Light at the End of the Tunnel, Hope It's Not the Train

Dear mouse journal,

It's been a crazy two weeks at work. And, last night was a long night. Went to bed at midnight after working all night. Took a little bit to unwind and fall asleep. And, got up four hours later thinking about work.

Hopefully, we get some big pieces taken care of today and tomorrow and I can get a piece of Friday off to sleep and regroup. Then, I've got my fingers crossed about the long weekend. If it's not filled with work, it'll mean I get four days which at this point seems like absolute heaven.

43 more hours until end of day Thursday. 43 more hours. I can do this.


mouse

08.26.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 123

It's been a stressful two weeks at work. And, the stress has translated into additional caffeine, additional granola bars and additional chocolate. I've never been a chocolate person. And, lately, I've become a chocolate person. So, even if I'm counting points, I'm not meeting my 8 Good Health Guidelines. Our big deadline is next week on 9/3. I've got to manage my stress this week to get through this is one piece.

Mindless Eating, Why We Eat More Than We Think
by Brian Wansink

Chapter 4: The Hidden Persuaders Around Us

Fact #1: If we see it, we're more likely to eat it. Admins given a free chocolate in a clear jar (with explicit instructions that the chocolates are not to be shared) ate 71% more chocolate than the control group given the same chocolate in a white jar.

Fact #2: If we dwell on it, we're more likely to eat it. Two guys sit in side by side cubicles. George passed donuts on the way into his cube. Will did not. If they both encounter the donuts again, later in the day, George is more likely to eat one than Will. He's had the chance to dwell on it all morning.

Fact #3: If it's convenient, we're more likely to eat. In another chocolate dish experiment, admins were given free chocolate, but the dish was moved each week, from right by the computer, to in the top desk drawer, to on a file cabinet six feet away. The less convenient the chocolate, the less chocolate was consumed.

This can all work to our advantage. Put fruit on the counter and chips in the cupboard. Or, put all food away. Make healthy food more convenient (e.g. pre-washed bags of salad) and junk food less convenient (e.g. oven bake pizza). Little things that apparently can have a big impact.


Cheers!
mouse

08.25.08: Making the Most of Summer

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm getting a little schizophrenic with my blog entry syntax. Something I'll need to ponder and make a decision on at some point.

Friday night, Mr. mouse and I turned in early (as in 6 o'clock early) and slept roughly 12/13 hours. We got off to a slow start on Saturday, and I was feeling a little mopey which didn't help matters any. We checked mail. We got Korean for lunch. I got a manicure. We made dinner and played Scrabble (403-301, Mr. mouse thanks to a leftover V on my part) while watching the last of the Olympics.

Sunday, we got up to go watch the F1 race at the bar. We biked out and then went on a 21 mile jaunt up to Glencoe through some pretty rough winds and some pretty rough cobblestones. I was exhausted by the time we got home. Dinner consisted of salmon, angel hair pasta and cauliflower soup. Closing ceremonies. And, we were in bed by 11.

And, now it's Monday. And, as my coffee mug states - let the stress begin.


Cheers!
mouse

08.23.08: What Can I Say?

Dear mouse journal,

And, just like that, my month "off" is officially over. This morning, Mr. mouse, 1) didn't hear me and 2) totally blanked and therefore 3) totally skipped on the use of a prophylactic. And, my long awaited break from the craziness of the last nine months is no more. I'm not sure who I'm more pissed at... myself for not saying anything once I thought I had made my point clear, or Mr. mouse for not hearing me and for not keeping this top of mind.

Actually, let's be clear. I'm pissed at both of us. But, I'm infinitely more pissed at Mr. mouse than I am at myself.

We've agreed that we would take next month off instead and that I could have my birthday dinner next month instead. Still, I'm massively disappointed and massively depressed and just plain upset and annoyed that I feel like the next week is ruined. I was so looking forward to birthday dinner and now it's going to get jumbled into September and September isn't my birthday and it's my sister's wedding and I'm just... clearly not coming to grips with any of this.

Watch, with just my luck, we'll end up pregnant, and it'll be a million and one years until I get my break. Great.


mouse

Terminal Cancer, Patient Doesn't Know

Dear mouse journal,

My cousin called yesterday for my sister's cell phone number to figure out logistics for the upcoming wedding. And, she mentioned she was looking into plane tickets to New York for her mom who wants to go see her brother, our oldest uncle.

Our uncle is dying. He's been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and has about six months left to live. It's sad, but, I've come to grips with it. I never met Mr. mouse's mom. She died when she was 51 from lung cancer.

Back to my uncle. According to my cousin, the family hasn't told him he has six months left to live. They told him he's sick. That he requires treatment. But, no word of cancer. And, no word of time frame.

What is wrong with these people?!?! How can you hope to keep that kind of information a secret? And, more importantly, why would you keep that kind of information a secret? And, it's not exactly a secret. Everyone knows, with the exception of my uncle.

How is this a good idea, people? More to come, I'm sure. I told my cousin I would go back the same weekend she went back so we could see him together.


mouse

Drawing a Blank

Dear Friends and Family,

I've been sitting here for the past hour waiting for inspiration to strike. I'm exhausted beyond belief and not feeling too chipper. I think I need the weekend to be here now so I can zone out and relax and regroup.

Hopefully, next week will be a better week. In fact, I know next week will be a better week, because Friday is a special day for me.


Cheers!
mouse

Who Am I?

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes you get off on a tangent and it takes you down a path and your mind starts wandering and before you know it you wonder...

• how do different people perceive me?
• would life be different if...?
• who am I?

It leads to some good introspective brain time. Ultimately, I'm not sure the questions have answers or if the answers matter. I think the book on me is still being written. And, for now, I'll indulge in my navel gazing and ponder my own personal koans.


Cheers!
mouse

08.19.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 122.5

I've been avoiding the inevitable for the past half hour - procrastinating on writing my blog because I knew my weigh in was a bummer. I was 119 on Saturday. What can I say? Too many cupcakes, too few days. This will be a good week to get back on track or I'll really be procrastinating next Tuesday.

Mindless Eating, Why We Eat More Than We Think
by Brian Wansink

Chapter 3: Surveying the Tablescape

Now that we've debunked our stomach's ability to help us in the eating game, we move onto our next potential strategic partners, our eyes. Unfortunately, they let us down time and time again as well. No wonder we're in such sorry shape. We're so easily fooled.

Package size matters. It doesn't for me because I weigh everything like a hawk. But, for most normal people, size matters. On average, people eat about 20-25% more from a larger package. With snack foods, the number can sky rocket up to double.

Glass size matters. It's an optical illusion, but we all fall for it. Tall, narrow glasses: good. Short, wide glasses: bad. Don't feel bad, even professional bartenders have trouble eyeing this one.

Plate size matters. Bigger plates equate to larger servings. How much more? 31% more. And, if you give them a large serving spoon in addition to a large bowl? Count on 57% more. The really sad thing is, this experiment was done with a group of professors and their PhD students, in Nutritional Sciences. Lovely.

Visual variety matters. When there's more choice, we eat more. The technical term is "sensory specific satiety." That's why those über specific diets work in the short term. You can only eat so much cabbage soup before you go crazy. The tricky part is we can be fooled by variety. One bowl of M&M's had seven colors, one bowl had ten. We all know all M&M's taste the same. Yet, there's a 43% increase once you increase the visual variety.

And, now I can bring this all back to this weekend - cupcakes, there's an endless variety and an overwhelming urge to try each one. And, once you eat it, your stomach has no real recall of how many it's eaten. And, you can fit a million of them on a plate. And, the proprietors are all branded - Sweet Mandy B's, Molly's, Swirlz. And, the cupcakes are all branded (upcoming chapter). And, once you decide, "this is going to be good." It is. And, you're guilty of having too many cupcakes.


Cheers!
mouse

08.18.08: Air + Water Show

Dear Friends and Family,

It was an almost perfect weekend of sun, fun and cupcakes.

Friday, after a crazy day of interviews, conference calls and emails, we headed out for the evening. We picked up cupcakes at Bleeding Hearts Bakery, Dinkel's Bakery, and Chaos Theory Bakery before heading out to dinner at Smoque Barbecue. Of the three bakeries, I liked the cupcakes at Chaos Theory best. They go out on a limb and make some fun flavor combinations that can become addicting - like their curry cardamom chocolate cupcake.

Note: We also had an cupcake arsenal built up from Sweet Mandy B's, Swirlz, and Molly's. I think my favorites overall are from Sweet Mandy B's. The best cake texture and frosting combination - classic flavors combined with flawless execution.

Saturday was the perfect day for the Air + Water Show. It was mid-80's with a partly cloudy sky and a cool breeze. I should have worn a swimsuit, but I knew we'd be seeing some of Mr. mouse's work colleagues, so I stayed with the tank top/shorts combination. Must get rid of some of the crazy tan lines I've gotten this summer.

We split for the evening with Mr. mouse and the Dad going over to Toyota Park to watch the Chicago Fire take on the DC United. Unfortunately, they lost 1-0. The Mom, the Daughter and I walked down to Navy Pier, had dinner and watched some performances at the Turkish World Festival before heading outside to watch the Navy Pier fireworks. We all drove home together, ate a couple more cupcakes and watched the Olympics on TiVO.

Sunday, we had a couple of friends over for a barbecue. We had jerked chicken, mini bison burgers, guacamole and chips, cucumber salad and bean salad while watching some flyovers, catching some rays and glorying in the summer sun. Around five, we headed inside to try all of the ice cream flavors. There was peanut butter chip chocolate chip peanut butter with a caramel swirl, watermelon, peach, basil, mint chocolate chip and a couple of other flavors. I think the peach was a big winner and the basil went over well. The basil is my favorite, by far. B and Chef M gave us a book on the history of ice cream. I can't wait to read it.

