Yesterday, Ellis and I hiked Howell Island. It had rained in the morning so the ground was damp. I noticed some trash on my way in but I did not investigate. It looked like a print out. On the way out, I picked it up to take it to a trash can and it was a geocache info sheet. I had my GPS with me so I could have tracked down the locations. So, next time I make it to Howell I will locate the spots. The person had hidden ammo boxes on the island and the point of geocaching is to find them while hiking. It is a high tech scavenger hunt. I took pictures and will post soon. Ellis was off lead the entire hike and stayed close. We saw no deer but surprised a "deaf" squirrel. Best part of the hike was the silence. We did the small loop and part of the long trail, which I nicknamed "spider alley" as huge webs crossed the paths. The spiders were in colors new to me and about the size of nickel to a quarter. I kept my distance.
Today, we biked after watching the Kennedy service. It was a cool day in Saint Louis so there was no hurry to get to the lake. Then, we did errands and had lunch at Provisions. Neale had the gumbo and I had a tossed Greek salad. Both were great. Tonight, she is at dinner with Debbie and Sara. I am finishing the mudding and brewing a Saison.
Thursday night in fight class we worked footwork, uppercuts, and body boxing. I took a jab to the left side that stung the rest of the night but landed a few on the other guy. Krav was punch defense with groin strike, eye gouge, and head whip take down.
This morning I made hemp buckwheat pancakes. Neale was lukewarm on them. I had blueberry compote on mine. Compotes can easy to make and rewarding to eat.
Semester has started. Yesterday was my first day in a classroom since May and it went well. I was the most relaxed I have ever been on a first day. Good people and looking forward to the conversations. But, after the day ended at work, my legs were drained from first day tension so I took the night off from exercise and walking Ellis.
This morning I am trying to do a little of everything before my night class. Walk Ellis, clean, do laundry, work in my online classes, and exercise.
On Monday night, we went to Bici for dinner as we are enrolled in the AA Dining Out program so a meal earns us many points for upcoming vacations. It is a great part of U City so we drove around to look at houses.
I am making Pad Thai this week but I cannot find tamarind paste. Still have one more place before I visit an actual Asian market.
Pumpkin Ale is planned but I need to find an actual pumpkin first. Yes, stores have Halloween candy out but no pumpkins have been spotted.
Hawn State Park went well. We did the shorter trail as the park did not return calls regarding the status of Whispering Pines, which was damaged during July storms. The connector trail from White Oaks to Whispering Pines was closed it turns out. Next time, we are hiking Whispering Pines. Ellis did well. He likes the trip whether it is a street or the woods. Afterwards, we tried a winery but we were too late for lunch.
Ellis and I walked in the morning. I spent the afternoon prepping my online classes. I made progress but there is more to do. Still time and everyone I know at work is in the same situation.
After my workout, Neale wanted to walk to downtown and eat at Mugg's. It is 2.1 miles to downtown but the weather was nice and it was a good walk. Dinner was alright. I gave into the commercials and bought a Klondike bar on the way home. I have not had one in 20+ years. Chocolate shell was tasty but the ice cream could use improvement. Schnucks carried original and crunchy plus the 'candy' flavors, such as Heath Bar, Reese, and Oreo. I chose original but was looking for dark chocolate. Glad they retired maple.
Hiked planned for tomorrow. Not sure where as one park states part trail closure due to storm damage but that was in July. I will call in the morning to confirm. A another park is ready for back up.
In Krav class on Thursday, I was the only person to show up. I was asked what I wanted to work on and since I have not done punch defense, we did that. Fight class afterwards went well. My left side is slightly stronger.
Busy week with meetings. All is going well but I still do not have my courses ready for Monday. Tomorrow should be productive.
We attended the Athletica game tonight and it did not work out in our favor. Their season is over with a 0-1 upset. We had seen them beat this team earlier this season. Good crowd and the weather cooperated.
"...do you have an idea how hot it gets in St. Louis?..."
