Went to Santa Fe with spouse. We ate at Outback Steakhouse. I got seared ahi tuna but it tasted more like pastrami or corned beef. I asked for plain wasabi and soy sauce but waiter said they didn't have any but then later, after I ate tuna, brought out soy sauce. Well, anyway, the salty sauces (supposed to be wasabi vinaigrette and a creamy orange sauce that tasted of soy sauce) that came with the tuna tasted all right and were also good to dip the tender vegetables in - yellow squash, snow peas, carrots and broccoli. Sweet potato was a very welcome touch. I deferred on the butter and brown sugar! I made a salad out of the quarter head of romaine underneath the tuna. Had a little of the pumpernickel bread but it tasted like it had sugar in it. Asked them to turn down music and thankfully, they turned it off instead.They were giving everyone a $10 off coupon for visit in March so we'll go back and I'll try the Atlantic salmon. Spouse had 6 ounce steak, baked potato with all the trimmings, including cheese which he said he could have done without and a nice salad - better than at Red Lobster. Outback normally opens at 3pm on Saturday but today, Valentine's Day, opened at noon.
Spouse bought antenna at Walmart. So horribly hard to get a decent picture using converter box. Our roof antenna needs replacing but we're too lazy to bother. I bought a new Totes black golf umbrella. One cannot have too many golf umbrellas and it was only $12!
We stopped at Trader Joe's. I usually don't eat their samples but couldn't resist the 72% chocolate-enrobed strawberries. Didn't buy much because bought plenty yesterday at Smith's in White Rock. Spouse stocked up on seafood and that's a good thing. I bought three bags of organic carrots, a bag of sulfured dried Blenheim apricots and a bag of freeze dried mangosteen. Try to avoid sulfur but the sulfured dried apricots are so much better than the hard, dark unsulfured ones. Sulfur makes me cough a bit, though, but I don't have them often.
Breakfast smoothie included: spinach, strawberries, carrot, almonds, half red bell pepper, apple, herbal tea, tumeric, rosemary, ginger, hibiscus. You can get a lot of fruit and veggies in a morning smoothie.
Tonight's supper will include rock lobster tails purchased from Smith's and scallops from TJ's.
Dorothy called to tell me she's giving me a copy of her revised guide to Bandelier. It's finally completed but now she has to labor over the historic roads book and income taxes. I'll pick it up from her bag tonight when I go out walking. Was some snow blowing around when we rolled into town. Could be cold and windy tonight. I'll have Prairie Home Companion to listen to.
My big toes are feeling a little better. An unexpected and unwelcome pain had developed in them, perhaps initially caused by the neutral Brooks shoes or, maybe more likely, the Keen waterproof hiking boots - who knows.
My biceps were horribly painful all day yesterday but that seems to have gone away today and I'm thankful for that. I took the LA Fitness Center's muscle strengthening classes Tuesday and Thursday and each day my biceps got exceptionally sore. It should stop happening when my muscles get used to the class. It's not like this is the first time in my life that I've lifted dumbbells!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Nambe Badlands Again
I need to make a few notes to help set in my mind possible pitfalls if I take any groups on this hike.
On the top half of the figure eight, when you are in the arroyo and after you pass the castle butte, watch for the white caliche hill, with a rounded, orangish colored hill behind it to the right, that has the faux snake (a stick) on it. Soon after this, look for a short cut that will take you out of the arroyo. Follow a trail across a flat, sandy stretch and then go downhill to cross the same arroyo you were in and immediately go up a small hill and out of the arroyo. Almost immediately, you climb to your left up an inconspicuous path (not a real trail) to the ridge that leads back to the overlook of the lovely, lone butte I saw from lunch on Wednesday.
To the west, you can see views of U.S.285 and Clara Peak Road from this ridge. Right at the LL group's lunch spot, you go steeply downhill from the ridge and back to the cross on the figure eight, otherwise known as the gray pavement because the rocks look like paved sidewalks. You turn right to go back to NM503.
