Our Epic Day

Today has been pretty fantastic.  Cliff and I got up early this morning to be at the farmer's market when they opened so that we could get cool pepper and tomato starters.  We went last week late in the afternoon and the place we liked was pretty cleared out.  Well today we had great success.  For peppers we got Bulgarian carrot, Hungarian hot wax, purple jalapenos, serrano del sol, and alma paprika.  For tomatoes we got a chocolate cherry and a sun sugar.  We also got one cucumber plant and it is a Mexican sour gherkin.  These sound awesome.  They look like little mini watermelons (1"- 2" fruits) that taste like they have already been pickled.  So excited.  We also bought red and white radish seeds as they are super gratifying to grow and pick. 

At the market we split a Red Wagon ice cream for our second breakfast.  Cliff sampled their batch of chevre, mead, pine nuts, and rosemary ice cream.  I sampled their vanilla malted strawberry-rhubarb pie ice cream.  We decided on their mix of vanilla malted, brown ale, and chocolate ice cream.  It was really tasty.

We came home, let the dog out, and planted our new starters along with more basil, fennel, and cilantro seeds.  We are really excited as this will be our first garden where we actually plant things in the ground.  In the past we have only done container gardens.  This year our garden will have parsley, sage, rosemary, oregano (sing it a little in your head,) dill, fennel, garlic chives, cilantro, chervil, basil, arugla, oak leaf lettuce, tom thumb lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and radishes.  We have also planted sunflower seeds and birdhouse gourd seeds in the yard but we think the birds might have gotten to most of the seeds and shoots.  That stinks but we are hopeful.  Rudy really loves hanging out with us outside and he is starting to understand that he can sit near the garden...just not in it.



After our gardening session we played frisbee with Rudy.  He gets it now!  In the past we would throw things outside for him to catch and return.  He would run to them, sniff, and then run back to us without ever touching the frisbee or ball.  Over the winter we played alot of inside frisbee fetch.  Good thing too as it is finally translated outside and Rudy loves it!  We knew he was going to be a frisbee dog when we rescued him.  He loves running fast and jumping.  How couldn't he be good at it?  Now it's his favorite thing ever.  Look at that happy dog's face!

We got dressed and went to Sonic as it was on the way to our afternoon activity.  Grandma gave me a coupon for buy one get one free for the Sonic Brown Bag Meals.  Cliff and I each had a cheeseburger, tater tots, and drink (I got an ocean water).  The ocean water stained by teeth blue for a little while.  Note to self: never get that drink if I have someplace important to be within the next few hours.  Today I didn't much care and in fact I thought it was pretty funny.

Ok, I guess I should mention that in the craziness of the last two weeks I also applied for, interviewed for, and was offered a job.  That's right.  I'm employed!  It's like my dream job; one that I was going to pine for over the next few years.  I'm going to be the Volunteer and Special Events Coordinator for a local park and recreation district.  I start on Monday.  The summer schedule looks like a lot of fun.  Outdoor movies, plays, concerts, festivals, camping events, and lots more.  Check out the events schedule to see more info on the awesomeness.

So today my new employers were offering a free indoor rock climbing and bouldering event.  Cliff found it in the program and was excited for us to try it.  It was sooo good!  We won two raffle prizes!  I got this fancy sports top from prAna.  I love their catalog and really enjoying looking through it whenever we house sit (p.s. all of the folks that we have ever house sat for get this catalog...odd).  We climbed.  Cliff was a natural.  He strapped in and climbed up that wall like Spiderman.  I was very impressed.  He got to the top with no problem at all.  I on the other hand was a different story.  I was gun-hoe until I actually got on the wall and then I froze.  I couldn't move.  My little hands were so sweaty that I didn't really make it that far off the ground before I asked to be lowered.  The photo below shows me be lowered from the overwhelming height of 10 feet. Embarrassing? Oh dear Lord yes.  Small children all around me where whizzing by as I clung terrified to the wall.  I didn't want to be a total failure so I tried the second easiest course.  My second belayer (the guy on the ground that controlled my line) gave me chalk to help easy my sweaty palm issue.  It helped as I proudly got probably 20 feet off the ground before I asked to propel down.  Oh well.  I really wasn't a climber as a kid so I don't think the natural ability is in my genes.  I will totally go back though and try again.  Best part?  That won't be a problem as it's included in my benefits!

         

At the end of the event they gave out ice cream.  Cliff and I got in line and realized that it was Red Wagon...again!  Score.  Cliff got coffee and I got vanilla.  Seriously, they gave out local, handmade ice cream over bars from the grocery store.  I haven't even started work there but I am totally impressed.

Best.  Day.  Ever.