Daniel Tosh Live!

This past Saturday night, hubby and I went to see the comedian Daniel Tosh perform live. We have been fans of his ever since we started watching his show Tosh.0 on Comedy Central. We also rented a DVD of a stand up concert called Completely Serious that he did. I just think he has a wonderful sense of humor. He is so quick, and he can point out things that are really funny in everyday life. I thoroughly enjoyed his show Saturday night. I had tears in the corner of my eyes for the entire show.

I think the thing that impresses me most is that he seems to have no limits. He is frequently nude (with the appropriate areas blurred-darn it!) on his show. He has no problems dressing like a woman or a fairy, or pretty much anything else. He is also very good at everything. Viewers will send in challenges for him to do, and he always succeeds in fulfilling the challenge-running faster, jumping over more folding chairs, bicycle stunts - you name it. He seems to have so much confidence-something I lack. Of course, that being said, he could be a total manic depressive nut case who can only pull his sh*t together when on stage. Somehow, I doubt that is true.

On top of all of that praise, he is really good looking. I think I need to add him to my list. Yep, Jason Statham and Daniel Tosh. A strange combo, but it works for me.

Check out the new season of Tosh.0 in January and look for his new concert DVD, Happy Thoughts.

Working is for Chumps

I know people who love their jobs. I know people who feel fulfilled and satisfied with their careers. I even know people who are of age to retire, but choose to continue to work. I am not one of those people.

I have never really liked working. I don't feel that work enhances my life or makes me feel good. The only real satisfaction I get from a job is the money I receive from it. I really find it to be more of a chore than anything else and I don't like to do chores.

I guess the best job I ever had was the first job I had. For the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in high school, I was an ice cream scooper. I worked at a local drug store (more like a small Target of today) where there was an ice cream counter. We didn't do anything fancy like shakes or sundaes, but we did do cones and cups or hand packed containers.

I don't know what made it such a great job. I guess we were busy - it was summer and we sold a single scoop of ice cream for 35 cents. Maybe it was the fun of being the first job and first paycheck I ever received. We did have a fun staff. Most of them were also high school students, so we knew of each other. It could have been the old fashioned cash register with the big buttons. You would have to push the 30 cent button, then the 5 cent button, then sub total, and then the big black key for final total to get the drawer to open. I even enjoyed the menial tasks like refilling the inventory and cleaning the utensils. The joys of youth.

Every job since then has become a little less enjoyable. I guess the youthful days of summer are gone. I don't hate my current job, but I can certainly think of other things I would rather be doing. I would retire tomorrow if I could. It is sad that those things that used to be such fun when you were a kid are not as much fun when you are a grown up. Oh well, I guess there is nothing that can be done now but wait for retirement. Then the fun will start again.

What I Learned while Travelling

Hubby and I recently returned from an amazing two week vacation in The Netherlands and Belgium. We have been to Europe before, but this trip was the biggest travel endeavor I have ever taken. I learned a lot about travel, trips, and Europe, so I thought I would share some tips here.

1. Don't be afraid to plan a big trip yourself - Initially, we contacted a travel agent because I was too scared to plan a trip like this one by ourselves. We wasted time and effort with the agent. She just did not have the same vision we did, so we went in our own direction.

2. Buy the guide book - There are so many great travel guidebooks for purchase. Even on short trips, I will go to the library and borrow a copy of the guide for our destination. They give great advice and tips for the best places to visit, to eat, to shop, and to stay. I usually go for a Fodor's book, but we used Rick Steves' book for this trip. It was a great guide and we used it throughout the trip.

3. Stay in a B&B if possible - We stayed in 3 different places on our trip, and used bed and breakfasts in 2 locations. It was wonderful to share someone's home for a few days. The service was outstanding and the locations were small (one had two rooms, the other three). The hosts were amazing and were so helpful to us during the trip. It was just such a treat to be able to stay in a ship's captain's home from 1667. We also met a great couple in one of the B&Bs and have planned to get together with them here in the states. B&Bs are usually less expensive than commercial hotels, but offer the same (or better) amenities.

4. Cash! - If you are travelling to Europe, it isn't going to be cheap. As our new friends said, "Bring a few clothes, take bags of cash." We found that it was much easier to pay as much as possible with Euros. It is also less expensive in the long run. Our ATM fees were 1% of the withdrawl amount plus a nominal fee for using the machine. Credit card purchases carry a 3% transaction fee and may require a European PIN to work in certain places. We also found that our bank have a foreign currency department. We were able to order Euros from the bank and pay only a delivery fee.

