I just today reread about Julia Cameron's (of The Artist's Way) Morning Pages. Only problem for me is that she recommends writing them out in longhand and I'm perfectly happy to legibly type this blog. The idea of Morning Pages is to write 3 pages of longhand every morning to empty out your mind. Julia calls it, on her website, meditation for Westerners.
The MRI of my right foot and ankle was OK to undergo (no results yet but I bet it's perfectly normal) but my left foot got a little uncomfortable because I needed to put a towel underneath that knee. It wasn't supported and became increasingly uncomfortable. I was cursing the MRI machine under my breath because you can't move and I so much wanted to move that left foot.
After the exam, the radiologist told me he had only done the ankle area of my foot rather than the whole foot and ankle, as the doctor ordered. He did this based on where I said the pain was and to try to save me money as otherwise it would have been 2 separate MRIs - one for the foot and one for the ankle. I didn't ask him to do what he did and hopefully it will be an adequate exam considering that the doctor ordered it for the right foot AND ankle. Truthfully, getting the MRI was probably overkill. The next patient in line for an MRI was on crutches and here I was, waltzing around unaided.
I hope I didn't goof today when I saw Tom at the hospital. It looked like he was a volunteer there. I asked if he and Cynthia were going on the LL hike and then I mentioned the WI hike tomorrow because I know they like local hikes. I really don't know what the WI policy is regarding disseminating info about their hikes and since I'm such a newbie, perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut.
I am calmed down somewhat after having a break from 4 days of spousal companionship. I just needed a break from the enforced togetherness of long weekends. Nothing personal but when spouse comes into the bedroom, not really to say anything, but just to see what I'm doing, it breaks the whole train of thought of what I am doing. Last night I was studying a few pages of the beginning Spanish textbook when he stuck his head in. Of course, I compound matters by blowing my top and telling him emphatically to stop checking up on me! Poor man!
I'm going to sign up for Spanish for Absolute Beginners through UNM-LA's continuing education. This afternoon, I was listening to a Spanish cd from MPL and I enjoyed "talking" Spanish along with the cd. Como esta usted? Muy bien, gracias!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Welcome Quiet Time
Dorothy called off the hike today. She said we'd get too wet going through grasses and vegetation. Spouse and I took a nice hike this morning on FR181/American Springs Road. (I like to go on that road year around - it's my favorite hike of all time!). We met David and Faye up there. When I called David this morning to tell him the Dorothy hike was off, after Dorothy called at 8am, he and Faye wanted to get together for a hike. I talked spouse into going along and it worked with the tight time schedule spouse is on. Right now, he's out taking grandson to Space Chimps - Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars. I'm home doing another load of laundry and computer related stuff. Daughter will pick grandson up at 6pm tonight - she works today.
Spouse is following Hurricane Gustav with interest but I'm largely ignoring it except what I overhear when I'm in the kitchen. It's good right now to have the TV off - so quiet! I keep chiding spouse about the vulture-like coverage on CNN and telling him that he's anxiously awaiting seeing chaos and destruction and blood in the streets! At one point, the vultures were trying to keep the mayor on the phone but he said he had to check on some barges. He has more important concerns than if CNN sells lots of commercial time and scores big in the ratings!
It sounds like it was interesting in the Jemez yesterday for those who ventured up! Daughter and son in law had visited son in law's Mom and step-dad near San Ysidro and they had to drive back through Bernalillo and Santa Fe as the Jemez River overflowed onto NM4. Ex son in law and his fianceé have to go back up to Redondo Campground today to retrieve their tent. They were camping and when the rains came, their tent leaked badly so they cut short their 2 night campout.
The Acura has a trunk leak that spouse will try to get fixed this week. My driver side car door lock no longer works. I have to go to Santa Fe on Thursday to get that repaired. Miraculously, the roof leak is non-existent!
I would love to go with the LL gang up in the Jemez to Porter Landing for their hike along the Rio de las Vacas. I'm wondering if I really shouldn't go on that one after all. I do miss the gang.
