I had a pleasant walk on Camp May Road today. All the ice from last week's snowstorm is gone. There wasn't much traffic. I wore 5 shirts which was one or two shirts too many - it was warm compared to past days. Wonder what happened to the snowman builder - no one's built any by the roadside this year. Vehicles have driven in on all of the side roads and packed them down since the snow is not that deep - sure makes finding a restroom stop easier than last year when going behind a bush entailed sinking in snow up to my kneecaps!
Made a kind of caponata tonight with white mushrooms, onions, celery, tomato paste, dry vermouth, little bit of olive oil, little bit of grape juice concentrate, herbs and small bottle of rinsed capers. It tastes quite good. Caponata is usually made with eggplant but I didn't have any. Tomorrow I'll try adding some balsamic vinegar because the recipes I found online (after the fact) included red wine vinegar. The little bit of grape juice that I added gives it a wine taste plus some sweetness.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Contented Walking
Yesterday, walked sewer plant road. Road conditions - bare, dry dirt in a lot of places and slicked down snow in others but all over, highly walkable. Any icy spots are easily avoided. The surrounding mesas, in the late afternoon sunlight, shone pink and orange against a dark blue sky.
Today - walked from Smith's to Overlook. Shopped at Smith's afterward. I bought pickled herring even though it has corn syrup and sodium benzoate. I rinse the herring pieces to get rid of the bad stuff but I suppose it's permeated with the junk anyway. I would have bought steelhead trout but it hadn't come in yet.
I once again enjoyed the stunning views of the Rio Grande of White Rock Canyon. The shores of the Rio seemed to be lined with ice or snow but the river itself was free flowing.
Did another load of laundry this afternoon. I'm only doing one load a day so as not to overload our drain pipe which sometimes freezes and overflows.
Husband finally called roofer about furnace vent leak. Roofer wants to do a water test to prove that the roof system that he installed is not the problem. He'll wait until warmer weather. I'm letting spouse handle all this because I'm through with home maintenance.
Today - walked from Smith's to Overlook. Shopped at Smith's afterward. I bought pickled herring even though it has corn syrup and sodium benzoate. I rinse the herring pieces to get rid of the bad stuff but I suppose it's permeated with the junk anyway. I would have bought steelhead trout but it hadn't come in yet.
I once again enjoyed the stunning views of the Rio Grande of White Rock Canyon. The shores of the Rio seemed to be lined with ice or snow but the river itself was free flowing.
Did another load of laundry this afternoon. I'm only doing one load a day so as not to overload our drain pipe which sometimes freezes and overflows.
Husband finally called roofer about furnace vent leak. Roofer wants to do a water test to prove that the roof system that he installed is not the problem. He'll wait until warmer weather. I'm letting spouse handle all this because I'm through with home maintenance.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Reviving Bit by Bit
Even warmer today - yippee! Did chores with spouse this morning - took receipts to bank for shredding, took 2009 investment magazines to MPL lobby, dropped off stuff to daughter, got gas. Then, home for lunch which was actually the rest of breakfast, the remains of a blueberry, cranberry, cocoa smoothie. Cocoa is my drug of choice and it may yet help me pull myself out of the holiday-induced funk that I was deep within. OK, part of the funk was due to the extreme cold and not going outside for two days. Let's face it, I will never become Nanook of the North. When I was young, I fancied living in the far north but all I can say about that now is ha, ha, ha!
After lunch, I headed to White Rock to drop off a thrift shop donation, get the barcode scanned for the Learn and Earn Program at Smith's, go to the Post Office, return some stuff to the library and walk 4 miles. The sidewalk in front of the thrift shop was burgeoning with unattended donations. They have a sign saying that there is a camera which will record license numbers but I suspect a lot of the donations are hauled away before the thrift shop volunteers can bring them inside. As I pulled up, a pickup with a trailer was hauling something off; although, it could have been for a legitimate reason.
As the recipient of the Earn and Learn monies, I chose the Youth Activity Center where my grandson goes. Post Office was out of the very pretty Forever stamps which feature the foliage and cones of 4 different conifers.
For my four miles, I walked from the library to Overlook Park via Meadow Lane. Chamisa Elementary School was letting out and there was a fair amount of traffic going up and down Meadow Lane. On Overlook Road, ran into a woman who aims to walk 5 miles a day. I told her she made me look like a slacker with my piddling 4! She says they moved here last February and that her husband is trying to systematically walk all the trails. I asked if she had heard of Craig Martin's Los Alamos Trails, which I consider the hiking bible for this area. She hadn't so I recommended that she take a look at it. Enjoyed the view from Overlook of the Rio Grande.
