How you doin'

Long time, no post. Lots going on, but what to write about? Did the barefoot 5K, then Reese and I did the Urban Epic obstacle race. (he kicked my you know what) Jaren and I went on a boy scout canoe trip to the Allagash River. A five day, 63 mile, carry everything you need, wet, nature extravaganza. Still slowly chipping away at the 101 things list. Preparing for the Webelos resident camp in a couple weeks with Dean. Reese has purple hair and a fauxhawk.

Going Primal

Mel and I are starting a new lifestyle/diet/exercise program. It is all about eating and moving like hunter/gatherers. It is basically a meat and fruit and veggie only diet. No grains and limited dairy. The exercise side of it is all about playing hard, bodyweight exercises and quick all out sprints. I signed up for a barefoot 5K at Pineland farms at the end of May. There is lots of activities after the race including a 3 legged race, egg race, and other family activities. There is a barbecue and a beer and cheese tent.
I ordered some Vibram five finger shoes to exercise with. They are coming in next week so I'll report on them later. I can't wait to exercise in them, running around, climbing trees, building Striders new playhouse, working in the garden. Spring can't get here soon enough.

snowed out!

enough with the snow already!
so much snow, no place left to put it. can't recover from one storm before the next one moves in. two more on the horizon, back hurts just thinking about it. patience wearing thin. longer warmer days mean heavier snow and ice. chip it away bit by bit. muscles ache and motivation wanes.

Rhubarb Wine?

I have been waiting to taste this one for a while. I first heard of Blacksmiths Rhubarb back in October from an intern from MCP that I was working with. I finally bought some for Christmas dinner and we never got around to drinking it, so I had to open it and drink it myself. It was very good, not too sweet but enough so that it was enjoyable.

Blacksmiths Blueberry

Thanksgiving this year we decided to unwind a little bit with a couple bottles of Blacksmiths wine. I brought the Rough Cut Cider and my Grandmother brought a bottle of Blueberry. This blueberry wine was really good. It might have just been all the sweet smells in the air and on the great food on the table but the blueberry was a perfect match. It was like drinking dessert. I am an amature at this wine thing but I look forward to more from Blacksmiths fruit collection.

Honeymaker

A while back I had bought a hard cider at a local wine shop and instead of picking up the Rhubarb wine that I was going to get I found some mead by Maine Mead Works. I figured, how cool, wine and honey rolled into one and from a local company. I was a little let down by this mead but I am sure it is not due to the drink but to my expectations. I was looking for something sweet (but not as sweet as the ice wine). Maybe I shouldn't have started out with the Dry Hopped Mead, I don't know. It was good, but it was dry and tasted much like a regular white would taste. For Christmas I did get a bottle of Semi Sweat Mead from HoneyMaker so I look forward to uncorking the mead for another go.

gritty mcduffs

I have been sampling Gritty's over the last couple months and it has had its ups and downs. I bought a sample pack because everyone raves about the Halloween Ale. To be honest, it didn't do much for me. It was okay but nothing to get excited about. However the Pub Style Ale and the 21 IPA were very good with the Pub Style being excellent. It was just so smooth and flavorful that I was looking forward to trying some more Gritty's. For Christmas my Grandmother bought me a six (I love telling people that my Gram bought me beer for Christmas) of Gritty McDuffs Christmas Ale. She liked the Santa on the bottles and knew I wanted local beers. Gritty let me down on the Christmas Ale. I starts off good, but leads to a bitter hoppy taste that changes and leaves an aftertaste of soap. Not loving that.