We crashed Sunday night in front of the TV and watched more Olympics while polishing off more cupcakes. And, now, it's Monday. And, there's one cupcake left per family. And, it's time to start getting ready for work. How did the week go so quickly?


Cheers!
mouse

Job Interview for Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

A colleague of mine recently switched jobs and called me up to try to recruit me. And, since he's a close friend whom I respect, I agreed to go in for interviews. In an ideal world, I would have waited three weeks to get through a big off-site I've been working on and to have my mid-year performance discussions before interviewing. I firmly believe knowledge is a good thing.

But, he's in a rush, and so, I'm coming in today. It's a quandary. I'm truly enjoying the work I'm doing. And, I've gotten to the point where I have friends at work. And, I'm curious to speak with my former boss about a move into his new department with a potential promotion. But, I wish we were doing better as a company. I'm just not sure. I guess it's a good thing that I'm enjoying the work I'm doing.

We'll have to see how this side bar plays out.


Cheers!
mouse

08.15.08: Mr. Mouse is Enough

Dear Friends and Family,

It was the briefest interchange of comments, but it stuck with me. One of the consultants I've been working with recently asked me if Mr. mouse and I had kids or were planning on having them. And, since I didn't want to go into the gory details I simply said no. Then, I said, having Mr. mouse is enough for me. And, having me is "definitely" enough for Mr. mouse, implying taking care of me was more than enough work for him.

When I thought back on it, I realized it's true. Having him is enough for me. If we don't ever succeed in this crazy procreation endeavor, it's okay with me.

I'm glad we're taking a break from the whole trying routine. My life has been crazy the past couple of weeks and the additional stress would have made life a bear.


Cheers!
mouse

First Signs of Fall

Dear Friends and Family,

After waiting so long for spring and summer, it's come and gone in a blink of the eye. Yesterday, I needed to turn on the lights to shower, because it's getting brighter later. And, on Tuesday, I noticed that some of the trees are beginning to change color. Already? Sigh.


Cheers!
mouse

CSA Box Contents

Dear Friends and Family,

After a four week hiatus, we're getting a box tonight. Due to bad rains, our CSA had to skip a shipment (and tack one on at the end). The last box we got is long gone. We had some snap peas go bad (I forgot about them), but other than that, we ate it all.

According to the newsletter, we can expect:

• green peppers
• cabbage
• carrots
• bottle onions
• garlic
• sweet corn
• melon
• cauliflower
• heirloom tomatoes
• new potatoes
• red tomatoes
• chard
• lemon basil

And, we get an egg share (a dozen eggs).

My plan of attack (in order of preference):

Tomatoes can be used with our crazy basil to make caprese salad. Melon. Fruit is delicious. Carrots, pre-cut into 3 oz portions for easy snacking. Sweet corn will get roasted and then made into a salad with beans and lime and cilantro. Bottle onions will roast on the grill. Chard gets made into soup, I'm sure. Green peppers will most probably get roasted on the grill. Potatoes get eaten randomly. Which leaves cabbage, cauliflower, and lemon basil. Things that make you go hmm.

And, our garden. I've been having a ton of fun with the garden. The tomatoes and peppers are doing great. We've had 54 cherry/grape tomatoes so far. And, each one is a luscious bite of juicy, red, tomatoey sweetness. There's no comparison. Supermarket tomatoes just taste like water afterwards. We've had 16 banana peppers, 11 jalapeño peppers, and 28 cayenne peppers; it's enough to share. I sent some home with B for Chef M. I repotted the peppers this weekend to give them more room to grow. I'm planning on taking them in for the fall and growing them indoors over the winter. We'll see. Very happy with my peppers. Our zucchini, which was supposed to be the easy, sure-fire thing, has turned out to be a total bust. One sad little zucchini fruit so far and the plant is doing this crazy twisty-turny, climb out of the soil, don't fertilize thing. I've just about given up on it. And, our melons? We have two of the most adorable little cantaloupe growing on our melon vines. We'll see if they grow into anything edible. Next year, I may just do a crazy batch of tomatoes. Or, I may try other plants in lieu of the zucchini.

The other thing grand experiment we'll be embarking on this week is trying to harvest the seeds from the CSA box. I want to try saving the seeds from the melon and the tomatoes. We can plant them next spring and see if anything comes of it all.

And, last but definitely not least, our neighbors got in last night! Well, at least the Mom and Daughter did. Dad wasn't scheduled to come in until Friday. They picked me up at work and we headed out for conveyor belt sushi. Today, they're headed out to Lincoln Park today to go to the zoo, do a cupcake crawl and enjoy the neighborhood walks. I hope the weather cooperates.


Cheers!
mouse

08.12.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 120.5

Progress! Two and a half pounds from goal. This week will be a tough one. Our neighbors are coming in town today. I'm so excited about seeing them and spending time together. But, it'll be tough getting through the week and not adding any poundage. I must remember, I can have as much fun without going on a points spree. They've seen me on Weight Watchers and they're hip with it.

Mindless Eating, Why We Eat More Than We Think
by Brian Wansink

Chapter 2: The Forgotten Food

This chapter starts with the hypothesis: "Your stomach can't count." And, goes on through a series of experiments to show there's a good volume of data to show that it's true. We're not so good at keeping track of what we ate because our stomach isn't the smartest organ in our body. Once the food is off of the plate and in our bellies, our recall is imperfect at best.

Experiment #1: free wings at a Super Bowl party, half the tables are regularly bussed, the other half let the bones pile up. Not surprisingly, the bussed table ate more wings; they didn't have the bones to keep track of what they ate. How much more? 22% more.

Experiment #2: bottomless bowl of soup, four bowls at a table, two regular, two rigged to continually refill from a contraption underneath - truly bottomless soup. The regular bowls ate about nine ounces of soup. The rigged bowls ate about 15 ounces of soup. Now, that's just downright depressing, and kinda funny.

Since the stomach clearly can't count, we rely on how tightly our clothes fit to gauge progress or trigger alarms - both at the meal and over the long haul. And, that's why elastic pants are sinful. They're an accomplice in mindless eating and a fashion tragedy. And, that's why something like Weight Watchers works for me. Clearly my stomach isn't any good at keeping track. But, Weight Watchers forces my brain to get involved in the eating process.


Cheers!
mouse

08.11.08: Catch Up Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Another mixed weekend. We got a ton done. We spent some time enjoying summer in the city. And, we've come to realize there are some issues we're having a tough time reconciling as a couple.

Saturday, we got most of our errands crossed off of the list, including cleaning the house (which is easier when you do it every two weeks, it only gets so bad in two weeks) and doing laundry and picking up groceries and a bunch of random errands. Then, we headed out to the 13th Chicago Korean Festival to see my peeps. We saw a fan dance and several traditional drum troupes. My grandfather used to play the drums and I remember going to watch him perform. Will have to add it to the list of things to look forward to next summer - Air and Water Show, Lollapalooza, Run for the Zoo 5K, July 4th fireworks from the deck, Trixie's July visit. I do love summer in the city. I also want to try the Japanese Festival, Annual Ginza Holiday, next year. I should start making the calendar now for next summer.

Sunday, we slept in. Then, we repotted the peppers and ran a couple more errands. We got to the gym and then ate dinner before heading out to West Fest to hear a couple of deejays do their thing. And, our evening devolved from there. Not really sure how to sort through the disaster that's become our personal life. And, not ready to write about it yet. Someday. But, not today.


Cheers!
mouse

Busy Bee Friday

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry for not posting this morning. I overslept. Then, I had to rush into work. Scurry all day and sit in a parking lot of Friday afternoon traffic. Watching the Opening Ceremonies now.

TGIF!


Cheers!
mouse

All Quiet on the Mid-Western Front

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a quiet Thursday morning and I don't have a ton to write about. And, that's perfectly okay. Work has been crazy recently. I've still been catching up on sleep from last week's travels. The house is still decently clean, but can use a definite spruce up this weekend. We have friends coming over next week for a week. I'm really excited to see them! And, life in general is good.

Hope you're enjoying the summer as much as we are.


Cheers!
mouse

08.07.08: Not Pregnant

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, after an agonizing week and half, Mother Nature finally caught up with us. Still not pregnant. Mr. mouse is going to call to schedule time with the fertility clinic. And, until then, I get a blissful break from the daily scourge of trying. A break. I could really use a break.

During our first visit, I'd like to learn what the options are in a typical treatment journey. What the odds are at each one. What's covered by insurance. What the risks are. Etc. Then, before we even begin step 1, I want to draw an agreed upon line in the sand - we go this far and no further. I need my sanity.

But, back to the moment. I'm going to savor every minute of my break.


Cheers!
mouse

08.06.08: Nothing Yet

Dear Friends and Family,

Nothing yet. WTF?


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Pad Progress

Dear Friends and Family,

I have a secret confession. I love getting the mortgage bill each month. It's the one bill we still get by paper. All of our other bills are delivered electronically. Every month, we pay a little more in principal towards our house and a little less in interest. And, each month, the unpaid principal balance drops infinitesimally closer to zero. Owning our home free and clear would be fabulous. And, each mortgage statement brings us one step closer to that.

This month's statement was especially fun to open. We decided with the stock market roller coaster that we would hold off on investing and use the same money to pay down the house. It's a guaranteed rate of return vs. potentially negative returns. We decided to wait for two consecutive months of positive returns on our existing assets to get back in the stock market game. Which means, when I opened this month's statement, we made even more progress towards home ownership since we had an additional principal payment in the calculations.