After walking Ellis and gagging twice on the dead rat in the street, I wandered into work to make an appearance as 'required'. Mailbox was empty, saw two former students, and finished my office hour schedule. For the last hour and a half tonight, I was doing course prep.
It was the first rat I have seen in this neighborhood. It was near a sewer. It was gone when I came home in the rain. It was there for two days.
When I left work after 3, the weather was changing. The wind picked up, the humidity was thick, and by the time I got to the Lewis and Clark bridge the storm was raging. Rain was intense but bearable for driving. It just slowed traffic. It was down to a shower by the time I arrived at 170.
Oktoberfest brew #1, In the Summertime, was racked to secondary. Sample tasted good and the color was spot on.
Mudded and taped for an hour. Still 8 more seams to go and a few corners.
I updated my workout to a chest, back, legs & arms, and core set up. Each group gets one day. This is the 12th update since 2003 for the workout. The hybrid Soloflex video gave me some ideas too. During my workout, I was watching Rick Steve in Iran. Tomorrow, I am making Vangi Bhath since the Iranian eggplant dish looked so good.
Neale turned in early. She was drained by the return to work and health statuses of loved ones.
Neale called off the morning ride as she wanted to visit the gym. I am going after the rain clears the area. Dry here but storms in the area.
She wanted a chicken entrée for dinner so I am making Chinese chicken skewers, grilled asparagus, and whatever else looks good at the produce section.
While she was at the gym, I cleaned the house and she brought home First Watch for brunch. Currently, she is finishing the Mad Men Marathon and is looking forward to a lazy Sunday.
We went for a ride early this morning. Despite the new ordinance at the lake, I did not see any rangers ticketing "high speed" bikers. After the cleaning and tune up, my bike rode great. After the ride, we went to Trader Joe's and It's a Grind. The barista was slow. Then, we went to Chuy Arzola for lunch. Same food, same family, and better location.
When we arrived home, Neale watched tennis for Cincinnati, an Arsenal game, and started her "Mad Men" Season 2 marathon. I attended to our tomato plants and played with Ellis. After he was exhausted, I trimmed a dead branch off a tree.
Later in the afternoon, I mudded and taped the basement drywall. I have a few more seams to go. Corners take more mud than O previously thought. Seams worked out well and did a few corners.
Finally, it was time to brew and I made my final brew for Oktoberfest. It is a Blue Moon clone and I do not have a name for it yet.
Another ride tomorrow and I may brew an IPA (aka the HopHead).
Neko in STL tickets are purchased.
Last night, we saw "500 Days of Summer" and attended a wine tasting. The tasting was alright and so was the film. Neale liked each more than me. Firebelle was purchased, was not part of the tasting, and we first tried it during our July 4th weekend.
Neale was back before I was done with Krav class. She brought gifts. The tennis was very good. Serena and Vanessa Williams may make her Facebook page. She was feet away from the #1 women's tennis player.
At Krav class, we worked on knife attack. In the fight class, the last 10 mins. was sparing.
Canning hot peppers. Salsa making was done yesterday. Also, I made a 'steak' sauce last night after I grilled. I need a new Smokey Joe though. Rust never sleeps.
I cleared the remaining drywall from the basement and vacuumed. Time to mud.
Ellis and I are going for a walk.
Krav class tonight. Still sore from last class. Crab walking 40 yards works the shoulders.
Went for a run and 2 mile is feeling good. As a 5K runner, 3 miles is all I need. The rest is desire and not wanting to look ridiculous. Then, Ellis and I went for a walk. My favorite house in Webster is on the market again. It was on the market in the last two years. It is a Webster Century house. Is it haunted? Neale is not interested as it is right next to Hwy 44 and since she would hear traffic the three times she is in the backyard a year, she is against it. Should I try to trick her with a treasure chest in the backyard and see how many weeks it would take her to notice? She has no interest in yard work so she does not spend time in the yard regular. She is there for our parties and the few days in early summer & fall where it is nice enough to sit outside.