my boys

My Boys

My boys make me laugh

Make me smile

Make me crazy

Make me proud

Make me think
Make me pull my hair out

Make me a kid again

Make me adventurous

Make me want to cry
Make me love life and tolerate the hard work

But mostly

My boys make my heart overflow with love

Hard Cider

I was looking through Yankee magazine and was reading an article on a hard cider brewery in New Hampshire when I decided that I just had to get me some. I looked online at Farnum Hill Orchards but couldn't find any local retailers. Sure, I could order some from a place in upstate New York or from New Jersey, but I decided to look a little more local. Blacksmiths vineyard is just up the road a bit in Casco. I have always wanted to check them out but never got around to it. One of my interns this month is from Casco and gave their Rhubarb wine a great review for a novice wine drinker. I went to their website and, sure enough they have a hard cider that they brew. They sell at all the local supermarkets but also at The Good Life Market up in Raymond. This market is an upscale sandwich shop, local food mart, and wine retailer. Mel and I went in for sandwiches and I came out with a bottle of Blacksmiths Rough Cut Cider. This stuff is good. Sweet, and clean and still very much a wine. Not dry or tart like many wines can be or overly fruity like many fruit wines make themselves into. I will definitely be looking for more local hard ciders.

October swim

I had planned on doing this as early in the month as possible. No such luck. October 11th is not too bad I guess. So I thought. It was sunny, with a mild breeze. Just jump in, swim out to the float and come back. Really it had been such a hot summer, I am sure the water was still pretty warm. After all I have seen the mist drifting up from the lake on the cooler mornings so I knew that the lake was warmer than the air. First it was just me, then Jaren said he wanted to go also, then his friend Nick. Strider and Dean decided to put on their suits as well.

Jumping in was breathtaking, it was hard not to climb back out and say thats it, good enough. I forced myself to swim to the float, short shallow breaths. The ladder on the float was slipper from non-use and the top was covered with duck poop. Jaren and Nick were right behind me and I helped them up on the float. Reese was in the kayak paddling back and forth in front of us. I actually thought of getting in the kayak and riding back in with him. I knew I couldn't do that. Now the hardest part was jumping back into the water. It was cold up on the float but memories of the water was not good. Nick and Jar went first and I waited until they were most of the way in before diving into the water. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I guess I had got used to it, it was still cold but I casually made my way out of the water and high fived Dean and Strider as they splashed around in the shallow end.

Morning Ride

Stars fade from existence as the light eases away the darkness.

Angel clouds dance across the sky as it grows from black to pink.

Mist swirls up from the water, apparitions gliding twelve feet tall.

A fish jumps, no, not a fish, as it still sails through the air,

Swooping, darting, lightning fast, how many are there?

Bats fly all around me, as I stop to watch.

Six, ten, hard to tell, dive for water bugs or a drink from the lake.

Uncomfortably close they come as I dodge their manic movements.

Small bodies with leathery wings avoided as I continue to paddle on.

There beautiful ugliness left behind as I disappear into the fog.

On a roll today

I think this is my fifth post today. Not to brag but I just needed to put this down.

After kayaking, then finishing the snow bars, I ordered tickets to see "39 Steps" at The Portland Stage Company in October. I am quite intrigued. The website says there are 150 characters played by 4 actors. Should be some interesting quick changes. I bought 5 tickets, for Mel, Reese, Jaren, Dean, and I. Hope it is as funny as they say it is.

I also installed a light socket in the back corner of the basement where we keep the camping and holiday gear as well as the food racks. It was a little tricky because there was no light in the dark basement once the power is cut and all of the flashlights were dying. I encountered no problems and just the one light makes a big difference.

Peak Organic Beer

After cashing in my returnables last month I looked around in the package store to find something to whet my appetite. I came across this Peak Organic and one of the salesman said he had lots of customers ask for it but no one had bought it since he ordered it. The bottles were a little dusty but there was a four pack of espresso amber ale. I just had to try this remembering the Drew Carey Show and his "Buzz Beer".