Back at the library, my GPS said I only walked 3.5 miles so then I followed the snow-covered sidewalks over to Smith's and back to rack the tally up to 4 - yay! Now I know - park at Smith's and walk to Overlook and back for a cool 4!
After lunch, I headed to White Rock to drop off a thrift shop donation, get the barcode scanned for the Learn and Earn Program at Smith's, go to the Post Office, return some stuff to the library and walk 4 miles. The sidewalk in front of the thrift shop was burgeoning with unattended donations. They have a sign saying that there is a camera which will record license numbers but I suspect a lot of the donations are hauled away before the thrift shop volunteers can bring them inside. As I pulled up, a pickup with a trailer was hauling something off; although, it could have been for a legitimate reason.
As the recipient of the Earn and Learn monies, I chose the Youth Activity Center where my grandson goes. Post Office was out of the very pretty Forever stamps which feature the foliage and cones of 4 different conifers.
For my four miles, I walked from the library to Overlook Park via Meadow Lane. Chamisa Elementary School was letting out and there was a fair amount of traffic going up and down Meadow Lane. On Overlook Road, ran into a woman who aims to walk 5 miles a day. I told her she made me look like a slacker with my piddling 4! She says they moved here last February and that her husband is trying to systematically walk all the trails. I asked if she had heard of Craig Martin's Los Alamos Trails, which I consider the hiking bible for this area. She hadn't so I recommended that she take a look at it. Enjoyed the view from Overlook of the Rio Grande.
Back at the library, my GPS said I only walked 3.5 miles so then I followed the snow-covered sidewalks over to Smith's and back to rack the tally up to 4 - yay! Now I know - park at Smith's and walk to Overlook and back for a cool 4!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Holidays Finally Over - Hip, Hip, Hooray!
I did some New Year chores last night but mainly concerned with shuffling receipts. A full clean-up of our house and possessions will have to wait until one day when we finally decide to move.
Our grandson is looking so grown up in the latest Christmas photo - he has a tremendously wonderful smile! We haven't yet seen the family photo because our daughter ran out - have to remember to ask to see it one day.
We've been in a terrifically deep freeze the last few days - temps in the single digits for the low and even single digit minus temps Saturday night. The skiers are happy because Pajarito Mountain opened for the season on January 1. Next year, they will have snow-making capability but this year they have to depend on the bounty of Mama Nature. I like the southwest except when we get an Arctic blast! I get less and less enamored of snow, ice and cold as I grow older.
During the snowstorm Thursday, I stayed inside all day. My exercise was 2 Jillian Michaels exercise DVDs. She kicks butt! Friday, it was sunny but looked icy so I did two more exercise DVDs and stayed inside again. I finally ventured forth on Saturday for a walk downtown and to the airport. Took my hiking pole in case it was icy but it was fine. Good to get out!
Today, I parked at one of the LANL TA sites off West Jemez Road and walked all the way to the Burnt Mesa trailhead and back. I enjoyed the winter wonderland scenery along the highway. Saw lots of elk tracks at the edge of the highway.
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Year's Eve Grumpiness
Bah, humbug on all these holidays and all this snow! Just give me my life back where things in town are open, the mail is delivered and I'm able to walk outside without fear of landing on my keister! Bah, humbug!
Having great dissatisfaction with our living situation (so what else is new?) I told spouse what I would do if left to my own devices: Buy a small condo in Los Alamos, downsize and get rid of lots of junk, fix up this house for sale and then travel around the southwest to pick a wintering place. We're not ready to leave LA yet because our daughter and grandson are here. We know that we're blessed to be part of their life right now.
Yet and still, I'm struck with a wanderlust of wanting to see new places and maybe get to know people there and one day relocate entirely. I told spouse that if daughter wanted to move to Florida, I'd agree to live there (in an oceanside condo). But otherwise, Florida is off my list of places to live. Spouse is pushing Tuscon but I'm not sure if that's my dream place either although its winter weather would be ideal! There is always Rio Rancho in Albuquerque. Spouse suggested Las Cruces but that's a bit far flung from the northern New Mexico land and people that we have come to love.
I also wondered aloud if we wouldn't mind winters here so much IF we had a 2 car garage, the whole house was heated (family room and laundry room are unheated), if the drain pipe in the laundry room didn't freeze and if we didn't have to shovel a driveway and sidewalks (condo, condo, condo!)
Now that I can't snowshoe, I don't need to live in snow country in the winter. The MRI of my right foot showed my posterior tibial tendon has a partial tear and a ganglion cyst. I'm kind of assuming that the ganglion cyst is causing the partial tear. There is not much change from the MRI of 2 years ago - the impacted area around the tendon is slightly larger. I see the Albuquerque podiatrist in January. I'll be interested in hearing what he proposes for my situation.
Yes, yes, I know I'm such an ingrate to kvetch about my house when some don't have a home.
