sure!
Me: Ok, and can you not call him Hillbilly Dave in it?
**names have been changed to protect all alleged hillbillies**

Paleo

I'd been hearing about the Paleo Diet from various people (ok, some tangential acquaintances on Facebook) and the other week checked the book out of the library, I was curious. After a pretty quick glance, I was sure this wasn't for me. I believe them that only eating lean meats, fruits, vegetables and nuts is healthy. I believe maximizing those foods in one's diet would be a good thing. I don't believe I am willing to give up all dairy and grains. More specifically, I believe cheese is maybe the single best reason to be alive now instead of paleolithic times. Well, that and statistically I can expect to live past 30 (3 weeks! c'mon evolution!)
Anyway, today is another Monday where my legs and back are aching from theweekend's paleo workout. It is sometimes yard work where we constructed a border of rocks. It involves moving large-ish rocks from the backyard, in a wheelbarrow, to the front and placing them in this shallow ditch (not just for Greek myths anymore!) It involves digging and twisting and squatting and pushing a wheelbarrow. Reflecting on my sore hamstrings, I realized this was the action all of these strength-training classes are meant to mimic. I have discovered a new/very old way to be paleo-- and eat my cheese too!

Winging it Back from NYC

Lately

Clients keep telling me I'm hard to get ahold of. And I don't know what to say, sometimes I want to ask whether they think I'm sitting back sipping champagne while they're sitting in jail. Um, because I'm not (not during work hours, anyway.) I either need to develop a way to be in constant contact with 60+ people at a time... or develop thicker skin. They have a right to be able to reach their lawyer... but I have a right not to feel guilty after leaving home at 6:15am Thursday to do court in Page, America and spending all but 45 minutes Friday running around at court like a crazy lady. And then I got back to a notice that a client I was working hard for had hired a private lawyer... which should be a relief and delight since I wasn't going to make happen what he wanted to have happen... but was kind of insulting. Again, thicker skin needed.

Gus, King of Shenanigans. Alternatively titled, "clean up you g-d yard!"

FB

So if facebook status updates are annoying, maybe the only more annoying thing would be me complaining about them years after they were relevant. But here goes, sorry...

So there's the genre of "Sarah ate a turkey sandwich for lunch" that people love to complain about-- who cares about those details about your stupid life, etc. But the updates irking me lately are more in the category of "what the eff did you expect?"

"Sarah has a new baby and is really tired."

"Sarah lives in Death Valley and it is hot."

"Sarah likes weekends more than weekdays."

I am sure I've been guilty of this, as well but if you had a baby and thought you were going to get lots of sleep, or complained about not having a job until you got one and suddenly realized time off is nice... you're ill-prepared for life. If you expected all of these things but stil think these are interesting things to talk about... I beg to disagree. AND, if you are someone who "likes" or engages with these type of updates... please stop. I doubt this is the case, since readers who would do such a thing are more likely to read blogs of people who say "LOL" way more than I do, but it's a public service announcement.