5. Prepurchase tickets - While we were in Amsterdam, I knew I really wanted to see The Anne Frank House. I prepurchased the admission tickets online a few weeks before our trip. I am so glad I did. We bypassed a huge line of people and walked right in to the museum with our paper tickets.

6. Trains - The trains really intimidated me, so we prepurchased the majority of our tickets before the trip. While it did save time standing in line, I think it was cheaper to buy the tickets at the station. I think in the future, I would buy day trip tickets in the stations. For major trips to big city central stations, I would buy those tickets online. I would also buy either Thalys (high speed with assigned seating) or first class tickets. On our train from Brussels to Bruges, we had to stand for the entire 45 minute journey. It was hot and uncomfortable. We almost had the same problem from Antwerp to Amsterdam (a 2 hour trip), but we did find out you can squat in first class if you don't have a ticket or you can buy an upgrade to first class on the train. That upgrade was worth every penny to not have to stand for 2 hours in a very hot area between two cars.

7. Europe is so laid back - I love the USA - please don't understand. While travelling to Europe, however, I realized just how restrictive the US can be. Land of "Yes, we can?" More like the land of "No, you can't because it is against federal regulation US527." We toured a medieval 13th century castle by ourselves. It was worn and have very steep stairs, but we know what we were going to be doing. I wonder if the various regulatory agencies would have allowed something like that in the US. There was no handicap access, no guiderails on the stairs, no screens or safety material on the windows - it was a fantastic "at your own risk" tour.

8. English spoken here - We never had any communication problems on our trip. Although English is not their first language, we met people who could speak at least a little English. Everyone was wonderful and had no problems translating menus or anything else we needed.

9. Go for it! - You are on vacation, so do things you would not do every day. We went for a hot air balloon ride over Bruges, and it was amazing! It was such a unique and wonderful experience, and a memory I will always cherish from this trip.

10. No goofy souvenirs - For once, I decided not to buy postcards, magnets, or other dust catchers. I bought a few pieces of jewelry and we got several Belgian beer glasses which we intended to purchase during our trip. Other than that, we have about 1500 amazing pictures to remind us of this great trip.

It truly was a wonderful trip. We were excited for months leading up to this trip, but we were both scared to hope it would be everything we wanted it to be. It was everything and more. It was the greatest vacation to date. We are already thinking about our next trip to Europe. Should it be Germany/Austria or Italy?

A love of Reading

I was very lucky to be raised by two parents who loved to read. The love of reading was passed down to me at an early age. I can remember the first book I read - Richard Scary's I Am A Bunny. I actually bought a copy of that book a few years back and have it proudly displayed in my living room. It is still a favorite!!

I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. I recall finishing up my math problems as quickly as possible in high school so I could have a few minutes to be able to read my latest novel. I remember moving away to college and having no television. I remember thinking I would never be alone or be bored as long as I had a good book. I remember travelling to Europe for summer school in college and carrying 10 books for the six week trip. I could not be without a book! I still do not understand friends of mine who say they are not readers. I cannot imagine my life without books in it.

I still love to read, but it has become harder and harder to find the time to do it. Our library allows a three week period for each borrowed book. I used to laugh at the time period. Really, who needs three full weeks to read one book? Now I know - I do! I just recently finished reading The Help (fabulous book - you must read it!) and it took me the one day shy of three weeks to finish it. It took so long that I had to return the other book I borrowed unread. I have never had to return an unread book until recently.

To quote Charles Buxton "You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." I guess I need to start making time for reading. It is something I truly love to do, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I do know what I will be doing during my two week vacation this summer. There are a lot of books out there just waiting for me.

Sunday Cooking

I have been on this new kick lately. For the past three weeks, I have been cooking a soup, stew, or chili on Sunday for the week. It has really been quite nice. It gives me a chance to enjoy cooking because I don't have to rush on a Sunday. I can make a big dish like chili and don't have to worry about waiting an hour for it to cook while we are starving. It is also nice to get everything cleaned up without having to do dishes at 9pm. There are plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week so we can have it for dinner one night or lunch throughout the week. The best part of all - soups and stews usually taste better the next day anyway.

I have made a white bean vegetarian chili, butternut squash soup, and black bean turkey chili (we're having that for dinner tonight) so far. I have two more recipes lined up - a Moroccan sweet potato stew and a red potatoes with chickpeas Middle Eastern stew. Today, I just downloaded Senegalese Peanut Stew with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes. Yum!

