Kay -- by golly, I sympathize, big time. However, if one MUST be one of those constantly having to go on another diet -- think of the pleasure we get as we go from skinny to chubby again. Those folks that are constantly thin (the rest of Colorado evidently, according to what Sandra read) will never know the joy of overeating on a consistent basis. Their loss, my gain! (oppps-didn't mean to make that particular pun - tee hee)
Sandra - you are SO wise not to run when you are run down. All those aches and pains will definitely get you when you finally get to senior status--and running injured or weary gets you to the senior status faster. My back, knees, and hip joints remember every step of those 10K runs and 10 milers I did in my 40s and early 50s over hard pavement, up and down hills, etc. I can't do it anymore, but I sure do miss running.
Please must you talk about food in front of the family food addict. My weight is up again and the only time I get gourmet food is when I go to Bopchas for lunch. Judi looks amazing, Bopcha looks amazing and so does Diana and I find that more depressing than inspiring. Other than the fact that I seem to have an eating problem, Judi and I have decided that I got the fat genes from our grandmothers side of the family as did Sally Ann and Janie. See you just can't over come genetics. I AM SO STICKING BY THAT STORY.
Judi told me that a predator got the last of her hens the other night so she now only has the rooster and ten chick that are still too young too go into the coop. Although, I do have two eggs incubating in my bathroom but since I am having trouble keep the temp stabaliZed - don't hold out much hope. The eggs are from the deceased barred rock. We will know about April 15 if I am successful or not.
The rain has been horrific and I have a leak around my front room window. If the rain ever stops, I will go to Home Depot and find a good sealant.
The dogs have been housebound due to the weather so today I went to Bimart and bought a bright orange rain jacket and we finally got out for a really great walk. The good side to having such a bright color is that if I get off path and lost somebody can locate me.
Tiffany will be here for Easter and we will do Easter dinner either at the farm or Bopchas.
I realize that I made cheese, olives and especially crab salad sound like simple everyday food. Crab salad, most of all, is definitely something I don't normally have access to. I guess I was thinking more in terms of food that is not necessarily a masterful chef's creation, and mostly food in which you don't have to ask anyone what it is. In the city of cheese steaks, I would say that meat and potatoes is definitely the staple here. Actually, it may be even more so in a place like Philadelphia then places in Colorado. My reason for saying this is that I recently heard a report stating that Colorado has one of the lowest percentages of obesity. The South is still taking the lead in obesity rates. I don't know about the rest of Pennsylvania, but Philadelphia is definitely not a healthy city.
Oh by the way Diana, I am no competition for you. A friend that I run with a lot just asked me if I want to do the "Broad Street Run" which is a 10 miler and I actually am really concerned about doing it because I get lots of injuries from running too much and doing it when i am tired, which I will be after the sixth mile. So you are obviously much more of an athlete. Horray for you.
Gosh, what a different perspective on food--east coast vs the midlands. Tom and I consider varieties of cheeses, toasted baguettes, olive and fennel salad--and even crab salad for that matter as a rather exotic form of dining. Basics in terms of dining out here in Colorado are a wee bit more pedestrian: steak, baked potatoes with butter, toast and jam, pancakes, meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green salad, ....
I have to admit, I hadn't even considered how awful Sandra's job was going to be, trying to figure out what thousands of pages of legislation mean especially since it affects all 380 odd million of us--or how heavily dependent upon lawyers we all will be. Dee and Bill definitely picked the right profession. Sure wouldn't want to be a doctor!!!
Sid, my mother and I indulged ourselves to a rather decadent brunch. We ate so much. Strangely enough with all the tasty treats available, I found myself really enjoying the basics more than anything. I loved sampling the cheeses, the toated Baguette, and the olives and fennel salad. The crab salad was really yummy. It is fun trying all the different foods. The brunch was at the Four Seasons which is supposed to be rated the best brunch in Phila.
KC, I love your blue birds, aren't they the sweetest looking creatures? Nice photos!
KC I really enjoyed your commentary about the Health Bill. I will NOT be among the ones that kicks you in the shins. I too am focusing on the daunting tasks of sorting through 2500 pages so that we can provide appropriate benefits coverage for the 10,000 employees that we have here. Being in Human Resources, we will be doing lots of interpreting and figuring out what we need to change in our myriad health benefit policies in order to be compliant with the 2500 page document, we wouldn't want to deviate from even one word of that very decipherable, comprehensible masterpiece. Albeit brevity and "accessibility" to most of us who read it will not be among its prominent characteristics, I am sure it is really just what I mentioned, "A Masterpiece."