I am trying another shop to repair our luggage zipper problem. The first shop was not interested but I wanted another opinion before contacting the manufacturer. The bag corner bumped into during our last trip and lost a few links. Then, I am heading over to campus. Next week, we start our 'in service' week. I just entered grades for the summer session this morning.
Made these muffins this morning. Have not tasted yet and added hemp powder.
Krav and fight class went great. Sparing on Thursday.
Neko Case in Saint Louis on Nov. 5th. It will make turning 38 easier.
~ 06:26 PM ~
"...all sides of the question..."
I finished the basement demo this morning. It involved removing all the items from the gas main storage area, which was DVDs and guitar equipment. Yet, another place has to be found for more stuff. Then, Ellis and I walked. While walking, I stopped at the Rec Center to drop trash. I listen to SiriusXM while walking and I turn down the volume at crowded areas. Even while walking, I can still hear approaching cars from behind. While dropping a trash, I heard an older voice call out "hey corgi". When I turned from the trash can, an older guy with a gray beard was standing behind me. He wanted to pet Ellis. He asked how old Ellis was and I said "4". He then told me how is just lost his corgi after 12 years of companionship. He was still petting Ellis and he was getting emotional. It must have been a recent death as we said a few more things and his eyes were getting rather wet. I don't know what I could possibly say to a guy that recently has a pet past away but I hope petting Ellis helped.
We had breakfast at First Watch and then she headed to Ohio with Sara. I did errands, which included buying ink refills at Cartridge World (saved $7 for each cartridge) and buying coffee at Starbuck's. I learned people bring their coffee to Starbuck's to have them grind it. This is coffee that they did not buy at Starbuck's. Why would they grind a pound of a competitor?
I stopped at home to walk Ellis before the rain. There was no rain it turned out.
Go Joe! I saw "G.I. Joe" and if it was not for sentimental reasons, I would have left 10 minutes after it started. Nothing special as a film but it just rekindled childhood memories.
Having to accept the reality of the day, I sat down to grade and it went well. It is almost done. We'll see what it looks like in the morning and work on submitting to the college.
After my workout, which particularly good despite the lateness of the day, I cleaned my bike and put the tires back on. Everything looked right but a test ride tomorrow.
Neale called to say the trip went well. There was a delay due an accident on the highway stopping traffic for almost an hour. She reported that she already had gifts for me from Jungle Jim's.
Pete Yorn show was great. Very good set list. Missed the opener on purpose.
Today, I replaced my bike tires with Vittoria Randonneur Cross tires and lined the tubes with Mr. Tuffy's Tire Liners. I will give them a test ride tomorrow after I tune up my bike. If replacing tires is an easy as it was yesterday, I will never pay for that service.
Up early for a run. Getting back to 5K form as I have a race in September planned. Run felt good. I was taking time off because of my shin bruises. Then, I walked Ellis. Currently, I am simmering seitan. I stopped buying seitan regularly as it has too much salt. I wonder have a pressure cooker would cook seitan?
I plan to mow the front yard and grade. Neale is at the office.
We were up early for a Sunday. Then, I had the rest of the day to grade.
While finishing my grading, I started a batch of my cast iron oven chili. I was trying out a pepper from a plant I bought at Ace Hardware in the spring. The plant was advertised as the 'hottest pepper' and I could not resist buying one. One pod bloomed and grew earlier than the rest and it turned out to be a red Habanero. Usually my Hab plants provide orange Habs and I was happily surprised. With my homemade chili powder, it created a great batch of chili. The flavor was very good, the texture was very good, and I will decrease the cooking temp next time.
"...No more yankie my wankie. The Donger need food. RIP John Hughes..."
