Having coffee with dear Paul Newman this morning and going to make an extra cup or so to have iced later on. That's one of my summer pleasures that I had forgotten about until Cyndi mentioned it on FB.

It was very hot here yesterday - broke records - but gardening was OK in the early morning. Silly Toni and Jean showed up at 1 p.m. to plant potatoes in their section of my land. They just couldn't hack it. Gardeners need to get up and at it early!

Yesterday I tackled the Japanese knotweed which shot up to ten feet tall in about a week! Moel is supposed to till for me today - again! Then I can start planting more veggies. The Village planters will get done later in the week as I need to buy more plants - after the long weekend rush, stocks will be pretty depleted but I know another shipment will be in this week.

So - gardening for a few hours this morning and relaxation and dog cuddling this afternoon. This has been a great long weekend and I'm feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the week.

I hope your week is starting off well.

Ahhhh, I love iced coffee as well! A place I stopped by even had the old coffee frozen into cubes, that made it even more enjoyable.

My garden needs some work...DH brought in some soil, but it's not nearly as good as the last batch, and the seeds I had planted agree with me. Of course, it doesn't help that my children played "truth or dare" by jumping into my garden, "see if you can land on the mound!!!". ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! I was just a wee bit upset.

Normal plans for today - children, work, tend house, and hopefully a work out. The pup agrees with me!

Paul is helping me start the day, too. He's the best!

Allergies finally got the best of me yesterday, but I did manage to design two more hanging baskets, and I helped Jake put up a canopy by the pool. By the end of the day, though, I had brain fog so bad that I felt like a zombie, and was in bed by 9. I seem to be doing a lot better so far this morning and am keeping my fingers crossed. This is the first that allergies have bothered me this spring, so the pollen count must have been pretty high.

Ruth, I'm going to look for the iced coffee K-cups this weekend. I think most of them are already pre-sweetened, though, so I'll have to make sure I read the labels.

Tammy, I've already had to warn my grandson, Tyler, to stay away from the garden. He thinks it's fun to toss his trucks and rocks into the raised beds. Grrrrrr. At least the chicken wire is keeping him from walking in them, though.

I wish Paul was helping me out today, Maxwell in my cup. Stayed at my friend's last night as he is only working half the day then we are moving top soil. He made huge planter beds from locust trees, now we need to fill them and add the plants. Yes this will count for strength training today lol. Enjoying the serenity of the morning. He lives about an hour and a half north of me. Before he gets back I'll finish laundry, paint the stone planters and do light weeding. I really enjoy spending my free time helping out as Inlack the space to have a garden like his. Hope to go home later with fresh asparagus and turkey chili.

I was off program yesterday, just was not going to turn down birthday cake! Also ate some, not a lot, of popcorn at the movies. Back on track today. I know the two non program choices are not going to derail me.

Enjoy the day

Good morning Ruth, Cottage, Twynn, jekel, and all others! Sorry I've been absent, I went to work last Wednesday and slept each night there til I came home Saturday afternoon. It was a very successful Opening Week at the club where I work, and I was baking in the kitchen all day then working the dining room at night so that's why I chose to sleep over there too.

I actually went down a pound and this reinforces that what I eat is the MAIN reason I gain fat...I did not work out for 5 days in a row which is unheard for me, yet I was eating very lightly (and very South-Beachy!) so that is what made me go down a bit.

I have off today and I have an overwhelming list of 'to-do's' so that means more coffee until I decide what to do first.

Good morning, ladies!

I have had nothing but problems with my laptop for the past month. I keep getting viruses, to the point where I don't have the patience to even go on the computer. I think I've finally gotten the problem fixed

I have missed stopping in every morning to see what is happening with my beach friends. I see everyone is in gardening mode. My daughter and husband cleared a nice plot of land over a month ago, but still have not planted anything as yet. We seem to start off with great enthusiasm, and then get derailed. I'm sure there's still time to get those veggies planted though! I am determined to eat a real tomato this summer. Store tomatoes are so tasteless.

In other news, my youngest daughter graduated college this past Saturday. She is thrilled to be finished and even happier to have a job already. She has been training as a dog groomer for a couple of months now and loves it. She wants to open her own business one day. She's already groomed several breeds and they came out beautifully. I'm a very proud momma! We also have 2Shih Tzu's at home, so no more paying the town groomer!!!

I've been maintaning my weight, but will really be trying a lot harder in the losing department. Summer is usually a great motivator for me, I just don't eat as much in the warm weather. I've also have been exercising more often, which helps my arthritis and hopefully, may make the scale dip a bit too!

I have my parents coming back up from Florida today. I will be going over to their condo later to get the water turned on as well as the water heater and will clean out their refrigerator so it's spick and span for them. I'm looking forward to seeing them, they've been in Venice, FL since January.

Well ladies, it's time to finish my Folgers and get my day started. I wish I could be enjoying the company of Paul Newman too, but that's just too much to wish for this morning,

Good afternoon,

My brain is in a fog didn't get much sleep last night, DD2 was sick, running a fever and throwing up at 12:30 a.m. this morning. I think I managed 3 hours of sleep, but had to go to work today.

I did manage to plant a few flowers and plants around the house this weekend and they look great. I was going to do a garden but cannot seem to motivate myself to til the ground to plant.

Today is DH BD so trying to figure out what to make for dinner, we grilled out yesterday he loves that.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I have missed this particular stretch of beach tremendously! Not sure what got into me, but December to May have been utterly ridiculous. Now I have to re-lose the 15 pounds I put on, and still have those last 10 from before.
BUT - I will think of it as losing 10 pounds two and a half times.

WHOO HOO!

Be well -