Spouse is following Hurricane Gustav with interest but I'm largely ignoring it except what I overhear when I'm in the kitchen. It's good right now to have the TV off - so quiet! I keep chiding spouse about the vulture-like coverage on CNN and telling him that he's anxiously awaiting seeing chaos and destruction and blood in the streets! At one point, the vultures were trying to keep the mayor on the phone but he said he had to check on some barges. He has more important concerns than if CNN sells lots of commercial time and scores big in the ratings!
It sounds like it was interesting in the Jemez yesterday for those who ventured up! Daughter and son in law had visited son in law's Mom and step-dad near San Ysidro and they had to drive back through Bernalillo and Santa Fe as the Jemez River overflowed onto NM4. Ex son in law and his fianceé have to go back up to Redondo Campground today to retrieve their tent. They were camping and when the rains came, their tent leaked badly so they cut short their 2 night campout.
The Acura has a trunk leak that spouse will try to get fixed this week. My driver side car door lock no longer works. I have to go to Santa Fe on Thursday to get that repaired. Miraculously, the roof leak is non-existent!
I would love to go with the LL gang up in the Jemez to Porter Landing for their hike along the Rio de las Vacas. I'm wondering if I really shouldn't go on that one after all. I do miss the gang.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Weekend Update
Friday was like this - get up at 6am for 8:05am BESC hike up lower FR181 (off West Jemez) and down Short-cut Trail, back to the twin water tanks (led by Bill Davis - Mary still not leading hikes but came to sign us in - she said they still don't have a diagnosis for whatever's ailing her), then, spouse met Joe and Ron at Viola's while I stayed home and ate lunch, departed for Santa Fe shopping trip at 12:30pm, back home by 3:30pm or so, put everything away, ate supper, picked up daughter to go up to upper FR 181 so she could jog (she liked the trail - I liked going to the trail in early evening - she jogged - I walked), back home past 7pm and then spouse wanted to walk to Gordon's Concert where we stayed very briefly, and I finished day with resistance exercises and stretches.
Saturday was sleep in until 9pm and then a late afternoon hike on the lower Water Canyon Trail outside of White Rock. I have to convince spouse that White Rock is too hot to walk in until October. I collected various flower samples to identify but didn't make much progress. Everyone thinks that I know flowers but I really don't so I'd like to refresh my knowledge.
Spouse was so tired after the over-heated walk in lower Water Canyon that he suggested going to Santa Fe on Sunday rather than hiking again. When I woke up and saw it was cloudy and had been raining overnight, I agreed that we'd do that. We stopped at the new, not yet open, REI and its next door neighbor, Borders. Then we went to Walmart where I picked up my one and only prescription that I take. Spouse dropped me off at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, next to Vitamin Cottage/Natural Grocers, while he went to Panda Express for lunch (my lunch was a pint of carrot juice and a protein Organic Food Bar). I unsuccessfully looked for a new pillow at BBB and then shopped for some Rocky Mountain National Park trip food at VC/NG. When we got home, I went out again to drop off at daughter's the Sunday newspaper and treats for grandson for his school lunches. Then I stopped at the library. Now I'm briefly on the computer before I eat supper - starving!
I'm reading a book called the Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription. It's very interesting and definitely makes me feel I should add daily brain neurobics (as the author of the book, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce calls them) to my daily routine before my brain cells rot away.
As I type this, it's pouring down rain again but no thunder and lightning. My walk tonight may be interesting.
Saturday was sleep in until 9pm and then a late afternoon hike on the lower Water Canyon Trail outside of White Rock. I have to convince spouse that White Rock is too hot to walk in until October. I collected various flower samples to identify but didn't make much progress. Everyone thinks that I know flowers but I really don't so I'd like to refresh my knowledge.
Spouse was so tired after the over-heated walk in lower Water Canyon that he suggested going to Santa Fe on Sunday rather than hiking again. When I woke up and saw it was cloudy and had been raining overnight, I agreed that we'd do that. We stopped at the new, not yet open, REI and its next door neighbor, Borders. Then we went to Walmart where I picked up my one and only prescription that I take. Spouse dropped me off at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, next to Vitamin Cottage/Natural Grocers, while he went to Panda Express for lunch (my lunch was a pint of carrot juice and a protein Organic Food Bar). I unsuccessfully looked for a new pillow at BBB and then shopped for some Rocky Mountain National Park trip food at VC/NG. When we got home, I went out again to drop off at daughter's the Sunday newspaper and treats for grandson for his school lunches. Then I stopped at the library. Now I'm briefly on the computer before I eat supper - starving!