I am so glad I started this process. It has been so nice to cook hearty food for Bill and me. It has really brought back the joy of cooking and has encouraged me to try new things. I can see myself continuing the process for a long time. Chilled soups over the summer, anyone?

Bike Crawl #2

This past Saturday, our friend Jon organized our second bike tour/beer run. The weather did not hold out for us this time, but it didn't matter. I think I had as much, if not more, fun this time.

Our tour started at J&M's house. We had to delay our start by 30-45 minutes due to a downpour, but we were soon on our way. We rode our bike a few miles over to the NC Museum of Art which has a beautiful trail (though hilly!) that connects it to the Meredith College campus. We have been lucky to run there on several occasions. The trail has a variety of art works along it and leads to a pedestrian bridge that goes over a major highway. From there, we headed toward the NC State Campus and our first stop, East Village Grill & Bar.

East Village is a popular hangout for the NC State crowd. Their deck is usually packed on the evenings, but we had it to ourselves in the afternoon. It was a great place to relax for a few minutes with a beer before heading to the next stop. Unfortunately, it started to rain just a bit as we were sitting at East Village. We quickly rode over to our second stop, the Village Draft House, with a quick stop at The Raleigh Little Theater for coverage from the rain.

When we reached Village Draft House, the rain began again in earnest. Luckily, we were able to be seated in a covered area outside where we could sip a beer while watching the rain pour on our bicycles. We were determined (and hungry), so we powered on the the next stop, The Flying Saucer.

We had an easy ride downtown to our old friend, The Sauce. Once there, we ate big hot pretzels and enjoyed a beer on the covered deck. We were not done eating, though. Out next stop was Krispy Kreme.

We were a little giddy at this point, with beer in our tummies and rain on our backs. The donuts were fresh and sweet - a great stop on a Saturday afternoon. The sugar gave us the energy we needed to head to Big Boss Brewery.

Big Boss is my favorite of our local breweries. One of my personal favorite beers, Bad Penny, is brewed there. There brew pub is a neat little watering hole with tons of memorabilia and great people. We even met some new friends at the table next to us. The do not serve food, but they are just a few blocks away from our final stop, Carolina Ale House.

We were planning to be at Carolina Ale House around 3pm, but with the rain we were closer to 6pm. It worked out well as we had quite an appetite for dinner when we arrived. We had stashed two cars in the parking lot so we could load up and return to the beginning after dinner. It had been a long day, but one of the best days we had in a long time. Bike Crawl #3 has got its work cut out to beat this day!

Check out pictures from our adventure on Jon's photo site.

Iron Chef Grill Off

We were invited to a unique party this weekend - an Iron Chef Grill Off.

Our friends, C&T, have hosted this party in the past and it has become a successful annual event. It was the first year we have been invited. C even asked me if I would be a judge. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I said I would be willing to give it a try.

We showed up Saturday evening to their place. They have a magnificent home with a kick butt backyard. They have a screened in porch that leads out to a small deck. That small deck has stairs down to a large deck with a full bar, detached from the house but loaded up with outdoor speakers, a TV, lights, and, of course, all the liquor you can imagine . Further steps lead out to a nice yard. By the time we arrived, the chefs were working hard.

There were 4 chefs creating unique dishes using one key ingredient - strip steak. They could do whatever they wanted as log as it was grilled. There were four grills going, and sous chefs helping out as needed. The dished would be judged on presentation, creativity, taste, and dessert. I really thought there would be just one dish and a dessert, but I was oh so wrong.

The first chef handed us full menus for our meal. We were offered wine, then given a deviled egg appetizer. It was followed by sweet and spicy shrimp with stuffed mushrooms and grilled pineapple. There was a salad with a strawberry vinaigrette. The main course was kebabs (using the steak) with green beans ans potatoes. All of this followed a dessert of ice cream with caramel and bananas. It was tough to just eat one bite and pass it along to the non-judges, but there was still more food to come!

The second chef, thankfully, had less food. He made his strip steak inside phyllo dough and covered it with a mushroom sauce. There were sides as well, and a dessert of grilled peaches with ice cream. I really liked the phyllo dough, but it was not a hit with all of the judges.

The third chef prepared the whole meal by himself. He presented a tropical mixed grill featuring steak, shrimp, sausage, corn, grilled sweet potatoes and a fruit salsa. It was all really good. His dessert was peaches with a heavy cream and a blueberry reduction.

The final chef presented us with a limoncello cocktail before giving us a steak sandwich with crusty bread and a Gorgonzola cheese spread. It was accompanied with a pasta salad and dessert of a sweet biscuit covered with ice cream and peaches.

