Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wicked Hot!
Today was a hot one in Glen Ellyn and still is. It is 9:35 and the temperature is still 85° and it was officially as high as 97° here today. Combine that with 69% humidity and we have uncomfortable weather. We are not used to this in Chicogo and I am thankful we have central air. I know we will have little sympathy from our friends in Texas, but this is tough! No sitting in the back yard this evening. Inside and air conditioned is the way to go. I had a swing to put up for Brady. Not this evening! She will have to wait.
A month from today we will be in Bejing and the weather should be about like this. We should be happy to get a preview and work on getting acclimated. We are going to China at the time of year when it is hottest. The good news is that we can dress casually and pack light! Lots of shorts and short sleeve shirts.
This week I visited my Oncologist for a follow up visit, some pokes, lots of questions, and some blood tests. He tells me I am doing O.K. My next visit will include another CT Scan and if that shows no signs of cancer I will drop down to check ups every 6 months instead of every three months. I finished chemo on November 22, 2010. I am still feeling the effects of the chemo in my fingers and my feet and my hair will never be the same. But, I am cancer free and that is the price I paid. Someday doctors will know how to cure cancer without doing their best to kill the patient. That day will not come soon enough. For any of you who want to learn more about cancer and its cures, read "The Emperor of All Maladies" by Siddhartha Mukherjee. It took me about a year after chemo before I could bring myself to read this book. If you have anyone close going through chemo or other cancer treatments, read it. If you are facing cancer, perhaps not. If you are in remission, read it.
On a brighter note, through chemo I lost weight, a little over twenty pounds by the end of chemo. The weight loss was primarily because I are less. Since chemo I have gained back weight to my pre chemo weight and more. I was up to 242. I managed to get off a couple of pound to 240 and that was when I read an article in The Atlantic in the June 2012 issue "The Perfected Self" and I realized I could take charge of this. I downloaded an app onto my iPhone - Lost It, and for the last month have been tracking calories and exercise. For me the key is seeing where calories are coming from and making food decisions that reduce the number of calories I am taking in. I have increased exercise, but not significantly. Mostly I am just traking what I eat. It is working, and in a month I have dropped 6 1/2 pounds. My goal is to lose 40 pounds by March 13 bringing me to 200. The WII Fit says I should be at about 157 pounds. Sure, I was there once in hight school. Get real. Let's get to 200 and then we can talk about 180 maybe. If you are looking at any form of diet, take a look at the apps that will help bring about behavior modification. They can work.
On a brighter note, through chemo I lost weight, a little over twenty pounds by the end of chemo. The weight loss was primarily because I are less. Since chemo I have gained back weight to my pre chemo weight and more. I was up to 242. I managed to get off a couple of pound to 240 and that was when I read an article in The Atlantic in the June 2012 issue "The Perfected Self" and I realized I could take charge of this. I downloaded an app onto my iPhone - Lost It, and for the last month have been tracking calories and exercise. For me the key is seeing where calories are coming from and making food decisions that reduce the number of calories I am taking in. I have increased exercise, but not significantly. Mostly I am just traking what I eat. It is working, and in a month I have dropped 6 1/2 pounds. My goal is to lose 40 pounds by March 13 bringing me to 200. The WII Fit says I should be at about 157 pounds. Sure, I was there once in hight school. Get real. Let's get to 200 and then we can talk about 180 maybe. If you are looking at any form of diet, take a look at the apps that will help bring about behavior modification. They can work.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
A Pulled Pork Sort of Day
We decided to have a few people over yesterday and pulled pork was on the menu. In the morning Sharon seasoned the pork shoulder - cover it with yellow mustard and then Costo Salt Free Seasoning with a few extra Sharon touches - and then onto the smoker. Last summer I bought a Weber Smokey Mountain and have never looked back. I use something called the Minion Method, which involves starting some coals in my chimney and pouring them over a full load of unlit hardwood briquettes with some flavoring wood in the base of the smoker. Then, put the pork on and let it rip. I can get at least 10 hours out of my coals without touching them. All I have to check on during the day is the level of water in the smoker's water pan, perhaps some adjustments to the airflow to control temperature, and after about seven hours, the temperature of the pork. I'm looking for about 190 degrees. At this point the fat and connective tissues have given up their fight and the pork is done. I pull it off the smoker and put it in a large mixing bowl to cool a little, then with heavy duty insulated rubber gloves, I pull the pork then add Sharon's barbecue sauce. Ummmm.
