Pictures you've been waiting to see

That was BEFORE on February 14th at 225 pounds.  Nice beach ball under that shirt, no?

Below is AFTER on March 16th at 195lbs.  At least 10, maybe 15 more to go.

So proud of him!!

Beets - it's what's for dinner

I'm appalled that it took me almost a week to find time for this meal.  Last Monday Sam and I went to the farmers' market.  Why?  Well, first because we could.  That's just the kind of law firm we are.  And second because it was Meet the Farmers Day and I wanted to support my local food growers.

While there, among other things, I purchased beets.  Today I cut them up and had beet greens (like turnip greens, with vinegar & a boiled egg) for dinner.  I also made roasted the beets and made a quinoa, feta, beet dish.  Both were delicious.  I should have taken a picture but it was almost gone before I thought about pictures.

Pretty much finished up reading Wheat Belly.  Way too technical for me in some parts, so I just skipped to what I wanted to know about and then on to the chapter on what you CAN eat once you've given up wheat.  Interesting.  We shall see if we can do it.

199.7

How could I have not posted in February at all?!?!  I can't even remember what we did the first 3 weeks.  Then we went to Colorado on the 22nd to snowmobile at Grand Lake.  We had a terrific weekend with friends - Wayne & Sarah, the McNealys, the Humphreys, the Swarts & Emily and Regis.  Great snow.  Fun riding.  Great to be in the mountains.

The week first week back in SC was great but terrible.   I was increasingly sick but managed, with great help, to host a terrific collaborative family practice training.  Then I spent the weekend on the couch trying to recover.

Unfortunately my mother also had a terrible weekend and by Monday was in the hospital with pneumonia.  I wasn't able to go see her until late Wednesday.  So thankful for my brother and sister, who took care of things with her.  Hopefully this weekend she will be well enough to discharge to rehab.

I've tried to take care of myself and to be gentle with myself through all this, but I'm feeling pretty rough right now.

Why 199.7?  Alan's weight, on the Wii, this morning.  His goal is 185, but I am celebrating 199 because I have begged him for years to get under 200.  He has lost 18-25 lbs so far, depending on whose scale you use.

Testing Our Limits

Fleece socks, shoes (not sandals), shoe covers, long cycling pants, shorts with chamois, base layer top, short-sleeved but thick jersey, arm warmers (extra sleeves), jacket, neck warmer, cap, helmet, sunglasses.

Generally I won't ride the bike if it is colder than 50 degrees.  Well, today in Kotzebue, Alaska, it was -35 with a wind chill of -68.  But in Greenwood it was about 42 this morning, after church, so we suited up and took the tandem out for 18 miles.

It was 48 when we got back.  Alan said he was fine and could have ridden in colder weather.   I was dressed appropriately, for me, but pretty well maxed out.  I don't own a wool jersey but I guess I could have put tights under my long cycle pants.

Anyway, it was a clear (if cold) day of blue skies, so later in the afternoon we went to the Yogatorium pond for some fishing.  (Still don't have a pond - or fish - behind the house)  First fish of the year!

Happy Day!

Daffodil Day

Just wanted to say that in my front yard, on the 27th day of January 2012, these two blooms appeared.  Amazing!  Daffodils are my favorite flower because they tell me Spring is Coming.

Winter gardening

Yesterday afternoon we had a few hours of sunshine and warm, with no wind, after several days of damp.  So I seized the moment and went outside to do some gardening.  Pulled some weeds in the front flower bed, but mostly cleaned the leaves and the few weeds from my two garden boxes.  BONUS: uncovered this carrot, only the second I have ever grown, and a hand full of good lettuce leaves (lettuce likes cool weather).  Enjoyed both for dinner last night.  Delicious!  So happy to be outside playing in the dirt.

Generous, thoughtful friends

Recently we received two lovely gifts.  The gorgeous orchid is from our friends and neighbors the Clarkes.  Kelley spent a half hour with us Sunday, letting us talk about Anita, her funeral, and our experience losing her.  Very therapeutic.  What a nice friend.

Our "fittest" friends Steve and Kathleen gave us this birdfeeder - handmade and sent from Durango, Colorado.  Thank you for the terrific surprise and the support of my new affection. 

I've been watching the birds this morning to see which was going to be the leader, the first to try the new feeder.  So far the chickadees and titmouses (titmice?) have only eaten the seeds off the deck below.  I probably won't be watching when they figure it out, that there are seeds in there, just perch and eat.  