I needed a night off from exercise so no Krav class for me. Earlier in the day, I spent an hour moving wood scraps, removing stair tack strips, removing the last of the trim, and took out the old doors. After inspecting my fridge, I decided to make potstickers for dinner. With no desire to leave the house, I made homemade won ton wrappers. I don't know how I did it but I made the exact amount of filling for the exact amount of dough I had on hand. I made a seasoned tofu filling.
Neale went to the gym and then over to visit her grandfather.
Last night, I played my last softball game of the season as Pete Yorn is next Sunday. If we have make up games that are early, I am probably make those. But, since our team is not in contention for 1st or 2nd, I doubt our record matters. I played catcher for both games. I had a hit, a walk, scored a fews runs, and drove in a few. There was a really good play at the plate as I caught a throw from left and tagged the guy. The guy tried to reach into my glove to strip the ball but I was using both hands.
We are considering seeing a Bears game this fall. I have never seen an outdoor NFL game. Oddly enough, the games I have seen in person have been in domes. I saw a Colts v. Dolphins game while in college. We will probably get free Rams tickets this year again. Our friends with season tickets don't make every game.
Tonight, I am making Neale broiled chicken with an olive tapenade and roasted soybeans.
"...are you the official hotel of Chris and Neale.net?..."
First Watch for breakfast.
Worked finished at 3PM so went to lunch at Sweet Tomatoes and Blockbuster. Neale was looking for the second season of "Mad Men", which will have a marathon on AMC soon. Then, Neale went to the gym and I walked Ellis.
Currently, watching the STL Athletica and bottling an Oktoberfest brew. Making pizza soon.
Jack was released from the hospital after his encounter with a car. Can we stop the walks to Walgreen's?
I awoke at 7AM for the Home Depot delivery and he arrived at 11AM. There was misinformation from Home Depot as 7:30AM meant 7:30 to 12PM. The wrapped items from Home Depot were delivered to our home using a flat bed and a forklift. After some maneuvering the delivery guy pushed the package into the garage. We discussed how 50's era garages were too small for the cars of the time. I suspect the garage and back room were added on in the 70s though. The backroom northeast corner has been piered.
I made tamales for lunch but I think my batter was too thick. I will thin it out for the next batch.
The front lawn needed a mow and the garage light was fixed.
Neale came home at 5PM and we went walked at Grant's Trail since we had a coupon for La Salsa. Neale ordered the food but forgot to use the coupon. The patio at Station Plaza was packed. Ellis watched us eat, got a compliment from a couple for his soft fur, and sniffed a lab poodle while living.
Neale called Dolores after dinner. I watched the Cards while she talked to Dolores.
Krav class was defense against front kick. Fight class was tougher. Asked Eddie about his ranking and he ranked 8th in the US in his 20s and retired at 28. He is 39 currently and modest.
On the Turkey Run hike, I did not need the full daypack but wanted to carry water. I was able to carry two bottles in my pockets. When we arrived home I considered buying a CamelBak pack but was not convinced about the price vs. value. I checked Ebay and found a military surplus CamalBak for under $10. I waited to buy it until the auction was almost over and won it. It arrived yesterday and it wasn't even used. Excellent Ebay sale.
Ellis and I played for 20 minutes this morning and it ended with a "rocket dog" appearance. When Ellis gets really excited or after a bath, he does this run around the house to loose energy. It is one of the more silly things he does.
"..."Why should we hear about body bags and deaths? Oh, I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?" -- Barbara `Beautiful Mind' Bush, 18 March, 2003 on Good Morning America...."
I made pasta dough this morning. I used 1 1/4 cup semolina for Hodgson's Mill, 2 eggs, pinch of salt, sprinkle of water and olive oil. I have not rolled it out yet as the lentil loaf for lunch was quite filling.
Making a chicken dish for Neale's dinner. Giada calls it Roman Chicken. I am using breasts instead as Neale does not like chicken on the bone or chicken thighs.
Some rain here. Probably mow tomorrow. Krav tonight.
"...There is something wrong when all the dreams of a household depend on a man dying..."