Life is good.


Cheers!
mouse

08.05.08: New Chapter

Dear Friends and Family,

Day 39, still haven't started yet. Tomorrow, we take another home pregnancy test.

I had a chance to talk with our doctor yesterday. She's not optimistic that we're pregnant, given the ovulation kit didn't show an LH Surge until Day 28. In other words, we should manage our expectations accordingly.

And, given that it takes 4-6 weeks to get an appointment scheduled with a fertility specialist, and that she thinks we'd be a straight forward case for them, she recommended we contact them to start down that path.

Mr. mouse and I agreed too, to take a break from all of this for August. July wasn't a fun month for me. And, if we're not pregnant, I'd just like a month off. If we are, then, obviously, we go from there.


Cheers!
mouse

08.05.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 122

Where do I begin?

1. crap weigh in
2. crap sleep (storm)
3. crap night last night (another major fight)

Ask me how I'm feeling. As a colleague at old work used to say, craptastic. It's wonderful feeling.

Mindless Eating, Why We Eat More Than We Think
by Brian Wansink

Chapter 1: The Mindless Margin

We start with the painfully embarrassing question of "Did you ever eat..." even when the food doesn't taste good (e.g. leftover cake, cold French fries)? And, sad but true, most of us have. I'm as guilty as the next person. But, fortunately, I'm in good company.

Experiment #1: free popcorn at the movie theater, two sizes (medium and large), it's five day old, stale as can be popcorn. And, sad but true, people ate it. And, the larger the bucket, the more they ate. Not only does it prove people eat mindlessly, but it also proves that how much we eat is based on how much we're given, not on how hungry we are (both sizes were too large to finish).

Experiment #2: free wine at dinner, Trader Joe Two Buck Chuck, labels removed and relabeled (fine Californian wine, fine North Dakotan wine), prix fixe menu. Everyone finished the wine, regardless of whether they thought it was Californian or North Dakotan wine. But, the Californian wine drinkers rated their food as better tasting. And, they ate more of it. And, they took longer, lingering over their meal. Once the California wine group decided, "this is going to be good," they made it good. And, once the North Dakotan wine group decided, this is going to be mediocre at best, they made it mediocre at best.

Experiment #3: Supermarket signs, 1 for $1, 2 for $2, 3 for $3, say 10 for $10, we all fall for it buying 30% to 100% more. Wonderful.

Which brings us to the mindless margin. The 50-100 calories a day we could increase or reduce and never notice. It's not going to make the scale jump. It's the pound a year weight gain that over the course of a decade begins to equal middle age spread. It's the difference between eating until you're full vs. eating until you're no longer hungry. It's all of the experiments in this chapter and the title of this book. It's mindless.


Cheers!
mouse

08.04.08: Play Ball!

Dear Friends and Family,

There's baseball and there's Yankee Baseball. As one famous player once said, "I'd like to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee." The same can be said of its fan base.

With Yankee Stadium closing this year, Mr. mouse bought me tickets to see a game there. I'm counting it (along with Yaz) as my early birthday gifts. And, the day turned out to be perfect.

We flew out to Newark Friday night and Mr. mouse's dad picked us up. Saturday, we headed out in the morning for the City. Found street parking and then caught a ride up to the stadium. We got off of the train and it had just started raining. But, it was pouring as in "wow, they can't play in this" pouring. We stood on the train platform, which was thankfully covered, waiting for it to pass. Almost 30 minutes later, it let up enough that we risked going down.

We got on the super long line for Monument Park where they have the numbers and plaques of all of the retired Yankees. I was overwhelmed. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, to start, and the list goes on. Just as we finished walking through the park, they started calling out the names for Old Timers' Day. I won't go into the details on Old Timers' - a bunch (72 for this historic day) of retired Yankees come back to Yankee Stadium, get introduced and play a couple of innings of baseball. It's cute watching them get out and swing the bat and run the bases. And, of course, it's great that both teams are wearing the same uniform and numbers repeat all over the place.

The game started at four with the sun shining. And, of course, there's nothing better than cheering for the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. They won 8-2, and Mr. mouse was on his best behavior (he's a Red Sox fan) so I could enjoy the game. We walked around a bunch. Then, we headed down to the Brooklyn Bridge to take a picture of some water falls. Found a super cute sushi restaurant where we had the omakase dinner. Delicious.

Sunday, we met one of Mr. mouse's high school friends for brunch. Then, we flew back home. And, now, I need to hustle to get some work done before heading into the office. As my coffee mug says, "Good Morning! Let the stress begin!"


Cheers!
mouse

08.04.08: Day 38

Dear Friends and Family,

Day 38 and no cycle yet. This Wednesday, we pee on a stick again. And, either way, if I don't start we go to see the doctor. Joy oh joy. Did I tell you how much I like having doctor's appointments?

This past month has been especially stressful. First, our doctor's optimistic month that this month is our month - since so many couple's are successful after their HSG. Then, the missing LH Surge. Then, the call from the lab that Mr. mouse needs to repeat his semen analysis. Then, the late LH Surge. Then, the realization that my thyroid levels, while normal, still haven't resulted in my feeling right. Then, the realization that if we don't conceive this month, we're in for another doctor's appointment. And, now, the fact that I'm late, but nothing is showing positive.

Really? I need all this like I need a hole in my head. I think I want to take the month of August off. Doesn't everyone get a birthday treat? Perhaps mine can be a stress free month of being me.


Cheers!
mouse

Never Ending Day with a Happy Ending

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday was one of the longest days ever. I flew down to Dallas on Wednesday night for some customer research. Our arrival was delayed an hour. Then, we went to see the latest Central Market before grabbing a bite to eat and checking in at our hotel. Call it 11:30 by the time I was in my room.

Then, since I had caught up on emails on the flight down, I tried to log on to synch my emails. After much crashing of computer systems and jury rigging of technology, I had my laptop on the wireless network with my blackberry for authentication and my vpn for security. If any one of those fragile systems went down , the computer needed to be restarted and the whole process kicked off again. Call it 1:30 by the time I crawl into bed in a hotel room with a gurgling toilet.

Thursday, I woke up at 5 o'clock on three and a half hours sleep. A broken coffee maker followed by a front desk that doesn't answer the phone kick off my day. The research went swimmingly until the debrief session when I was able to confirm 100% beyond a doubt that one of the people I work with is just a bear and if she dropped off the face of the Earth tomorrow I wouldn't be the one spearheading the search party (although I would join, of course, for the record).

Finish at 6:30. Get to the airport a little after 7 for the long wait until our 10PM flight. Yes, our lovely travel policy wouldn't let us spend the extra money for the 9PM flight and I didn't want to cut it close by gunning for the 8PM flight. All is well and good until weather delays our 10PM flight to 12:05AM. Lovely. We land, call it, 2:30AM.

There's a message from Mr. mouse. He's at the airport waiting for me. He came to pick me up! I had been planning on taking a cab home, but, this is even better - especially when I go downstairs and the cab line is empty. We get home sometime between 3:00 and 4:00. Yeah, Mr. mouse!


Cheers!
mouse

Audience Pandering vs. Artistic Irrelevancy

Dear Friends and Family,

Google Analytics is a horrible thing. It weighs you down with data. And, once you have the data you need to come to grips with yourself. Do you write about what people care to read about? Or do you write about what you want to write about? If it's the former, isn't it just pandering to an audience? Lurking on lurkers, so to speak? Two mirrors facing off to create infinitely smaller copies of each other? And, if it's the latter, then, why do you care? You're writing just for you. But, why publish, then?

So, it comes down to this question. Who do I write for? Do I write for the unknown masses? Do I write for my friends and family (obstensibly who my posts are addressed to each and every day)? Or, ultimately, do I write for me (it is a journal after all)?

Not sure if I know the answers. Perhaps if I did, I could purposely choose a path and filter my content accordingly. Sushi come when sushi ready.


Cheers!
mouse

07.30.08: Another Day, Another Test

Dear Friends and Family,

Day 32. Time for another pregnancy test.

We got up this morning and took the test. It said "Not Pregnant." Guess that means my cycle will start soon and Mr. mouse and I will be summoned into the doctor's office for another volley of tests and options discussions.


Cheers!
mouse

May Baby Posts

Dear Friends and Family,

Another month, another packet of information to upload. Wow, May seems like forever and a day ago. Happy reading.

(Note: under baby... maybe, for any newbies.)


Cheers!
mouse

07.29.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 121

Whoopee! Back to 121. And, again looking at three pounds to goal. This time, more motivated than even three weeks ago when I was 121. Tee, a friend in Seattle, wrote me to tell me she was considering Weight Watchers after seeing the success I had with it. And, I realized/remembered I have had success with it. It does work. I was so dedicated. And, there's no reason that dedication should be any less now than it was, say, six months ago.

And, even more motivating, Tee is interested in going to Canyon Ranch with me. I can't wait.

Which brings me to an interesting conversation Tee and I had about Mindless Eating. I read a book about it that was excellent. I'll use the next 10 weeks or so to summarize it, bit by bit.

Mindless Eating, Why We Eat More Than We Think
by Brian Wansink

Introduction: The Science of Snacking

We may think we eat based on our level of hunger, how much we like the food, and how we feel. But, in addition to that, we eat based on a host of other criteria (e.g. "family and friends, packages and plates, names and numbers, labels and lights, colors and candles, shapes and smells, distractions and distances, cupboards and containers.") In other words, we may not have a clue as to why we eat.