Everything was delicious. I was so glad that I tried a bite of everything, but I think there was more than enough food for everyone.

After careful deliberation, we came down to a tie between chef #3 and chef#4. In the end, the tropical grill won out, and chef 3 became a two time winner. I had a wonderful time, and mot even getting the finger from chef #1 dampened my evening.

I sure hope we are invited again next year, even though C told us that we could not be judged two years in a row.

What a Day!!

I have had busy days before today, but this one was pretty packed.

I got up at about 6:40 on this fine Saturday morning. Bill was already gone as he was participating in a triathlon across town. I was up to run a 5K for the Brain Center at a local hospital. I ran this race last year as well. A friend of mine at work is good friends with a brain tumor survivor, so I was able to join her team for the second year in a row. It is such a pleasure to be able to support someone that means so much to a friend. It was a good race, but it was hilly. I wasn't expecting all of the hills, and I hadn't been on a run for over a week. It was also much hotter than I thought it would be (we are supposed to reach 90 degrees, and it is only April!) Still, I finished close to a PR and had a good time. But, there was little time to rest as I needed to continue the day.

This afternoon was our Junior League's Home Roam home tour. We were able to tour 5 different homes in the area to check out their decor. Each home also had food in it donated by a local restaurant. The first home I went to is about the be listed on the market, so their was a fact sheet in the kitchen. The house will go for an asking price of $2.75 Million. It was unbelievable!! There was a pool in the backyard, a home theater, a pool hall, and the teenager's room had it's own study, full bathroom, and walk in closet. It was absolutely gorgeous. That house alone was worth the price of the tour. Still, I made my way through them all in about 2 hours.

I had a little down time at home with my hubby and pups before I was off to volunteer at the APS of Durham's annual gala event. I was the group leader for this event. We were charged with registering the guests and setting up their credit cards for the silent and live auctions. We were slammed busy for an hour and a half, then had a little bit of downtime. It is such a pleasure to work with a great organization like the APS. I really love working with people who care about animals. They were all so wonderful, and I have to give extra credit to the Junior League ladies who were there. Several of them also worked the Home Roam, so they had long days, too. All were professional and just great to work with. We helped out for about 3 1/2 hours when it was finally time to call it a night.

Now, I am home and will probably turn in soon. Between the home tour and the gala, I did get some wonderful news. My order for the Honda Element was completed. The car has been assigned to be and I should be getting it soon. I am so excited that I will have a brand new vehicle. The Mustang was turned over to its new owner yesterday, so I am in a rental car for now. I will be glad to have my own car. I hope it arrives soon!!

2 more people??

This past weekend. hubby asked me if he could add Alyssa Milano and Jessica Beil to his list. I said sure.

Melanie suggested Hugh Jackman. I think she is right - he is definitely list material. Especially after this weekend's award show...

I think I may have to add Daniel Craig, too.

5 People

There was an episode of Friends long ago where the gang was listing out the 5 celebrities each would be allowed to sleep with and not get into trouble with their significant others. I thought this episode was a good one then, but I think it is particularly funny now.

I know at least 4 of my hubby's five people. In no particular order, my husband's list includes:
1. Eva Mendes
2. Kate Beckinsale
3. Claudia Shiffer
4. Danica Patrick

He says I am number five, but I don't think I can qualify for this list. I think his list is pretty good.

So far, I have one on my list. I can't think of anyone else right now:
1. Jason Statham

Really, with Jason on the list, I don't need much more.

So, I am taking suggestions. What male celebrity should make my list?

Susan's Ring of Honor Party

Last night, I achieved one of the goals on my Bucket List. I got a plate on the wall at my local Flying Saucer. A two year quest had come to the end. I drank 200 different beers, and now will be forever memorialized on a plate with a saying of my choice.

I decided to make mention of that Bucket List goal, but I also wanted to thank my beer drinking friends who have supported me in this endeavor. So, I added a shout out to my buddies B, T, H, M, and J. I think the best part of the evening was that BTHMJ were all there with me when my plate was unveiled. Good friends, good beer - what more could a girl want? Thank you, J, for the photos!

And a Very Merry Christmas to all!!

Merry Christmas, everyone!! What a whirlwind these last 2 days have been.

Tuesday was my first day off work (woo hoo - off for 6 days!) and the main day to get stuff done. We shopped for the last minutes gifts (Target was having computer problems and could not take credit cards - can you believe it?!?!) and groceries for Christmas Eve.