Amazingly I am not sore this morning after the bike riding and softball games. We played well and the games were competitive until the end. I had a couple of hits, reached on an error, reached on a fielder's choice, scored some runs, and drove in a few. I made one bad throw while playing catcher. Overall, fun night. Next weekend is my final set of games unless we have a makeup scheduled. The weekend of the 9th Peter Yorn is in town and I have a ticket.
I am doing errands in the afternoon and I should mow the front lawn. Making portobello mushroom caps that Giada made on "Everyday Italian". Homemade marinara is done.
"...I run through the world thinkin' bout tomorrow, thinkin' bout tomorrow..."
This morning was the Peach Pedal sponsored by TrailNet. I did the middle route and it was a good ride. Probably, 300 plus riders and I was in the minority with a 8 year old bike. I also do not wear the spandex outfit as I know better. Some of my fellow riders need to pass on the spandex as well. Neale did not attend as this is too much ride time for her.
Neale is at her brother's house for her birthday party and I have a softball game.
Errands are almost done. I dropped a load at Goodwill and the Goodwill guys did not ask questions this time. Some folks had been dumping junk that could not be passed on to another at Goodwill. For example, clothes damaged by water and mold. Mega, our former, PC (purchased in 1998) was recycled at a store in Affton. Strange that Mega arrived at my first apartment in Akron and moved it in as quickly as possible to avoid my neighbor's glances and I donated at a shop that was just as trashy as my first Akron apartment. However, I felt good that the machine was recycled despite a $15 charge for monitors. But, then came the hitch in the ride. The luggage shop was not interested in fixing our zipper. I want another opinion before contacting the manufacturer.
After the errands, I went home to load my bike. It was too hot to walk Ellis and I needed the morning to grade. Bike rack worked well as it is still quite new for us. I went to Grant's Trail since I was meeting Neale later at Schlafly. Schlafly trail was empty and the only rider of note was a guy on a recumbent bike. I had my tires inflated to full with a touch extra and a tailwind. He passed me despite my speed of 33. I had never seen that. Since Grant's Trail has a number of stoplights, you don't lose anyone for long. I caught up with him at the light north of Friar Tuck's and passed him. After furious pedaling to the next light, I managed to lose him after Grant's Farm (hey, a few young Clydesdales rolling in the dirt!) At the Tesson Ferry overpass, I turned to uphill trail into the park. On the return trip, I saw him near a disability van and I believe he may have had no use of his legs. He had a very cool recumbent racing bike and he was a challenge on the path.
I met Neale and coworkers at the Schlafly Bottleworks around 6PM. Ismael was there and he almost has a clear bill of health. The basement project may start next week and be done by the time he leaves for Panama. Excellent news. I tried Schlafly's exclusive Hot Liquor Lager and it was very good. I left after 8 and Neale is still out.
Had a list of errands to accomplish today. Yet, I had a dentist appointment at 3 so I could accomplish everything I needed today. Tomorrow, I have a load to take to Goodwill and donate my old PC. I probably should visit the batting cages as well.
Went for a walk with Neale to the rec center. She stopped there to use the Nautilus Treadclimber. Ellis and I headed for the rest of our walk but the rain came so we cut our route short. We still got soaked and it was third soaking of the summer. I headed back to rec center to pick Neale up and I saw the Treadclimber in person. It is a great looking machine but larger than I expected. We probably we buy one for the next house. I prefer the treadmill so we will keep that.
Had Krav class tonight and worked on hostage knife attacks. There was a group of women that showed for their friend's birthday gift, which was the class. I am guessing they will not return as they did not like Dave's conditioning at the start. He has the toughest conditioning of the four instructors. I stayed for another fight class and worked on stance, foot work, and jabs. I worked out soreness with my Soloflex in the afternoon and I want to bike tomorrow.
Dentist liked my teeth. No bad news. I am starting white strips (dentist variety) since my coffee, tea, and love of grape smile could be brighter.
