tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67184017557114325152024-02-08T02:11:26.480-08:00Ride to EatCarolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-4675111857637442122013-07-04T12:57:00.000-07:002013-07-04T12:57:17.180-07:00Tiburon Loop, China Camp and French FriesHas it really been so long since I have written a blog post?<br />
Could be because Jerry and I were off the tandem for quite some time. I did ride some while not writing, but not much.<br />
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But now we are gearing up to ride from New York to Washington DC at the end of September, so the training is going to have to get serious. We are doing the Climate Ride (www.climateride.org in case anyone wants to donate...) which raises funds for a whole host of non profits. Jerry and I have picked Earthjustice, a non-profit law firm that has done pro bono work for a large number of environmental groups, and World Bicycle Relief, which builds and supplies bikes to developing countries, seriously changing lives. <br />
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My back went out a couple of weeks ago, but we have managed to do some riding, and the riding has actually helped a good bit. When I'm on the bike I don't feel any pain. It's so wonderful. The back is slowly getting better, and I'm convinced riding is helping.<br />
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Our last couple of rides have been around Tiburon, but today we decided to ride out from the house and cycle China Camp, a beautiful park quite close to our house. It has some hills, but nothing hideous. I had found that pushing hard to climb was aggravating my back, but today was no problem. We rode fast and strong, though only a little more than 20 miles.<br />
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We plan to ramp up our mileage the next couple of days. Tomorrow, we are heading for Cottage Grove, OR. There is a small airport right next to an inn, so we've booked a room and will be able to cycle on over. It's around 25 miles from Eugene, so one plan is to hop on the tandem and ride to Eugene for lunch. It's fairly flat, so 50 miles should not be a problem.<br />
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Along with ramping up the miles, it's time to ramp up my healthy eating. Along with not getting much exercise, I have been eating lots of not great for me food: a terrible combination. I have been having a love affair of late with extra crisp french fries. I believe in everything in moderation, but I've gone really over the top with fries. So, while I have no plans to cut them out of my life, they are going to have to seriously become a once in a while, not twice a week, food.<br />
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To try to make up for my unhealthy eating, I've been keeping the house well-stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. Today is the day I would normally go to the Farmer's Market for lots of organic produce, but alas, it is July 4, and the Marin County Fair is in full swing. I assume there is not market today, and even if there was, I'm steering clear of that area.<br />
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We did do some pretty spectacular eating and drinking for our anniversary, which was June 23. For the last two years I've been out of town for our anniversary, so we decided to make this year special. We had dinner where we got married, and spent the night at the Inn at Occidental, where we spent our wedding night. We also visited some wonderful Russian River wineries, did some tasting and brought home some lovely wines.<br />
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The winery where we got married has changed hands, so the food is no longer Greek, but it was okay. We got a charcuterie plate to share, and honestly, we could have stopped with that, But dinner came next. For the life of me I can't remember what I had. So while I remember I enjoyed it, it was seriously not that memorable. I have stronger memories of our wedding dinner. Desserts didn't interest us-- they were mostly chocolate, which I don't eat-- so we passed on it. I did have coffee, which was also pretty unmemorable. Not strong enough for me.<br />
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We are going to go out to lunch today, and I will do my best to steer clear of fries. Wish me luck.<br />
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Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-37248128924115803042012-11-18T17:41:00.002-08:002012-11-18T17:41:44.690-08:00Boise and Trout AmandineI have not blogged in a long time because I have not been riding my bike. At all. I was having some back trouble for a while and lately life has just gotten in the way. But in a good way.<br />
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This weekend Jerry and I went on a really great adventure. We loaded 20 small dogs into the back of the Mirage and flew them to Boise, Idaho. There are lots of large dogs in Boise, but not very many small ones, so they are a shoe-in for adoption. They were pulled out of a shelter in Oakland, along with an additional 20 dogs flown in another Mirage by Yehuda and Cindy. Yehuda lives in Southern California and Cindy lives in Livermore, which is where we picked up the dogs. They have rescued scores of dogs this way-- picking them up from crowded shelters in Southern California and the Bay Area and flying them to Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Vancouver. <br />
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The dogs were incredibly well behaved during the flight. We'd hear an occasional yowl or whimper, but I think they mostly just relaxed or went to sleep for the two and a half hour flight.<br />
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Once we got to Boise, it was a different story. They wanted out. But the only out they were going to get was to be loaded into the Boise Humane Society trucks and vans. Once they reached the facility though, they were unloaded into warm, cozy cages replete with blankets and doggy beds. I think their future looks pretty bright.<br />
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After we transferred the dogs, we headed to downtown Boise, which was actually a bit bigger and cosmopolitan than I had imagined. We stayed at a very nice hotel, Hotel 43. Large bed, fluffy towels and even a little stuffed bear in a bathrobe to great us. The room also had a Keurig with dark roast coffee.<br />
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We made plans to have dinner with Cindy and Yehuda, and I set out on line to find a good place. Not easy to find a reservation at 7 on a Saturday night, even in Boise. The top Yelp picks were booked until 8:30 or 9 but I took a chance on a place called Cafe de Paris. I saw they had Idaho trout on the menu, and I figured, how could I go wrong with that.<br />
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And right I was. The trout was really perfectly cooked and the slivered almonds were wonderful. The sauce was not too heavy. It was accompanied by asparagus and rice pilaf. Jerry and Cindy had salmon, and they thought it was great. Yehuda had a chicken dish. He didn't rave about it, but he ate it, so I would call tht a success.<br />
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We even ordered a bottle of Idaho wine-- a Meritage that was perfectly acceptable. The only downer was they were out of creme brule, so I made do with a cup of good coffee.<br />
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Sunday morning we found a good breakfast place and ate too much, but the red potatoes were so good I had to eat at least some of them.<br />
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We strolled around town and then made a pilgrimage to the Boise Goodwill. We found Jerry a nice sweater and I bought some holiday tins.<br />
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The flight back went without a hitch, which is as it should be. <br />
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I hope we get to hear some news about the dogs we delivered. I'm rooting for them to get great homes.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-3268736576136315842012-09-09T14:14:00.000-07:002012-09-09T14:14:00.233-07:00Fairfax and GlopJerry and I aren't really training for anything, but we know for our peace of mind and body, we need to ride. So on the weekends we are getting out the tandem and taking it for a spin.<br />
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Today we meandered along a bike and walking path and then hit the road to Fairfax. The path was pleasant, running alongside a creek. Mostly, we could get around the walkers and the slower bicyclists, although admittedly our speed was slower than usual. What bothered me more than slow walkers and cyclists was dogs off leash. Believe me, I love dogs. Love them. Want each and every dog in the whole wide world to have a home. But what I don't like is for dogs to be off leash while walking an on-leash path. It really is for everyone's safety. We weren't chased, but we did have to swerve to avoid a dog sniffing his way around the path; neither he nor his guardians were paying any attention to what was going on around them. <br />
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Once we hit the street it was better. We headed through the land of 1,000 stop signs until we got to Fairfax, where we had to dismount. Fairfax was holding what was I guess, an antique car show. We had to walk through, and there is little I like to look at less than old cars. I'm not all that wild about new ones either. But we made our way to Fairfix Cafe.<br />
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I'll start by saying I really like Fairfix Cafe. Their hummus is wonderful; I love their felafel and I've rarely had better tabouli. But today, I ordered the chicken gyro, figuring it would work well since I overindulged yesterday.<br />
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I was wrong. The bits of chicken-- I'm pretty sure it was chicken-- was drowned in what I presume is their version of tzatsiki. It pretty much tasted like nothing and there must have been two cups in there. It was like a really overmayonnaised chicken salad. I opened it up and picked out some of the tasteless chicken and wiped off the tomatoes and ate them. But it was horrible. Horrible. I'll stick to felafel from now on. <br />
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We finished and walked our way back through the cars to a spot where we could get back on the tandem. We ran into a fellow ALC'er who was out for a far more serious ride than ours. We say hello and then both took off.<br />
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We took a different route home, mostly staying off bike paths, which increased our speed and my enjoyment. <br />
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A shower and some relaxing, and we'll head out to a movie later. Last weekend we saw "Premium Rush," which starred actors playing bicycle messengers. It was a hoot. Very not real world, but with that many bicycles in it, how could it be bad? Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-13474219770415250832012-07-15T11:40:00.001-07:002012-07-15T11:42:52.141-07:00Carrot Cake and Mindful EatingWeight Watchers is all about mindful eating. Portion control. Trade offs. But this week was Jerry's birthday and I admit, frequently, my eating was mindless. It was all about senses-- sight, smell and certainly taste.<br />
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On Jerry's actual birthday we went to the Panama Hotel, a neighborhood restaurant that is a favorite.<br />
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We ordered appetizers of a beet salad (mindful) and mushroom ravioli (no doubt, mindless). I stayed pretty well under control with my entree-- grilled salmon with root vegetables. I ate only half, saving the rest for another day. And one glass of Zinfandel. But I did have dessert-- a peach cobbler with Tahitian vanilla gelato. And I ate it all.<br />
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The next day was austerity mode. I know skipping breakfast is generally seen as a no-no, but I woke up absolutely not hungry. I met a friend for lunch and had a blt, which believe it or not, is Weight Watcher friendly. No mayo, two slices of bacon really does not add up to a lot of points.<br />
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But last night we had a birthday dinner. Our friends Sha and Lora, and Jerry's sister Donna and her spouse Linda were guests. Donna and Linda are vegetarians, so I decided to do a no animal flesh dinner. The dinner was to be simple, so I went heavy on the appetizers. <br />