Having great dissatisfaction with our living situation (so what else is new?) I told spouse what I would do if left to my own devices: Buy a small condo in Los Alamos, downsize and get rid of lots of junk, fix up this house for sale and then travel around the southwest to pick a wintering place. We're not ready to leave LA yet because our daughter and grandson are here. We know that we're blessed to be part of their life right now.
Yet and still, I'm struck with a wanderlust of wanting to see new places and maybe get to know people there and one day relocate entirely. I told spouse that if daughter wanted to move to Florida, I'd agree to live there (in an oceanside condo). But otherwise, Florida is off my list of places to live. Spouse is pushing Tuscon but I'm not sure if that's my dream place either although its winter weather would be ideal! There is always Rio Rancho in Albuquerque. Spouse suggested Las Cruces but that's a bit far flung from the northern New Mexico land and people that we have come to love.
I also wondered aloud if we wouldn't mind winters here so much IF we had a 2 car garage, the whole house was heated (family room and laundry room are unheated), if the drain pipe in the laundry room didn't freeze and if we didn't have to shovel a driveway and sidewalks (condo, condo, condo!)
Now that I can't snowshoe, I don't need to live in snow country in the winter. The MRI of my right foot showed my posterior tibial tendon has a partial tear and a ganglion cyst. I'm kind of assuming that the ganglion cyst is causing the partial tear. There is not much change from the MRI of 2 years ago - the impacted area around the tendon is slightly larger. I see the Albuquerque podiatrist in January. I'll be interested in hearing what he proposes for my situation.
Yes, yes, I know I'm such an ingrate to kvetch about my house when some don't have a home.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Snowy So-Called La Niña in New Mexico
Having another so-called La Niña snow event here in Los Alamos. It started snowing late morning and still is. The promised wind hasn't shown up yet. I'm already missing the dry, sunny weather we were having!
I hiked a short hike in the Water Canyon area with the LL group - probably less than 1-2 miles. Afterward, since it was only 10:35 am, I drove to Ponderosa Campground where the WI group planned to hike Escobas Mesa. I walked out about 1 1/2 miles but realized there were absolutely no fresh shoe prints so I turned around and headed home via the library.
Turns out the WI group did go out to the end of Escobas Mesa for a hefty 6.8 miles and had lunch with an overlook into Frijoles Canyon and across at Burnt Mesa. I guess the gently falling snow filled in any shoe prints. Maybe that's why I didn't see any animal prints either. Regardless, my hike, albeit solitary, in a white world of gently falling snow, was enjoyable and peaceful.
I hiked a short hike in the Water Canyon area with the LL group - probably less than 1-2 miles. Afterward, since it was only 10:35 am, I drove to Ponderosa Campground where the WI group planned to hike Escobas Mesa. I walked out about 1 1/2 miles but realized there were absolutely no fresh shoe prints so I turned around and headed home via the library.
Turns out the WI group did go out to the end of Escobas Mesa for a hefty 6.8 miles and had lunch with an overlook into Frijoles Canyon and across at Burnt Mesa. I guess the gently falling snow filled in any shoe prints. Maybe that's why I didn't see any animal prints either. Regardless, my hike, albeit solitary, in a white world of gently falling snow, was enjoyable and peaceful.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Great Way to Ring Out the Old Year: Take a Hike
Today the group hiked the Anniversary Trail out to the end of Queen Mary Mesa and then down the Breakneck Trail into Los Alamos Canyon. I parked at the easternmost parking lot for the Canyon Rim Trail and walked over to where they started across from the Eastgate Industrial Park. There were 11 of us. They had left cars at the White Rock Y but I opted to go back up the Breakneck Trail and walk back to my car.
The views along the mesa top were fantastic and got even better as we descended the Breakneck Trail, built by the Los Alamos Ranch School boys, into Los Alamos Canyon. I'm glad I went on the hike.
I'm not sure what's the cause of the instep pain on my right foot because there are so many possibilities - the orthotic adjustment the podiatrist made, the new Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7 shoes, the foot exercises I've been doing? I need to do some experiments to puzzle this out. The first one will be that I'll use my un-adjusted pair of orthotics in the new shoes.
Supposed to be snow tomorrow. Spouse and I may show up at the LL meeting place to see if they'll fit in a hike before the snowstorm.
Spouse needs to call roofer about the furnace chimney leak that occurs when there are high winds. The new chimney cap didn't solve the problem.
We need a new stove. Our 20 year old one gives off some carbon monoxide when we're simmering a stew for hours. The alarm went off yesterday so we turned off the stove top and opened the windows to air out the place. CO2 detectors really work! We're hoping to have the filthy carpet in the kitchen replaced with vinyl or laminate before we get the new stove. Nothing that we're looking forward to!