Want to guess how many food decisions we make in a day? If you guessed more than 200, you'd be right. I'm awake 18 hours, meaning, on average, I make a food decision every 5.4 minutes. Really? Seems like a lot. And, it's tempting to say I must be below average and someone other poor soul is out there making a decision every 2 minutes to make up for my numbers. But, I'm okay with 200. It's manageable. Not sure I can make 200 good decisions, but, clearly, I'm making enough good decisions to be within three pounds of my goal weight.

And, that's the intro and my take on it.


Cheers!
mouse

07.28.08: Fire Flies and House Flies

Dear Friends and Family,

It was a mix of good and bad this weekend. On the positive, we spent a lot of much needed time cleaning the house and some random time listening to live music at one of the many summer street festivals Chicago has to offer. On the negative, we had major blow ups Fri, Sat, and Sun. We had fire flies (and a bunny) at the park and a most annoying flare up of house flies at home. Literally, house flies, it was disgusting.

Saturday, we got up super early. We spent some time cleaning and napping. Then, we roasted a chicken on the grill. We headed to the gym before heading over to the park with a blanket to listen to some music.

Sunday, we slept in. I had a marvelous weigh in. Then, we finished the house cleaning and split for the afternoon. I needed some down time so I read and cooked while Mr. mouse headed out to wander the streets. We got together for dinner (bison burgers) before heading out to the park again. Somehow, between bands, we decided to head over to Harold's Chicken Shack for fried chicken. And, there went my ephemeral weigh in. Sigh.

And, now, it's Monday. Part of me is feeling clean house refreshed. Part of me is feeling fried chicken bloated. Sigh. Guess it was a weekend of good and bad.


Cheers!
mouse

07.26.08: LH Surge, Three Days Running?

Dear Friends and Family,

Day 29 of my cycle, and I got my third, consecutive LH surge. Before everyone assumes we're pregnant, we also took a pregnancy test this morning. And, it was negative. All Mr. mouse and I were able to conclude is, there's something going on in there. What? Not sure. Something.


Cheers!
mouse

Anything Tastes Better When It's Cooked on the Grill

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, one of my friends from work and her boyfriend came over for dinner. I wasn't sure what to cook. Ultimately, we decided on pasta with grilled vegetables, and I've since concluded anything tastes good once you stick it on the grill.

We boiled up come perciatelli, spaghetti shaped but hollow pasta, and dressed it with olive oil. Then we added fresh tomatoes and fresh basil (homegrown). On went grilled mushrooms, grilled eggplant, grilled fennel (crop share), grilled zucchini (crop share), grilled garlic scapes (crop share), grilled asparagus and grilled sausages. Mix it up. E voilà!

Mr. mouse made some garlic bread to go with it and our friends brought over a bottle of Italian red wine. For dessert, we grilled a couple of peaches and a pineapple and served it with the last of the caramel ice cream.


Cheers!
mouse

07.25.08: LH Surge, Again

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, there's nothing like being an overachiever. We had another LH surge today, on Day 28. I have no idea what any of this means anymore. Guess we'll continue as if this is normal and see what the rest of the month brings.


Cheers!
mouse

Electricity Tracking: July 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

We got the next electricity bill. And, at 536 kWh, it's definitely up from last month's 336 kWh. That's 200 kWh of A/C, my friends. I'm not complaining, it's still down a whopping 55% from last year's 1,187 kWh.

I have more good news on the green front. I found a potential option for our roof. The key search terms were vertical axis wind turbine residential. The vertical axis is key for roof mounted applications which would be the case in our situation.

Mariah Power has a unit, the Windspire, that generates 2,000 kWh a year. By my math, we'd need two to meet our general needs, three if we wanted a some of our A/C covered. It's got potential. Will have to mull it over and keep an eye out for alternatives.


Cheers!
mouse

07.24.08: LH Surge

Dear Friends and Family,

Perhaps we found the root cause of our problems. I got my LH surge today, on day 27 of my 28-32 day cycle. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, I say. Guess we'll give it a go tonight, seems like a low risk proposition.


Cheers!
mouse

First Harvest

Dear Friends and Family,

We had our first harvest of rooftop vegetables. We had picked one banana pepper and one unfertilized, half grown zucchini before. So, I guess, technically, that was our first harvest. But, yesterday, we decided to pick several (four) peppers from our banana pepper plant. And, walking down with the four peppers, it felt like a harvest.

We stir fried one pepper last night with some chicken thighs and some basil from our basil plant. It felt good and tasted delicious.

Status on the other plants? There are three zucchini growing on the zucchini plants. I attempted to pollinate all three of them. We'll see if they continue to grow green or if they shrivel and turn yellow like the prior ones. There's one gorgeous tomato on the tomato plants. I may pick it soon and enjoy the first tomato of the season. There's several additional ones ripening. We may have a tomato "harvest" in the near future. And, on the cantaloupe front, there's a cantaloupe forming on one of the vines. I'm so excited. It would be beyond cool if I got a cantaloupe.

The peppers are doing well. We still have several banana peppers growing. And, a handful of jalapeños are growing. And, we have a couple of cayenne peppers. Our basil is still huge. I've become a little more courageous about pruning to keep it from getting out of control. The cilantro never recovered from the weekend we were out in the Twin Cities. It really needs to be removed. We have more seeds we can plant. And, the rosemary. Well, I guess there's no harm in leaving it on the roof, but it's all brown and there's really no signs of life on it. Maybe it was too far gone by the time we did the transplant from B's deck to ours.


Cheers!
mouse

07.23.08: LH Surge?

Dear Friends and Family,

In a cruel twist of fate, it looks like we have an LH surge coming up in our near future, maybe. The line was darker today. Guess we'll bust into the next kit tomorrow and start afresh. Whoopee. This is so much fun. I can hardly contain my joy.


Cheers!
mouse

07.22.08: No LH Surge?

Dear Friends and Family,

We used the ovulation test kit for the month and detected not much of anything. Last month was similar. The month before was fine. I wonder if there's something going on hormonally now that I'm getting older. Wow. Talk about things that make you feel old.

Guess we'll see what the next couple of weeks bring. But, I'm not expecting to have much news to report.


Cheers!
mouse

07.22.08: Weekly Weigh In - One Year Anniversary

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 121.5

It's my one year goal weight anniversary. And, while not a perfect success, in the grand scheme of things still something to be very happy about. I'm 3.5 pounds over my "last declared" goal weight and 1.5 pounds over my weight 52 weeks ago. All psychological since I'm sure the doctor isn't stressing over the four pounds and its impact on my overall health.

Still, I'll be working the summer to get back to goal. And, when I hit the 118, I am going to something I didn't do last time. I am going to celebrate. Top on my list is a trip to Canyon Ranch Spa. I didn't do it last time, and I really should have. This time I will.


Cheers!
mouse

07.21.08: Summer in the City

Dear Friends and Family,

July is breezing by at a record pace. Stop the madness.

Friday, we had a team barbecue. I had a delicious garden burger, a bottle of real root beer, a handful of chips (potato and tortilla), salsa and guacamole and a delicious cupcake. I walked over and jogged back, so it didn't seem criminal to enjoy the food. On the way back, with about a mile left to go, it started pouring. I was soaked to the skin, glistening, shiny, rivulets of water, wet by the time I got home. I peeled everything off and jumped into the shower. We played mah jong Friday night with a couple of friends. We made grilled pizza and had leftover ice cream.

Saturday, we met with three friends from my first work project for pizza. It's so good to catch up with them. What's not to like about a hot Saturday afternoon spent in a cool bar with pizza and beer? Well, I had salad and Diet Coke, but still. Then, we dropped off my shoes (see prior post) and picked up some library books before tackling the big project of the day - the gate and the intercom. I think the intercom is done, and the gate is one BIG step closer to done, but still has a fair bit to go. (We were able to remove a broken bolt from the assembly, but the latching mechanism isn't a perfect fit.)

Sunday, we headed over to our favorite bar to watch the F1 race. Something magical happened during the race, because when we entered the bar it was hot and humid and hazy and when we exited it was a perfect summer day. There's a rule in the mouse household - perfect summer days must be spent enjoying the summer. So, while Mr. mouse ran errands, I spent the day on the roof, reading and working on a bead bracelet. We had dinner on the roof, grilled asparagus, grilled garlic scapes, grilled peppers, grilled chicken sausage, fried green tomatoes, and a ciabatta roll. A nice breeze accompanied the sunset and we watched the stars come out one at a time.


Cheers!
mouse

Nagging Unfinished Tasks #2 & 3

Dear Friends and Family,

Just a quick note. We dropped off my shoes at the cobbler for new soles. And, we paid off our remaining spring credit card debt. Two more nagging, unfinished tasks crossed off the list. Yeah!


Cheers!
mouse

Vice President Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

I've garnered my first Vice President title. Vice President of what? Well, our home owner's association. We had our annual association meeting on Tuesday. And, I was elected.

You have to start somewhere ;)


Cheers!
mouse

Parents Retiring, Maybe

Dear Friends and Family,

I thought my parents were retiring at the end of July. They've had a dry cleaning store for the past twenty years and the rents have been rising in their neighborhood. Their building was sold a couple of years to a large corporation, and when the lease expired, the corporation renewed it at a decent rate, but with some harsh terms. They can't sell the lease. And, with six months notice the corporation can cancel the lease.

We thought that day was in July. As it turns out, it's not. I'm not clear on how long it's been extended for. It may be that the downturn in the economy has changed things up some. On the one hand, I feel a sense of relief because I don't think my mom was ready to retire; she was doing it because she had no other options. On the other hand, I hope it's not too much of an emotional roller coaster for her.