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We had a feta and sun dried tomato dip with endive for dipping, Jerry's favorite aged-Gouda cheese, olives, and roasted Brussels sprouts with Balsamic vinegar. All pretty light and mindful. <br />
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Dinner was another thing. No matter how you look at it, pesto is fat and calorie laden. The pasta itself, and then the pesto, which I made with pine nuts, garlic, butter, olive oil, Parmesan, and, of course, basil. I used angel hair pasta, which for me, is the right pasta with pesto. I had gotten some tofu with garlic and black pepper at the farmer's market, so I added that as well. <br />
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I roasted some lovely squash I got at the farmer's market, and that was dinner. For dessert, we had a carrot cake that I made with olive oil. It was light and really delicious. I made a cream cheese frosting.<br />
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And I had a million glasses of wine. We started with a Wellington Victory Reserve, which was delicious, and moved on to a cab and a Zin. Really, three bottles of wine for six people isn't outrageous, but it seems every time I turned around I, or someone, was filling my glass.<br />
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So today I am back to austerity. We shall see what Tuesday's weigh-in brings.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-8947963683484821282012-06-26T10:45:00.000-07:002012-06-26T10:45:52.587-07:00Peanut butter, Bananas and TortillasI have been ignoring this blog for far too long. I have been busy with Race Across America but that is now over, and I can get back to doing what I love to do. Riding and eating real food.<br />
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My week on RAAM was mostly peanut butter and a banana on a tortilla. The racers ate a variety of mostly boring but nutritionally dense food. Quinoa with vegetable soup and chicken made into a sort of stew. Nothing you'd eat at home, but they seemed to love it. Pasta with cream sauce was another biggie. <br />
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I felt that the prepared food was for the racers and didn't partake. Hence the bananas and peanut butter. In a nutshell, my diet was hideous and I gained weight.<br />
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So once my laundry is done and my life is a bit more normal, it's back to Weight Watchers. I had lost 10 pounds pre race. I think about three of those pounds are back. But I will eat well and healthfully and in time I'll take that weight off and maybe five pounds more.<br />
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That is not to say I didn't do a bit of high caloric celebrating when the race was over. Annapolis is my old stomping grounds and I was not going to let a little thing like weight control keep me from soft shell crabs and crabcakes. Yes, we have crabs here in Northern California but they are not the correct crab. I am a blue crab east coast crab girl.<br />
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I stayed with my friend Luisa and we went into Baltimore to my favorite restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen. She had never been there so it was a real treat for me to introduce her to the place. <br />
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As always, the food was perfect. We had a zucchini dip and braised snow peas and pea pods for appetizers. For entree Luisa had a cold plate with farro and vegetables. And yes, I had a soft shell crab. <br />
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I was going to order a glass of Peju Cabernet, but the waiter nudged me toward a Maryland Cabernet from Black Ankle Winery. I was not sorry. I can drink Peju here in NoCal. <br />
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And it would be a sin not to order dessert at Woodberry, so we got two and split them. One was a raw rhubarb tart with buttermilk cream and rhubarb sorbet. Stunning! I had never thought of using raw rhubarb and I'm going to have to give it a go. The other was a delicious sour cherry pie with cream ice cream. We had a pot of a mellow French press coffee (chocolate overtones-- the only way I have chocolate is in the overtones of coffee and red wine).<br />
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I managed to sneak in one more soft shell crab for lunch on my Monday traipsing around Annapolis. I stopped by the dock and saw two solo racers come in. Not much of a crowd on Monday so was glad to add a pair of clapping hands and a cheering voice. <br />
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Today will be laundry, refilling prescriptions and definitely some food shopping. Loads of fresh vegetables will be in the cart. Can't wait to start eating well again.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-62330683011111447022012-05-07T10:27:00.000-07:002012-05-07T10:27:44.526-07:00Bike Fit, Beans and Rice and AIDSThis past weekend would be anything but Weight Watchers approved. Wine on Saturday. Wine on Sunday. And dinner from Sol Food on Sunday as well.<br />
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I think I'll work backwards. Jerry and I went to the Trips for Kids fundraiser last night (Sunday). Marilyn Price, the founder and director knows how to put on a good fundraiser. She has a way of talking almost anyone out of donating, helping or at least showing up. There was great food, great wine and beer, and a host of silent and live auction items.<br />
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Jerry and I went home with a new bike pump and a bike fit from Colin Beardsley from StudioVelo in Mill Valley. I just got my bike fit from him. Four hours of meticulous tweaking, suggestions and adjustments. While Jerry is reasonably comfortable, I figure getting precise dimensions wouldn't hurt. We bid pretty much the asking price, but hey, it's for Marilyn and the kids. <br />
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The speaker at the event was Shimon Iforgethislastname, who takes incarcerated kids in Israel on mountain bike rides. His talk was endearing, inspiring and insightful. <br />
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The live auction, which included a custom made Tom Ritchey frame and a bike signed by Robin Williams was fairly successful. And considering everything is donated, my guess is the organization did quite well.<br />
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The dinner was catered by Sol Food. It is a favorite restaurant of many of my friends, but Jerry and I have never been all that enamored. Until last night. The beans and rice, after being doused with their house-made hot sauce were fantastic, and to my surprise, I loved the plantain fritter as well. We both drank too much wine and I'm a bit dehydrated today, but it was a great evening.<br />
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Earlier in the day we did our traditional ride out to Pt. Reyes. The bike had new handlebars, a new saddle and last week's new crank and shims under my right cleat. Each change made the riding experience better. While I don't think anything will help me completely get rid of right side chafing, it was markedly improved.<br />
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We again rode faster than usual out to Pt. Reyes. To our delight, when we arrived we ran into a passel of Positive Pedalers having lunch, so we joined them. Not only did we have great company, we had great leftovers. Congratulations all around on my election to their board, which was heartening. The Pos Peds have just opened their board to non-pos people, and I'm one of the first batch. I anticipate a lot of hard, but rewarding work.<br />
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On our way back we started having serious chain trouble. Definitely time for a new chain. We had to stop a couple of times to untwist it, and the ride was a bit rough, but we made it.<br />
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We stopped in Nicasio for a port-a-pot break and a little rest. On the porch sat a woman, probably in her 80s, eating a hot dog. I was wearing my Pos Ped jersey with the Nelson Mandela quote on the back. She read it and was obviously moved. Turns out she lost two sons to AIDS in the 80s. She was pro gay marriage and joined our sentiments for a cure. She lauded us for our years of riding and supporting HIV causes. <br />
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This was the second time in one day when I was reminded of how AIDS has taken too many from us. Earlier in the day I saw a posting on Facebook about Larry Wisch, who died on Saturday from AIDS. Larry was one of my best friends in Baltimore. We met playing volleyball. The night I badly sprained my ankle coming down from a spike he sat with me for hours in the Emergency Department at Union Memorial, telling me stories and making me laugh. We became great friends after that long night. We lost track of each other after one of us left town-- I can't remember which one of us left first-- and I didn't even know he was living in San Francisco. And now he's gone. <br />
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AIDS is still killing people. The treatment has come a long way but we are still too far away from a cure. I want to see that, and I want to see it soon. <br />
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So that was Sunday. We spent Sunday with another tandem couple: George and Nancy. They are taking a year off from being bike techs on AIDS Lifecycle. They are both great techs, but my guess is, Nancy will be especially missed. People who have ridden all year line up for Nancy to do bike fits on Day Zero, and then throughout the week. <br />
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Nancy and George are members of several wine clubs, and they took us to a Cinco de Mayo celebration, which, according to the invitation, included lunch. The invitation was wrong. There were not all that many appetizers being passed, with no main course in sight. We had each had a glass of wine and we were ready for a real lunch. So we decided to head out to Napa to look for real food. When we finally found a parking space we headed to the first spot we saw: a pizza place. I tried to keep Weight Watchers conscious with a mesclun salad with dressing on the side. The dressing was tasteless, so I opted for plain greens. Jerry had a little pizza, and I admit, I had a small piece. The pizzas were much better than the salad, but I was still keeping things fairly in check. We headed to a winery where Nancy and Georg are members, and I tasted two reds. They were good, not great, so I was not tempted to have any more or purchase any.<br />
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Since we knew we were busy Sunday night, our usual movie night, we headed out to see the Avengers Popcorn with no butter would be dinner, so ultimately, despite the wine, I kept within my Weight Watcher goals.<br />
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The movie was a lot of fun, with a few of those unmistakable Joss Whedon lines. Again, not great art, but fun.<br />
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I have not cooked in about a week and my eating habits have not been stellar. My plan today is to make a batch of pasta sauce with eggplant as a meat replacement. I cook the eggplant in the microwave until it collapses and add it to my simmering red sauce. It gives it bulk and "meatiness" and makes it pretty satisfying.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-75704774513442323162012-05-01T11:24:00.002-07:002012-05-01T11:27:57.434-07:00Riding, Yes. Eating, Not So MuchThe last couple of weeks Jerry and I have been trying to amp up our miles. We rode "Day on the Ride" last weekend, which is an attempt to simulate what it is like to do a day on AIDS Lifecycle. Except the day is generally harder than any day on the actual ride.
This year the ride took us over almost every hill in Marin and then into Sonoma. We clocked 77 miles, which is shorter than most ride days, but there is no day that has that many difficult climbs. I'm happy to say we completed it, though the usual spot where the crease in my leg meets my behind was screaming by the end of the day. I knew it had to be time to schedule a bike fit.
A fitter in Mill Valley came highly recommended to me, so we made an appointment. I know there are lots of great fitters out there, including at least one friend, but Colin was close by and had rave reviews, so we took ourselves over there. He made some very important discoveries. My legs, are indeed, significantly different in length. It wasn't just my lopsided shoulders and hips; there was a great deal of leg length discrepancy. He put shims under the cleat on my right shoe and recommended we get a shorter crank on the right side. My hope was with less straining to reach, the pain and irritation on the right side would subside.