I'm reading a book called the Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription. It's very interesting and definitely makes me feel I should add daily brain neurobics (as the author of the book, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce calls them) to my daily routine before my brain cells rot away.
As I type this, it's pouring down rain again but no thunder and lightning. My walk tonight may be interesting.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Addendum on Mushroom Critters
Well, I checked the boletes stew for more maggots (they're not huge - very thready) this morning and tossed out some more. I actually ate half of the mixture for lunch, pureeing it. As I think about it more and more, though, I plan to throw out the other pint and try to forgot that I ever ate little mushroom critters!
What I've learned: Be very, very picky about mushrooms just as Mahlon is. I was eager to try wild boletus but I really would rather not know when I'm eating insect larvae (the FDA allows a certain percentage of such critters in our food).
What I've learned: Be very, very picky about mushrooms just as Mahlon is. I was eager to try wild boletus but I really would rather not know when I'm eating insect larvae (the FDA allows a certain percentage of such critters in our food).
Doctor Visit - Will Live
I told Dr. Church about my bout of small intestine blockage in Alamosa, CO while on vacation. He agrees with Dr. Dooley that adhesions from my pelvic surgery 17 years ago is the likeliest cause. All I know is that it has the potential to kill me (my own assessment) if one day I can't decompress the intestinal blockage via throwing up.
Dr. Church said to keep the orthopedic surgeon appointment and that Dr. Miller is the best in the state. He agreed to let me get an MRI of my foot/ankle and I'll do that on Tuesday at the Los Alamos Medical Center. I'll carry the foot/ankle MRI and earlier foot/ankle x-ray to Albuquerque when I go down for my appointment. I wish I would have asked Dr. Church what, if anything, I can do to help my foot in the meantime but he offered no further suggestions. Afterwards, I stopped at the library and trolled through the non-return box and then I came back home after the appointment. I will exercise this evening. My foot is bothering me today. Wonder how it will behave tonight.
Tomorrow is the BESC hiking group and a Santa Fe trip. It's still unknown if I'll do trail work this Saturday or Sunday. I'd like to but spouse seems to frown on the idea since I'm going out with Dorothy on Monday, thus using one of our Labor Day weekend vacation days. Well, he could get in shape and join me on both the Dorothy outing and the trail work if he really wants to spend quality time with me! To be honest, though, bushwacking and trail work would not be everyone's cup of tea even if they are in good shape. But, after watching the Garrison Keillor Rhubarb tour show in Santa Fe where he talked about life being short and we all know where we're going to end up (not in such barren terms - it was a humorous monologue), I should be allowed to fulfill my life in ways that make me happy before I meet my inevitable end. The same applies to spouse. I know that a trip with Dorothy Monday and a trail work day this weekend would make a very busy time for me but I found the cross-training of the trail work to be exhilarating.
Dr. Church said to keep the orthopedic surgeon appointment and that Dr. Miller is the best in the state. He agreed to let me get an MRI of my foot/ankle and I'll do that on Tuesday at the Los Alamos Medical Center. I'll carry the foot/ankle MRI and earlier foot/ankle x-ray to Albuquerque when I go down for my appointment. I wish I would have asked Dr. Church what, if anything, I can do to help my foot in the meantime but he offered no further suggestions. Afterwards, I stopped at the library and trolled through the non-return box and then I came back home after the appointment. I will exercise this evening. My foot is bothering me today. Wonder how it will behave tonight.