Sometimes I wish I was more entrepreneurial, but other times I'm glad I work in cubicle land and don't have to worry about some of the things she has to worry about.


Cheers!
mouse

CSA Box Contents

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow. Box #3. We didn't do a good job on the last box. So our plan over the next two weeks will need to be particularly aggressive.

According to the newsletter, we can expect:

• romaine lettuce
• cucumbers
• baby onions, leeks, or scallions
• raspberries
• snap peas, snow peas, or green beans
• fennel
• zucchini
• cabbage
• potatoes

And, we get an egg share (a dozen eggs).

And, leftover from our last box:

• kale or collards
• garlic scapes
• zucchini (one)
• grape leaves
• cucumbers

And, we get an egg share (ten left).

My plan of attack (in order of preference):

Raspberries. I love berries. Salad with the lettuce and the cucumbers. Cucumbers and depending upon which peas, as munchable snacks. Green beans, snap peas, zucchini can all be stir fried. Potatoes can be made into a hash with garlic, onion and a little olive oil. Mr. mouse uses the fennel with fish. Garlic scapes, grilled with a little olive oil. Kale or collards, hardy green and bean soup. Grape leaves, stuff them with rice and make dolmades from them. Cabbage, stuff with rice and ground beef. And, last but not least, baby onions, leeks or scallions, seems like something we can use fairly quickly and easily.

And the garden, lots of banana and jalapeño peppers, three pollinated zucchini, and lots of tomatoes. The peppers are growing nicely. I hope of harvest a couple more soon. The zucchini is now officially a science experiment. I pollinated another one yesterday. Tons of blossoms on the cantaloupe, but no signs of fruit yet. And, lots of green tomatoes, but no red ones yet. The rosemary is still looking mostly brown with some signs of green. And, our basil is officially out of control. And that covers the food update for the next couple of weeks.


Cheers!
mouse

07.15.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 122.5

I survived the weekend without too much harm, all things considered. And, I suspect (or at least hope) the extra pound and half is a pound and half of water. I've got a couple of bumps in the road this week - dinner with a colleague on Thursday and a team barbecue on Friday.

To be honest, if I really wanted it badly, I would be a lot more dedicated to getting the last couple of pounds off. I'm still being a little (or very) laissez faire about it all. If I look back to my original weight loss journey, I was a lot more serious and stringent.

It is what it is. I will get there eventually.


Cheers!
mouse

Yaz at The Chicago Theatre - Set List

Dear Friends and Family,

OMG! I had so much fun. It was almost as much fun as the Erasure concert in Scotland. I couldn't resist getting up and dancing. If Vince had just left the synthesizer on loop at the end, I think we would all have danced the night away.

Here's the set list:

1. Nobody's Diary
2. Bad Connection
3. Mr. Blue
4. Good Times
5. Tuesday
6. Ode to Boy
7. Goodbye Seventies
8. Too Pieces
9. In My Room
10. Anyone
11. Walk Away From Love
12. I Before E Except After C
13. Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)
14. Sweet Thing
15. Winter Kills
16. Midnight
17. Unmarked
18. State Farm
19. Don't Go

The encore:

1. Only You
2. Situation

Cheers!
mouse

07.14.08: Overindulgent Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Trixie came out to visit for the weekend, and I had a blast.

Friday, we had our Q2 update with our financial planner over a glass of wine on the roof. Then, Mr. mouse, Trixie and I went to Francesca's Forno for dinner before heading over to Violet Hour for cocktails. We split an appetizer of prosciutto with figs, Parmesan and olive oil. And, I had the rigatoni with sausage and peppers. Cocktails? Delicious as always, but I can't recall the name of the one I got - Secaucus Sling? I could be totally making that up.

Saturday, we slept in. And, since the threat of rain was hanging over our heads, we opted to spend the day shopping. We hit a bunch of stores all having their end of summer sales. And, I found the cutest dress. Unfortunately, it'll mean packing lunch and no coffee for the rest of the month. But, it was worth it. I think I'll be able to manage the budget.

We came home and had some time to unwind, show Trixie a couple of hands of mah jong, and enjoy some wine and crackers. We met up with Chef M to do a rosemary rescue transfer (the rosemary wasn't doing well on his deck and he suspected it was due to a lack of adequate sunshine) before heading out to dinner. We went back to Lao Shanghai for dinner and had the soupy dumplings, the braised pork belly, the short ribs in special sauce, the seafood casserole and stir fried vegetables. And, then, for dessert we had pie and cupcakes and banana pudding and flourless chocolate decadence from Sweet Mandy B's. A couple more hands of mah jong, and we were out for the night.

Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a cool breeze and no humidity - a perfect day for a walk. And, walk we did, for about seven miles before taking the train home. We hung out on the deck and I even got in a little hammock nap before we all got a little sun drunk and a little crispy and started searching for some shade. We repotted the rosemary (I have hope, there are some green spots) and started looking at dinner options. We decided on Mado - a place focusing on local, fresh, organic food. Trixie's friend from the Twin Cities joined us. I had the country pate, a coddled egg with peas, and pasta with pesto. And, then we snuck into Spring for a cocktail (Spring Sling) and dessert (chocolate mousse) before calling it a night. Actually, Mr. mouse and I called it a night. Trixie and the friend went back to Violet Hour for cocktails.

And, now it's Monday. And, while the weekend was fantastic, I have a sneaking suspicion the scale isn't going to be as happy tomorrow. I'll have to be good this week. And, since my ankle held up on Sunday, I'm okay with hitting the gym on Tuesday. Yeah!


Cheers!
mouse

PS: The New Plan

Dear Friends and Family,

It's sunny out! And, we have a plan!

We're going to hold off on pouring more money into our retirement portfolio for now. Instead, we're going to spend the same money on reducing our mortgage, which has a guaranteed return rate.

Two consecutive months of portfolio growth will be the trigger to begin investing again. There's nothing I like more than having a plan, except maybe executing against the plan. Either way. I'm better now.


Cheers!
mouse

07.11.08: Thumbs Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse got the thumbs up on his plumbing. Guess, we'll continue trying and assume sooner or later it should all work out.


Cheers!
mouse

Financial Plan Update

Dear Friends and Family,

When we met with our financial adviser in Q1, I had high hopes of retiring in 2013. I know that's a far way off and I'm still young. But, it wasn't really retiring, but it was the fiscal ability to go after "my true calling" and "follow my passion" and "make my mark."

But, with the stock market the way it is, I'm sure we'll hear a very different story when we meet with him today. And, it's been rough on me, the past month, watching the numbers go up and down. It's like one step forward forty steps back. I know I'm in it for the long haul, but I'm not sure if my short game doesn't need a little revising.

The whole thing has left me feeling a little bummed. Coupled with a couple of blah days at work, it makes me wonder if life doesn't need a course adjustment. Perhaps we'll get good news and find out we're still on track for 2013. Somehow, it's hard to be optimistic about this one.

Perhaps I'm just bummed I need to go in on a Friday, in the rain.


Cheers!
mouse

Zucchini and Cantaloupe Troubleshooting

Dear Friends and Family,

We harvested our first garden piece this Monday! A banana pepper appeared to be ready. It seemed like it was the right color and form factor with no noticeable changes in over a week, so we clipped it with a pair of scissors.

The tomatoes continue to do nicely. By nicely, I mean there are several green globes at various stages of size and color from light green to dark green. I need to tie the tops of the plants to the stake so they'll continue to grow straight.

But, our cantaloupe and zucchini were acting weird. The cantaloupe had flowered profusely. Then, most of the flowers had fallen off. And, the plant was mostly green with no signs of fruit. And, the zucchini continued to grow little zucchini, but instead of growing, the zucchini would shrivel, turn yellow, and atrophy.

With a little research, I learned that cantaloupe had two stages of flowering. The first, apparently, is all male flowers. Then, the second flowering is a combination of male flowers and female flowers. And, when I went up yesterday, I noticed a couple of new flowers coming in. Seemed like it was headed in the right direction.

With the zucchini, I learned that there are male flower and female flowers. And, if nothing pollinates the female flowers, the fruit begins to grow, but then turns yellows, shrivels up and dies. Bingo! Nothing really flies high enough to pollinate the zucchini. I guess it's something we'll have to add to the plant care regimen. I tried pollinating two flowers this week - we'll see if I have two zucchini fruit to show for my efforts.

The cilantro never really recovered from our weekend away. It's still got a couple of green stalks, but we bought some cilantro this weekend to supplement. The basil has grown into a bush. Guess we can continue to enjoy its bounty for the summer. And, B has a rosemary plant. It's not doing well. So, we agreed to try moving it to our roof this weekend to see if a little additional sunshine can remedy it.


Cheers!
mouse

Nagging, Unfinished Tasks Pledge

Dear Friends and Family,

I read a term yesterday which ties into a new "thing" I've been pondering for the latter half of this year. There was CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and now there is NUTS (Nagging, Undone Tasks). Both weigh heavily on me because they're emotional and mental baggage that needs to be schlepped throughout the day. Who needs that?

I remember a time when I had cleaning service. And, I loved it. The feeling of clean was so nice. But, I also remember that while I had cleaning service, I had to "clean" the day before. I know that seems counter-productive. But, it makes total sense. Noah couldn't vacuum if I didn't pick everything up off the floor. He couldn't clean the sink and the counter tops if I didn't put everything away first. He couldn't dust the coffee table if I didn't go through all of the papers.

He came every other week. So, every other Tuesday I would have to clean to prepare. I've decided, even if we don't have cleaning service anymore, there's no reason I can't spend every other Tuesday organizing and every other Wednesday cleaning. That way, we have our weekends free to enjoy and to tackle unfinished tasks (like Mr. mouse's car this past weekend, that felt so good to have it fixed). Not sure how long this will last or how it'll go, but I'm going to give it a try. It certainly can't hurt.