Neighbors Terry and his daughter Loren came over along with neighbors Linda, Steve, and Marge. Of course Lee and Peg were here and Suzanne and Christian joined us to. Everyone brought something - from flowers to dessert. We had a feast of green salad, potato salad, carrot salad, fruit salad, baked beans, pulled pork with home made buns, and I also grilled pacific cod for the vegetarian leaning guests.
We had cocktails of muddled raspberries and blackberries, with gin and lemonade and a squirt of seltzer and served with colorful straws. We opened some red and white wine and had a delightful time. To finish the dinner, Terry made an amazing ricotta cake with fresh berries. Wow. Some of us were on the side patio by the pond and some inside and always moving in an out. Thankfully the temperature abated in the evening and it began to cool. We had all the ceiling fans going as well as floor fans inside and you could barely tell it was 90!
We are so lucky to have wonderful friends and neighbors who enjoy food and cooking as much as we do. I was so involved I took no pictures so there are none to add to the blog. You will have to use your imagination. Think smiles and grins and full bellies.
Neighbors Terry and his daughter Loren came over along with neighbors Linda, Steve, and Marge. Of course Lee and Peg were here and Suzanne and Christian joined us to. Everyone brought something - from flowers to dessert. We had a feast of green salad, potato salad, carrot salad, fruit salad, baked beans, pulled pork with home made buns, and I also grilled pacific cod for the vegetarian leaning guests.
We had cocktails of muddled raspberries and blackberries, with gin and lemonade and a squirt of seltzer and served with colorful straws. We opened some red and white wine and had a delightful time. To finish the dinner, Terry made an amazing ricotta cake with fresh berries. Wow. Some of us were on the side patio by the pond and some inside and always moving in an out. Thankfully the temperature abated in the evening and it began to cool. We had all the ceiling fans going as well as floor fans inside and you could barely tell it was 90!
We are so lucky to have wonderful friends and neighbors who enjoy food and cooking as much as we do. I was so involved I took no pictures so there are none to add to the blog. You will have to use your imagination. Think smiles and grins and full bellies.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Backyards and Summer
It is officially summer just yesterday but we have been enjoying summer in our back yard for some time now. We've got six comfortable chairs arranged in a circle around the old portable fire pit. There are a couple of ceramic tables for drinks. We are under a wonderful old maple. Our neighbors drop by regularly to sit amd chat. The breeze from the west blows through and spins the windmill that my mother bought about 40 years ago. Ahhh, this is a great spot to relax and unwind. I usually sit here wth my iPad and catch up on email and Facebook while I wait for someone to join me. Sometimes I've got a cocktail, sometimes a glass of wine. Tonight I've got a classic martini and I'm typing and happy. Come on over, listen to the birds sing and hear the breeze through the trees and relax with me!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
More Pet Peeves
Rant on.
Drivers. Four way stop signs, hey people, pay attention to what you are doing. Notice who is at the four way with you. The one who arrives first, leaves first. If you arrive at the same time as someone else, the one on the right has the right of way. When it is your turn go already, are you waiting on an invite? Do do not have to wait for a car to be completely out of the intersection to move. Just be safe about it.
Traffic lights. Right turn on red AFTER you stop and look. Don't just roll through them an not even look. Stop signs. They mean STOP not roll or ignore. Do you have any idea where you are supposed to stop at a stop sign or traffic light? Ever notice that white line painted across the intersection? Gosh, it gives you a big clue. Do you know what you were supposed to learn in driver's ed? You stop behind that line or with the front of your car even with the stop sign, not with your rear wheels on the line and across the crosswalk. Did you notice the light turned green? That means you should go, now, not after the car in front of you has already left you far behind.
Turns. Usually you should make them from the right lane if you are turning right or the left lane if turning left. No stopping in the middle of the street in the left lane and then making a right turn. Oh, and about that turn signal. They are useful to let other motorists know what you might be planning. Why do you hit your brakes when you are turning, even if you are going under 10 miles an hour? Your car can make the turn. For that matter, ever notice how for many people their slowest part of a turn is near the end of the turn? You slow down before the turn, and accelerate through the turn. Oh, and don't swing to your left before turning right! What are you thinking? Just turn right.
