August 10, 2010: OK, So I Lied

I'm not going MIA after all. In fact, I'm doing my second blog for today. I just had to tell you that a watched pot never boils....and a watched garden never ripens a tomato. I took one day off from the garden. I didn't even look at it out of the window yesterday, I was too busy inside. Soooo....today I wandered out to check the tomatoes, and................................

I have tomatoes! I have Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Nyagous, Juliet, Clear Pink Early, Persey, Kimberly, Dwarf Champion and Golden Dwarf Champion. The biggest harvest came from a plant that was supposed to be a Cherokee Purple, but turned out to be something entirely different. The tomatoes are smaller, very perfect, round and deep red (the group in the upper left of the photo). They almost have a purplish cast, and are very flavorful. All of the Brandywine and Cherokee Purples came from the plants that fell over from wind/rain. They took quite a beating, and must have loved it, because their counterparts in the main garden, where they get much better care and more sunshine, haven't even begun to ripen. See, it does help to beat the crap out of your tomatoes!

I have cherry tomatoes; Black Cherry, Minigold, Angora Super Sweet, "Spawn" of Angora Super Sweet, Husky Red, Cherry Roma and an unknown that was supposed to be Sungold but isn't.

My kitchen counter is beginning to look like a gardener's counter! I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen this year, but it did.

I've been so busy. Here is what I accomplished the past two days:

I scrubbed the front hall floor and the kitchen area behind it, on my hands and knees, with a scrub brush. Then I used my carpet shampooer to rinse it and suck up the dirty water. I cleaned the throw rug, polished the piano and clock, and cleaned the glass on the clock. Don't laugh at all my fake plants and flowers. When I only live in this house six months of the year, I can't have real house plants!

I removed the blades from the ceiling fan in the kitchen and cleaned them, along with the light cover. My goodness, those blades get really grungy on their topsides! I took down the drape from the sliding glass door and washed it. While it was washing, I swept down cobwebs and then scrubbed the curtain rod, which was almost as grungy as the fan blades. Must be all those greasy breakfasts Mr. Granny fries for himself. Then I washed the sliding glass door and rehung the drape. I also washed the dogs' little rug (it's in front of their food dish), scrubbed their food and water dishes and refilled them.

I shampooed the living room carpet, rearranged and polished all the furniture, washed all the knickknacks, picture glass and fake flowers and plants. Vacuumed the sofa and love seat, wiped down the fireplace brick with a damp cloth and cleaned the fireplace glass. Replaced the grandchildren's photos (on the mantle) with updated ones (except for one of Alicia as a baby, which is my favorite picture). Cleaned the lamps and lampshades.


I washed the living room windows (there are three, only two show in the photo) and cleaned the windowsills. I washed the front door, inside and out, and cleaned the glass on the storm door and the sidelights by the door.


I shampooed the dining room carpet, polished all the furniture, washed the mirror, took the chandelier apart and washed all the doohickeys and rehung them. Too bad I didn't notice the burnt out bulb before I put everything back together.


I scrubbed the kitchen floor (used the mop, as it had just been cleaned the day I canned the salsa), scoured the counter tops and wiped down the cabinets (a good cleaning will come later). Mr. Granny shampooed the hall carpet.


Cleaned the outside of the refrigerator, and wiped off the small appliances.

Last of all, I finished by cleaning my "Granny room". I even washed my chair cushion and cleaned my desk. Now I'm tired, and I'm sitting at my desk and relaxing while watching America's Got Talent. And wondering where that talent is, 'cause they sure aren't showing any tonight!