Cheers!
mouse

07.08.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 121

On the surface, two weeks have passed since my last weigh in post and you might think I was disappointed in not showing a loss. But, I'm not. Since last week, I had a weigh in of 125.5! And, I needed the week to slowly work off two Punch pizzas and a mysterious amount of water weight. So, 121 is fine with me for this week's weigh in. Three pounds from goal.

This week should have been a tough week with multiple dinners out, but several of them got canceled. I've got one dinner out tomorrow night for fajitas which I can manage. Then, Trixie is over for the weekend. And, given her current eating experiment, I'm sure I won't be indulging in pizza and wings and beer. And, we'll be going for a nice long walk one day. Which means, I have a realistic chance of not blowing it this week.


Cheers!
mouse

07.07.08: Independence Day Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Yawn. It's Monday after a long weekend.

The weekend started Thursday night with dinner at Lao Shanghai and xiao long bao (aka Shanghai "soupy" dumplings) and fireworks viewed from the South Side of Chicago.

Then, Friday, we reveled in the long weekend and slept until noon. Sigh. When we did get up, we made quesadillas for lunch and then hit Target and the supermarket for some errands. Hot dogs and tortilla chips for dinner, followed by getting whooped in Scrabble and then a bike ride out to the lake for more fireworks.

Saturday, we were busy bees. We got the car washed, picked up mail, picked up a cleaning kit for the Camelbak (and a new bike lock and a new bag), picked up my bridesmaid's dress and then... the car wouldn't start. We called AAA. And, fortunately, it just needed a jump start. But, it was a hard start. And, recognizing we don't drive the car often anymore, and when I would need the car, I would really NEED it, we decided to get the battery replaced and an oil change which added $172 of unplanned expenses to our weekend. It could have been much worse, so I'm not complaining.

We dropped off the car and caught the bus to lunch. Then, Mr. mouse took the train home while I went back to pick up the car. Picked up some library books on the way home, helped Mr. mouse change out his ignition cylinder, and made some pesto for dinner. Our basil plant is doing fabulous. And, the evening was spent organizing the house and doing some late Saturday night sheet shopping.

Sunday, we got up early to spend some more time on the house and to meet up with Frenchie for brunch. Her parents were in town last weekend (from France) while we were in the Twin Cities, but, fortunately, her work brought her here this weekend. We had brunch together before dropping her off at her hotel for a nap and a swim. We went sheet shopping again. And, then came back to the house to watch the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the next stop on the F1 circuit. It was a rainy race with really sub-optimal camera coverage. But, it was on network television, so who's complaining?

Dinner was with Frenchie on the deck - bulgur with chicken, roast chicken, and roast vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus and kohlrabi). The kohlrabi was the mystery vegetable from the box, and I have to say I liked it. It's like the stalk of the broccoli plant which is my favorite part of the plant. We took Frenchie for cocktails after dinner before dropping her off at the hotel and turning in for the night.

And, now, it's Monday and my week looks hectic. Sigh.


Cheers!
mouse

07.06.08: Thumbs Up on the HSG

Dear Friends and Family,

I went in Thursday afternoon for my HSG. And, it went swimmingly. Looks like the tubes are good and clean and clear. Four down, one to go (semen analysis results, for anyone trying to keep track of all this craziness.)


Cheers!
mouse

Cute Shoes!

Dear Friends and Family,

You must all be wondering who that comment applies to because 99 out of 100 times, it ain't me. I buy shoes for comfort and I wear them until they die.

I bought a pair of blue clogs in Minnesota in April. And, I've gotten lots of compliments on them at work. I assumed it's because I always wear boring black so my colleagues were simply trying to encourage more shoe variance.

But, last night, on our way back from the fireworks on the south side, a person stopped me and asked me where I bought them. She thought they were cute. That totally made my evening!


Cheers!
mouse

Escarole Bean Soup

Dear Friends and Family,

I love this soup. I'm so glad we tried it.

2 tbs olive oil (30 grams)
2 garlic cloves
1 pound escarole chopped
salt
4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
black pepper
2 tbs olive oil (30 grams) (optional)
Italian sausage (optional)

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Sauté garlic 15 seconds.
2. Add escarole and salt. Sauté 2 minutes.
3. Add stock and beans. Cover. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with drizzle of olive oil or sprinkle of sausage (optional).

Serves 4. (3 Weight Watchers points)

Obviously, the chicken stock and sausage aren't vegetarian. It all depends upon how you make it.

Key words: Italian, core, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, anti-inflammatory, protein


Cheers!
mouse

Rhubarb Crisp

Dear Friends and Family,

Normally, I don't care for rhubarb. It's too tart in most recipes. But, it's true. If you add enough butter and sugar, it all tastes good.

1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, about 4 cups
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashion rolled oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted but not hot

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine rhubarb, sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon.
3. Transfer to individual baking dishes. I like sixteen.
4. Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, butter. Mix well.
5. Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture.
6. Bake until golden brown. About 20-30 minutes.

Serves 16. (4 Weight Watchers points)

You can garnish with ice cream. I liked it plain.

Key words: vegetarian, dessert


Cheers!
mouse

07.03.08: More Tests

Dear Friends and Family,

I've got my hysterosalpingogram (HSG) this afternoon. To be honest, I'm finding it pretty stressful to have to do all of this. Who has the time? Mr. mouse has it easy, he's in an office and works downtown. That means phone calls are easy. And, ducking out during lunch is easy. Me? I'm in a cubicle which means having to grab a meeting room to make the call. Then, I'm rushing around to get downtown for the appointment - working from home, blocking out time. Not fun. Not easy.

It only reinforces what I already know. Baby will mean bigger sacrifices on my time and my career and my life. I'm the one who has to make sure I get my vitamins in daily. And, I'm the one who can only drink wine half the month now. And, I'm the one who might have to put my weight loss efforts on the shelf at the drop of a hat.

I'm not having fun with this anymore. Frankly, I'd be surprised if this all lasts beyond 2008. I'm okay with just the two of us. I really am. I'm not enjoying the stress right now.


Cheers!
mouse

CSA Box Contents

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Wednesday which means we get to pick up another box. We've made good progress on the last box. The mint, radishes, and pea tendrils are left from it. We'll use the radishes and pea tendrils in the salad this week (forgot to add them the last time) and the mint is becoming mint ice cream.

According to the newsletter, we can expect:

• lettuce
• radishes or turnips
• strawberries
• kale or collards
• garlic scapes
• sugar peas or snap peas
• frisee or arugula
• zucchini
• grape leaves
• cucumbers
• kohlrabi

And, we get an egg share (a dozen eggs).

My plan of attack (in order of preference):

Mint, must make ice cream this week. Strawberries, five ounces a day until they're consumed. Garlic scapes and zucchini, grilled with a little olive oil. Kale or collards, hardy green and bean soup. We made it with the escarole last night and it was delicious. Salad with the lettuce, radishes (both this week's and last week's), pea tendrils, cucumbers and arugula or frisee. Sugar peas or snap peas, I'll munch on one or stir fry the other. Grape leaves, stuff them with rice and make dolmades from them. And, last but not least, kohlrabi, not a clue on what to do with that one.

And the garden, have one banana pepper growing, several zucchini and several tomatoes. Tons of blossoms on the cantaloupe, but no signs of fruit yet. And that covers the food update for the next couple of weeks.


Cheers!
mouse

07.01.08: Baby Costs

Dear Friends and Family,

I learned an important lesson last night. Don't ask your spouse important questions when they're fresh home from happy hour and you've spent the last half hour fixing a curtain rod plaster piece with bad glue cause the answer you get may blow you away.

mouse: How much are you willing to spend on having Baby?
Mr. mouse: $25,000?

mouse: Remind me not to ask you important questions when you've been drinking and I've been sniffing glue.
Mr. mouse: okay


Cheers!
mouse

07.01.08: Twin Cities Time

Dear Friends and Family,

And, just like that, we're into the latter half of 2008.

We spent the weekend in the Twin Cities - attending a baby shower, seeing friends, watching golf, playing Guitar Hero, eating peanut brittle, buying Nordicware and walking the streets of Stillwater. We flew out Friday night and stayed until Monday morning. It was nice, not to be rushed Saturday morning or Sunday night (even if it means I'm a day behind on posts now), but it was rough schlepping to the airport for a crack of dawn flight. I learned

• Punch still puts crack in their crust
• Guitar Hero is fun, at the easy level
• G and her husband play Scrabble
• G's husband plays the ukulele
• Breyers has REALLY shrunk their carton size
• Stillwater is the birthplace of Minnesota

And, now it's Tuesday.


Cheers!
mouse

06.29.08: Not Pregnant

Dear Friends and Family,

Still not pregnant. Guess we'll see what next month and the next round of test results bring.


Cheers!
mouse

06.27.08: Another Day Another Test

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse went in yesterday for his semen analysis. They took a sample to analyze for:

• density,
• movement,
• correct shape,
• and signs of infection.

I need to wait until Day 1 of my next cycle to schedule my HSG. I guess the next step it to wait for the results of Mr. mouse's tests. Slowly, but surely chipping away at the list of to dos from our appointment last Friday.


Cheers!
mouse

April Baby Posts

Dear Friends and Family,

Where did June go?!?!

Somehow, it's Friday June 27th. And, Monday, June 30th is reserved for the weekend update. Which means today is the last day I have in June to post my April baby posts.