I had my last training session for Blackboard at LC. I welcome the change. My fellow faculty are hesitate to share in my excitement. It could get rough during the transition and it is additional work to do.
On my way home from work, I passed once accident scene near the LC Bridge and in Saint Louis, a group of officers standing on the side of 170 looking for a fleeing subject. Needless to say, my part in the daily commute was uneventful.
Making homemade ravioli soon. Spelt bread also on the menu. Picked up a bag of hemp protein powder and I want to find out what I can make with it. My morning protein shake already could not be any healthier. Power cookies?
Still sore from yesterday's class but looking forward to tomorrow's Krav class.
Pictures of our hike last weekend at Turkey Run have been posted on the photos page [HERE].
Last Thursday, I erased Mega by wiping the hard drive. Great PC for its time but it was time to move on as Neale no longer used it for work and we are redesigning the basement soon.
Back to Krav Maga class, we worked on chokes and I stayed for the fight class afterwards. We did punches and kicks on the heavy bag. I also used focus bags for the first time.
Busy day working so having my Krav Maga class was welcomed. We worked on attack by gun from the front with an intense last session of various attacks. Good class tonight. I am checking on other classes I can take with my membership. Ellis and I walked before my class. It started to rain but we were not caught in another summer rainstorm. Neale was at the gym.
I have been feeling 'blah' this week as another semester is ending, my software training class is necessary but not thrilling, and just a general malaise. Luckily, these days are few.
On Wednesday, we saw "Half-Blood Prince" and it was one of the better ones in the series. One more film to go in a series that no one we know watches. I was hoping no one in a wizard hat would be sitting next to me or in front of me. Packed crowd. The new "Fame" looked too "American Idol" and we were both fans of the TV series, "Fame". I recently saw the movie "Fame" again and the story maintains. The fashion had cringe moments.
Indy tomorrow, hiking on Saturday, and Sunday will be softball.
Still feeling uninspired so I am taking the week off from the Soloflex and no Krav Maga class tonight, we did go for a walk earlier this afternoon. I believe I took a week off from the Soloflex after the spring semester ended. Neale was able to work at home as downtown was busy due to the All-Star game. We had breakfast at First Watch. Then, we bought groceries.
I have my third training class tomorrow for BlackBoard at LC. In-service week starts on August 17th.
I am lacking the motivation to do anything. I have accomplished nothing today. To add to my sloth, I made pizza for lunch. Pizza dough was excellent. It was a white pizza as I used olive oil for the sauce and toppings were spinach, garlic, mozz, and black olives.
A stack of exams is staring at me and I should work out. I am giving my leg until Wednesday and then I am back to running. The bump is smaller.
Neale is at the gym. She wants a tread climber in the next house.
"...not because it is easy but because it is hard..."
The rain kept me in as it was really heavy for about an hour in the afternoon. I cleaned the house instead including the shower. My Prius windows needed it as well.
I tried watching "Beowulf" and I could not.
Neale picked up Chipotle on her way home from work.
~ 12:57 PM ~
"...in the ivy..."
Neale went to Harrison's (our nephew) swim meet this morning. It was too early for me to be in a humid and loud indoor pool. She said he did well. She is at work currently.
I am considering biking or hiking but the weather is not cooperating. Softball tonight.
Last night, I used my chimney charcoal starter last night. I like it more than using lighter fluid and the fire seemed more intense. I grilled ears of corn and soy burgers. For the corn, I used a brine of 1/2 cup Splenda and 1/2 cup pickling salt in a gallon of cold water overnight. I rotated the ears every 5 minutes. The tip and tail was trimmed before the soak. The results were excellent.
Planning our winter vacation (The Southern Cross). We are spending New Year's Eve in Savannah, Georgia and seeing Atlanta on the way back. Stopping in Nashville on the way out.