No such luck. On Sunday's ride things seemed to start out well, but that nagging, gnawing began at around mile 40. I do have to say though, that my pedaling power is definitely improved with the changes made. I felt a lot stronger and Jerry and I rode our fastest average time ever. Our hill climbing clocked slightly faster, and overall, we had good to great speed. Jerry's cyclometer is out of commission, so he didn't realize it. He was pleased with the news.
We'll go back to Colin later this week for a little more tweaking and maybe a new saddle. I am determined to get this issue fixed before ALC.
To get more saddle time, I've started going to spin class. While it is certainly different that riding the tandem, I know it's good for my quads and cardio, so I will make it a regular part of my routine. If nothing else, I sweat a lot.
I'm still doing Weight Watchers and I earned 75 activity points this week. But I didn't touch them, and their lies what I think is the problem. I frequently do not use up my daily point allowance, and I think my body thinks it is going into starvation mode, so I am not losing any weight. In fact, this week I gained a little.
So, starting tonight, things are going to change. We are going to go out for pizza, and I will have wine with it. I am going to start working on using more points, and ironically, I think it will result in weight loss. Seems counter-intuitive, but my guess is my theory will prove right. I'm not going to pig out, but I am going to start eating more.
And I probably will start enjoying it more. I have definitely been in an eating rut: the same green salad with three ounces of chicken; the same cottage cheese and pears. I'm going to mix it up, add a little more excitement and a little red wine.
I'm also deep into planning mode for this year's Jonathan Pon Memorial Ride. While I really should be cycling the event, I will be in the kitchen with a few friends, cooking for 200 hungry cyclists. I'm excited and a little nervous by the challenge. The kitchen at Cassini Ranch, where we have dinner and breakfast is woefully inadequate so I will be doing as much prep as possible ahead of time. This is the third or fourth time I've done it and it always is wonderful, but if I didn't worry about it I wouldn't be me.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-14077104176891813732012-04-08T17:08:00.003-07:002012-04-08T17:23:36.677-07:00Hills, Activity Points and Cauliflower PureeIf I ate all the "activity" points I've been earning on Weight Watchers, there is no way in Hell I would lose any weight. But it's kind of fun seeing those numbers.<br /><br />Today, a 52 mile ride earned me more than 50 points. I started having pizza fantasies, but I really want to try to lose another 10 pounds or so before AIDs Lifecycle in June. And pizza is not the way I will get there.<br /><br />Today, Jerry and I set out from the house, not sure exactly how far we were going to ride. We knew we would go as far as Lagunitas, and then we'd decide if it was time to turn back or continue.<br /><br />Jerry and I are woefully behind in our training. He's been out of town a lot, and when he's not here, I don't ride. Oh, I might tool around the neighborhood on my recumbent trike, but I don't really consider that riding. Because it's not. <br /><br />But today we rode. When we reached Lagunitas we decided to ride through Samuel Taylor Park, or as we like to call it, The Magic Park. We think it's magic because it truly feels downhill in both directions. Before we got to the park we rode on a trail, mostly used by mountain bikers. It was not a highlight of my day. Being, as I like to say, goal oriented, the slow pace on the trail was destined to take down our average speed. Also, it was bumpy and I had a genuine fear of getting a flat. But we made it through and then got to the Park. I do like riding through the Park. We ran into some other ALCers at the rest room. They were on their way back from a training ride that left at 7 am, a time when Jerry and I were still asleep.<br /><br />We rode through the park and then decided to continue on to Point Reyes Station. Our speed made up for the slow movement on the trail. We got to Pt. Reyes, split a sandwich and a bag of pop chips, then headed back, though we decided to circle the reservoir on the return trip. <br /><br />Mind you, we did absolutely nothing in the way of exercise in the past week, and our mileage has barely crested 20 or 30, so the ride back was a bit of a challenge. I hate Nicasio Valley Road. The hills seem longer and more steep every time we ride them. Today was no exception. Coupled with flagging energy, those hills seemed to be even worse than I had remembered. The "easy" side of White's Hill seemed longer as well.<br /><br />But we finished the ride with a respectable average speed, and after a shower, I feel oh so much more human. <br /><br />Tonight will be a move with popcorn (no butter), and tomorrow the Weight Watcher regimen will be in full gear.<br /><br />One of my recent kitchen experiments, that actually paid off pretty well was cauliflower puree. I steamed the cauliflower with a couple of cloves of peeled garlic, then whirred the whole thing in my food processor. To that I added some nonfat yogurt, truffle salt and a bit of pepper. It was my next to no points dinner last night with leftovers for tomorrow. I will definitely make it again. It was delicious and filling. While it won't take the place of mashed potatoes, it will get me through those times when I need comfort food.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-22173019107515240972012-03-17T10:32:00.002-07:002012-03-17T11:33:28.207-07:00three wheels, bean soup and weigh-insMy season of overeating officially came to an end with my last trip to the east coast. Hard to believe it was three weeks ago, but I made the trek back to the Baltimore/DC area to celebrate the retirement of a close friend whom I had worked with for years through numerous department secretaries and two governors in Maryland.<br /><br />Jacqui and I met years earlier when she was working for the city and I was working for a non-profit. We bonded over a hurricane that blew over most of the Baltimore City Fair. The following year I went to work for state government and our paths continue to intertwine, at one point landing us both at the Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice, which then followed with both of us in Governor Parris Glendening's press office. She was events coordinator; I was a speech writer. Though I've been gone for more than 15 years, we've remained close and I usually stay at her house when I'm in Baltimore.<br /><br />This trip was no exception, and this trip, as usual, took us to my favorite restaurant. No, not my favorite Baltimore restaurant: my favorite anywhere restaurant. Woodberry Kitchen is an upscale unfancy restaurant that serves locally sourced food in what could best be described as a rustic atmosphere. From the radishes and oyster appetizers to the homemade ice cream for dessert, everything has been perfect. They do have Maryland wines on the wine list, and next time, I swear, I will order one.<br /><br />The culinary experience at Jacqui's retirement party was quite different from Woodberry Kitchen, but it was authentically Baltimore. Her party was at the Sons of Italy Hall. We dined on chicken, spaghetti with marinara, Caesar salad and green beans I decided to skip. They looked overcooked and then I found out they were flavored with something akin to marzipan. Glad I skipped them. The rest of the meal was certainly acceptable, but I didn't attend the event for the food. Jacqui's coworkers and friends gathered to pay her a well-earned tribute. It was a wonderful evening. I got to see lots of old friends, at least one former boss and a host of people who had great stories to tell.<br /><br />The day after the party I made my way to the DC suburbs to spend a couple of days with my friends Len and Lisa. Len was between contracts, so we had time to go out and drink Ethiopian coffee and shop at second hand stores. We ate at our favorite Burmese restaurant with some other friends and also did some cooking at home.<br /><br />The highlight of the home cooking was a vegan white bean soup that I have since made at home. It calls for two heads of roasted garlic and nutritional yeast. It also gets kale and carrots added near the end of the cooking. And it's glorious. I now have a large container of nutritional yeast, so I'm going to have to either find other uses for it, or make that soup. A lot.<br /><br />But first I'll have to find out how many points are in said soup. After four months of out of control eating, I have gone back to Weight Watchers. I'm weighing, measuring and working hard to lose those gloriously gained pounds.<br /><br />The meeting I go to is a short distance from home, so last week I rode my recumbent trike. I do have to ride on a busy street with no shoulders, but I've got a flag on the trike, so I'm pretty visible. It was my first solo trip on the trike-- usually I ride around the neighborhood with Jerry on his single-- but it was less scary than I had imagined and actually fun. No question I get lots of puzzled looks and kids get a real kick out of seeing me.<br /><br />So while I'm missing the browned butter shortbread cookies and polenta, I've already lost a couple of pounds and I'm eating so much healthier. <br /><br />And I've never looked forward to AIDS Lifecycle so much. A week when I can eat almost anything and not gain a pound.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-8849905719815152932012-02-12T16:14:00.000-08:002012-02-12T16:28:26.974-08:00Tib Loop X 3The last three weekends have been devoted to getting back in the saddle, exercising and eating more healthy. Mostly, I'm succeeding.<br /><br />We have been joining AIDS Lifecycle training ride in Marin, rather than cross the Golden Gate Bridge, so our rides are a little shorter, but we've done this in past years and it works out for us. <br /><br />Today's ride was out to Fairfax, route of 1,000 (well, 15) stop signs. It is annoying, but actually good for training. We have to stop a lot, and then get ourselves going. Good for the quads. After a turnaround in Fairfax, we did the mini Tiburon Loop, a lovely ride that is very popular with cyclists in this area. Lots of rollers and windy roads. Fun. <br /><br />Our speed was a little down from last week, but I attribute that to all the stop signs. Hard to really cruise at 18 mph when we keep starting and stopping. <br /><br />The last two weekend rides were riding the entire Tiburon Loop, though two weeks ago, it wasn't really supposed to be. The ride calendar was wrong, but we didn't know that, so we got in extra miles and still met up with the group at a deli in Tiburon. <br /><br />We've also managed to get back to the gym. I've started taking Zumba classes, and they are a great workout. It takes a lot to get me to perspire, but Zumba does it. And since it's dancing I don't feel like I'm exercising. Fun.<br /><br />And I've actually been cooking healthy food. Our friends Beau and Eddie came over for dinner last week and I oven poached a large salmon filet, steamed some broccoli and roasted potatoes. The sour cream dill sauce I made to go with it had fat free sour cream in it. Trader Joe's fat free sour cream actually tastes good. It's not full of stabilizers and sugar. It might not taste exactly like sour cream, but it makes a lovely sauce. <br /><br />Beau has always liked my dips, so I whipped together some feta, fat-free yogurt, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. My new Breville food processor did such a gorgeous job. Mixed it up beautifully without liquefying the tomatoes. I also roasted brussel sprouts halves and put out some olives and aged gouda for appetizers. Most of the gouda is still in the refrigerator, and I'm proud to say I haven't touched it. Yes, it is calling to me-- It's my favorite cheese-- but so far I have resisted. I know a weak moment will overcome me at some point, but at least it hasn't happened yet.<br /><br />And speaking of weak moment, I baked some more brown butter shortbread cookies, sprinkled with fleur de sel. I guess the only positive I can say is that a week later there are still some left, and I think there might have been one day in the past week when I didn't have one. Or two.