What I did on my summer vacation.

I've been away. For a week.
I know, I've been away from the smooth elephant for longer than that, but, hey, there are no rules, regulations or requirements--the beauty of your own private blog.

A synopsis of the past week:

Tuesday last: travel day, puttered around in the morning before the 2 hour drive to the airport, another 90+ minutes at the terminal, a short plane ride and arrival at the other end where I was met by my dad. Food was et, end of day one.

Wednesday: orientation for online course. arrived an hour early because I haven't driven around Balto for a couple of years. Day well spent. Drove home in pouring rain.

Thursday: day spent with mom. haircuts (first one for me in about 7 years), lunch and the evening spent at brother's. Did we have dinner? Oh, yeah--chicken wings and macaroni salad.

Friday: day spent in DC with friend. much (MUCH) walking--from the Smithsonian castle to the Lincoln Memorial and back. I saw all the memorials and monuments I never toured when I lived here. Two important discoveries: [1] the Mall is overrun with geese. The Canada kind. It occurred to me that it might be a good source of local food, but also might start a war with our neighbors to the north if anyone suggested it or took action. Goose poop everywhere. There, maybe something to be turned into an alternative energy . . .
[2] The Lincoln Memorial has an underground visitor's center with bathrooms. THAT is very important, especially when you're walking around in the hot sun sipping from a water bottle all day long.
We bought lunch items from the USDA Farmers Market (my latest kick since doing an article about them), went back to friend's house (where I met her adorable new kitten) and made sausage, pepper and onion sandwiches with the stuff we bought there.
Went home, probably had something for dinner, but who remembers these things??

Saturday: Putzed around in the morning and went to the Wine Festival that was close by in the afternoon with dad. It was hot, it was humid, and it was worse the next day (so it was good we went when we did). Two things here: hot, humid weather and two dozen sips of wine do NOT make for a pleasant afternoon and Maryland wines ain't all that.
There was one winery that was so disappointing, in retrospect I should have done one of those suprise spits when I tasted one particular white. It was almost brown, for starters. It smelled like burnt rubber and tasted like it, too. Is that an acquired taste? I won't bother to acquire that one, thank you very much.

Sunday: Spent two and a half hours at the Genius Bar at the mall getting my OS upgraded. Didn't cost anything, so I guess it was time well spent. But, man, do people spend money like it's going out of style! One guy was talking about the great deal he got on the floor model of a massage chair. Two thousand dollars instead of five. "I can justify two, but not five."
Really, dude? I can think of two thousand things I would spend two thousand dollars on before I spent it on a massage chair. Some people need to get out more.
Made tea for mom, dad and sister-in-law. Sister-in-law came over, we went furniture looking, came back and ate 'cause we were starving (and I didn't get around to having lunch since I was at the Genius Bar--where they don't serve any food).
Ran off to sister-in-law's (also brother's) to torture their babies. I'm very good at that.

Which brings us to today, Monday: last full day in town. Got up early to take the big nephew kayaking. Everyone too tired, so we went to a Chinese buffet for lunch instead. Day well spent.
Went to dinner with folks, watched a movie, now bed. Tomorrow is another travel day. Early to rise, get home take a nap.

Now, wasn't that fascinating?? Wait until I tell you about what I learned from my niecephews . . . .

Beeeep-beeeep-beeeep

Busy signal. I have to write 2 articles today. Catch ya later . . .

To my viewing public:

(and especially, SuperJonMasteroftheUniverse(c)(tm)(r)

I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern from all my supporters who have missed my daily ramblings.
Two factors have kept me from writing more regularly. First, no one seemed to care for my garlic herb butter so I didn't want to inflict more cooking ideas on my adoring fans. Quite frankly, I would rather write about food and cooking than about starving and sweating.

Second, it turns out that I stumbled into a part time job writing news stories for money, so that is where all my writing time has gone. It also takes time to chase down quotes and information for these lucrative stories I'm writing, so I just haven't had time to spare.

As far as the weight loss goes, there are 2 pounds missing I hope I don't see again. Remind me to mention my theories on fiber. . .

Keep those cards and letters coming, folks, I thrive on your feedback!!

Mmm, breakfast . . .

. . . or a chapter for my new cookbook.

Okay, maybe every other day I'll write something. Sometimes there just isn't anything to write about. . .