Bicyclists. Riding on the sidewalk? Then if you want to cross the street, get off your bike and walk it. If I am turning and you are rolling across the street from the sidewalk, don't assume I see you and will give up my right of way to you. You are supposed to follow the same rules as a motor vehicle and ride in the street. It is safer for you to ride in the street. And when on the street, don't assume you can blow through stop signs just because you also do it when in your car.
I feel much better now.
Oh! One more thing. Displays of corn at groceries. Don't walk up and peel down the husk and then toss the corn back. Do you even know what you are doing? I suspect not. Why would you do this and then walk away without even buying any? Pick up the corn, feel it through the husk, if it is firm and fresh buy it.
Drivers. Four way stop signs, hey people, pay attention to what you are doing. Notice who is at the four way with you. The one who arrives first, leaves first. If you arrive at the same time as someone else, the one on the right has the right of way. When it is your turn go already, are you waiting on an invite? Do do not have to wait for a car to be completely out of the intersection to move. Just be safe about it.
Traffic lights. Right turn on red AFTER you stop and look. Don't just roll through them an not even look. Stop signs. They mean STOP not roll or ignore. Do you have any idea where you are supposed to stop at a stop sign or traffic light? Ever notice that white line painted across the intersection? Gosh, it gives you a big clue. Do you know what you were supposed to learn in driver's ed? You stop behind that line or with the front of your car even with the stop sign, not with your rear wheels on the line and across the crosswalk. Did you notice the light turned green? That means you should go, now, not after the car in front of you has already left you far behind.
Turns. Usually you should make them from the right lane if you are turning right or the left lane if turning left. No stopping in the middle of the street in the left lane and then making a right turn. Oh, and about that turn signal. They are useful to let other motorists know what you might be planning. Why do you hit your brakes when you are turning, even if you are going under 10 miles an hour? Your car can make the turn. For that matter, ever notice how for many people their slowest part of a turn is near the end of the turn? You slow down before the turn, and accelerate through the turn. Oh, and don't swing to your left before turning right! What are you thinking? Just turn right.
Bicyclists. Riding on the sidewalk? Then if you want to cross the street, get off your bike and walk it. If I am turning and you are rolling across the street from the sidewalk, don't assume I see you and will give up my right of way to you. You are supposed to follow the same rules as a motor vehicle and ride in the street. It is safer for you to ride in the street. And when on the street, don't assume you can blow through stop signs just because you also do it when in your car.
I feel much better now.
Oh! One more thing. Displays of corn at groceries. Don't walk up and peel down the husk and then toss the corn back. Do you even know what you are doing? I suspect not. Why would you do this and then walk away without even buying any? Pick up the corn, feel it through the husk, if it is firm and fresh buy it.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
And Home!
The Toronto drive is not something I would repeat again soon. Most of the drive is quite fine, a nice drive through farm country. But then you get close to Toronto it becomes urban expressway terror. On Sunday afternoon, arriving in the Toronto metro area traffic got heavier and heavier and the roads got wider - five and six lanes each direction and packed. On Wednesday getting out of Toronto, same thing. This made Chicago traffic look good. The difference is that in Toronto, everyone is somewhat saner when it comes to speed and lane changes. Everyone is going around 70 in Toronto and they not only look but signal lane changes. In Chicago speeds range from 50 to 90 and lane changing is often random and unsignaled.
The most beautiful sight I had on this trip, beside my lovely bride, was Lake Huron from the bridge between the U.S. and Canada. The color of the lake both times was awesome. Gorgeous blue on Sunday and blue-green on Wednesday. Both days the lake was spotted with sailboats and was quite a site.
Getting through Canadian Customs was a pain, more than a half hour in line but then only a few seconds at the booth. Coming back to the U.S. though was different. There was a very short line and then I got selected for a random inspection. I had to pull into an inspection lane, and open my hood and trunk and then take myself into the office. I then answered a lot of questions: where do you live (four times), where are you going, where have you been, why did you go there, what are you carrying, what did you buy, did anyone give you anything. Little did they know I had a hard time stuffing my suitcase in the trunk because it was fully expanded with Sharon's dirty clothes that I was bringing back from Canada. The customs folks had a hard time stuffing it back in the trunk!