<br /><br />With the activity and better diet I've lost a pound or two, and I'll try to keep it up until the end of the month when I go to Baltimore for my friend Jacqui's retirement party. I'm also taking her to my favorite Baltimore restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen, and I don't plan on missing a thing when I'm there. So I know, when I get home, I'll probably be back to square one. But Woodberry Kitchen is so worth it. <br /><br />This week I vow to get to the gym again, and continue healthy, portion-controlled eating.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-19856289923833601502012-01-28T09:28:00.000-08:002012-01-28T09:55:12.507-08:00Jetprop to EatThe eating orgy continues: this latest time in San Antonio and then Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.<br /><br />Jerry had a conference in San Antonio and I tagged along in his new jet prop. Jerry and a partner acquired a Piper Mirage converted to a jet prop, so it zipped right along, especially with the killer tail wind we had.<br /><br />We got to San Antonio in about five hours flying time. We stopped in Arizona for a very undistinguished lunch, and were back in the plane in no time, getting to San Antonio before sundown. Very civilized.<br /><br />Once we checked into the Crockett Hotel, Jerry and one of his coworkers and I set out to find dinner. We were really hungry so settled on a place a couple of blocks from the hotel. I ordered boneless pork chops, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. The vegetables were not overcooked and the pork chops were just a tad overcooked, but we survived. <br /><br />The next day Jerry had a class to teach and I went out to explore. One of my goals was to find non Tex-Mex restaurants, and I succeeded pretty well. We had dinner one night at a Mediterranean restaurant which did a good job. For the life of me I can't remember my main entree, but the Caesar salad was quite good, with a very good dressing, crisp romaine and sadly, one lone anchovy. <br /><br />Another day when I wandered off on my own I hit the Blue Star Art Center, which is also home to the Blue Star Bicycle Shop and the Blue Star Brewery. At the bike shop I bought a t-shirt and checked out their stock. Lots of fixies and cruisers and nice staff.<br /><br />I hit the Brewery for lunch. The food was typical pub fare, but the Brewery did their own beers, though I passed. The bicycles hanging from the ceiling added to the decor.<br /><br />The eating highlight in San Antonio came courtesy of the restaurant, Feast. The restaurant was decorated very starkly, with white tables and clear plastic chairs. A glowing reviewer said he (or she?) felt they could have been in New York or San Francisco. I would have to disagree because the lighting was way too bright. That may be about the only negative thing I could say about Feast. Take it down a notch, please.<br /><br />The menu, while a bit cutesy, held some real treasures. It was divided in sections with such headings as "melty" and "grilly." We decided to try something from every category except large plates, figuring it would be more fun to have tastes of a lot of different things. I think we made a good decision.<br /><br />We started off with a pear and onion salad with raspberry vinaigrette. Normally I steer away from sweet food, but this was definitely a winner. We went on to Mac and cheese with garlic breadcrumb topping. Okay, but not standout. Our starchy standout came in the way of homemade Yukon gold potato chips with a bleu cheese bechamel. We also had grilled brussel sprouts and tuna tartare with pomegranate seeds.<br /><br />Dessert for me were mini churros with lemon-lavender pot de creme. And good coffee.<br /><br />We knew we would be flying into a headwind on the way home, so we decided we would pop in to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and visit my friend Kathleen. <br /><br />I hit the internet to find a place to stay and had no idea, that I had once again, hit the jackpot. Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa is truly an oasis in what appears to be a depressed little town. The owner's son fetched us from the airport and delivered us to a very western lodge full of New Mexico and new agey touches. Included in our lodging was the opportunity to soak in one of the hot springs tub.<br /><br />We met Kathleen for dinner at the local upscale Italian restaurant. All of the other diners were guests at the lodge: I have a feeling it keeps them in business. I ordered something that was unfortunately better sounding than it was: pasta with various vegetables in a cream sauce. It had far more cream sauce, which was overly gloppy and pretty well tasteless, than vegetables. Jerry seemed to fare better with a more traditional eggplant Parmesan.<br /><br />But the soak made up for all of it. Kathleen had been told by her doctor that soaking was not a great idea for her, but she decided to give it a try anyway. She happily reported to me the next day that she suffered no ill effects.<br /><br />We spent more than an hour lolling in delightful, delicious hot water, talking and relaxing. <br /><br />We left town too early to see much of Truth or Consequences, but with the lodge, I think we hit a very wonderful highlight.<br /><br />Back at home, I'm trying to eat a more reasonable diet. This whirlwind of traveling, which began in October, has definitely taken its toll on my waistline and my energy. Time to clean up my act before I hit the road in February...Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-1702878256174284742012-01-17T21:00:00.000-08:002012-01-17T21:51:45.506-08:00New York, Walking, Dancing, Squab and SoujoukAnd so the eating continues. <br />Just back from a handful of days in New York. Official reason for going was to attend the Golden Festival, an annual overload of Balkan music and dance. But as with most of my travels of late, eating was an important part of the itinerary.<br /><br />Jerry and I arrived early Wednesday morning after taking the red eye. We knew a nap was in the offing but first there was a task at hand: cooking 40 pounds of soujouk, a Turkish beef sausage. <br /><br />Last year Paul, our host was the soujouk chef de cuisine, but since he was in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electric Show, the job was left to his wife Nancy, Jerry and me. We hauled out Nancy's crab pot and set to work. <br /><br />We crammed as much sausage as humanly possible into the pot and waited for it to boil. Once it finally did, we waited the prescribed 10 minutes for it to be done. Then, that batch went into the sink where the next task was to pull off the skin while the next batch cooked. <br /><br />After the first batch Jerry discovered that if you immediately doused the sausage with cold water the skin practically slid off by itself. It was incredibly satisfying for the casing to just peel off the sausage.<br /><br />Three batches later we were done, and we loaded the sausages into coolers, topped them off with ice and then Jerry and I headed to our basement room for a nap.<br /><br />Not sure what the rest of the week would bring, we decided that night would be dinner at our favorite Park Slope restaurant, Al di La. Al di La takes no reservations, so we headed down to 5th Avenue to arrive in time for its 6 pm opening. <br /><br />We were quickly seated at the same table we sat at last year, and once again, I had no idea what wine to order. I'm pretty good at California wines. I've even expanded my repertoire beyond Napa and Sonoma into Lodi and the central coast, but Italy is still a complete mystery. Nancy suggested a bottle she had tasted during a previous visit, and she picked a good one. It was a nice peppery red with an interesting aftertaste, that admittedly took a bit of getting used to, but after a few sips and a little air, went down easily.<br /><br />Though on any other day of the year I don't eat beef, I generally make an exception at Al di La and I order the medallions of beef liver. I pretty much assumed I would do so again, but the specials were enticing. One was a squid risotto and the other squab with wild mushrooms. I had never had squab before,and with a little coaxing, I went for it. I was not disappointed. The plate was an orgy of richness: delicious meat surrounded by more rich mushrooms. I don't think I will order squab again because I'm not sure it could live up to the wonderful dish I experienced.<br /><br />No trip to Al di La would be complete without at least one order of Malfatti-- a Swiss chard dumpling filled with a blend of ricotta and herbs, topped with fried sage. We always order it and are never disappointed. We also shared a farro salad. It was okay, not my favorite, but Nancy loves it.<br /><br />We decided to skip dessert because I had brought cookies with me. We went home and I brought out my tins of biscotti and brown butter shortbread topped with fleur de sel. <br /><br />The brown butter shortbread is my current favorite cookie to make and to eat. It is incredibly easy to make and the brown butter gives it a rich nutiness. The fleur de sel makes each bite explode with flavor. <br /><br />After cookies, Nancy wanted us to try some liqueur called Domaine de Canton. It was a rich, sweet ginger liqueur and was fantastic. We drank way too much and slept incredibly well that night.<br /><br />The next day brought a light rain, but Jerry and I headed into the city and spent a good chunk of the day at the Museum of Modern Art. Earlier that day we went to the half price ticket booth and got tickets for "Seminar," a play with Alan Rickman. I have loved him since I saw him in "Truly Madly Deeply" in 1990. <br /><br />Last year before we went to the theater we had found a really good Chinese restaurant, and through a little detective work, we managed to find it again. We were a bit smarter this time and ordered only one entree-- a very nice chicken and vegetables. I found it interesting that the restaurant had no condiments on the table, but in reality, we didn't need any. The seasoning was just right in both the chicken and the hot and sour soup. <br /><br />Friday was a trip to my favorite Brooklyn store: Sahadi's. A trip to Brooklyn would not be complete without buying some halvah, dried herbs, and maybe a jar of ajvar, or this time, some grapefruit marmalade. After Sahadi's, we had lunch at a diner-y sort of place. I had a smoked salmon scramble and more good coffee.<br /><br />Friday night, we grazed on cheese, good bread and wine for dinner. Nancy said Paul would never accept something like that for dinner, but Jerry and I do it all the time. <br /><br />Saturday we made another trip into the city to Soho. We window shopped and had lunch at another Italian restaurant. More wild mushrooms, this time with pasta. <br /><br />We got home in time to get ready for the Golden Festival. The day before we left for New York I found a pair of gold shoes, so I was all set.<br /><br />Food at the Golden Festival has not changed in years. People are always reminded that the food is for snacking, not dinner, but since the event starts at 6 pm and people use a lot of energy dancing, there is an incredible amount of food, including several kinds of sausage, feta and kasseri cheese, baba ghanoush, ajvar and hummus, vegetable trays and a hot bean dish. Normally there is a beet salad that I make, but if there was any this year, I didn't see it. There was a cash bar with not very good wine, but the music and dancing more than make up for any shortcomings in the wine.<br /><br />I remember the days when I not only stayed until the end of the Golden Festival, I helped with clean up and carting things out, but I'm not as young as I used to be so after Slavic Soul Party played at around 12:30, we called a car service and headed back to Nancy and Paul's.<br /><br />While the "official" festival ends Saturday night, what is perhaps my favorite part of the event is on Sunday. Emerson, whom I've known since I was a teenager, lives in Brooklyn and people start arriving at his house around noon for an all day and well into the evening "brunch." It's the best time to have a good visit with friends, many of whom I don't see from one year to the next. My friend Kathleen, who lived in Montana the same time I did, was in from New Mexico, and we had a great visit. <br /><br />So it was another day of eating, drinking a little wine and slivovitz, and spending time with great friends.