Went to Rooster for brunch. Vegan crepes were quite good. Neale found a few items at Charmed as they had their first sidewalk sale. They chose this weekend since All-Star Fan Fest is in full swing and, as it took us 15 minutes to find parking, there are people milling around downtown. After food, we went to see the City Garden and there was Purina (STL local business) doing a dog show. A trainer had four dogs from the Purina farm that do tricks with Frisbees. They are rescue dogs so it helps show that they can be great pets. Then, visited the Galleria and picked up Neale's car, which was at the dealership for an oil change.
Last night, we ate at Boogaloo, listened to music at Maplewood's "Let Them Eat Art", and called it a night.
The first annual All-Star Race is tomorrow but I am taking a pass as my leg is not fully healed.
I made Neale a caprese salad with our homegrown tomatoes and she was please. She used the tread climber at the Webster Rec Center. It was her first time in and she was very pleased with it. Our taxes dollars are used well at the Rec Center.
My plans for making a berry cobbler on our small grill have been put on hold. Our grill is small and I could not find a cast iron dutch oven or pan small enough for it yet. I am making it in the oven instead.
This photo is proof that I am not always a fancy man drinking fancy beer.
Graded in the afternoon. Cleaned the yard. Checked the plants. Played with Ellis. Noticed June bugs are clinging to my roses.
After my workout, I went to my Krav Maga class. We did choke while on ground tonight. Ground is not encouraged in Krav Maga training as we assume that the opponent is bigger, has friends to join in, and chances of winning decrease. I was partnered with Rob who was having his first class tonight. His first class involved sitting on me and choking me.
I tried to visit Wine & Cheese for mozz but they were closed. Our first tomatoes are ripe and I am making a caprese salad today. I went to PetCo, Dollar Tree, and Sports Authority after that. Ellis needed treats, I am still looking for squeeze bottles, and I picked up my t-shirt at Sports. Neale also wanted socks.
Harrison, our nephew, is swimming today but it is early. Ellis has work and I am not going alone. Sunday is a maybe as he dives again. May hike this weekend but we are looking at rain the next five days.
Felt like frozen yogurt so Neale and I went to Dairy Queen. No foyo. I got a hot fudge Sunday and had bites of a dipped cone in a cup. She did not finish it. Wifey continues to make good choices.
I look at and touched cats at PetCo tonight. Ellis would not approve of a kittie companion. Neale thinks I am a cat person. She needs to realize cats and dogs dig me.
Tonight's Krav Maga class was defense against gun. A fellow student/instructor has been attending the same class and we have been working together. It has been helpful to have a more experienced person to work with while learning this material.
Ellis had an evening without incident. Mild problem around 6:30 when Neale arrived home.
Neale has booked our Vegas trip. Her Labor Day 'open house' plans are coming together as well.
Tonight's brew:
Be careful with this brew.
~ 05:43 PM ~
"...the core of man's spirit come from new experiences..."
Had a doctor's appointment and all is relatively well. I bought my own reading material and my entire time there was only 2 hours. Lost weight since my last visit obviously and the good news was our individual scales were close. My blood pressure was 136/82, which needs to be lower. Yet, when I take my BP at home it is typically normal and sometimes lower than expected. My doctor wants me to not run in my 5K this weekend. Regrettably, I will take her advice and look for another one to do after my shin heals. She wants lab work of course and that will help Neale do her blood work as she has been avoiding it (again). I am also set for tetanus as I got a shot today.
Dan, my stylist, noticed that my face was thinner. He is never without a good story as well.
Ellis vomited last night after his dinner. It was about 4 hours after his dinner and I believe he got a bit of food from my salad preparation that was not dog friendly. I am guessing a piece of hot pepper. However, he is drinking and the vet said to withhold food for 24 hrs. He is otherwise fine.
Krav Maga class tonight. I finished my workout first thing this morning so I am fully ready.
I purchased grass patch for the front yard. I had fertilizer burn and I can fix it.