Regarding the bottom half of the figure eight, on the way back, after passing the pinnacles on the left side, you walk through a narrow arroyo. Remember to point out to people the house you can see if you look back as soon as you come up out of this arroyo.
On the top half of the figure eight, when you are in the arroyo and after you pass the castle butte, watch for the white caliche hill, with a rounded, orangish colored hill behind it to the right, that has the faux snake (a stick) on it. Soon after this, look for a short cut that will take you out of the arroyo. Follow a trail across a flat, sandy stretch and then go downhill to cross the same arroyo you were in and immediately go up a small hill and out of the arroyo. Almost immediately, you climb to your left up an inconspicuous path (not a real trail) to the ridge that leads back to the overlook of the lovely, lone butte I saw from lunch on Wednesday.
To the west, you can see views of U.S.285 and Clara Peak Road from this ridge. Right at the LL group's lunch spot, you go steeply downhill from the ridge and back to the cross on the figure eight, otherwise known as the gray pavement because the rocks look like paved sidewalks. You turn right to go back to NM503.
Regarding the bottom half of the figure eight, on the way back, after passing the pinnacles on the left side, you walk through a narrow arroyo. Remember to point out to people the house you can see if you look back as soon as you come up out of this arroyo.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Nambe Badlands Hike With LL Gang
Was fun and good exercise. It's hike #51 in the Salzman's book, Hiking Adventures in Northern New Mexico. Very nice of our leaders to agree to take the group on it so I could scout it for the WRSC hiking group. There were twelve of us. Everyone seemed to enjoy the beautiful views of the badland's rock formations and of the Jemez and Sangre Mountains.
The trail starts at the boundary between Nambe Pueblo and BLM land, right where there's a sign on NM503 saying that you're leaving Nambe Pueblo. You park on a dirt road that's just below NM503 and go through a gate that's easy to open and close. You start out walking along the Nambe Pueblo boundary fence and then turn to the right at a three-way trail juncture, leaving the boundary fence, to walk fairly easily uphill a little over one and a half miles to a four-way trail junction that you'll recognize by the gray, pavement-like rock cover. At this point, you can turn to the left and follow an easy path back to the vehicles. I didn't do that option but I bet it's no longer than three to three and a half miles. Our leader did that because her right knee was hurting her. She really gets winded walking uphill and was sweating heavily. Maybe she's become deconditioned with the knee pain.
Or, for a five mile hike, you can turn right and go down into an arroyo. Going down into the arroyo, the trail was rough because it was badly eroded. You follow the arroyo's twists and turns for a while and then go left up a bank and eventually up on top of a mesa for lunch that has great views of the mountains all around and a picturesque butte that had crows flying all around it. From our lunch vantage point, we could see the back of the spine of the Pojoaque Badlands.
Then it's down off the ridge and up and across another and back down to the four-way trail junction to return to the cars. The footing is fine but potentially slippery on this part. Some WRSC members would not appreciate the steepness and neither would some WI's. I'd recommend taking those hikers on the bottom part of the loop, i.e., turning left at the four-way intersection.
It was a beautiful day with high-pressure blue skies and no snow or ice or mud. It's a perfect time to go there before it gets too hot. Our leader said don't go there when it's wet or windy or hot!
Our leader's birthday is February 10 so her husband passed out brownies he had baked.
I took off my gloves for heat regulation but now my hands have the rash again and are very itchy. I need to run hot water on them before they drive me nuts!
I didn't sleep well last night - lots of peeing, lots of putting covers on and taking them off and my right foot bunion was giving me pain, which hasn't happened before. It almost seems like the orthotics are making the bunion bigger but not much I can do about that!
Grandson comes over tonight and I am prepared with ten issues of Boy's Life, which he loves, that I checked out from MPL.