Yesterday was the big family day. Bill's parents, both his sisters, and their combined 3 children came over for dinner. It sure is something to have children in your house when you aren't used to it. The little one (1 year old) howled and cried for about 2 hours and 45 minutes. At least he was in a pack and play. Poor kid - I felt really bad for him, nothing seemed to make him happy. The older two boys had a grand time. They played with all of hubby's stuff in his office, and each received a special plane as a gift. We all sat down to dinner (under cooked beef tenderloin that we had to finish cooking in a saute pan - it turned out great, though) and dessert, and did really enjoy the meaning of the season - family. I made a gingerbread cake that rocked for dessert. Soon, everyone was on the way back to grandma and grandpa's house to wait for Santa. Peace returned to our home.

Today, we have relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of Christmas. We walked the pups (it's their first Christmas!) and came home for breakfast. We opened our stocking as is my family tradition before eating some kick butt breakfast casserole and having our coffee. Now, we are getting ready to sit by the tree and open our presents. We scaled back this year, but we will still have fun. I love to surprise hubby with gifts. It is better to give rather than receive.

Later today, we are off to the in-laws for a big traditional Christmas dinner and more gifts and good cheer. It's days like these that make you realize how lucky you are. I am very lucky indeed.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, ONE AND ALL!!!!

Galloway Finale

Last night was our final event for the Galloway 2008 Running Season. It was our year end party held at a local fun park. We weren't sure what to expect, but it was a really nice time.

The party was in a private room off the restaurant. It was packed, but it was so good to see our fellow runners in their regular clothes. We sat together and watched a slide show of pictures from the year (some of my race photos were chosen for the show) while eating salad and pizza. We even had a birthday cake to celebrate the 80th birthday of one of our members (yes, the 80 year old is an active runner!) There were plenty of door prizes (Hubby won a gift card), and lots of surprises!

The best part of the evening was the recognition. All first time half marathon racers were given certificates (both of us) and all first marathoners were recognized (Bill). They also gave out certificates for people who made a PR (personal record) during the year. Since I dropped 7 minutes from my first race to my second, I received a second certificate for that achievement. The biggest surprise of all was that I won the Newcomer of the Year award. I have no idea how it happened, but I was thrilled. I received a third certificate as well as a gift card to a local running store. It was truly a great night and such a fun way to finish off the year.

Guess I need to get back to running. I have to keep at it and improve in 2009 so I can set another PR and finish a marathon!

A Great Night for Beer

Last night, Bill and I volunteered at The World Beer Festival. It is a huge festival with close to 100 booths each representing different breweries. Each booth gives out 2 oz. samples of their beers. It was the first time we had attended the festival as volunteers, not patrons. We weren't sure what to except.

We met Wednesday night for a volunteer seminar. At that time, we signed up to help out at the Breckenridge Brewery booth. We were familiar with Breckenridge, so we knew it would be a good choice.

There was no one from the brewery with us at the booth. Just 3 cases each of 4 of their beers : The 471 IPA, the Avalanche Amber Ale, the Oatmeal Stout, and the Vanilla Porter. Things started slow at 6:00 pm, but before we knew it, we were pouring beer non-stop. It was so cool to talk to the beer drinkers. It was fun to see the reactions of each person as they took a sip of the sample. The Vanilla Porter was by far a favorite. It is such a unique taste - I don't think there is any other beer like it. It was a huge hit - people were coming to the booth saying they were sent to try the porter. So, of course, we ran out halfway through the session. Still, everyone was so cool. There was not a single asshole all night. We must have served 500 people, so those odds are amazing. Then again, everyone there loves beer and was drinking, so there is not much to be unhappy about.

It may have been better without running 16 miles that morning (Bill actually ran 26 miles!), but it is an event I would certainly do again. We were able to try a few of the other beers and we definitely drank a bit of Breckenridge (no use keeping those bottles with just a sip or two for the patrons). We are looking forward to the party for the volunteers in about 10 days. All in all, a great way to spend a Saturday!!

Indian Cooking

Bill and I have recently found out that we really enjoy Indian food. So, I thought it would be fun for us to take a class together in Indian Cooking that I saw at a local community center. We finished our final class this week.

The class was not exactly how I expected it to be. I imagined a beautiful kitchen setting where there were many stove tops for cooking. I thought we would partner up and make a meal for each class. Well, it wasn't quite that. There was a kitchen, but it was very small for the 10 people in the class plus the teacher. We were each assigned a dish, but you only made that one dish in the class. At the end, we would all eat the dishes that were prepared. There were only 4 burners, and you had to find your ingredients and cooking ware in the cabinets.