Tomorrow is the BESC hiking group and a Santa Fe trip. It's still unknown if I'll do trail work this Saturday or Sunday. I'd like to but spouse seems to frown on the idea since I'm going out with Dorothy on Monday, thus using one of our Labor Day weekend vacation days. Well, he could get in shape and join me on both the Dorothy outing and the trail work if he really wants to spend quality time with me! To be honest, though, bushwacking and trail work would not be everyone's cup of tea even if they are in good shape. But, after watching the Garrison Keillor Rhubarb tour show in Santa Fe where he talked about life being short and we all know where we're going to end up (not in such barren terms - it was a humorous monologue), I should be allowed to fulfill my life in ways that make me happy before I meet my inevitable end. The same applies to spouse. I know that a trip with Dorothy Monday and a trail work day this weekend would make a very busy time for me but I found the cross-training of the trail work to be exhilarating.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Maggots Are Nutritious
Hi,
Thanks for giving me the chance to try wild boletes. I chopped up the cap and stems, added them to onions that I had softening by simmering. I simmered all that and toward the end, added some chopped garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, and red wine. It tastes very good but the small, white worms are visually off putting! : ) I'll go through it tomorrow and try to pick out some more worms. There are not tons of them but the distressing thing is that they don't melt, they boil up firmly and hang suspended in the mushroom broth like thick white pieces of thread. I researched maggots on the Internet and I guess that eating a few won't kill me but I think that you are on the right track about having standards for boletes! : ) I think after I pick out some more of the tiny worms, I should puree the broth and see if that disguises them! : ) It tastes too good to throw out.
Oats Wild
Thanks for giving me the chance to try wild boletes. I chopped up the cap and stems, added them to onions that I had softening by simmering. I simmered all that and toward the end, added some chopped garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, and red wine. It tastes very good but the small, white worms are visually off putting! : ) I'll go through it tomorrow and try to pick out some more worms. There are not tons of them but the distressing thing is that they don't melt, they boil up firmly and hang suspended in the mushroom broth like thick white pieces of thread. I researched maggots on the Internet and I guess that eating a few won't kill me but I think that you are on the right track about having standards for boletes! : ) I think after I pick out some more of the tiny worms, I should puree the broth and see if that disguises them! : ) It tastes too good to throw out.
Oats Wild
Pajarito Ski Area Mountain Bike Trails
Went on WI hike today to Pajarito Ski Area mountain bike trails. Leon led it. There were 19 people. A few were way behind and kept in touch with walkie-talkies but they never caught up to the main group. We ate lunch on the Rim Run overlook of the Valle Caldera.
Mahlon was searching for boletus. He comes with his wife (need to find out her name) and his dog, Jake. He scours the conifor forest for boletus. He found some today that were not up to his standards so he gave them to me. I'll stew them tonight. They seem to be the real thing. Yesterday, I found some mushrooms along FR181, American Springs Road, that were most likely the aspen boletus. I showed them to Mahlon and David K. this morning and then recycled them in the forest. I can see the difference now. The boletus has a very bulbous, fat stem. David B. says that he stews the sponge or tubes of the boletus along with the cap. Mahlon takes it off.
David K. found a small handful of chanterelles. They are very tiny!
I need to buy a mushroom book for this area. David K. recommended two:
Chanterelle - A Rocky Mountain Mushroom Book by Millie Miller and Cyndi Nelson, Johnson Books, Boulder, 1986.
Wild Mushrooms of Telluride, Ed by Linnea Gillman, et. al., Fungophile, Inc., Denver, 1996.
I mostly walked and talked with a woman named Donna from Santa Fe, who came up with her brother, Bill. She likes to look at flowers too but seems to know more about them than me. She took a flower ID course at Santa Fe Community College from Bill Neuwirth and says he's a good teacher. Becky, who is the flower guru, came along for part of the trip.
Mahlon was searching for boletus. He comes with his wife (need to find out her name) and his dog, Jake. He scours the conifor forest for boletus. He found some today that were not up to his standards so he gave them to me. I'll stew them tonight. They seem to be the real thing. Yesterday, I found some mushrooms along FR181, American Springs Road, that were most likely the aspen boletus. I showed them to Mahlon and David K. this morning and then recycled them in the forest. I can see the difference now. The boletus has a very bulbous, fat stem. David B. says that he stews the sponge or tubes of the boletus along with the cap. Mahlon takes it off.
David K. found a small handful of chanterelles. They are very tiny!
