Veggies coming in

Today was the first day for the farmer's market in Jacksonville. Only a few growers were selling today but more will join them soon. Most are organic farmers and have great stuff. I could not pass up some of the things.....heirloom zebra tomatoes, plumbs and blackberries. More and different veggies will be coming in soon.
I have walked at least a mile and some days better than 2 for this week with the limited exercise from the eye surgery. Ready for the classes and real workout to start up again.
Still smoke free house here. Ready for the fresh veggies and cornbread meal. Yum !

Two eyes better than one

I had the left eye done yesterday and already can see better. The color and brightness of things is so amazing. I will go for the follow up this morning but do not think anything but great news. With 2 drops 3 times a day in the right eye and 3 drops either 3 or 4 times a day in the left, needed a system to keep things straight. I may go down to only 4 meds today which will make things a bit easier to keep up with.
Got this down now with boxes marked L X 3 or R X 4. Over soon and little price for great vision now.
Exercise is limited to just walking for a week or so again. I did get a good workout on Sunday knowing it would be a while before the next one. I hate to think of how sore I will be after a full Body Pump class. I better at least do the turn left at the drive way every day.
While in Oklahoma we got a heavy much needed rain, nearly 2 ". The tomatoes are doing great and some will be picking size soon. May even have some good ones to enter the Tomato Fest in June.
Fran is still Smoke Free and this makes 17 days. So proud of her. She is determined to make it too.

Good on ya, Fran

When I do something I want the world to know about it. This is motivation to me. Fran is just the opposite. Very private and does not want the pressure of others knowing she might fail.
Anyway with her permission, I can announce that today marks the start of the 4th week without smoking for her. The 6 plus hours, one way, driving to Oklahoma was a big test that she passed with no unpleasant words passed between us. This is a big deal as driving is a BIG trigger for smokers. Way to go Pooh !!!
The lay off from my eye and being stuffed in a car for what seemed like 2 days has me stiff and wanting a good workout. Monday I get the right eye fixed so this will limit my workouts for another week to 10 days. Better get out to the fitness center when it opens today.
A good rain on Friday while we were away, maybe several inches, really made the tomatoes jump. As a matter of fact. one pot did jump and fell over. Must drive in some stakes and tie that guy down. Lots of small tomatoes, blooms and even some with a hint of color coming. Fran's seem to be doing better than mine although I do think that mine will produce the first ripe ones.
A smoke free house, heirloom tomatoes coming and going to workout. Life is good.
Good on Ya' girl.

Little to report

Yesterday I did my old strength and cardio routine at the center. It went well but I could easily tell that I had been off for a while. Will miss the class today because of eye doctor appointment to measure my left eye for the surgery coming Monday. I may get in a little exercise later today. Friday I will miss again as we will head to Oklahoma to see Katie graduate.
Yesterday after exercise I went over to a friend and Master Gardener's house to see his gardens. Really beautiful place and lots of nice specimen plants to see.
Today the Master Gardener's will give HOPE a check for $500 for their 20th year. We usually do the Garden Tour as a fund raiser but we were unable to get enough houses for it this year.
I have lost count of the smokeless days but can say that urges are seldom and only last a second or so now.

Getting "it" back

Workouts this morning were tough with the lay off and restrictions for today. I did get the Express class with few modifications but skipped the Pump. I will miss Wednesday's classes since I have the doctors appointment, then surgery on Monday May 23. Guess this will set me back for a few weeks. Seems like I can loose things fast in the getting fit routine. Oh well the vision improvements are so worth it.

Sunday was another Dave's Garden round up at Love's Lookout. I did attend but did not take or bring home a truck load of plants. Mainly I just wanted to see some old friends. Tomatoes are growing well and I still keep a keen eye out for the worn worms. Look forward to getting the other eye done and back to normal.

Bright Lights..

Still unable to do any real workouts, I just went to the Demo Garden workday. Had a good time with the gang. Finished up around 11:00. There was a fund raiser in town for HOPE that had BBQ dinners for $5. So about 10 or so of us got one and ate in the shade in the Outdoor Classroom area. It was so nice in the cool breeze overlooking the Demo Garden full of blooms and looking so good after our hard work. The neat thing for me is the colors that I now see with my new and improved eye. The colors are so vivid and bright that I could not have imagined prior to my surgery. The after surgery check up said that my vision should improve 4 lines on the eye chart and this is with just the one eye completed. On the 23rd I will have the other eye done. The only problem is the inconvenience of having to put the 3 different eye drops in 4 times a day. This will be for a month but little trouble for the sight I now have.

Monday I can get back to my workout routine. I am sure the Pump will kick my butt. Then I will be off another week.
Two more horn worms today, but who's counting.

Today was a very nice day.

