Getting back in Shape is for Suckers...and I am a Sucker...

I am a sucker...being in shape is the best feeling in the world...being able to do pretty much whatever you want without worrying about lungs, heart, muscles freaking out and abandoning you...on the flip side the worst thing in the world is getting in shape. The Worst!!! The lungs burn...the heart rate rapid and out of control...oh and the lactic acid coursing through my muscles...the pain...the next day...all hurt...all bad. That is my life at the moment. I need to get in shape...or at least it's time to get busy and move my booty. So I've been running and biking and all that jazz...but I feel the pain...I keep telling myself the pain is good...it is weakness leaving the body. Happily I keep on trucking and lately I have been seeing some nice results...granted I still have quite a lot of baby weight to take off but my level of fitness is steadily improving. I'm in California with my parents for a few weeks and my Dad and I biked up to the Observatory in the South Bay...it was a 19 mile steady forever long never ending climb. I was passed by everyone...I wish I could ride with a disclaimer on my back 'I am not your white rabbit, just had baby'. But I thought that would be lame...so when I was getting passed I would just make it easier on them by making enjoyable chit chat...for the first 14 miles I felt pretty good...the last 5 miles were slow and me not feeling so good...but I stayed on my bike and went to the top. It was awesome to be back with those who enjoy a good sufferin' on the weekends. My type of people.

Hard Times for the Future

Since the economy is going through such a turbulent time Fisher has decided to take an active role on finding out what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again. He has been talking about Alan Greenspan for days now...'Alan did this' and 'Alan said that'...it's nuts! His first hero is Mr. Greenspan. This kid is weird...I even got a candid shot of him reading his first book.

Where's the Beach?

Fisher is showing me where the beach is...lucky for me I have him around.

Fisher has found his first stuffed friend.

Cute Boys

I am visiting Seth in Missouri while he does his out rotation...today we went for a little nature walk...it was late when we started, so we couldn't really go far. However now I know where it is, so I think Fisher and I may go back tomorrow...the weather here is so nice...because there is no snow...the leaves are just barely starting to turn...it's mid October...how awesome it this...I still want more time before winter and this is perfect. Next week Fisher and I are in California for a month...that should prolong winter's arrival for an extra 4 weeks. If I didn't have to get back to work I would do this all winter.

Chef Eugie

About a year ago there was an auction at a cancer benefit. A meal was auctioned off, it was suppose to be doctors cooking for doctors. They sold 12 tickets at $500 a piece...crazy! It took them nearly a year to coordinate everyone schedule and to set this up...well the main Dr. who was suppose to cook this meal was not able to be there so he asked my friend John if he would do it for him. Well John is some what of a perfectionist so he went all out...he asked me and his friend Claire to help out in the kitchen. I really only did a little part of the meal. I made the chocolate mousse in a chocolate cup and made and plated the salads. I left the hard stuff to them...and I am glad I did...this is what they came up with. Incredible appetizers, this was a lime lox puff of some sort, but then she made this incredible caramelized onion cheese tart...delicious!


For dinner he rolled this amazing Chateaubriand it was stuffed with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Cooked to perfection...then topped in with a herb butter...oh my it was to die for. Sided with veggies and potatoes. A labor of love. Here are the dessert plates...don't forget I have a terrible camera for pics...so trust me everything looked so amazing. John made the tarts, a doctor lady made the lemon poppy cookies and I made the mousse. Everything turned out great. We are so glad the dinner went off with out a hitch...it was an elaborate 5 course meal that included but not pictured a fab butternut soup, salad, sorbet, and a lot of wine. John the head chef has had 2 fights with cancer and he is a strong survivor. I am glad I could do this for him...it's always nice to be able to do something that has matter. Sure I was just cooking for people, but it was for a great cause...and the fight against cancer is a necessary fight for everyone...and since I don't have money to give...I can give time. It was great just to be there with a number of oncologist who really fight this disease everyday and they are peoples greatest coaches.

Pumpkin Boy

Seth's parents grew like 40 pumpkins in their garden this year. The tradition is that each of their grandchildren get to pick out one pumpkin out of the garden and since Fisher is the oldest he got to pick first...he picked the large pumpkin behind him. I think he made a wise choice.

My Life is Over

It snowed today. Didn't the snow just melt. Why oh why did it have to snow...I thought Autumn and I had a plan...she was going to slowly ease me into winter this year. I had a plan to enjoy winter this year, as I do every year and every year my plans fail and I hate winter and go into a deep dark place where no amount of pills can help. Maybe this year I will take real pills instead of pretending tic-tacs and Mentos are my medicine. I'm not emotionally ready for this winter...Logan is a freezing winter landscape...and I love winter landscapes when they are oil painted or photographed...but not the real thing...that's what TV's are for to enjoy the look of winter. Okay so I need to get ready a lot sooner than planned to enjoy the worst time of the year. You know that song with the chorus going' it's the most wonderful time of the year' it's a winter/Christmas song...well that song is winter propaganda!!! During indian summer do you hear carols? Songs praising summer or indian summer? No of course not because people don't need to be reminded! Of course late spring, summer, late summer are the best time of the year...no songs needed. The Winter Group is pushing their propaganda all over us! Who do they think they are fooling? Skiers, Snowboards, and the weird freaks who think that snow shoeing is a sport...I hate to break it to you guys snow shoeing is walking, but just on-top of snow...now I know what you are thinking...walking is an olympic sport so if walking is a sport then snowshoeing should be a sport because it is walking on snow. Well the olympics are wrong...if they don't have lacrosse as a sport then walking defiantly should not be a sport. I can't breath! Okay okay I will calm down and meditate on how I should and can enjoy my depression due to the lack of sun, green, strolls, creeks, swimming outside, tans, happiness, and whatever winter takes with it. I can do other stuff...like be a freak who snow shoes...which I actually do enjoy...maybe Fisher and I can do that everyday...or maybe I can cross country ski with the boy. Hmmm...maybe my life isn't over yet...maybe just maybe there is a shot that I may actually love this winter...then again maybe not. The good and bad thing about this experiment is that I have no choice. It is coming and it is coming fast and sooner than expected. I of course will let you know how it all goes. I think I see the sun now...and maybe the snow will be gone soon.