I need to buy a mushroom book for this area. David K. recommended two:
Chanterelle - A Rocky Mountain Mushroom Book by Millie Miller and Cyndi Nelson, Johnson Books, Boulder, 1986.
Wild Mushrooms of Telluride, Ed by Linnea Gillman, et. al., Fungophile, Inc., Denver, 1996.
I mostly walked and talked with a woman named Donna from Santa Fe, who came up with her brother, Bill. She likes to look at flowers too but seems to know more about them than me. She took a flower ID course at Santa Fe Community College from Bill Neuwirth and says he's a good teacher. Becky, who is the flower guru, came along for part of the trip.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wandering Pines
Dorothy trip today. I drove us to a parking place off FR36 (going on in Dome Road, FR289), not too far past Graduation Flats. We walked over to and crossed upper Spruce Canyon. It has a lovely meadow. Then we followed a road/motorcycle trail into Pines Canyon and followed it downstream for a while (an actual stream was running). We stopped when it just got too narrow and bushy for us to walk through. Also, it was steepening - there was a tiny waterfall where we turned around. It was wet in the canyon and slippery but we didn't kill ourselves.
Dorothy was searching for the old road to Pines, where there once was the ranger station for the Cochiti fire district. She didn't have the email from Harry that gave details of how the road ran but seemed to have an idea of what she was looking for and had historic maps, a current topo map, and a map from the forest service's travel management rule process.
Dorothy decided that the roads we found were probably just logging roads and were not historic roads.
We got back to my car just as it began raining and then we drove a little further on FR36, past the cattleguard, to the road that goes to the gravel pit in Pines Canyon. It was raining but not too hard. Lightning was fortunately not a factor. We left our packs in the car and walked downhill into a soggy but pretty side canyon of Pines. We turned around when the side canyon intersected Pines Canyon, just a little ways upstream from where we had gone down into Pines Canyon earlier.
Even though we didn't get very wet on our trip, it rained heavily again in Los Alamos.
We may go out next Monday to look at the old boundary of the east rim of the Baca Ranch. Dorothy wants to find the boundary markers.
Dorothy was searching for the old road to Pines, where there once was the ranger station for the Cochiti fire district. She didn't have the email from Harry that gave details of how the road ran but seemed to have an idea of what she was looking for and had historic maps, a current topo map, and a map from the forest service's travel management rule process.
Dorothy decided that the roads we found were probably just logging roads and were not historic roads.
We got back to my car just as it began raining and then we drove a little further on FR36, past the cattleguard, to the road that goes to the gravel pit in Pines Canyon. It was raining but not too hard. Lightning was fortunately not a factor. We left our packs in the car and walked downhill into a soggy but pretty side canyon of Pines. We turned around when the side canyon intersected Pines Canyon, just a little ways upstream from where we had gone down into Pines Canyon earlier.
Even though we didn't get very wet on our trip, it rained heavily again in Los Alamos.
We may go out next Monday to look at the old boundary of the east rim of the Baca Ranch. Dorothy wants to find the boundary markers.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Coyote Call Trail
The BESC group went to the Coyote Call Trail today. There were 6 of us. Mary was there to sign up people but said we'd probably have to find a new leader. Darlene told me that Mary had been in the hospital but Darlene didn't know any other details. This is only Darlene's 3rd hike she's ever taken and she loves hiking. She's gone twice with the BESC group and once with a YMCA group from Albuquerque. She was very enthusiastic about the hike she took with them - the Valle Grande Trail.
I was going to stay with the group on the Coyote Call loop but when they went a tiny way on the Alamo Boundary Trail, I had to keep going. I was telling myself while walking out to Dome Road that I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful area with all the trails we have.
My foot is no better. It's very distressing. I wish I knew of something to help it right now. I'll do some stretching and strength work this afternoon.
I usually don't eat a lunch but I was ravenous today. I ate a can of beans, 2 pieces of rye bread, a tomato, a smear of sesame paste, and a cinnamon apple Clif Nectar bar but I'm still hungry.
I was going to stay with the group on the Coyote Call loop but when they went a tiny way on the Alamo Boundary Trail, I had to keep going. I was telling myself while walking out to Dome Road that I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful area with all the trails we have.