<br /><br />Now that I'm back home I'm determined to start to have a more healthy diet, although today was the Fancy Food Show, full of great cheeses, salted caramels and basamic ice cream, and later this week I'm going to San Antonio, tagging along with Jerry to a conference.<br /><br />So maybe next week I'll go back to my two vegan meals a day. But who knows what adventures next week might bring.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-83787670319488897662012-01-08T16:28:00.001-08:002012-01-08T16:44:23.392-08:00Mill Valley, Salmon and South AfricaToday was a little ride to Mill Valley with the Positive Pedalers. Their AIDS Lifecycle training series started today. Since Jerry and I don't like to cross the Golden Gate Bridge on the tandem, we picked up the ride on the south bridge parking lot. So I'm talking little ride, less than 20 miles. But it was, once again, a nice day for a ride. Sun was shining and not too cold.<br /><br />We met up with our friends in Mill Valley and it was wonderful to see everyone again after what felt like quite a while. Looking forward to continuing to ride with this group when we are in town, which in the near future, doesn't look like it will be all that often. We are off to New York next week, and a day after we get back we head to San Antonio for a few days. <br /><br />Our bike rack broke somehow on the way to the ride, so we had to figure out how to get a tandem in a Honda. Thank goodness the back seat folded down and Jerry always has supplies. He pulled rope out the wheel well and we got the frame in sans wheels and back handlebars. We slid it in and drove home carefully. <br /><br />The ride did have one big climb, or should I say series of climbs. The hill out of Sausalito back to the parking lot does go on and on. But we rode it fairly well. Our average speed was decent and we were happy with the ride.<br /><br />We were particularly happy because we went out to dinner Saturday night and shared a bottle of wine. There were three of us, so it's not as if we had a huge amount, but any the night before a ride is more than we usually have.<br /><br />We met Bryan Urbsaitis at Luna Park in the City. Bryan lives in New York and was in town for a couple of days. While I had never met Bryan, we have been Facebook friends for some time because of our love of cycling and our involvement in HIV and AIDS organizations.<br /><br />Bryan runs AIDS Ride South Africa, a cycling adventure that, in close to three weeks, spans most of South Africa. It has intrigued me but I really wanted to learn more.<br /><br />And the more I heard the more intrigued, and interested, I became. Because of the expense of getting to South Africa, the ride has been small-- fewer than 10 people-- but it is still a new ride and has the potential to grow. Along with cycling there are stops at animal preserves and a chance to meet local people as well.<br /><br />While Africa has never been at the top of my "must visit" list, this ride does sound like the ideal way to see it: cycling with a group of like-minded folks who want to raise funds and awareness for the terrible problem of HIV and AIDS in South Africa.<br /><br />While I have yet to sign on the dotted line, I am seriously thinking of doing this ride, and Jerry is having positive thoughts about it as well. What I will do, ride or not, is try to help Bryan with some PR and possibly see if we can get some bicycles for some young South Africans to accompany us. Mike's Bikes, a northern California bicycle shop, has a program donating bikes to Africa, and I would like to talk to them about the possibility of lending some of those bikes to the ride. <br /><br />We spent hours at Luna Park, part of which was spent eating. I started with a beet salad, but I have to say I was a bit disappointed. It was quite low on beets, with more mandarin orange slices than beets. But it was okay. I had salmon as a main course and its surface was deliciously grilled with the inside on the rare side, just the way I like it. <br /><br />We even had dessert. My fruit crisp with a dollop of ice cream was lovely, though it really did gild the lily.<br /><br />I had several cups of coffee with dinner, but generally, coffee does not keep me away. And I don't believe it did last night. What did keep me up were thoughts of Africa.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-54996626072068632342012-01-01T14:04:00.001-08:002012-01-01T14:14:58.683-08:00Sausalito, Salad and ResolutionsJerry and I started out the new year with a short ride. We had not been on the tandem in weeks, so we thought we'd take it easy and not do too many miles. We have thought this in past weeks, but somehow managed not to suit up and hit the road.<br /><br />Today was different. Neither of us had to talk the other into it, despite drinking wine and staying up past our bedtime last night. We celebrated the new year with our friends Sha and Lora. Sha makes delicious Persian food, and we have taken to celebrating "east coast" new year's with them. Although last night we were having such a good time talking we celebrated east and west coast: unusual for us. We had some really good red wines and the evening, which started at 6 pm, flew by.<br /><br />Jerry and I did not leap out of bed this morning. We lolled for close to an hour, finally getting up around 9:30. After breakfast and reading part of the New York Times, we donned our Lycra and headed out. <br /><br />While it was warmer at home, it still wasn't terribly cold and we started out with a tail wind, so we sped down the road. In Sausalito we stopped at a cafe for lunch.<br /><br />I decided with the new year I was going to make one, and only one resolution: to eat better. Mark Bittman had an article recently about eating vegetarian, or even vegan, two out of three meals. I think this is a fine idea and while I won't commit to doing this every day, I am going to make an effort to do it more often. <br /><br />Lunch today was a bagel, lox and cream cheese, so definitely not vegan or even vegetarian, but my peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat for breakfast was vegan, and since this is movie night, dinner will be popcorn. So two out of three: done.<br /><br />Also at lunch we had a Mediterranean salad: full of artichokes, olives, delicious grape tomatoes and a few pieces of fresh mozzarella. <br /><br />The other thing I plan to do, though I refuse to "resolve" to do it, is lose 10 to 15 pounds. I have really packed it on this fall, and am at the heaviest I have been in more than 10 years. I am going to go back to Weight Watchers this week. <br /><br />I am also going to start getting a weekly veggie box from a farm in Petaluma. From week to week I won't know what will be in it, but I think that will keep my cooking creative and fresh. I look forward to finding and creating new recipes with the week's bounty.<br /><br />While not wanting to wish my life away, I couldn't wait for 2011 to end. For both Jerry and me, it was not a great year. We are determined to make 2012 better, and we know that won't happen by itself. We will work to make our life more fun, more meaningful and more joyous.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-13603405780883666472011-12-23T13:06:00.000-08:002011-12-23T13:20:44.661-08:00Colds, Cookies and No CoMotionDidn't realize how long it had been since I have blogged. I guess that's partly because we have not been riding.<br />The last time Jerry and I rode was the World AIDS Day Ride sponsored by the Positive Pedalers. I did the media for the event and we had a great turnout of TV and radio. But I have to say I didn't like this year's route. It was stop sign after stop sign so the ride took much longer than anticipated. It's only a 31 mile ride (for the 31 years of the pandemic) but our average speed was less than 10 mph. I was also starting to get a cold so it made the ride even less fun.<br /><br />The cold kind of inched up on me and didn't really blossom until the middle of the following week, and then it took hold and didn't want to let go. So no riding the following weekend. As I started to get better, it was Jerry's turn. He is finally getting over it; at least that is what it sounds like on the phone. He has been away all week and was supposed to return tonight but his trip has been extended by another day.<br /><br />But since I recovered I have spent a good amount of time in the kitchen. I made my annual batch of peppermint bark, which I sell as a fundraiser for my AIDS Lifecycle ride. I made around 12 pounds this year. After the peppermint bark came the endless parade of cookies.<br /><br />I started with my standard: biscotti. This year I made spicy nut, which is my favorite, followed by cranberry pistachio. Bowing to Jerry, then came toffee bars, which are his favorite. I love making those because I can't eat them. They have chocolate in them, which gives me a migraine. Chocolate may be my favorite ingredient for just that reason. I can enjoy the baking without worry about gaining weight. <br /><br />And speaking of gaining weight, I'm closing in on a new holiday record. Since October I've gained close to 10 pounds. No kidding. January will see a lot of popcorn and soup.<br /><br />But, in the meantime, I'm not going to worry about it. I also made a three-ginger cookie. The recipe called for fresh, ground and crystallized ginger. They were good, though I expected more of a zing with that combo. May up the fresh ginger a tad the next time I make them. I finished the baking season with brown butter shortbread topped with fleur de sel. Just from reading the recipe I knew I'd enjoy them, and I was not disappointed. <br /><br />The neighbors in my cul de sac each got bags of goodies but I still have far too many sweets left in the house. I will come up with more ways of getting rid of them: I did manage to snag the FedEx guys and gave them some goodies; I'll keep an eye out for the mail carrier. <br /><br />With Jerry being away most of the last two weeks the holiday season has been less than jolly, and in reality, I'm looking forward to it being over. We have some great travel plans in line for winter, and while I don't want to wish my life away, the sooner this year is over, the happier I will be.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-46848555820138766062011-10-24T11:11:00.000-07:002011-10-24T11:26:25.351-07:00Fairfax, the Petalon and Three WheelsNothing much really to report on the food scene. I made a very nice polenta, tomato sauce and mozzarella casserole the other night. No big deal, but good and lots of leftovers.<br /><br />But more on the cycling front. <br />What cyclist doesn't want to be out there, pretending to be Levi or George... riding like the wind down the middle of a road, leading the Pelaton? Well, me for one. I'm happy stoking the tandem, making good time, but riding politely and safely.<br /><br />Maybe it's from all of my AIDS Lifecycle training. Jerry and I stop at stop signs and red lights. We signal; we call out "on your left," and if there is a car coming and someone shouts out "Car Back," we get out of the road.<br /><br />Yesterday we rode out to Fairfax, which involves climbing Camino Alto and riding down Shady Lane, home of 1,000 stop signs. First, while riding over Camino Alto, we were passed my a passel of FKV-- Full Kit Vermin, as we like to call them. A bunch of guys and gals all kitted out, riding like they were in the aforementioned Tour de France. Three across and really not giving a hoot about anything else. They passed us closely without letting us know they were coming. And they rode down the middle of the road. When I heard a car coming I shouted out "Car back," to let them know. Most of the cyclists heeded the call and moved over. One guy, though, figured he needed to take the lane. After all, he was going at least 7mph up the hill. Or maybe 8. Who knows. But he wasn't giving an inch.<br /><br />Why do I care so much? Because it makes it bad for the rest of us. I was so hoping there was a patrol car on Shady Lane yesterday to catch these cyclists running stop signs. Cars almost seem shocked when Jerry and I stop. But we are a vehicle on the road. And we want to be able to keep riding on the road. And we want more bike lanes. And we want to be treated respectfully. <br /><br />Sometimes I feel I'm the Andy Rooney of cycling. First it was helmets; now it's road etiquette. What will I complain about next?