The trail starts at the boundary between Nambe Pueblo and BLM land, right where there's a sign on NM503 saying that you're leaving Nambe Pueblo. You park on a dirt road that's just below NM503 and go through a gate that's easy to open and close. You start out walking along the Nambe Pueblo boundary fence and then turn to the right at a three-way trail juncture, leaving the boundary fence, to walk fairly easily uphill a little over one and a half miles to a four-way trail junction that you'll recognize by the gray, pavement-like rock cover. At this point, you can turn to the left and follow an easy path back to the vehicles. I didn't do that option but I bet it's no longer than three to three and a half miles. Our leader did that because her right knee was hurting her. She really gets winded walking uphill and was sweating heavily. Maybe she's become deconditioned with the knee pain.
Or, for a five mile hike, you can turn right and go down into an arroyo. Going down into the arroyo, the trail was rough because it was badly eroded. You follow the arroyo's twists and turns for a while and then go left up a bank and eventually up on top of a mesa for lunch that has great views of the mountains all around and a picturesque butte that had crows flying all around it. From our lunch vantage point, we could see the back of the spine of the Pojoaque Badlands.
Then it's down off the ridge and up and across another and back down to the four-way trail junction to return to the cars. The footing is fine but potentially slippery on this part. Some WRSC members would not appreciate the steepness and neither would some WI's. I'd recommend taking those hikers on the bottom part of the loop, i.e., turning left at the four-way intersection.
It was a beautiful day with high-pressure blue skies and no snow or ice or mud. It's a perfect time to go there before it gets too hot. Our leader said don't go there when it's wet or windy or hot!
Our leader's birthday is February 10 so her husband passed out brownies he had baked.
I took off my gloves for heat regulation but now my hands have the rash again and are very itchy. I need to run hot water on them before they drive me nuts!
I didn't sleep well last night - lots of peeing, lots of putting covers on and taking them off and my right foot bunion was giving me pain, which hasn't happened before. It almost seems like the orthotics are making the bunion bigger but not much I can do about that!
Grandson comes over tonight and I am prepared with ten issues of Boy's Life, which he loves, that I checked out from MPL.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
What's Going On? Not Much
Got up at 8am which is loads better than 10:30am. Walked usual 4 miles RT on Camp May Road. Trying to do it only once a week so as not to aggravate knees and feet. Pretty views as always.
Called Los Alamos County when I got home to report potholes on West Road, sand that needs sweeping on Camp May Road, drainage problem on Camp May Road and tripping hazard dirt piles near library.
Did load of laundry. Running dishwasher and soon must put away a bunch of dishes.
Enjoying reading Above Timberline: A Rocky Mountain Journal by Dwight Smith. Interesting that he dictated the book into a tape recorder and someone else transcribed it. I Googled Brown's Pass, Colorado and found some photos on WebShots. It's a stark but beautiful area. Brown's Cabin, where Dwight lives for the summer, is at 11,500' in the Collegiate Peaks.
Going to get rid of the GRE books I scavenged from the library non-return shelves.
Have to get up at 6:30am to go on LL hike to Nambe Badlands. I want to learn that hike so the WRSC group can go on it. Their leader asked me to check it out.
Grandson's teacher wants to do an experiment and see what grandson is like at school if he doesn't take the ADHD medicine.
Called Los Alamos County when I got home to report potholes on West Road, sand that needs sweeping on Camp May Road, drainage problem on Camp May Road and tripping hazard dirt piles near library.
Did load of laundry. Running dishwasher and soon must put away a bunch of dishes.
Enjoying reading Above Timberline: A Rocky Mountain Journal by Dwight Smith. Interesting that he dictated the book into a tape recorder and someone else transcribed it. I Googled Brown's Pass, Colorado and found some photos on WebShots. It's a stark but beautiful area. Brown's Cabin, where Dwight lives for the summer, is at 11,500' in the Collegiate Peaks.
Going to get rid of the GRE books I scavenged from the library non-return shelves.
Have to get up at 6:30am to go on LL hike to Nambe Badlands. I want to learn that hike so the WRSC group can go on it. Their leader asked me to check it out.
Grandson's teacher wants to do an experiment and see what grandson is like at school if he doesn't take the ADHD medicine.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Grandson Was Over Tonight
Daughter is taking a jujitsu class on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Y from 7-8:30pm. We'll watch grandson for her every other week.