We did make some interesting things. We made a vegetarian lentil soup the first week, followed by peas pullov (green peas with spices in balsami rice) the second week. For our final week, we made the dessert - carrot halwa. Each dish was interesting to make, but the list of ingredients was long. There are many spices needed for each dish - things you would not normally find in an average American kitchen. I don't know that we will make many of the dishes, but it sure was good eating for these past three Tuesdays.

My Heart is...

I took this test on Facebook called "What color is your heart?" Here are my results:

You Have A Blue Heart
A person with a Blue Heart is an emotional person. Such people make affectionate lovers and are usually sensitive and are cautious drivers. They are introspective, reflective and have a primary concern for self.

I think this is fairly accurate. I am emotional and sensitive, but I don't think I am a good driver. I am definitely more of an introvert, and I certainly have a primary concern for myself (comes from being an only child, you know!). At the same time, I don't care for things that are mushy and I do like working in the community. Hmmm. Well, folks, do you think this sounds like me?

Hot Stone Treat for Me

I had Monday off to celebrate President's Day. Each year, each staff member at my office gets to pick 2 days to enjoy as optional floating holidays. We submit our days at the beginning of each year. We may choose from any of the holidays we do not get off (such as Veteran's Day or MLK Jr. Day) or we can pick any day of our choosing (such as a birthday or anniversary). This year, I chose President's Day because I thought I would enjoy a day off during the long winter stretch and I chose my birthday because it just doesn't seem right to work that day. It is an extra sweet day off since I knew most of my colleagues were working while I was playing.

So, I decided to see my friend Heather, a professional massage therapist, and enjoy something I had never done before - a hot stone massage. Let me say that if you have not indulged in a hot stone massage, you should really go out and get one right away. If you live here in NC, go see Heather - she is wonderful! The massage lasted 90 minutes and was pure bliss. Heather massaged my head, face, hands, and feet which I loved. She used the stones in combination with her hands on my arms and legs. She placed several stones on my back on a towel to loosen the muscles while working again on my arms and legs. Once my back was warm, she used strokes of her hands and stone to work all of the kinks out. I felt positively feline when I was done. It is truly a fantastic feeling, and one that I will be enjoying again on my birthday, if not sooner.

Shiny New Bike

Two weeks ago, Bill and I went to All Star Bikes to pick up my shiny new Giant FCR. It is a beautiful road bike hybrid. The wheels are not as thin as a road racing bike, but it is not as heavy as a mountain bike. It is just right - and red!

So, last Saturday we finally got the chance to go out riding the bike. It was a beautiful day, so we went along the American Tobacco Trail to downtown Durham. The trail crosses the back section of our subdivision about 2 miles from our house. The trail goes straight downtown (about 4 miles from where we pick it up) to the American Tobacco Complex where there are restaurants and office buildings, including my former employer. We had a great lunch at Tyler's, then headed back down to trail past our house to a grocery store. We were able to pick up an item we forgot to make our dinner that evening. The best thing about the day was that we were able to have fun, exercise, go out and run errands without having to use any gas. It was a great green day for us.

I forgot how much fun it is to ride a bike. When I was a kid, I was on my bike almost every day. I would ride to school, go to the pool, and just ride around with friends. Although my butt was pretty sore on Sunday, I had a great time riding my bike. I think I had a smile on my face the whole time we were out. Sadly, Bill is sick today, so we can't go out. I look forward to our next ride together.

Happy Super Fat Tuesday!

If you are lucky enough to be in a state holding their primary today, please go out to vote!! I wish I were voting today, but, alas, my state's primary is not until May. I feel like the candidates will be decided before I even get a chance vote my opinion. I will be watching coverage tonight when I get home to see how things are going. I am quite interested to see who will be the party front runners come tomorrow morning.

If you are a Catholic, get out there and enjoy all of your bad habits. Today is Mardi Gras which means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. I will never forget the first time my in-laws came over after Ash Wednesday services. I looked at my father-in-law and had a moment of panic. I thought he had fallen and bruised his forehead - thank goodness it was only the ashes!

Lazy Holidays

It seems we get very lazy during the holiday season. I know for sure that I have relaxed my rules. I have been eating anything and everything, and not exercising with regularity. I will enjoy it for the next 2 days, but then a new year begins. It is time to eat right, exercise, work on the mind, and improve the spirit. But for today and tomorrow, it is all about beer and relaxing!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!