Finished watching "Into the Wild". Very good. I am considering hiking this weekend but the rain may be a factor for Neale. It could be a solo hike and take a chance with the weather for me.
Steamed spinach and tempeh for lunch. My first ripe tomatoes are almost here and Neale wants a Caprese salad. Perfect timing.
While we were traveling this weekend, our converter box arrived. The one TV near my Soloflex is not connected to cable and it does not need to be. So, I was using a set of rabbit ears to receive 4 channels. The new converter box was an easy install and using a new set of digital 'rabbit ear' antenna, I receive 12 channels over the air. Nice.
Today, I awoke with a sore throat issue as the temperature changes from wet/humid to AC messed with my ear, nose, and throat. It cleared up after an hour but there is still a rough part in my throat. I am going to treat this with throat spray but also try some natural remedies. Did you think that bottle of apple cider vinegar was just for cooking?
Made applesauce, tasted it, and wondered why I have never done this before today. My reason for making it was to use in a batch of homemade banana, carrot, & bran muffins. The muffins were excellent as well. I used egg replacer for the first time in baking and it worked fine.
It is cool and Neale wants to walk when she gets home. However, the week will be warming up and back to typical July weather soon. I need to finish my workout.
Our trip back from Chicago was uneventful. Very few state troopers and traffic was light except for Springfield. Neale left for an appointment related to her work about 4:30 and will return later tonight. I did laundry, cleaned up the yard from the storm yesterday, and am considering dinner options.
On Saturday, we went to my hometown parade with my parents, walked at a nearby lake, and headed into the city. The morning was wet and gray. The rain was light enough to make the parade and an umbrella was needed to the walk. We went to dinner at the Gage and Neale was in the mood for a mertiage but that was not available. Our server (Simeon) recommended the Larkmead Firebelle, 2005 and it was simply delicious. The food was great and we both got vegetarian entrees. When we were finished with dinner and headed outside, the sky was clear, some sunny, and breezy. It was much better. We caught a cab to Navy Pier, fought the crowd, and arrived at our boat. The fireworks were at 8:45 and our boat departed at 8:30. Since the firework barge was off Navy Pier, we passed it and we floated as close as the police boats would allow. After the fireworks, the boat cruised for another half an hour and returned to dock. After another cab back to our garage, we were on our way to the hotel. It went very well.
Thursday night's Krav Maga class was defense of knife attack and I asked a guy from my first class who the guy in the corner was as he has been at every class. The guy in corner does not participate but he stretches and was hitting the heavy bag tonight. I learned he is the 12th best Krav Maga guy in the world and 8th in the US. He teaches the open sparing class after my class. Respect.
I mowed the front lawn after class while Neale was typing a document for work after my class.
While packing our laptop, I misplaced our network card. After an hour search, I realized that I did not check the travel backpack. It was there and the world made sense again. The steamed spinach must have helped.
Mets won. Never an easy game recently.
Neale notified me that she has to work on Sunday night. It affects our plans slightly.
Yesterday, I was up to walk Ellis and then a workout out on the Soloflex. There was an appointment at LC to train for our Blackboard adoption in the afternoon. I saw Sean, who just welcomed a son (Mark), and he is not sleeping much. We were in the back and I was having a good time with the experience as I could learn the software given the chance to do so on my own but the college prefers I attend training. Afterwards, I checked my campus mail for the first time since May. Of course, I started my work PC and had to update it. So, I did not leave campus until 5 and saw an old student in the parking lot on the way to the car.
I was in the mood for chili and there was a new recipe to try. After dusting off the cast iron dutch oven and starting the chili around 7, dinner was served around 9. It was a good first try with the recipe but the presence of grains was different than my usual chili recipes. It was good but not great. I need to make more chili powder, which is a house recipe.
We watched "Hung" and it is worth another viewing. "Nurse Jackie" has also been quite good. The On Demand feature is excellent to have despite owning a DVR.
There are patches of grass to patch in the front yard. The backyard faucet needs attention.