I wanted to walk with him but spouse had him watch a show he taped off the Science Channel so I walked by myself back and forth to the LA Airport for my exercise.
I wanted to walk with him but spouse had him watch a show he taped off the Science Channel so I walked by myself back and forth to the LA Airport for my exercise.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Hungry
I drove to White Rock this morning to check out the Jemez House Thrift Shop for old jackets with elastic sleeves. I want to cut off the bottom of the sleeve above the wrist to make homemade gaiters. The gravel that I collect in my shoes when I hike isn't doing my orthotics any good. I didn't find any jackets or anything else to buy. Stopped at WRMPL and got out a bunch of new books that I don't have time to read in a week but I'll browse them next week.
Spouse is at work now putting the finishing touches on his hour long presentation that he'll give next week.
Got gas at Metzgers and then decided to drive back up to the townsite and check out the library's non-return shelves. Found nothing but did buy Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone for $4. I'll never actually use it but it will be good for reference and loads cheaper than buying it brand new! It has loads of recipes using dairy in it so it's vegetarian and not vegan but recipes are adaptable.
Oh, yes, I dumped some wheat grass powder at the icy edge of Ashley Pond for the fishies! When took out the plastic bag, it smelled so grassy! My smoothie this morning tasted so much better without it!
Drove back home and plan to eat a very late lunch soon and then get back on the computer for some web surfing. Always questing after some idea or another! I want to find a place to order printer ink cartridges online. Computers are timesavers but also timewasters but I'm insolubly hooked into them!
I'll tape Prairie Home Companion at 4pm and listen to it when I exercise by walking downtown tonight!
Spouse is at work now putting the finishing touches on his hour long presentation that he'll give next week.
Got gas at Metzgers and then decided to drive back up to the townsite and check out the library's non-return shelves. Found nothing but did buy Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone for $4. I'll never actually use it but it will be good for reference and loads cheaper than buying it brand new! It has loads of recipes using dairy in it so it's vegetarian and not vegan but recipes are adaptable.
Oh, yes, I dumped some wheat grass powder at the icy edge of Ashley Pond for the fishies! When took out the plastic bag, it smelled so grassy! My smoothie this morning tasted so much better without it!
Drove back home and plan to eat a very late lunch soon and then get back on the computer for some web surfing. Always questing after some idea or another! I want to find a place to order printer ink cartridges online. Computers are timesavers but also timewasters but I'm insolubly hooked into them!
I'll tape Prairie Home Companion at 4pm and listen to it when I exercise by walking downtown tonight!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wonderful to Be Able to Hike
I hike pain-free nowadays with the wonderful orthotics from the Albuquerque physical therapist - what a blessing!
Went with spouse on WRSC hike on road to sewer treatment plant. They actually were adventurous enough to take a look-see at the new sewer treatment plant. The payoff was that they also got to see all the fantastical shaped tent rocks in Pueblo Canyon near the new plant. They enjoyed speculating on the shapes and imagined they saw Jaws, Darth Vader, an eagle, Cyrano de Bergerac. We did 4 1/2 miles altogether. There were only five of us. There is talk that the group may go on the Railrunner trip January 27. Mary asked if I would check out the Nambe Badlands from the Salzman's book for a future hike. I would like to do that next week.
Enjoying quiet time at home after finishing load of laundry. Am surfing on the computer. Spouse went into work this afternoon to refine his presentation that he'll give next week.
Went with spouse on WRSC hike on road to sewer treatment plant. They actually were adventurous enough to take a look-see at the new sewer treatment plant. The payoff was that they also got to see all the fantastical shaped tent rocks in Pueblo Canyon near the new plant. They enjoyed speculating on the shapes and imagined they saw Jaws, Darth Vader, an eagle, Cyrano de Bergerac. We did 4 1/2 miles altogether. There were only five of us. There is talk that the group may go on the Railrunner trip January 27. Mary asked if I would check out the Nambe Badlands from the Salzman's book for a future hike. I would like to do that next week.