I was watching yesterday when the first red cardinal appeared.  I was actually talking on the phone with Alan's mom and had just said, "No, we haven't had any cardinals yet," when he appeared.

Old lady

 I am officially an old lady.

No one thinks of young people as enjoying birds or even having time to watch them.    

Well, I don't care.  I got this bird feeder for Christmas from Alan's parents and I LOVE sitting at my kitchen table in the morning watching the birds eat.

Maybe soon I'll get a field guide and learn to identify my visitors.
God's creation is a marvelous thing.  Even in winter, there is life and beauty.
Today it was only 34 degrees at  10 a.m. Friends, that is COLD for South Carolina.
Maybe I should put out some clean water for these birds too, since we still don't have a pond.

Sympathy

Of all the things people have said, mailed, emailed, text, and messaged us in the last few weeks, I think this email from Alan's boss' boss comes as close to pure sympathy as any of them:

Alan - am so sorry about your sister.  I lost my sister-in-law to colon cancer 10 years ago.  She was 37 at the time.  She was the picture of health...until she wasn't .  She was also a wonderful friend and person.  Cancer sucks.

I said, before I thought about it, something Tuesday night that, upon reflection, is true.  Of course, these "thoughts" often leak out of my mouth before I even think them.

Losing Alan's sister has been even harder than losing my daddy.  He and I were very close and until this, losing him was the hardest thing I have ever been through.  But watching Anita leave us and seeing the effect of this out-of-order loss on Alan, his parents and his grandmother has been worse.  The capacity of the human body to cling to life and the capacity of the human spirit to adjust the heart to the reality of tragic loss is simply amazing.

Anita made different choices about her life, in light of her diagnosis, than I think I might if faced with her situation.  I think there are many things about my life I would change if I had any idea how much longer I would be on this earth.  She chose to change very little.  I think that must mean she was very happy with her life as it was.

She also chose to continue working.  Now that I have seen some of the hundreds of people she touched through her work and the high regard in which she was held by her colleagues, I understand better why continuing to work might have been so important to her.

She was also very different from me in her approach to faith.  In some way that I haven't figured out yet, I think her way might be better.

Although she was my sister-in-law for almost 20 years, we were not yet close friends.  I was looking forward to growing old with her (and Alan of course) - working together to care for our family, traveling, sitting on her porch and watching her grandchildren play in the yard.

Solstice

Hallelujah!  Starting tomorrow every day for the next six months is just a bit longer.  The sun will shine a bit more.  Life is expanding, not contracting, or so it seems.

Christmas Spirit

Here we are, eight days into December.  Alan and I put much effort into acquiring some Christmas spirit this past weekend.  

Friday night I played in our first handbell concert of the season and then met my mom's senior traveling group at A Connie Maxwell Christmas, a free community event hosted by the local children's home.  It was brrr cold waiting for our wagon ride.  

Saturday Alan and I took two friends back and I rode the wagon again.  Still cold, but I dressed for it this time.  Sunday after church we went to the Greenwood Christmas parade.  Interesting community event.  Then we went to prison, for my bell group to play.  Another interesting event, but fun to share the Christmas Spirit.  Monday night we decorated some at the house, mostly lights inside and out, to cheer up these long, cold evenings.  Did I say already it has gotten cold? Last night we had dinner with friends, and today my mom, sister, niece and friend Sam attended my last bell concert.

Mud flats

Yes, this is our backyard.  No pond.  10 days ago the pipe was opened to drain our pond so repairs can be made to the pipe in the dam, so the road above it won't collapse.  Fish are dead.  We hope they get this repair made and improve the pond so it can refill this winter and be restocked in the spring.

Something besides football

Meet Spero, the newest bicycle to live in our garage. Alan built him up last weekend and took him out on the local trails Sunday afternoon. This weekend he went with us, in the Element, to the Baker's Dozen, our favorite 13 hour mtn bike race.

Here is Alan getting dressed for the day. No, he didn't race this year. Just volunteered as a course marshal and general flunky to the crew that puts on this great event. 72 racers hit the trail at 9a.m. Beautiful day to be outside.

Got to hang out with some of our favorite bike people, including the Hale family, pictured here, and also look at some amazing gear (note the 4 inch tires hanging). Paul, age 3, already has some mad skills on that scooter bike.