<br /><br />But instead of complaining, I want to talk about my new toy. As most of my friends know, I crashed on my single a couple of years back, and I've been really afraid to ride, except the back of the tandem. So last weekend, Jerry and I went and looked at a used TerraTrike-- a tadpole recumbent. It fit me fine and I liked riding it. So Jerry went to the bank to get money and I went home to get a helmet. Fortunately, the guy selling it was less than a mile from home, so I rode it home. It was fun, and it definitely will give my quads a good workout. <br /><br />I bought a lock and a cyclometer, so look out San Rafael Trader Joe's, here I come!Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-30024988899990408862011-10-15T19:12:00.000-07:002011-10-15T19:33:31.881-07:00Mill Valley, Helmets and Ice CreamI have a thing about helmets. Or, I should say, wearing a helmet properly. It stems from the crash I had a couple of years ago. I don't remember what happened before I work up at Marin General. I know I wasn't going very fast, but I sustained a pretty serious injury. Aside from a concussion, I had a very nasty gash above my eyebrow, and damaged the fourth cranial nerve, which left me seeing double. I had to wear prism glasses for six months. <br /><br />If my helmet had been on properly I may have avoided all of my injuries. But the strap was loose and it was sitting too far back on my head. Thus the gash, and a more serious head injury than I would have sustained.<br /><br />To this day, I am afraid to ride my single bike. I'm slowly working on it and hope to get back on the single. At some point. But not quite yet. I'm happy on the back of the tandem.<br /><br />Today was the AIDS Lifecycle Kickoff ride. Jerry and I opted to do the shorter Mill Valley ride. We had ridden Tiburon Loop twice in a row recently, plus we wanted to sleep a little later. <br /><br />During warm ups I was a bit horrified at what I saw. Helmets, many helmets worn improperly. I even had Russ, one of the Cycle Reps adjust the helmet of a Training Ride Leader. These people are supposed to be our role models and I saw at least three of them with their helmets not adjusted properly. <br /><br />I saw a couple of young kids wearing helmets, but their straps were either not fasted or WAY too loose.<br /><br />Maybe I'm a little obsessive about this, but I can't help but think of what happened to me, and how it changed my life for the not better. And I know not all that many people read my blog, but if you do, and if you are a cyclist, please please please make sure your helmet is forward and secure.<br />Okay. I'm done now.<br /><br />The ride today was quite pleasant. I opted for shorts and I was perfectly comfortable. Jerry and I usually do the kick off ride as our annual ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. We hate riding across the Golden Gate Bridge. Too many tourists on rental bikes, tight turns and crowded sidewalks. We usually pick up rides north of the bridge, but since today was a "special" occasion, we opted to start in the city with everyone. And since we needed a couple of things at Sports Basement, which was where the ride started, we figured we'd brave the bridge.<br /><br />The other things we braved were the hills that lead to the north side of the bridge. By picking up rides further north in Sausalito, we avoid those hills. But they really were not as bad as I expected today. We were slow, but we spun right up them. My new knee is behaving well and as long as I don't stress it too hard, I'm fine.<br /><br />On the way to Mill Valley a rider ahead of us got a flat, and he was not prepared. I'm guessing he was a newbie, so Jerry and I stopped and Jerry gave the guy a lesson in tube changing 101. Jerry's a good teacher and the guy was a quick study, and the tube was changed and pumped up in no time. Then we made our way to Mill Valley, hung out a little while and headed back to Sports Basement.<br /><br />Sports Basement had lunch for us accompanied by an assortments of sodas and beers. I snagged a fizzy lemonade and was a happy girl.<br /><br />We arrived back home still kind of hungry, but managed to last until 5 before we made chicken blts. While I don't eat beef, pork has recently started playing a larger part in my diet. The bacon was uncured, so we avoided nitrates, and it was applewood smoked. And it was good.<br /><br />After the sandwich I swung into my evening routine of ice cream. It is not a good evening routine, and when this container is gone, I really should refrain from buying more. But two of my passions are coffee and ice cream, and I really don't want to give up either. And tonight, I had both. First, a cup of coffee with my sandwich, and then Breyer's vanilla with King Arthur espresso powder sprinkled on top. <br /><br />Jerry and I say we could either get a Calfee $20,000 tandem or each lose ten pounds. If I keep buying ice cream I will never lose weight, and the Calfee tandem is a wee bit out of our price range. <br /><br />It may be time for me to make a return visit to Weight Watchers. But I'll wait until I'm finished this container of Breyers.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-62583971489364156952011-09-18T14:27:00.000-07:002011-09-18T16:50:12.879-07:00Tiburon Loop and eggs over easy with a side of HankJerry and I were back on the tandem today, this time, to ride around Tiburon Loop. It's a really beautiful ride with a lot of rollers. There is one significant climb near the beginning of the ride, and I felt that I was ready for Camino Alto.<br />We were, in fact, more than ready. We went up Camino Alto a little faster than usual, and it felt just fine. The rest of the ride was delightful, cruising through sun and shade until we got to downtown Tiburon, where we decided it was time for lunch.<br /><br />There are a couple of places where cyclists usually congregate for snacks or lunch, and we chose neither. Instead, we went to a small place where I usually get a cappucino to go when we are on group rides. This time, though, we checked in for brunch. Jerry had a quesadilla, and I had eggs over easy, sourdough toast and lots of coffee. After brunch, we got back on the tandem to finish the ride.<br /><br />Riding is a great time to think, and mostly, my mind was filled with thoughts of Hank. Hank was a short, squat tabby that had, as Jerry put it, sneaked in the back door of our emotions six years ago. A rescue group had posted on Craigslist that a foster home was needed immediately for a cat at the Berkeley Animal Shelter who was due to be put down the next day. We had recently lost two cats in rapid succession-- one being my soulmate,Fernando, and another who arrived ill and left us far too soon. So I thought, what the heck; I can save this cat's life until he finds a permanent home. <br /><br />I went over to Berkeley and the cat they called "Big Guy" climbed into my lap and just kind of stared at me. He was cute and pretty compliant. A worker at the shelter told me that he had some medical problems-- chronic upper respiratory conditions and he had had to have a tooth pulled. He had just been neutered as well. He had been found wandering the streets of Emeryville and he looked pretty much like a street cat. His ears were shredded and he had a couple of scars. But he sure didn't act like a street cat, at least not at that moment. <br /><br />Jerry had his doubts about bringing another cat into the house so soon, but then he met the cat I named Hank. We initially thought we should isolate him so he could get used to the house as well as used to Jamie, our geriatric calico. But he'd have none of it. He was ready to join the family, so we followed his lead. <br /><br />I will never forget that first evening. I was sitting on the couch,eating a bowl of beans and rice and he was acting very interested. I thought, okay, I'll show him. I gave him a piece of broccoli. He ate it. So then, I gave him a black bean, and he ate that as well. The street cat in him did show itself, particularly when Jerry and I were having dinner. Hank loved chicken and he would try to bat it out of our hands or off our fork. <br /><br />Hank came with one more health problem: he had squamous cell carcinoma on his nose, probably from his time living outdoors. It was then that we figured he was pretty much unadoptable and he was going to be part of our family. He had surgery, he was put on pills for his wheezing and itchiness, and that was that.<br /><br />We have no idea how old Hank was when he came to live with us. Our vet estimated 10, but that's an easy number. He mostly cuddled, ate and slept. He was an incredibly good sleeper and spent all night in our bed with his head on one of our pillows, stretched out between us. When we weren't home, Jerry and I played the game, Where do you think Hank is sleeping now?<br /><br />When we went out of town, our neighbor Vicki would come over to feed Jamie and Hank, and she absolutely fell in love with Hank. Unfortunately, Jamie, although 19, still has the heart of a feral and doesn't let too many people get close to her. She would come out to say hi to Vicki, but that was about it. On the other hand, Hank would plop himself on the couch with her, and they'd watch Judge Judy together. Vicki told me it was his favorite show.<br /><br />But a few months ago, our normally stocky cat suddenly didn't look so beefy, so we took him to the vet. She was alarmed at his weight loss and ordered some tests, including an ultrasound. A mass was spotted on his pancreas and surgery was performed. It was a lot for that now little guy.<br /><br />But he did survive the surgery and came home, with an unclear diagnosis. Maybe pancreatic cancer, and, after some more bloodwork, a definite diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency. We mixed enzymes into his food but it burned his mouth so we got creative. I stuffed capsules with the enzyme and shoved them down his throat every time he ate, which was around five times a day. If he wanted to eat, we fed him as much as he wanted of high-quality canned food. You can imagine Jamie was in heaven over this, because we fed her at least a little every time we fed Hank,<br /><br />But as Jamie got plumper, Hank continued to lose weight. For a while he maintained, but then his bones were so visible through his skin. He began eating less and less. Even baby food stopped tempting him, and we knew his time was limited. <br /><br />We spent as much time as we could with him, and then we knew. We waited for Vicki to come home so she could say goodbye, and then we drove to the emergency vet. They had been so kind when it was time to say goodbye to Fernando, we felt comfortable with our decision to take him there. We wrapped him in a towel and drove the few minutes to the offices.<br /><br />Just as they had been with Fernando, they were understanding. They put an IV in his back leg so we could continue to hold him. They administered a sedative, and then the medicine to make his heart stop. <br /><br />They asked if we wanted to stay and hold him for a while but we said no. We knew he was gone and we had spent the days before saying goodbye. We told him how much we loved him and we understood he needed to leave us. We didn't like it, but we understood.<br /><br />I know he had a wonderful life with us and he loved us very much. We saved him on that day six years ago, and he lived a comfortable happy life with us. I thought about all the things he did, and what we did to him over the past six years. The Santa Outfit, the shower cap. He took all of our "abuse" with good humor, though he wasn't above a bite if we tickled his belly. When we first got him Jerry would have to wear welding gloves to hold him when I trimmed his nails, but that soon gave way to an occasional yowl and the clippers did their job.<br /><br />People have already asked if we will get another cat. Most likely we will, but not quite yet. We are going out of town next week for a vacation we almost cancelled to stay home with him. We cancelled a trip in August because we didn't want to leave him. <br /><br />I'll continue to think about him, occasionally think I see him. What I'm waiting for is my first Hank dream. Then I know he is okay, wherever he is.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-43717822548773472342011-08-14T15:46:00.000-07:002011-08-14T15:55:50.170-07:00Pt, Reyes Station and Grilled Cherry TomatoesWhile my knee is not yet where I want it to be, riding last week really agreed with it, so Jerry and I decided it was time to ride again, maybe even a bit further.