My foot is no better. It's very distressing. I wish I knew of something to help it right now. I'll do some stretching and strength work this afternoon.
I usually don't eat a lunch but I was ravenous today. I ate a can of beans, 2 pieces of rye bread, a tomato, a smear of sesame paste, and a cinnamon apple Clif Nectar bar but I'm still hungry.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Dentists - A Necessary Evil
I was so bummed out yesterday after the dentist appointment and also because of extreme lack of sleep from getting up at 5:30am to go to Albuquerque both for the dentist appointment and a 9:30am Acura service appointment.
I always get this feeling about my dentist that even though he is nice to my face that he thinks I'm a hysterical female behind my back. Yesterday I caught a fleeting glimpse of him making an exasperated, impatient face behind my back. Maybe it's not against me personally and he's just overworked and finds females are fair game to take out his job frustration on. He's always super nice to my face but I think he feels like I'm complaining too much about the fit of my splint that I wear at night. I can't help it that it was fitting perfectly at night and then the last visit when he adjusted it, it caused my teeth to clamp together on my right side and made my right bottom tooth sore. He did another adjustment yesterday and I'm still determining if it works or not. I was too chicken to try sleeping last night on my right side. Ever since the last adjustment when the tooth got sore, I switched to sleeping on my left side until I could get in to see him yesterday.
Another thing that pisses me off is that each time I pay over $100 for these adjustments. It's like I might as well pay $1000 (I'm guessing!) all at once for a new splint rather than slowly dribbling money away on these adjustments.
Saying all that, I still think that he's a good dentist. I just wish he would move to Santa Fe or Los Alamos!
We skipped the Betty Ehart Senior Center hike today because I could not bear the thought of getting up at 6am to get ready for it. I missed going on it but was happy to sleep in.
Lots of good food shopping at Vitamin Cottage in Santa Fe. Now that I'm cutting back on nuts, I need to add back some more whole grains so I bought some bread, crisp bread, rice, cooked cereal, and dried cereal. I also bought some taste enhancers like gomasio, ginger, low fat ginger vinaigrette, red curry paste, and black bean dip.
Tomorrow we hike as we're all shopped out for the meantime.
The doctor thought that Norm's rash, which has basically faded, was from contact with an unknown plant allergen. I don't think we have bedbugs after all.
I always get this feeling about my dentist that even though he is nice to my face that he thinks I'm a hysterical female behind my back. Yesterday I caught a fleeting glimpse of him making an exasperated, impatient face behind my back. Maybe it's not against me personally and he's just overworked and finds females are fair game to take out his job frustration on. He's always super nice to my face but I think he feels like I'm complaining too much about the fit of my splint that I wear at night. I can't help it that it was fitting perfectly at night and then the last visit when he adjusted it, it caused my teeth to clamp together on my right side and made my right bottom tooth sore. He did another adjustment yesterday and I'm still determining if it works or not. I was too chicken to try sleeping last night on my right side. Ever since the last adjustment when the tooth got sore, I switched to sleeping on my left side until I could get in to see him yesterday.
Another thing that pisses me off is that each time I pay over $100 for these adjustments. It's like I might as well pay $1000 (I'm guessing!) all at once for a new splint rather than slowly dribbling money away on these adjustments.
Saying all that, I still think that he's a good dentist. I just wish he would move to Santa Fe or Los Alamos!
We skipped the Betty Ehart Senior Center hike today because I could not bear the thought of getting up at 6am to get ready for it. I missed going on it but was happy to sleep in.
Lots of good food shopping at Vitamin Cottage in Santa Fe. Now that I'm cutting back on nuts, I need to add back some more whole grains so I bought some bread, crisp bread, rice, cooked cereal, and dried cereal. I also bought some taste enhancers like gomasio, ginger, low fat ginger vinaigrette, red curry paste, and black bean dip.
Tomorrow we hike as we're all shopped out for the meantime.
The doctor thought that Norm's rash, which has basically faded, was from contact with an unknown plant allergen. I don't think we have bedbugs after all.
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