Beautiful view of Lick Fork Lake on the morning of my 43rd birthday. Sleeping in the Element Friday night wasn't the worst night I've ever had camping but it is possibly the last. Temps were around 40. In Alan's mummy bag, but couldn't keep the wool blanket from sliding off the top of me, so it was COLD. After such a sketchy night of sleep, I had little energy for the next day and needed a huge nap when we got home.

BTW - Tigers win! 8-0. Had to have a little football in this post.

Football Primer

Frequently I am asked something like "what are you doing these days?" Well, studying this takes a LOT of my time. I'm trying to move up in my football knowledge. But for me, this is hard stuff to read and comprehend. Good thing this article has videos imbedded. Maybe I'll even read the book. It's been a great year to be a Tiger fan!

Happy Tiger fans!

What a beautiful day for football! We got our money's worth in excitement on Saturday. Tigers win, 35-30 over the Seminoles.

Vermiculture

Saturday I went to a local farm and spent $2 for a pint of dirt & worms.  I am feeding them my kitchen scraps to make castings for my garden.  A person should not be as excited about this as I am.

I cleaned out the pantry and made space on the floor for the box I'm using for my worm bed.  You should have SEEN Alan's face when he asked "where are the worms?" and I replied, "In the pantry."

My sister told me a story about my grandmother keeping a worm bed, but hers were for fishing, not recycling. Although I'm sure she probably recycled food scraps too, my grandmother loved to fish.  Vikki says "Big Mama," as she called our grandmother, would send her to the worm bed to dig up some plump ones whenever they were going fishing.

Now all I need is a compost tumbler.

I'm using 2-3 gallons of water from the rain barrel almost every day.  It's awesome!  Wish I had had this to water with during the August drought.

Alan's dad sent us food for the week from his garden.  We are feasting on three HUGE sweet potatoes, fresh green beans, fresh okra, peppers, and homemade pickles.  There's a promise of peanuts.  Oh, and he sent me dried sunflowers to seed for us, the birds, and planting.  :)

Glorious September

"It's the most wonderful time of the year." I know. You think that is a Christmas song. And now some sports radio shows are using that song to describe the beginning of football season. They are correct, but incomplete.

Summer heat came roaring in before Memorial Day, but slunk away like a dog with its tail between its legs and right on time, Labor Day weekend. Ever since, we have had glorious fall weather. Bright sunshine, blue skies, puffy white clouds, cool morning temps, afternoon highs usually in the 80s (some days a little higher, others, lower). It is a PLEASURE to be outside right now.

 Last weekend Alan built me a rainbarrel. We only got about 1/4 inch of rain out of the last tropical storm, but it was enough to fill my 55 gallon barrel. The pond is low and the officials say we are in a moderate drought and it's going to be a dry fall, but for now I am well-stocked. Put in my fall garden (only seeds) this week - tiny pumpkins, lettuces, spinach, carrots & radishes. Okra still producing. Happy Happy.

So, football. High school football is on! We haven't been to a game yet, but are following the local teams closely. College football - well, I'm proceeding cautiously. The four super conferences are looming, and I'm not happy about that. It wasn't long ago that I could name all the schools who played football in the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 10, and the basketball schools of the Big East (I guess they play football too). Well, I can delete that useless knowledge and get that brain space ready for something new. I've even been mildly interested in pro football this year.

 I don't like to think about what we pay for DirecTV, but the last few weeks I have been very appreciative of the coverage of the Tour of Utah, USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Vuelta a Espana. Have seen lots of great scenery and cycling strategy and skill.

 Happy Days!

Late August

Cool mornings, hot afternoons, no rain in sight, garden wilting, pond receding.

I got to lead yoga class this morning at the Y, last minute. Our instructor was sick, but no one wanted to cancel, so we went ahead. 14 - the biggest class yet. And then in the afternoon we were in the pool for swim class and the instructor didn't show, so my class mates pressed me into service. That class was fun too!

Wonderful weekend in the mountains with my friends Judy and Miriam. Have SO MISSED being in the mountains. We stayed at the Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Terrific view. Blustery winds most of the weekend from Hurricane Irene, but no rain. Wandered in Brevard Saturday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

So happy.

Garden is wilted away to nothing. Okra still producing. Everything else drying up, and not enough of it to justify watering. Next additions to the "farm" will be a worm bed, a rain barrel, and a compost tumbler.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

by Jelaluddin Rumi
translation by Coleman Barks