Just Gardening..

With the cataract surgery Monday and follow up Tuesday there has not been much exercise. I am not to do any real exercise for a week so that puts me out until Sunday or really Monday. I can treadmill all I want or just walk. I have taken advantage of that and did the left turn hill out the driveway. Treadmill today but really just wanted to see and touch base with Frank and the gang. So about all to report on is gardening.
First and most important, watch out for the tomato horn worms. These moth caterpillars are out and hungry. They can clean a tomato plant in a day. The tiny cat will easily grow to thumb size in a day. I hate them and found several in various sizes on the tomatoes yesterday. This had me checking and finding more throughout the day. None this morning so far. Fran and I have a good many little tomatoes coming along to let the worms get them. We are growing only the heirloom type since they are hard to buy and expensive. Also went for veggies at a farmer friend. I am a bit early as only onions are ready, I'm rushing the taters. I did locate a blackberry source and will get my first gallon today. Only hope my other sources come through and I am able to get more. Love those things on my ice cream at night and Cheerios in the morning.

Thankfully smoking is not even a passing thought now but also know to keep watch for the curves that can get thrown at you.

Early to rise..

Fran and I were up and at 'em this morning. Departed before 6:00 a.m. and I was in the pre-op surgery before 7:30. Got the right eye done and was back at home by 9:30. Check up early in the morning again but here in Jacksonville.
My only problem is there will be little exercise for this week. Maybe the treadmill but noting heavier that a gallon of milk on lifting. This will repeat itself in 2 weeks. I know this will have me starting over in the Body Pump class.
I can water the tomatoes which will need it as still no rain in sight.
Only good thing is a Non-Smoker heals much faster.

The eye's have it...

Monday 5/9 I will have my right eye cataract surgery. We will have to be in Tyler at 6:45 a.m.
This will also give me limited exercise for several days following the surgery. Two weeks later 5/23 I will have the left done.
Not sure but feel like there will be little exercise for several days next week.
This made me think that it was important to really push things this morning. Did the Express class which was a good workout. Since almost all of this class now does the Pump, Kris thinks he can give us so much that we will not need the Pump too. After having done the Pump several time now, I can say that parts of it are a bit easier. Lunges and squats are still killers regardless of the amount of weight you have on the bar. However, I was able to add a little to my bar on most of the other routines. I hope the lay off of however many days does not have me starting over on this. This fast pace hour is very good at cardio and strength. I like it and want to continue working on it.
May have seen the last of cool nights for a while. Still no rain and things are dry. Hope to keep things going but dry this early will make July and August real killers for many plants. The spring has been strange with June weather one week and then April the next week. Looks like very warm to hot for the next weeks. Not long before fresh veggies will be ready. Potatoes and onions real soon and other following closely. Hope the truck farmers have a good irrigation system as they will need it.
Happy Mother's day to all Mothers.

Spring time in East Texas

The weather this year is nothing like the average spring here. We have had very cool nights (low 40's) for several nights now. Cool, cloudy, damp and windy but no rain. Seems like the rain continues to just go around us. North of us has had even flash floods but from us south we are still so dry there is the burn ban for almost all of South East Texas, even Jasper. This means watering anything that you want to grow.
This is Wednesday so my harder day at the fitness center. I did get by yesterday and get my miles logged. My pace is faster and longer each week. I will not do my usual cardio and strength routine prior to the Express and Pump. Not sure why I have not taken the advise of those who know on this. I may try to add just a bit of weight to the bar for the Pump. I also need to realize that a rest day is important for our muscles. Seeing how intense the Pump is, it will be best for me to just do treadmill or walks on days following it.
The 100 day mark on not smoking has come and gone with little celebration. I noticed that they have started another class, not sure how many have signed up this time. Zerk told me he needed to go back for a second helping. I knew it as you can not hide the smoking signs.
Let's see what today brings...

April showers- May flowers ?

The storms that blew through the southern states did not give me much in the way of rainfall last week. We were also slated for 80% over night but very little here. I did hear brief sprinkles during the night but not even wet pavement this morning. We need rain so bad, still burning ban for most of East Texas. Not great for our plants.
The Kids Fest went well and our booth looked good and things went well. Hand outs from the Texas Forest Service were nice, Smokey the Bear is always a hit. We did well in answering gardening questions and made some good connections for potential new members.
May will begin my 5th month for workouts and not smoking. I still am sometimes amazed at the progress I have made in several areas. I am beginning to notice even more my strength while doing gardening chores. Pleased and proud of this.
Today is Monday so I will do my hard day of workout. With two days off, Mondays are always tough. I really want to strengthen my legs as this is my most needing area. I am sure the Pump will have plenty to offer me.
Getting close to heading out time.
Maybe we will still get some rain.