The views along the mesa top were fantastic and got even better as we descended the Breakneck Trail, built by the Los Alamos Ranch School boys, into Los Alamos Canyon. I'm glad I went on the hike.
I'm not sure what's the cause of the instep pain on my right foot because there are so many possibilities - the orthotic adjustment the podiatrist made, the new Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7 shoes, the foot exercises I've been doing? I need to do some experiments to puzzle this out. The first one will be that I'll use my un-adjusted pair of orthotics in the new shoes.
Supposed to be snow tomorrow. Spouse and I may show up at the LL meeting place to see if they'll fit in a hike before the snowstorm.
Spouse needs to call roofer about the furnace chimney leak that occurs when there are high winds. The new chimney cap didn't solve the problem.
We need a new stove. Our 20 year old one gives off some carbon monoxide when we're simmering a stew for hours. The alarm went off yesterday so we turned off the stove top and opened the windows to air out the place. CO2 detectors really work! We're hoping to have the filthy carpet in the kitchen replaced with vinyl or laminate before we get the new stove. Nothing that we're looking forward to!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Joy, Believe, Peace Christmas Tree
Walking up Camp May Road today, I noticed by the side of the road that someone had decorated a small ponderosa with tinsel and 3 Christmas balls which are each embossed with a word. From top to bottom, the first Christmas ball has Joy, the second, Believe and the third, Peace. The optimism of the words brought a smile to my face. How sweet of someone to decorate that tree for passersby to see! One end of the tinsel garland had fallen to the ground so I re-wrapped it around the tree.
The sky conditions were stunningly beautiful on my walk. I could see dark clouds to the north-northwest and some of the overcast blew overhead which created gusty winds but when I ended the walk around 3 pm, golden sunshine and blue skies prevailed.
The sky conditions were stunningly beautiful on my walk. I could see dark clouds to the north-northwest and some of the overcast blew overhead which created gusty winds but when I ended the walk around 3 pm, golden sunshine and blue skies prevailed.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Semi-Strange Encounters
In Smith's on Sunday, a man recognized me based on my hat. I didn't know him but he had seen me on FR181 and remembered the color and make of the car I used to own.
It was only today that I remembered having met him once, maybe one Christmas Day after I finished my walk on FR181. I had asked him then if he knew why the two police vehicles had driven in on the road. He said they were going to pick up a hypothermic hiker.
Then, on Monday, outside the library, I saw a man walking toward me who seemed to be looking at me so I said hello. He said he remembered running into me on Cerro Toledo 10-15 years ago. That couldn't be correct because I was never on Cerro Toledo in that time-frame. I asked if he meant Cerro Grande and he said yes, he meant that. The puzzle is, though, that Cerro Grande has only been open to the public since 2005. This seems to be a case of mistaken identity. I had no recognition of him.
It was only today that I remembered having met him once, maybe one Christmas Day after I finished my walk on FR181. I had asked him then if he knew why the two police vehicles had driven in on the road. He said they were going to pick up a hypothermic hiker.
Then, on Monday, outside the library, I saw a man walking toward me who seemed to be looking at me so I said hello. He said he remembered running into me on Cerro Toledo 10-15 years ago. That couldn't be correct because I was never on Cerro Toledo in that time-frame. I asked if he meant Cerro Grande and he said yes, he meant that. The puzzle is, though, that Cerro Grande has only been open to the public since 2005. This seems to be a case of mistaken identity. I had no recognition of him.
Foot Woes Update
I haven't made any more attempts at barefoot walking even though the barefoot experiment on FR181 didn't harm me.
I saw a podiatrist in Albuquerque. He ordered weight-bearing plain x-rays of my feet and an MRI. He made an adjustment on my right orthotic to better support my posterior tibial tendon. So far, the adjustment is comfortable enough. I'll see him again in January.
I'm going to return my Atlas snowshoes. My foot is not strong enough to break trail in snowshoes so I may as well just use my faithful, old MSR's and confine myself to already-broken snowshoe trails.
I'm trying to strengthen my feet with toe squinches (from running book by Jeff Galloway), calf raises from 3 different angles and circular rotations on the wobbleboard.
I saw a podiatrist in Albuquerque. He ordered weight-bearing plain x-rays of my feet and an MRI. He made an adjustment on my right orthotic to better support my posterior tibial tendon. So far, the adjustment is comfortable enough. I'll see him again in January.
I'm going to return my Atlas snowshoes. My foot is not strong enough to break trail in snowshoes so I may as well just use my faithful, old MSR's and confine myself to already-broken snowshoe trails.
I'm trying to strengthen my feet with toe squinches (from running book by Jeff Galloway), calf raises from 3 different angles and circular rotations on the wobbleboard.
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