Enjoying quiet time at home after finishing load of laundry. Am surfing on the computer. Spouse went into work this afternoon to refine his presentation that he'll give next week.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Not Much Accomplished
In fact, it was more of an anti-accomplishment day in that I wasted a lot of time feeding the ducks. This morning, I took the pile of brewers yeast candy (brewers yeast and honey) to Ashley Pond and threw it on the ice and quickly got out of there. It honestly looked like a pile of cow plop. I wonder if anything ate it. I've thrown some really disgusting looking stuff for the ducks. I just couldn't eat it anymore. It's not that it tasted terrible - when I was hungry, it was actually quite good for brewers yeast but I don't need all that honey.
Then, this afternoon in an attempt to get rid of the blackstrap molasses (also purchased to make the brewers yeast palatable), I cooked the ducks up a nutritious batch of glop - aforesaid molasses, cooked whole quinoa, wheatgrass powder, canola oil, masa harina, wheat germ, soy-rice milk and I think that was all but that was bad enough. Actually, it didn't taste too horrible except it was somewhat gluey and I certainly didn't need to spend the next couple of weeks trying to eat it.
I feel badly about wasting all that food but if the ducks or some other animal eats it, I guess it wasn't wasted. It was just a really bad idea to buy the honey and molasses to try to use up the brewer's yeast.
In between feeding the ducks, I stopped at the library. After that, walked up to the first chain turnout and back down on Camp May Road. I swear - the trunks of the aspen sapling are already turning green! The skies were absolutely cloudless.
When I went out this evening to gave the ducks their blackstrap molasses glop (it was too dark to see if the faux "cow plop" was still there), the bank clock said the temperature was 29 degrees. It felt cold and I was glad I walked earlier in the day.
I'm still agonizing over ending the scanning of my genealogy records but I scanned all the records pertaining to our parents and then just plain ran out of steam to scan anymore. I just want to donate the records and get them out of my life. They're not doing anyone any good just sitting in a box in my closet. Maybe someone will find some value in the records and it will help in their family research.
Funny thing this morning - I went out to our trash barrel to pull out the empty bag that the Whole Foods salted roasted peanuts in the shell came in to see if they were recalled due to the Peanut Corporation of America salmonella scare. To my surprise, there were two pieces of trash on top of my twist-tie-sealed black, plastic trash bag. Each had some large pieces of dog poop in them! Once before I found large pieces of dog poop on our sidewalk. One morning when I had to get up around 6am, I noticed a tall man walking two huge dogs on our street. Maybe I'll start waking up at 7:30 am on trash-pickup morning to put out our trash barrel. I guess dog poop in the trash barrel is better than on our sidewalk but I really don't appreciate either!
Then, this afternoon in an attempt to get rid of the blackstrap molasses (also purchased to make the brewers yeast palatable), I cooked the ducks up a nutritious batch of glop - aforesaid molasses, cooked whole quinoa, wheatgrass powder, canola oil, masa harina, wheat germ, soy-rice milk and I think that was all but that was bad enough. Actually, it didn't taste too horrible except it was somewhat gluey and I certainly didn't need to spend the next couple of weeks trying to eat it.
I feel badly about wasting all that food but if the ducks or some other animal eats it, I guess it wasn't wasted. It was just a really bad idea to buy the honey and molasses to try to use up the brewer's yeast.
In between feeding the ducks, I stopped at the library. After that, walked up to the first chain turnout and back down on Camp May Road. I swear - the trunks of the aspen sapling are already turning green! The skies were absolutely cloudless.
When I went out this evening to gave the ducks their blackstrap molasses glop (it was too dark to see if the faux "cow plop" was still there), the bank clock said the temperature was 29 degrees. It felt cold and I was glad I walked earlier in the day.
I'm still agonizing over ending the scanning of my genealogy records but I scanned all the records pertaining to our parents and then just plain ran out of steam to scan anymore. I just want to donate the records and get them out of my life. They're not doing anyone any good just sitting in a box in my closet. Maybe someone will find some value in the records and it will help in their family research.