I am getting lots of questions already from employees regarding changes in their benefits. One interesting question was whether an employee can put her son back on her health plan. He has completed college and is 23 years old. Under the new policy, coverage can be provided to dependents up to 26 years old.
But we can not answer any questions yet because our army of lawyers and consultants have not completed their legal interpretations, or should I say "translations" yet. I wonder how much the University is spending to get that task done. I guess those lucky individuals who will get paid to do this will receive the salary increase that I will NOT get for the second year in a row. It warms my heart - it really does
Although I have to say that in the midst of all this complaining I am still very grateful I have a good job with benefits, I know it doesn't sound like it but I really am.
Diana, you are a true athlete. That run you did sounds awesome. Good for you for doing the long run. You are such a determined woman. It always feels so good after a nice long run doesn't it? It can be painful while you are going through it.
Well anyway, I hope you are all very well and I continue to enjoy your stories, please keep them coming. Oh and Kay, by the way, perhaps by the time we get there to visit, there will be another line of "future husbands" for us to meet.
Pretty birds -- and I'm not talking about my dear sister Diana, who evidently drifted off into bizzaro-land while blogging on Bop's blogsite. We had a spring storm--but the Mountain Blue Birds don't know it. Here they are playing in the snow.
Here are a couple Mountain Blue Birds. Aren't they pretty?
I thought these guys were parakeets at first, they are such a pretty easter-color of blue.
Good morning, other children (sorry, but I can't remember your names). My beloved and beautiful Diana is down here and I am basking in her radiance. What a perfect child!
Love,
Bopcha
Hello, sibs. Now it is me, the beloved and beautiful Diana. My, I am so sorry Mother told you how she really feels. I begged her not to tell you, but she insisted!
It will be interesting how all this 2500+ page health bill will roll out. Congress exempted themselves from the program. That's a good clue they aren't very confident it will work as promised. However, I understand that the feds will be hiring thousands to make sure folks follow the rules--so there's a silver lining of sorts: a solution to unemployment!!
Yep, I too have been listening to all the comments about the health care bill (seems to be on all channels) - it will be interesting to follow and if it doesn't get overthrown in court, will it really work. For sure something has to give in this country re health care. No Sid, I am not going to discuss this with you - I leave that to KC and Diana - I'm not quick enough and I only want to kick you in the shins.
KC I too think your new dog is the cutest thing and would be really tempted to adopt one until it hits me that they turn into small horses. You and Tom have such a great reputation in the Borzoi world that it seems to me that somehow you should be able to turn this into some type of money making venture. I even thought perhaps I could help with the dogs and then I realized the only thing I could possibly do would be to pick up dog droppings and then I also realized that they are the size of small boulders - so I discarded that idea.
Judi bought me two semi-dwarf apple trees for my birthday and they arrived so she also bought me two large planters to put them in and today is coming over with some soil so we can plant them. I think at this time the are going on either side of the tongue of my trailer. Trailer schmaler - I must realize that I live in Highland View Mobile Estates. How grand does that sound. When looking at the online pictures of my old Tacoma house I caught a glimpse of the cherry tree Judi bought me. It is still standing but doesn't look real healthy.
Oh and by the way KC and Tom, Judi and I play Scrabble from time to time and that dictionary is our bible. I am going to try and get Diana in a game when she comes down.
Just spoke to my former neighbor in Tacoma and my old house is back on the market. She picked up the flyer and it is on the market for $193,000. It looks like they may have put in new countertops. She is supposed to be sending me the flyer so I can see what they did. If the get the asking price, they are making money because they bought it for a lot less.
Oh my goodness, but Swann is gorgeous!!! I almost got my checkbook out - - then I got a grip on myself.
I have an argument in Chehalis on Friday morning. I am going to head to Corvallis for the weekend thereafter.
I ran a 10K last Sunday. Here are my stats (remember though, there were hills):
681st out of 725 participants in the 10K.
3rd out of 5 people in my age bracket (sadly, I don't know what the bracket included)
overall time: 1 hour 18 minutes and 56 seconds
pace: 12:43 minutes per mile
The run was on the North end of Mercer Island and a ton of people participated. The weather was perfect, cool with the occasional lite drizzle, but not enough to make the surface slick. I was cursing my choice when I had to pass the spot where the 5K runners got to head to the finish line, but once I finished, I was glad I chose the longer run. I actually don't try to jog all the way. i walk fast up the hills, then jog the flat and the downhill surfaces.