Cheers!
mouse

06.26.08: Not Covered by Insurance

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse called yesterday to schedule his semen analysis and heard the magic words everyone working through infertility issues must get immune to - this procedure is not covered by insurance. Please bring cash, check or a credit card to pay for the expenses. Granted, the analysis is $150, so we will do it. But, I wonder, is it a gradually escalating scale, each step? Say, $200? $500? $800? $1200? $1500? Until, somehow, some when, you're shelling over $15K for a procedure that's not covered?

Well, I'm not sure where the line in the sand for us is. For me, it's at the diagnostic point, or not far beyond the diagnostic point. I'm not sure where it is for Mr. mouse. More fun and games.

Live and learn.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Finds Closure

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse and I used to have a Wednesday night ritual. We would carpool on Wednesdays. One of us would pick the other up after work and we'd head out to dinner. Then, we'd pick up the mail. And, then, we'd head home. It was a nice mid-week break.

Last Wednesday, we drove out together. But, due to a crazy confluence of events involving an impossible to schedule dinner and a crop share pick up, we both took mass trans home and skipped our dinner and drive. Then, on the walk home, Mr. mouse told me his Wednesday meetings had been moved - no more Wednesday carpooling. I was left with an odd sense of feeling like I had missed the opportunity to savor our "last shared commute" dinner, so to speak.

Fast forward to this week. And, I had a mini calendar meltdown yesterday afternoon. And, Mr. mouse offered to drive out to meet me for dinner giving me extra work time. Well, on the way to dinner, I realized it also gave us a chance to have our "missed" dinner, so to speak.

Ah, the little things that give me a sense of closure. Sad, but true.


Cheers!
mouse

Busted!

Dear Friends and Family,

We had a team lunch yesterday with our EVP, which we never do. And, we were down in the cafeteria, where we never are. And, we were in a partitioned room that's never used. And, just by coincidence, out of the corner of my eye, I saw two consultants I knew.

We had worked closely with them before on another project. And, clearly they were looking to sell more work. And, clearly they didn't want to be seen. And, clearly they were busted.

It's like taking your affair to the hole in the wall Chinese restaurant clear across town and running into your spouse there. Funny.


Cheers!
mouse

06.24.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 121

Whoopee! Well, I never thought I'd be so excited about being three pounds over goal. But, after the last couple of months, I have to say I'm absolutely ecstatic.

The doctor called yesterday with good news. The thyroid numbers are all within range. I may have been working out too hard. Or, dealing with a normal, old fashioned plateau. Or, just not working the Weight Watchers program. Or, waiting for the micro flora and micro fauna in my gut to reset after switching to real foods. Or, my Friday walk. Or, my Saturday nap. Or, a million and one other possibilities.

Hey, I'll take it! This brings me back to my mid March weight which would be when we went to Florida for Spring Training.

It will be a tough week coming up. My ankle is still pretty tender so I won't be able to work out as much as I want. And, I've got dinner out tonight, tomorrow night and the weekend with friends. But, I've got faith that I can get through it. At least, as long as my intra-week weigh-ins go decently. I'll take each occasion as it comes. My plan for Thai tonight? 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup curried chicken, 1/3 cup pad thai. And, lots of dinner conversation.


Cheers!
mouse

06.24.08: Tests Results All Normal

Dear Friends and Family,

The doctor called yesterday to say that the thyroid, progesterone and prolactin were all within the normal ranges. All good news. Next is the HSG and the semen analysis, I guess.


Cheers!
mouse

06.23.08: Doctor Visit

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse met me at the doctor's office for our six month check-in.

She drew a vial of blood from me - for progesterone levels and thyroid levels and one other test. And, I need to call once I start my next cycle to schedule a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to ensure that the tubes are open and functioning. At the same time, the HSG will flush out the tubes, kind of like getting your teeth cleaned, I guess. And, Mr. mouse is scheduled for a semen analysis.

It is what it is, I guess. So far, it doesn't seem to be getting into any of the craziness that some couples ultimately go through. I'm not sure how far down the infertility treatment path I'm willing to go. One step at a time, I guess.


Cheers!
mouse

06.23.08: Happy Summer Solstice

Dear Friends and Family,

It's officially summer! Whoopee!

The weekend started Friday evening when we met up with one of my friends from old work for dinner at Frontera Grill. The food there is so good! Now, if there was only something to be done for the 2 hour wait for a table. Sigh. And, while I picked up the drink tab for all of us, I was a little surprised when Mr. mouse picked up the dinner tab for all three of us and then insisted on picking up the cab ride as well. It's not a big deal, but makes to think he had one too many margaritas while we were waiting for our table.

Saturday, I woke up, and my ankle was the size of a grapefruit. I must have sprained it on Friday. So, while Mr. mouse was up and about, I spent the day with it elevated and iced and bandaged. At some point, I finally fell asleep for an afternoon nap. For dinner, B and Chef M and Chef M's daughter joined us for a barbecue on the roof. We made a ton of foods featuring local, fresh greens - rosemary baguette rubbed with green garlic, mixed greens with roasted corn and char grilled London Broil, Italian sausage with grilled baby fennel, Copper River salmon with fennel greens, rice pilaf with Spanish saffron and dessert (lime ice cream, caramel ice cream, lemon cake). The sun set at 8:20 by our best guess, and I made a wish on the first star of the evening.

Sunday, we headed over to our mah jong partners' place for a summer barbecue. It was his 39th birthday and her graduation. We met a lot of friends and family. The weather was a mix of perfect sunny weather and brief summer showers. We came home and watched the French Grand Prix, the F1 race at Magny-Cours on Fox. And, then turned in for the night.


Cheers!
mouse

Public Transportation Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse told me he won't be carpooling with me on Wednesdays going forward. His recurring Wednesday meeting got moved to a new location. So, it looks like I'm on my own for the entire week. Which means, I'll be 100% public transportation mouse. I won't be driving without a carpool buddy, it's suicidal, the amount of time I'd be sitting in the car in traffic.

It's a good thing I prefer public transportation. It saves me time. It saves me money. And, it's good for the environment.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: I'm going to miss Wednesday night dinner in the burbs. We'd go out to eat to avoid the traffic on the way home.

06.20.09: Doctor Check Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Our doctor told us to "try" for six months. And, if we didn't see any results to set up a follow-up appointment with her. Well, it's been six months, and today is our follow-up appointment. No idea what to expect. I guess she'll have a look at our tracking chart and take some blood (from me) and maybe some other floods (from Mr. mouse) and we'll go from there. I think...


Cheers!
mouse

Food and Food Allergies

Dear Friends and Family,

I had another allergic reaction last night. They've been happening on and off, starting infrequently and becoming more frequent. And, it's gotten to a point where I may be willing (actually, am willing) to modify my behavior not to deal with the thudding, thumping heart afterwards. I have a sneaking suspicion, in the long run, putting my heart in overdrive on a regular basis is not good for it.

So what am I allergic to? I'm not sure what exactly it is, but it's one of the cheaper fat substitutes and/or artificial flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers, etc. found in processed foods. I've had the reaction to commercial baked cookies at work and last night to commercial ice cream toppings. At least, I think that's what caused my incident last night.

Honestly, it's not the worst thing to be allergic to. There are people who can't eat wheat or eggs or nuts or other real foods. My allergies should, theoretically, give me the will power to pass on a lot of suspicious foods out there. It is what it is.

On the food front, I have salad, washed and torn, from our crop share for lunch today. And, I have a couple of super cute strawberries for dessert after my salad. And, last night, we discovered, a tiny, three inch zucchini growing upstairs. I know it wasn't there the day before! I'm going to be watching daily for it to grow. Four to six inches is what more people recommend. I'll probably wait until six or seven, four seems like a waste to eat.



Cheers!
mouse

CSA Box Contents

Dear Friends and Family,

We signed up for the summer crop share this year. And, our first box is tonight. I'm so excited - fresh, organic, local produce. Life is good.

According to the newsletter, we can expect:

• rhubarb
• mint
• lettuce
• radish
• spinach
• hardy green
• asparagus
• strawberries
• green garlic
• sunflower sprouts or pea tendrils

And, we get an egg share (a dozen eggs).

My plan of attack (in order of preference):

Strawberries, five ounces a day until they're consumed. Sadly, I think they'll be consumed too quickly. Mint, ice cream, oh, it's so good. Asparagus, grilled with a little olive oil and kosher salt. Lettuce and spinach, washed and made ahead into salad mix for lunches throughout the two weeks. Sunflower sprouts or pea tendrils, probably stir fried for dinner one night. We eat pea tendrils that way, so my assumption going in is that the sunflower sprouts work the same way. Which leaves the rhubarb, radish, hardy green (e.g. kale, collard green), and green garlic for us to figure out during the two weeks.

Fun, fun, fun. And, lots of blossoms now on the zucchini, cantaloupe and tomato plants. I can't believe I'm so excited about something I so took for granted - my food. It's going to be an amazing summer.


Cheers!
mouse

06.17.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 124

Well, I accomplished my goal for the week of not gaining any weight. And, I've got an appointment with the doctor this Friday to check on the thyroid. Frankly, I just want to know. Is it a medication thing? Or is it a laziness thing? Or a plateau thing? Or a not counting bites, licks and tastes thing?

I guess I'll continue the work out routine and try not to gain anything for another week. Sigh.


Cheers!
mouse

06.16.08: Working Out

Dear Friends and Family,

In the spirit of trying to lose these excess pounds and get back to goal weight, the weekend activities were centered around working out.