I had a great visit in Toronto, seeing Sharon was key and we enjoyed our evenings together walking around and of course having some fine meals. During the day I visited museums and walked. On Monday I visited the Royal Ontario Museum, the ROM. The building was fascinating, two buildings - one old one new, enveloping and intertwined. In some ways it reminded me of the British Museum. They have quite a mix there from fossils to ancient Chinese and Egyptian artifacts. Their cafe where I had lunch was great. Museum cafes can be wonderful or disasters. This one was a winner.
On Tuesday I went to the AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario. There was a fine Picasso show on and I scored a ticket from a gentleman out front. He said his wife could not make it and he had a times ticket plus audio for sale. I asked how much and he said $20 for a ticket worth $30. I pulled out a $20 and I was in. It was a very nice exhibit of various Picasso works throughout his career. I had a delicious lunch in the museum Spanish themed cafe - I had a Rioja wine and paella! What a treat. Then back to the museum. One of the highlights for me was a Berenice Abbott photography exhibit funded by the Terra Foundation. An American photographer exhibited in Canada and funded by an American foundation. There was also a wonderful assortment of art by Canadian artists. This is a wonderful museum. If you find yourself in Toronto visit the ROM and the AGO and even the Shoe Museum. You will have a wonderful visit well worth the time and the admission fee. Visit Toronto but don't drive there from Glen Ellyn, Illinois!
I did a lot of walking in and out of the museum. The University area was fun to stroll with a mixture of old homes - mostly side by side styles, and a combination of old and new campus buildings. Toronto is a very large, diverse city that feels a bit like Chicago, a bit like New York, and a bit like itself. In the area we were staying it could have been Michigan Avenue and the Gold Coast. Throw in the Art Institute and you are in Chicago. Oh, and did I mention it is on a great lake? Toronto is Toronto. We found the people to be welcoming and helpful, the ROM and the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) to be wonderful museums, food to meet international standards (though the wine was pricey), and the weather wonderful. The public transportation was easy to use and clean. A wonderful city to visit with something for everyone. I suspect Sharon will be going there on a regular basis and hopefully I will tag along occasionally too - but I will not be driving! I am happy to be back home and looking forward to picking Sharon up at O'Hare tomorrow evening. She has been gone for two weeks and even though I was with her Sunday through Tuesday, two weeks apart is too much!
Trolleys!
Lots of construction.
Expensive but delicious Canadian wine.
Beautiful old University buildings
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Off to Toronto
Sharon started a new job this week at Dayforce in Toronto. She left early this past Monday and will be there until Friday. The is a new company for her but an old direction - HR and Payroll consulting and managing implementations of the Dayforce Workforce Management software. Sharon is very good at what she does and knows this business well. She is awesome with customers and will be great in this new opportunity.
I am driving to Toronto to see my sweetie 'cause I miss her! I'll be there until Wednesday when I will drive home so I can be back at work on Thursday. This is one advantage of working three days a week - Thursday-Saturday and I owe a lot for Sharon for making this possible for over a year now.
I have only been to Toronto on business in the past and have not had the opportunity to see the city. I have heard great things from friends, and from Sharon on her exploration of the downtown area today. I plan on hitting some museums - the Royal Ontario Museum and the Toronto Gallery of Art. If any of you who read this have some other suggestions, please let me know!
As usual, photos will follow.
I am driving to Toronto to see my sweetie 'cause I miss her! I'll be there until Wednesday when I will drive home so I can be back at work on Thursday. This is one advantage of working three days a week - Thursday-Saturday and I owe a lot for Sharon for making this possible for over a year now.
I have only been to Toronto on business in the past and have not had the opportunity to see the city. I have heard great things from friends, and from Sharon on her exploration of the downtown area today. I plan on hitting some museums - the Royal Ontario Museum and the Toronto Gallery of Art. If any of you who read this have some other suggestions, please let me know!
As usual, photos will follow.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Brady Comes For A Visit
Oh, she brought Kathy and Kevin too. And Larry is here too, and we briefly saw Claire and Audra.
Tomorrow Sharon flies to Toronto to start her new job at Dayforce. Colbyetta, our cleaning lady will then spend a few days catching up on housecleaning, oh joy! Sharon and Larry told me that they felt Colbyetta had not been doing a great job. I will have to have a talk with her about her cleaning style.
Tomorrow Sharon flies to Toronto to start her new job at Dayforce. Colbyetta, our cleaning lady will then spend a few days catching up on housecleaning, oh joy! Sharon and Larry told me that they felt Colbyetta had not been doing a great job. I will have to have a talk with her about her cleaning style.
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