Working out, delicious steaks, and weeds.

I had a couple of slow work weeks and nearly lost my mind from boredom.  Suddenly, work picks up and it's like planting season with being busy, busy, busy.

Speaking of planting season..this year should be a real adventure with my being back at work.  I'm sure I'll manage.  I always do.  And really, last year was hectic but the garden actually went in more smoothly than ever before.

Using the chicken tractor and smaller beds where the plastic had passed on to its great reward (being shredded to bits in storms) worked pretty well.  It's a psychological thing, but smaller garden beds, even 20 or so of them, are just easier to handle -Weeding one or two at a go and moving on.

I had a couple of people visit during harvest and comment on the weeds. I had a LOT at that point. When you have 16,000 plus sf of garden, and you are harvesting and processing bushels of food, weeds are not much concern.  The idea is to keep the weeds at a minimum while the plants are growing, giving them less competition for nutrients.  But once harvest starts, a few weeds..or a lot of weeds...are of no concern.  The chickens will take care of them once harvest is over.  When there are delicious tomatoes, corn, cukes and beans begging to be picked and eaten, who wants to pull weeds?

Spring will also be easier in that I'll *already* be in shape, rather than working off my winter pudge and planting maniacally at the same time. The gym rocks!

I never thought I'd join a gym.  Well, I did do some Physical Therapy, but that costs a lot more and I worked out a lot less.  My joints, especially my knees, are old.  The warranty has apparently expired.  But the gym is helping more than I ever thought possible.  Part of it could be that I get a full workout, instead of just the "here and there" workout from gardening. Hoeing is great for toning the arms, planting potatoes involves a lot of squats, etc...but this is much better overall.

It's a great gym.  No one bothers me. I put on my headphones and zone off into my own world for two hours at a time.  It's heaven. It's been either frigid or wet here, so the gym has been a nice way to get out and get some exercise without feeling like I would freeze to death.

The only problem is that I leave the gym FAMISHED.  I could eat a buffalo raw.  Little Sis and I have been craving steak for over a week now.  Today, we got our wish and cashed in my Christmas bonus gift card at Applebee's.  OMG I have never eaten so much meat in one sitting!  I think steak could become a habit, so we may break down and get a cow this year.

**drool** Picturing a cow over an open flame.  Yum!!