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<br />I'm not ready for any long climbs, so we took the tandem up to Nicasio, thus avoiding climbing White's Hill. I remember my first time going up White's Hill. We had to stop at least once for me to catch my breath and gain my composure. While my quads are getting stronger every day, I didn't think they were up to that.
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<br />We headed out and rode around the reservoir. There are some short climbs and I handled them well. When we reached the turn to Pt. Reyes Station, I thought, why not? So we continued to ride. There are a couple of climbs and again, everything went well.
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<br />So at around 10 miles, we pulled into Pt. Reyes Station, took a little break and then got back on the tandem. I diluted my electrolyte drink and stuck the bottle in Jerry's back pocket. I am tired of using a Camelbak and am looking for ways to avoid it. The bottle cages on the tandem are hard for me to reach, so if Jerry's not wearing a jacket, his back pocket works just fine.
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<br />Right out of Pt. Reyes Station there is a climb, and my knee started talking to me-- not too loud, but I definitely felt some new twinges in new places. But I figured if I don't push a bit beyond my limits I'll never get anywhere, so I continued to push hard. Coasting down a stretch was a treat, and the next little climb seemed a bit easier.
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<br />So altogether, we rode around 20 miles at about 14 mph. Not bad for the second time out. Next weekend maybe we can conquer something a bit steeper and go for some more miles.
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<br />After getting home and showering, we headed to our usual haunt, Theresa and Johnny's Comfort Food Cafe. One of the specials was a scramble with roasted garlic, grilled cherry tomatoes, basil and parmesan. It was full of both grilled and raw cherry tomatoes and it was just what I wanted. I had fruit with it and ate a share of Jerry's french fries. After all, I DID ride.
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-3362089366057744622011-08-01T16:19:00.000-07:002011-08-01T16:28:21.914-07:00Mill Valley and FelafelYesterday I had my first almost real bike ride since my knee replacement surgery. Hard to call it a real ride, because it was only seven miles, but at least it was a ride. Jerry and I set out from Mike's Bikes in Sausalito and rode to Mill Valley. It's mostly trail and very quiet flat streets. It was cloudy and a bit on the chilly side which probably made me pedal faster.<br /><br />As usual, I was on the back of the tandem. I am still not even close to riding my single, though I am thinking about it. At an after-ride potluck last week I spoke to a rider to ask her about coaching me. She's an ALC training ride leader and my gut tells me she'd be a really good coach, helping me get over my fears as well as helping me focus on the road. While I will never be sure, I think the reason I crashed is because I got distracted and was not focusing on what was in front of me. Being a stoker on a tandem I don't actually see the road, so I'm usually looking off to the side or at the cyclometer. Not good habits for riding a half-bike.<br /><br />But back to the ride. It was not very strenuous, but felt that for the first time out, I didn't want to overdo it. And my knee was a bit achy later in the day, so I think my instinct on that was good. Maybe a bit longer ride next weekend.<br /><br />I was going to go to the gym today, but somehow the day got away from me. Jerry and I did go out to lunch at Trio, which is in a strip mall not far from where we live. It's really too bad this place is in the location it is: it deserved to be someplace better. The food is wonderful-- some of the usual stuff, but lots of middle-eastern dishes. I frequently get felafel, and Jerry had a lamb and beef burger. The guys that run the place are young and energetic, and I sincerely hope they can make it work.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-62480723955399845782011-07-22T10:38:00.000-07:002011-07-22T10:51:20.543-07:00No riding, some cookingThree months post knee replacement and I'm still not riding except for a quick jaunt around the block on the tandem two weeks ago.<br /><br />I am way behind on my rehab. First there was AIDS Lifecycle where I was a roadie. I was on my feet most of the day for a week, setting up and then serving lunches to riders. Immediately thereafter, I was headed to Oceanside CA to crew for Team4hivhope, a four-man relay team, three of whom are HIV+, competing in Race Across America. To read about our adventures go to our blog on thebody.com at: http://www.thebody.com/content/62386/race-across-america-team4hivhope-cycles-to-raise-a.html<br /><br />I spent the week mostly sitting on my behind, driving or navigating one of our vehicles. I am proud to say our team came in fourth out of 32 four-person teams. At least two of the racers are planning to do it again next year. I am already working on getting sponsorships.<br /><br />So now I am working very hard to get my quads strong and my legs in riding shape, and I'm almost there. Jerry and I will soon start on some short rides, but then we will be going to Balkan Music and Dance Camp back east in mid-August, but I am going to take my thera-band and bathing suit with me so I can keep up with my exercises. <br /><br />I hope to ride in a fundraising ride for brain tumor research in October, and I want to be able to do that. I have known many people who have died from Gliablastoma Multiforme, and have a friend who has really beaten the odds by surviving more than five years. I want her to continue to live and thrive despite this always fatal diagnosis. <br /><br />We're having a blissfully cool day today and I know how lucky we are. Most of the country is having sweltering temperatures. I'm going to take advantage of this lovely weather by doing some baking. I have a potluck to go to this weekend and my plan is to make a berry custard pie. It's an incredibly simple recipe, using eggs, yogurt, sugar and vanilla, and lots and lots of fruit. I've made this pie with apples, pears, plums and even bananas. I have some figs and I'm thinking of experimenting with a small fig custard pie to go along with the larger blueberry/strawberry pie. <br /><br />I have done some cooking these past couple of weeks, as well. Nothing extraordinary, though did experiment with making a meat loaf out of ground turkey and chicken sausage. It was quite tasty, but a bit too firm. Next time I'll up the ratio of ground turkey to sausage and I think I'll be happier with the texture. <br /><br />I've bought cherries with the plan of making a clafouti, but they have been so delicious I haven't wanted to use them for baking. Maybe the next batch.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-82979624971493940662011-05-20T19:25:00.000-07:002011-05-20T19:32:25.266-07:00Crewing for RidersI'm not blogging that much these days, or at all, for that matter. At least not at this site. I have become very involved with a Race Across America Team-- Team4HIvHope. The team is a four-man relay team, three of whom are HIV Positive. They want to bring awareness, education, and, of course, hope. Hope for a cure, but awareness that with the right treatment, anything is possible, even racing in a cycling event that spans the United States.<br /><br />The race begins June 18, but prep has been going on for much longer. The four riders have been training incredibly hard and the crew chief, Sandra, has been doing an amazing amount of organizing. It will take a crew of 12 and three vehicles, including an RV, to keep the team rolling down the road 24 hours a day. <br /><br />My prep has been involved with getting volunteers to produce our website, writing and distributing press releases and updating a twitter page.<br /><br />So for now, I probably will not be posting much here. But we will have a team blog on the website: The Body, and our twitter name is, you guessed it--@team4hivhope. We also have a Facebook page and would love it if you'd follow us.<br /><br />AIDS Lifecycle is only two weeks away and I plan to let as many ALCers know about our team. Because we are not a nonprofit, we can't raise funds, so most of the race expenses are being paid for by two of the racers. It is their dream and they are willing to forgo a lot to make this happen.<br /><br />I'd love it if you'd follow our progress on our website: www.team4hivhope.com or through Facebook or Twitter.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-52011652674460409842011-03-31T09:47:00.000-07:002011-03-31T10:05:23.767-07:00Sidelined and hot and sour soupI don't think I realized how long it had been since I blogged. The last couple of months have been a long slog of dealing with the death of both of Jerry's parents and my own ordeal of having knee replacement.<br /><br />I had my right knee replaced a little over a week ago and by all accounts, I am doing great. I wish I could convince myself of that. Having knee replacement, or perhaps any surgery, may very well be akin to having a baby. I had the left replaced five years ago and all I can remember is being a superstar-- walking unaided out of the hospital after four days and not taking any heavy-duty pain medication. I forgot all the difficulty which I surely had. I'm once again walking unaided, but I don't remember being in this much pain. Narcotics do not agree with me so I'm toughing it out with Tylenol and Celebrex. I am five years older, but I'm in better shape than I was five years ago. So, we'll see.<br /><br />I am not doing any cooking, but Jerry is the king of opening packages and take-out. We've had several nights of Tasty-Bite Indian food, and memorable take-out Chinese. The hot and sour soup from our local Chinese place really is wonderful. Just the right combination of heat and pungency. Lots of various mushrooms floating around and strips of tofu. To me, when my stomach is a little off kilter, it is the perfect comfort food. Even better than macaroni and cheese with a crisp crust. Though I do love really good mac and cheese. A week before the surgery Jerry and I went to the City to look at a used Audi TT-- my latest obsession, and we followed that with a trip to Luna Park. Their mac and cheese with broccoli is damn good, though I would have liked a little more crunch. When I'm up to it, I'm going to make some in a shallow pan so there will be lots of top. I'll get out my creme brulee torch and make sure it's perfect.