Friday, I got home from work and went for a run. Then, after dinner, while Mr. mouse was sleeping, I get to the gym to lift and to do a little extra stair climber. Saturday, we went for a long bike ride. My legs were killing me. And, the wind gusts and "hills" were tough on already sore legs. Sunday, more weights, and this time I could feel it in the quads, abs, glutes and triceps. To be honest, I'm not sure how many more weeks I can keep this up. The challenge goes until the end of July - seven more weeks. We'll see.

In other news, our vegetable garden is providing a ton of entertainment. We have flowers on the zucchini, the cantaloupe and the tomatoes. We also bought three new pepper plants on Saturday, jalapeño, cayenne and banana peppers for a total of four planters. It's so much fun watching them grow. And, I can't wait to see it fruit and, hopefully, eat it. We bought tomato stakes Saturday and tied down the tomato plants. It's a good thing we did, because, Sunday morning, a helluva storm blew in. The winds were so strong they knocked over our grill. But, our plants were standing strong, thanks to the stakes.

Sunday, we went to a baseball game to cheer on our Minnesota Twins. Unfortunately, they lost 4-2. But, the sausage race was fun to watch. And, Miller Park has great beer. And, since we brought our own food and bought tickets for $30, it wasn't as big a expenditure as going to watch the Cubs play. It's definitely worth the drive.

And, last but not least, Mr. mouse bought a cake this weekend for our anniversary. It's from the bakery where we got our wedding cake. Delicious.


Cheers!
mouse

Electricity Tracking: June 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

With my new found heat tolerance (another reason I suspect the thyroid ain't what she used to be), we were able to make it through May without turning on the A/C. And, I'm happy to report we hit a new low in our electrical usage: 336 kWh for the month. Yeah!

If you're wondering what drove the latest drop, my guess is it's the last of the benefit from unplugging the second fridge on Earth Day. Since we unplugged it in the middle of the billing cycle, the last bill had three weeks benefit and this was our first full month.

Seven more kWh to my next goal of 329 kWh, but I don't think we'll be playing that game until August or September. We've already had a couple of days now where I've caved and turned on the A/C. Still, we're getting to the point where wind power is becoming a real possibility.


Cheers!
mouse

06.12.08: Grand Prix du Canada

Dear Friends and Family,

Friday night, we went to the REM concert which brought back memories. It was at an REM concert in early June in 1995 that we starting dating. We had been seeing each other for a couple of months before that, but that's when I knew Mr. mouse was "the one." Fast forward to the wedding, and it's when we got married (not coincidental). So, the concert was a can't miss concert bringing us full circle to today and the here and now.

And, like I was saying, clearly Michael Stipe and Sting have figured out the aging gracefully thing. Michael is a vegan (I think) and Sting is a vegetarian (I think) yoga guy (I think). And, I think they may be onto something. I can only hope to age as well as they have.

Saturday morning, we left bright and early for Montreal. Landed, provisioned, and headed out to the park for qualifying. The weather was perfect and our seats were excellent. Unfortunately, we headed back to the city after qualifying because Mr. mouse got an email during qualifying that translated into work and the computer was in the car. I usually nap during the afternoon races, so it wasn't a huge deal. But, still, I like sleeping in the sun.

Saturday night, we went out for Chinese with Fred and his parents. We had the barbecued duck, salt and pepper pork, stir fried lobster, Singapore rice noodles, mapo tofu, stir fried pea shoots and rice. Stuffed to the gills, everyone turned in early.

Sunday morning, we headed out for the race. Again, perfect weather and big time party in the park. We watched the earlier races from a grassy knoll by our seats and made a little picnic of it. Then, we went up to our seats for the race. My favorite driver was rear ended in pit row and didn't finish the race. I was so upset I almost shed a tear. But, in the end, Kubica got his first victory and that is always fun to see. And, Coultard, one of my favorites got third place which is excellent. We ran over to the podium after the race ended to see the ceremony. Way cool! Afterwards, we climbed into the gold grandstands and watched pit row while munching on our sandwiches. Life really is good.

Sunday evening, we cooked up a storm at home with Fred and Gen. Gen had just gotten back from a triathlon. She looks amazing! And, bless her heart, she got all fish because she knows I try to eat healthy. We had Atlantic char, Chilean sea bass, jumbo shrimp, grilled sweet potatoes, zucchini and salad before heading up to their deck for strawberries, blueberries and chocolate.

Mr. mouse decided he wanted to drive to Ottawa for the night instead of waiting until morning. So, around 10, we loaded everything into the car and headed out. Unfortunately, the first flight was canceled and we ended up going through Toronto to get home. It all worked out in the end.


Cheers!
mouse

Eating Vegetarian

Dear Friends and Family,

There will be a weekend update post. I promise. But, I want to write about this since it's top of mind.

I decided to try to eat vegan yesterday. I packed six apricots for breakfast and mixed greens with sauteed mushrooms for lunch. By the time lunch time rolled around, I was starving. And, I knew I'd be snacking all afternoon if I didn't supplement my lunch. So, I bought a turkey and swiss sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

By the time I walked back to my desk and opened the sandwich, the turkey was a lot less appealing, so I took it out and had a swiss cheese sandwich - which meant my new goal was to eat vegetarian for the day since clearly swiss cheese isn't vegan. For dinner, I has whole wheat pasta with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil and a super cute chunk of Parmesan cheese.

I felt satisfied. And, doing a protein assessment, while light for the day (40 grams), it wasn't bad for an unplanned day. And, I discovered something important in the whole eating vegetarian thing: texture and eating process matter. The cheese sandwich felt not different from the turkey sandwich. I still had two slices of bread and the bite-into-a-sandwich sensation. And, the pasta had the twirl-noodles-on-a-fork sensation. I may be onto something here.

Warning: It may be a lot of writing about food between now and next Tuesday.


Cheers!
mouse

06.10.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weekly weigh in: 124.5

I've got an appointment for next Friday to get some blood work done. I've been gaining weight. And, feeling tired. And, dealing remarkably well with the summer heat. And... and... and... am beginning to wonder if ye olde thyroid needs a little prodding. A quick draw of some blood will give us a pretty definitive yes|no answer pretty quickly. The bigger question will be treatment options if the tests say hypothyroidism and WTF if the tests say nothing.

Either way, I'm at a loss of what to try between now and then to stem the weight gain. (Notice the switch in modus operandi from trying to lose to trying not to gain.) I guess it's back to the basics - food, not fake food, portion control and after seeing REM (more on that later) maybe a couple of days of eating vegan.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Confidence

Dear Friends and Family,

We all know consumer confidence is in the toilet. And, it's beginning to impact my psyche. On the one hand, I know that our mortgage payment is low, we have money in the bank for an emergency, we own both of our cars, we both work and we aren't carrying any credit card debt.

On the flip side, gas prices are up, food prices are up, I could lose my job at the drop of a hat, Mr. mouse could lose his job just as easily. And, either of those two events would have a major impact on our day-to-day stuff (at least until the person is gainfully employed again) and have a major impact on our retirement savings (again, at least until the person is gainfully employed again).

And, as such, I've put myself back on a budget. And, we've made a conscious effort to eat out less and buy less entertainment (e.g. baseball tickets, concert tickets, hotel nights, rental car days, etc.) to assuage the monster roaring within.

If our plans continue to hold, we'll be in good shape in, call it, five to eight years. And, if we hit a bump in the road, we'll need to readjust. I just need to realize I'm not alone in feeling the confidence thing. In fact, statistics would argue I'm in very good company.

One day at a time. One day at a time.


Cheers!
mouse

Happy Anniversary

Dear Mr. mouse,

Happy Anniversary!

The past year has gone quickly and I can only assume the upcoming year will go just as fast if not faster. I want to take a moment to say I'm really glad we met and that we're still together through all the little bumps life has thrown us.

Here's to us.


Cheers!
mouse

Noticing Quicker Commutes

Dear Friends and Family,

They've been working on the train system here and I'm beginning to notice my commute time going down. They just released a new train map showing another section of work complete. I'll be checking my commute to see if I can break the one hour barrier. Exciting!


Cheers!
mouse

06.03.08: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 124

I had high hopes of losing another pound this week and dropping down to 122. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be. Or, rather, I didn't want it badly enough. I'd love to blame it on some salt and water, but I think I need to do a better job managing the end game (i.e. Sunday and Monday eating) to have happy weigh ins.

Time to go for another run tonight. Perhaps I need to sign up for another 5K to motivate me?


Cheers!
mouse

06.02.08: Summer of 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

It finally felt like summer. And, we did all of our traditional summer activities.

Saturday morning, we went out to the farmer's market to see what was in for the season. We picked up some baby greens, mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and a pasture raised chicken.

Then, we picked up the mail, did some grocery shopping and GRILLED DINNER ON THE ROOF. Finally! The weather was perfect for it. We had bison steak, the asparagus from the market, roast corn and a wonderfully chewy baguette while enjoying the sights and more importantly the sounds of our neighborhood.

Sunday morning, we got up early for our 5K. The weather was perfect, the energy level was high, and in redemption of last summer when I couldn't finish, this time, I did. I finished ahead of the median female runner for my age bracket, and for my first "real" 5K, and ten days of training, I'm proud of that. Go, mouse!

We biked home from the race, gorged on pizza, and climbed up to the deck to collapse on the hammock and the couch. It was so good to just bake in the sun and while away the hours in blissful slumber. We got up in time to put the chicken on the grill and mix up some apple and blue cheese salad for dinner with B and Chef M. When you have a deck, you have a moral obligation to share with friends. It got a little chilly after the sun went down, so we came in for the last hour or so. And, by 10 o'clock, I was in bed, looking forward to more weeks of summer.


Cheers!
mouse