Funny thing this morning - I went out to our trash barrel to pull out the empty bag that the Whole Foods salted roasted peanuts in the shell came in to see if they were recalled due to the Peanut Corporation of America salmonella scare. To my surprise, there were two pieces of trash on top of my twist-tie-sealed black, plastic trash bag. Each had some large pieces of dog poop in them! Once before I found large pieces of dog poop on our sidewalk. One morning when I had to get up around 6am, I noticed a tall man walking two huge dogs on our street. Maybe I'll start waking up at 7:30 am on trash-pickup morning to put out our trash barrel. I guess dog poop in the trash barrel is better than on our sidewalk but I really don't appreciate either!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Meandering Through Life
Woke at 8am. Swept gravel from driveway. Got started on kale soup - just kale, garlic, onions, water, canned diced tomatoes and seasonings, including chili powder, red pepper, thyme, mint, coriander, cumin, garam masala, mango powder, ginger, tumeric and sesame oil. Each night, I'll add it to beans or canned fish and add some miso for the salt.
The soup and brewer's yeast candy took a lot of time and I just now finished breakfast. Brewer's yeast candy consists of brewer's yeast mixed with honey. I had managed to finish a whole huge container of plain brewer's yeast and then bought another huge container but I balked at eating it plain (actually, I mixed it with orange juice) and discovered that honey nicely drowns the flavor. Our backyard neighbor, Irma, highly recommends the stuff but it doesn't taste very good. Even she can only stomach it with honey! I had even tried to make Tiger's Milk with it - soy yogurt or soy milk, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, molasses, and orange juice but that wasn't as good as the brewer's yeast candy!
Finally sitting down at the computer to begin scanning my father's Navy record and after that, the guardianship papers that sent all five of us to our aunt and uncle after we were orphaned when our father died in 1966. I scanned my mother's medical records the other night. Sad to read how quickly she went downhill and died at age 39 during her last hospitalization. I don't plan to donate any of these very personal papers anywhere but am trying to put most of my genealogy records in digital form. I will be scanning for hours today!
Spouse took grandson to see Inkheart. He is so good about taking grandson to the movies and they both enjoy it!
Tomorrow I check out both Deer Trap Mesa and Otowi Mesa (end of Los Pueblos) for the WI. I wonder what has happened to the snow we were supposed to get?
The soup and brewer's yeast candy took a lot of time and I just now finished breakfast. Brewer's yeast candy consists of brewer's yeast mixed with honey. I had managed to finish a whole huge container of plain brewer's yeast and then bought another huge container but I balked at eating it plain (actually, I mixed it with orange juice) and discovered that honey nicely drowns the flavor. Our backyard neighbor, Irma, highly recommends the stuff but it doesn't taste very good. Even she can only stomach it with honey! I had even tried to make Tiger's Milk with it - soy yogurt or soy milk, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, molasses, and orange juice but that wasn't as good as the brewer's yeast candy!
Finally sitting down at the computer to begin scanning my father's Navy record and after that, the guardianship papers that sent all five of us to our aunt and uncle after we were orphaned when our father died in 1966. I scanned my mother's medical records the other night. Sad to read how quickly she went downhill and died at age 39 during her last hospitalization. I don't plan to donate any of these very personal papers anywhere but am trying to put most of my genealogy records in digital form. I will be scanning for hours today!
Spouse took grandson to see Inkheart. He is so good about taking grandson to the movies and they both enjoy it!
Tomorrow I check out both Deer Trap Mesa and Otowi Mesa (end of Los Pueblos) for the WI. I wonder what has happened to the snow we were supposed to get?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Pundits on Obama's Speech
Pundits on NPR are commenting on Obama's inaugural speech and saying it wasn't soaring or poetic like speeches he gave in the past. I thought it was just right because it was reality based and telling us that it will be a long, hard row to hoe to get this country back on its feet!
Daughter was watching inauguration on CNN and posted a zillion enthused comments on Facebook! I was delighted to read how interested and excited she is about Obama's presidency!
Daughter was watching inauguration on CNN and posted a zillion enthused comments on Facebook! I was delighted to read how interested and excited she is about Obama's presidency!
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