Jay, Maybe the cooler weather has helped yours perk up a bit---I know that mine are looking a lot happier this week than they did last week too. Unfortunately the heat is back. Our local forecasters are saying at least 10 days of lots of heat and no rain, and since we have had rain recently, our heat index numbers here in southern OK will be in the 104-105 range or higher. It is supposed to be much worse in southwestern OK which has a heat advisory warning of heat index numbers in the 110-115 range. It sounds like a good time to stay inside during the heat of the day and only venture out "early" and "late". I'm glad to hear you're seeing more fruitset. I certainly have seen a lot more blooms the last 3 or 4 days, so hopefully some of them have set fruit during the cool spell. When picking tomatoes yesterday, I noticed some tomato fruitworm damage, so will be out spraying the plants with Bt in just a little while. It will be the first time I've used Bt in several years. I generally avoid it because of the damage it can do to butterflies and moths, but I'm not to let the fruitworms take all my tomatoes either. The harvest is heavy and the days are long. I hope you are able to start saying that back to me before too much more time passes. Chocolate Stripes. Chocolate Stripes. Chocolate Stripes. This has got to be one of the prettiest tomatoes I've ever grown and today I'll be tasting the first one from this year's crop. This plant is loaded with fruit, so I hope they taste good! Your humidity is so low. Usually we are only that low when we are in drought periods, although we did get down into the mid to upper teens a couple of days during the last big hot spell a couple of weeks ago. Lately, though, since 1.25" of rain has fallen in each of the last two weeks, we start our mornings with 95-100% humidity and then it drops to the 30s or so in the afternoon. If I could choose between "heat + high humidity" and "heat + low humidity", I'd choose the low humidity any day of the week. Larry, Your humidity is just awful. I like to get outside early to beat the heat, but that is when our humidity is highest so it really is more pleasant here in the late afternoon and early evening when the humidity has dropped. Yesterday morning, it felt like a steam bath here even though temps were in the 80s and I blame that on the high humidity. Yesterday evening, with a temperature around 90 and lower humidity, it felt so much more pleasant. I haven't found that firing the weatherman gets you any better weather. (sigh) What it usually gets you is someone new who doesn't understand the weather you have and promises weather they can't deliver. Our current local TV forecasters are wonderful and are the best forecast team we've ever had since we moved here. One of them is a gardener himself and occasionally mentions gardening in his forecast, saying things like "I think it is OK to go ahead and plant your tomatoes now if you can cover them up if a late frost threatens....". It is pretty cool to have gardening meteorologist! Carol, How wonderful that your mom is still so healthy and active at the age of 98! I hope her birthday was wonderful and that she enjoyed her lunch out. We do have a lot of 'old-timers' here in her approximate age group. There's a couple up the street that are (I think) 95 and 94, and another one a little farther away who is going to turn 101 later this year. Tim and I have often remarked that the "old farmers and ranchers" seem to live extremely long lives here, and I've noticed many of them still have large gardens and do some ranching even into their late 80s to early 90s, although "the kids" often have to "make" them stop driving their tractor once they reach a certain age. Dawn

Hi hi hi hi hi!!!! So sorry guys. Last week just got a way from me. We're going crazy yard work at our house and I've been exhausted. Still have not exercised since returning but have done lots of heavy lifting, pushing and bending. I figure shoveling dirt for 6 hours should count for something, right? :) EK, I knew what you meant... no retraction necessary :) And maintenance is on my mind... Weight = 131 155/24/? I'm actually pretty happy at 131. I know I said 125, but this is feeling pretty good. I'm still watching what I eat, and want to exercise more, but for now it's about toning rather than loss. I fit in my size 6 pants. I fit in my size 6 dresses. I feel good taking pictures. Actually, it was the wedding pictures that made me feel pretty good about myself. When I saw how I looked (and we all know what the camera does!!!) I realized I don't really need to lose any more. I don't want to be (s k i n n y) if you know what I mean. I want to be fit and lean. I need to post some befores and afters. remind me, ok? Happy birthday to all birthday people. So proud of Ek for the BMI/15lb milestone success!!! WHAHOO!!! Betty, I know what your body was lacking....FOOD :) Harold, I love couscous too!! Everyone is doing so well... so glad to be a part of this team. Have a good week everyone!!!

Good Morning, YEA, HAROLD!!!!!!!! Don't cha LOVE it? How "sweet" are the pants falling down! ;~)) Helen, Been there - Done that. It gives you a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach to see those scales go up instead of down. But, it's just a 'thang' and will be gone next week. And the friend's comment really helps your resolve. Ek, Seems like the foods you are adding back aren't hurting you. Good job! I may have lost a pound, but the potato soup and fried apples I had for dinner are high carb foods and made my scales refuse to move down this morning. They are 2 of Aunt Bern's favorite foods and I was just too tired to fix me anything low carb. At least I resisted the corn bread muffins she wanted!! (She fell 1st thing yesterday morning and scared me to death. Thank God nothing got broken, but I was on my feet all day and gave in to the not so healthy dinner.) This week - still 159. Betty

Good evening! It's 86 F. and the mosquitoes had a nice dinner on me - literally! I have bites on my face and on my hands and knees. All the fun spots that I can't resist scratching in my sleep. Donna, I'm so sorry for all you're going through. Be strong and post more often for lots of (((hugs))). Jan, I have severe osteoporosis and have been on Fosamax for 6 years with good results. I'll never be perfect, but my bones are stronger than they were at 55. I also take two calcium tabs every night before bed. Raeanne, I really hope my son loves this birthday gift. In the last few years, I've taken the safe way out and just gone with a GC. And, I didn't make it to Dallas after Christmas this past year, so my sister and decided to just wait until this weekend to exchange gifts. I don't usually wait quite this long! Still lots of packing to do. I keep thinking of things like sheets and spring rods to take to my Dson for when they move into their new home in late August. That's what I used until we got our window coverings, and it was helpful. I also need to take Alexis's (9 yr. old DGD) books to her that she forgot last visit. I haven't seen her in a month, and I really am excited to see her tomorrow night when she flies in from AL and visiting my xh and his wife. Guess I'd better get back to it because experience has taught me that nobody else is going to do my packing for me! Have a great rest of the week!