<br /><br />Being on the couch with the laptop has left me time to work on my latest project. I am crewing for a Race Across America (RAAM) team. It is a four-man relay team with three HIV positive members. Team4HIVHope is a testament to what the right treatment for HIV can do. I have been sending out press releases about them, and my friends Victoria Magbilang and Aaron Calhoun put together a kick-ass website for the team. Check it out: www.team4hivhope.com <br /><br />Because I can't train for AIDS Lifecycle I am going to be a roadie this year. I am part of the lunch crew. Long days and lots of work, but I couldn't imagine a year without ALC. I love that I will get to see all the riders as they stop by for yet another turkey sandwich. Lunch is by far the most boring meal of the day, but not one to skip, so I'll get to see all my friends. Jerry will be riding his half-bike, and I'm excited that he will get to ride with the big boys. He is a fast and skilled rider, and I know this will be fun for him.<br /><br />Monday I get the staples out of the knee and I can't wait to be able to get into a swimming pool, though that will not likely be for a bit after that. The wound has to be totally healed before I can submerge it. But the water really is a friend to healing. I will be able to do more exercises and get my stamina up. And taking a shower without wrapping my leg in plastic will be a joy as well.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-81051990697988139022010-12-25T11:59:00.000-08:002010-12-25T12:18:33.174-08:00Poor Pitiful Pearl and Peppermint BarkThe Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore may have been the first enclosed mall; I think I read that somewhere. Anyway, it was the place we went to when I was a little girl. It had two floors of shops and everything anyone, at that time, could want. <br /><br />My favorite shop was Roger's Toy Store. It was on the first level, tucked in the back. I can still remember how I felt as we'd approach. Right near the entrance was a life-size stuffed giraffe. There were games, stuffed animals, and my favorite: dolls.<br /><br />One year, near Channukah, I remember looking longingly at a doll in the window: Poor Pitiful Pearl. Pearl was a woebegone girl: she had a shabby dress and a headscarf. She had big sad eyes, a button nose and no hint of a smile. Every time we went to the mall I had to spend at least a few minutes looking at her. And without fail, my mother would tell me she was too expensive. And my response, without fail, was always, "I'm just looking."<br /><br />Jerry's mother, Judy, passed away last week. She had survived three lung cancer treatments over the last ten years, so by anyone's estimation, her life was a miracle. Judy was a collector: paintings, first-edition books, Lladro figures and dolls. She had Shirley Temples, Barbies, and a host of rare and collector-coveted specimens. <br /><br />Several years ago when Judy was at the house, I pulled out my Whimsey Doll. Tillie The Talker certainly showed her age and the effects of a little girl's own whimsy. She had her hair cut and her ears pierced. But I loved her, and I still do. We got to talking about dolls and I told Judy the Poor Pitiful Pearl story.<br /><br />The next Christmas, we were at Judy's house. She still lived in Dayna Point at the time, and we flew down, hauling presents for the family. Christmases at Judy's were known for their excess. Lots of stuff; not all of it something you really wanted, but the philosophy seemed to be more is more.<br /><br />We had a nice dinner and then moved on to opening presents. Because of the multitude, we each took turns, opening one present at a time. There were t-shirts and tool kits from trade shows; there were flamingo socks. And then there was a big box for me from Judy. <br />Poor Pitiful Pearl, in her patched red dress and headscarf looking up at me with those sad eyes. <br /><br />It may have been the best present I have ever received, and I still get teary thinking about it.<br /><br />To call this year's Christmas subdued would hardly describe it. Jerry and I are pretty much ignoring the holiday. Four months ago his father in Southern California died, and now, just days ago, his mother, in northeast Texas went to sleep and didn't wake up. Fortunately Jerry had been there just the week before when they could still talk and tell each each other of their mutual love. I had been there in November, so I got to see Judy when she still had hope that she was going to once again, beat this thing. I am so thankful for Hospice coming in and telling her if she didn't feel like getting out of bed that was just fine, and letting her know it was okay to go.<br /><br />The one holiday tradition I did not give up this year was baking and making candy. Every year I make a couple of batches of peppermint bark and I sell it to raise money for AIDS Lifecycle. I didn't hawk it as heavily as I usually do, but I sold five or six pounds, so raised some money for the cause closest to my heart. I also baked two different kinds of biscotti and as usual, toffee bars, which are Jerry's favorite.<br /><br />This has been one hell of a year. And I am so looking forward to it being over. Jerry and I plan to make New Year's resolutions for the first time: we resolve to have a happy 2011, full of fun and travel. <br />God bless us all.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718401755711432515.post-39208222793005525162010-11-16T10:28:00.000-08:002010-11-16T10:57:28.558-08:00Point Reyes and the Death of Velma and EarlThe weather here in Marin is what summer was supposed to be like. It's sunny, in the high 60s, low 70s and perfect for cycling.<br /><br />Jerry and I had not been on our tandem in weeks, so this weekend we ventured out for a short ride-- only about 20 miles-- from Nicasio to Pt. Reyes Station. <br /><br />Despite having not ridden much lately, the bike felt great and we averaged around 15 mph. Granted, we didn't take on any major hills, but we rode well and it did feel good. Next weekend, maybe we'll ride a little further.<br /><br />I haven't been on my single bike in a couple of weeks, but I don't think I've lost my nerve. I still need to ride up and down hills; I haven't done that yet, but it will come. I need to be patient. But due to my lack of nerve, I don't get much of a workout on the single, so tandem riding keeps my muscles going and chest heaving, so more tandem, less single until I'm ready.<br /><br />Velma, my chicken that is strapped to my handlebars lost her cluck some time ago. The stress of all that air pressure was just too much for her. I knew I had to retire her sooner or later, but the later came sooner, as this week, Earl, Jerry's handlebar chicken, almost lost his head. The sun beating on his little rubber neck was just too much, and it finally got the best of him. We are considering burying them in a shoe box in the back yard. For now, they have been freed from the bike and are lying in state on the hood of my car. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />My Week of Meat</span><br /><br />Part of why we have not ridden much lately was due to our week-long trip to northeast Texas, more specifically, Lone Star, where Jerry's mother lives with her husband. <br /><br />Judy has not been doing all that well lately, so we thought we'd visit. She has successfully battled lung cancer for longer than anyone I've ever known or even heard of, but it has now spread to her other lung and it has weakened her significantly. She's on oxygen and using a walker, and occasionally a wheel chair. <br /><br />Judy and Dee have help come in every day and friends and relatives bring over casseroles. Judy is not eating much, so I decided my assignment for the week was to make things she liked in hopes of getting her to eat more. And I know what Judy likes: meat. People who know me know I will eat most anything, but what I don't eat is beef, but that wasn't going to stop me from cooking it, though I knew I had to ease into it.<br /><br />The first night I made turkey meatloaf, mashed Yukon golds and sauteed zucchini and yellow squash. I folded eggs, mild salsa and breadcrumbs into the loaf. The potatoes were filled with milk and lots of butter, though no garlic. I did use some garlic in the squash, though not a lot. These are two folks in their 80s who are not all that fond of highly spiced foods. I even found out a few days into the visit that Dee does not like garlic or squash, so they weren't in much of the menu for the rest of the week.<br /><br />Deciding that I had waded in far enough, on night two I took a deep dive with steak. Here's where I admit that I let Jerry grill the steaks. The kitchen has a small GE grill-- sort of like one of the George Foreman type of things, so I marinated the steaks in some oil and vinegar, and yes, garlic (I hadn't received the news about Dee yet) and Jerry grilled them up. I roasted brussel sprouts and potatoes. The potatoes were a hit; the brussel sprouts, not so much. Jerry and I love them, but again, the traditionalists would have rather had them boiled. <br /><br />Next came boneless pork chops. I took a chance on a mustard sauce, and it indeed, went over well. <br /><br />I ended the week with beef stew that was also gratefully accepted. I made enough so there were a couple more meals to freeze.<br /><br />As the week went on, Judy seemed to be eating a little better and got a little stronger. She had a setback when she stumbled and tripped while using her walker, and while she wasn't hurt, it blew a big hole in her confidence. <br /><br />For me, while it was a big cooking week, it was not an eating highlight for me. It's just not my kind of food, particularly the beef. On those nights I had leftovers of things I did eat. <br /><br />The highlight of my week, eating-wise, actually came shortly after we arrived in Texas. After we left Love Field in our rental car, we went in search of dinner before our long drive. Not far from the airport, we stumbled upon a little diner. Lucky's looked like your usual greasy spoon, except it had a full bar. And my gaydar immediately went off loudly: the place was full of gay men. And there was fried okra on the menu. So all in all, a wonderful dining experience.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09344760607883682760noreply@blogger.com0