But today, I had me a yummy breakfast.
First, on Wednesday I made a batch of my famous oatmeal sunflower bread, which I shared with my massage therapist (she's working on my shoulder and she gave me a nice discount). I used powdered buttermilk and a little too much water, but it rose beautifully and came out nice and tender. It makes the most delicious toast.

So there was that toast and one piece of bacon from a local humane supplier--nice and smoky.
And some cantaloupe and a cup of tea, and a single egg fried in my secret weapon--a garlic-herb-butter-olive oil blend. I keep a bowl of it on hand for whatever.

I use fresh herbs now because I have them in the yard (I hesitate to call it a garden because I haven't done any work out there besides some mowing this year). Chives, sage, oregano, basil and thyme (I wish I still had some parsley) chopped up fine with a couple tablespoons of soft butter, a couple of mashed garlic cloves, salt, pepper and at least as much olive oil as butter, usually a bit more, mixed up smooth, covered with plastic and kept in the fridge until I need it.

It goes on shrimp or veggies on the grill, slices of bread that go on the panini grill as an accompaniment to a dinner salad or pasketti, and of course in the frying pan for eggs. Check it out--I use half as much butter and get this amazing flavor. You really ought to try it. Let me know if you do.

Now in Summer Mode

So, June went where?! I was . . . on vacation, yeah, no, wait, I was on assignment. Top secret, can't talk about it. Stuff and junk, you know.

Anyway, now that it is officially summer, what with the solstice out of the way and the local school kids finally out of school (their last day was June 24), I will be on an amazing new and improved schedule with time to bake bread and ride my bike and write, write, write. In fact, it looks as if I have fallen bass ackwards into a summer job with the local paper. They're short on writers and I'm short on meaningful employment--it couldn't have worked out better.

As for weight loss, I am currently experiencing watergate pains, as we used to call it back in the '70s when such things were in the news and what did we kids know? So progress has come to a stand still, but not for long.
But what about the bread, you ask? Well, I'm not on the Atkin's diet and if I'm making the bread from scratch, I'm burning a lot of calories just to have a slice. Not to mention the fact that I know what's in it 'cause I put it there . . .

Thanks to SuperJonMasteroftheUniverse (r) (c) (tm) for reminding me about the smoothness of the elephant . . .

I owe me a quarter.

I was so busy doing nothing yesterday, I forgot to post a blog. And today, I was so tired from yesterday, I almost forgot again.

That (see above) is a lame excuse. I hate lame excuses. In my studio, I charge students 25 cents for lame excuses. I think I have about $2.50 in cash another dollar's worth of I.O.U.s and a few free lame excuse tokens (I give them out on birthdays and holidays). It seems to work on the cutting down on lame excuses. I mean, my studio floor is littered with tongue tips. [eww, gross]
But it doesn't get to the heart of the matter, which is, forget the lame excuses, just do what you're supposed to do.

So today, I didn't eat candy in the studio, have seconds at dinner or go for dessert. I ate orange sections and carrots ( three students didn't show up--it makes me crazy and want to eat). For dessert I had a hot cup of chocolate mint rooibos tea. It's my new magic potion. Had some with dinner last night to make myself slow down, and darn if it didn't work!
I also think it's helping my blood pressure.

Now about that lame excuse for not exercising . . .
cha ching

Zero to Hard Core in 7 Days

Yeah, that's right. I'm back on the bike and I'm feelin' no pain! I rode to town today to look at a possible new studio space with a possible new office mate. The minute I hit the road it started to rain. Did I turn back? Heck, no! I'm hard core now!! And it was hot (or so they think in the great frozen north). It may have gotten up around the low 90's in town, but it stayed in the 80's here in the woods. I got to my studio and the landlord was there watering the new grass (very reluctantly--he doesn't usually water and pays dearly for water and sewer). He mentioned that I looked a little red in the face, was the heat bothering me? Well, I rode my bike, I said. From where? he asked. From the little town where I live, I said. His jaw dropped. He didn't know I was a cyclist. Everyone knows my husband rides, but me??? Heck, yeah! I'm hard core now!! I was before and I am again.

I've got a few motivations. First, I do want to look good in that dragonfly jersey. And second, I just mailed a check to a campground in Maine that we have planned to hit up as part of an anniversary bike tour. Cafiend said it's located at the midpoint of a century he had ridden several years earlier. We will be aiming for it on a Sunday and heading back on a Tuesday. So I have to be able to cover at least 50 miles in one day if I'm going to enjoy that trip at all.

So watch out for me. I'm hard core now. I have sun screen and I'm not afraid to use it.