The espresso was not that great. Pretty bitter and usually had to force myself to finish the bottle. Luckily I also picked up a nut brown ale which was very good and easy to drink. Not a light summer time ale, it was hoppy and nutty that is a good all around beer. Smooth and refreshing and delicious all in one bottle.

snow bars are done

Finally finished putting up the snow bars that we started ordering last September. We did order in two stages but it still took a long time. It was nice to finish when it was warm out, unlike doing them in snow pants and a winter coat last November.
I actually thought this was on my 1o1 things list, so I was a little disappointed when I finished and found out that they weren't. Darn, I thought I could cross something off again today.

lake death cycle

countless deaths in the darkness
unsuspecting victims.
decay layering the depths
with animal and plant alike.

minding your own business
when life is snatched away.
fulfilling an others hunger
until a bigger predator
repays the favor.

the blackness devours the crime
as the prey itself is devoured.
surviving to take lives
just another necessity.

time moves on
death litters the floor.
eaten by worms and bugs
breaking down the layers
returning life to earth.

Kayaking around Brown Cove

Set out this morning just to do my usual morning exercise of kayaking. I actually hit the snooze a couple times so was up and out later than I planned. 47 degrees by the thermometer and 6:35am by the clock as I was dipping my paddle into the cool misty lake water. Quiet, serene, silent.

Kyle, the falcon flew over head as I passed the middle of our small cove. He perched in a tall pine tree and surveyed Brown Cove. I continued paddling and was enjoying the calm waters and the swirls my paddles were making into the darkness.

I was feeling good and decided to head up to the small inlet connecting Brown Cove with the rest of Little Sebago Lake. I kept close to the shore line and went in and out of each cove. I was starting to think that maybe today should be the day that I went around the entire Brown Cove as it is on my 101 things to do list.

The depths of the lake came to me as I floated on top. Grasses and rocks appeared below me sometimes brushing the bottom of my kayak. The mist drifted by. Loons moved warily away as I coasted past. Dip, pull, swirl, repeat.

Shoulders came into existence as I noticed them starting to ache. Am I half way? How far does this sub-cove go in. A great blue heron is a statue standing in the marsh waiting to grab breakfast. Into new territory I row exploring areas never seen by my eyes. Beautiful old homes and camps once the height of style now run down and in need of repair and paint. Fish come from below to grab the unsuspecting water bugs that are so plentiful on the surface.

Sun is blinding as I head toward it while it is just breaching the trees. Shade and shadows return my sights as I twist and turn around the shorelines. How long have I been cruising? Paddle faster I tell myself, enjoy the soothing calm I tell myself.

Around the final point as I know there is only one more small inlet to explore before I am homeward bound. Faster, pushing, forcing myself to keep pace. Into the final cove I hear the small waterfall emptying our lake into Mill Pond next door. The soothing falls usher me onward as I head home tired, sweaty, content.

working at work

So busy lately, trying to get everything under control for becoming an immunization pharmacist and trying to coordinate with 2 schools on being a preceptor and staying up to date. I never wanted that job that continued when you came home from work and after 16 years, it seems like I have one now. I has made work a lot more interesting, and exciting. I just hope I am doing everything correctly.

cleaning circuits

Mel came up with the idea this morning to do cleaning circuits. We spent 5 minutes in each room on the first floor cleaning, seeing how much we could get done in just 5 minutes. Then we would reset the timer and move to the next room. I know that this is not a new concept but it worked really well this morning. It got us up and moving and on a good pace for the day. We have made several plans for the rest of the day. Now, lets keep moving and continue on this trend!

Books for the boys

Last night I finished reading The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson to the boys. They really liked it. The story was fun and exciting and they liked getting to revisit the Magic Kingdom in Disney World in their heads. It was just a year ago that we were there and it was great to be able to picture where the kids in the story were and jealous not to be there with them.
My dilemma is what to read next. I was going to read How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell because the movie is coming out, but Jaren started to read it at school for a book report. That is okay because I have so many others to read.
I also want to read to them The Rookie by Scott Sigler. It is a sci-fi football/action book based in the future where different alien races are mixed together to play football. It is a great story.
I could also read Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. I have read the first two books in the series to them and they are lots of fun.
However I think I am going to slip in a bit of classic literature to them and read them Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. It is short and interesting and definitely shocking at the end.

Shipyard Brewer's Brown Ale

Now this is a good beer. I am sad that it is gone. I feel like I just opened it, and now my bottle is empty. Nice nutty/hoppy taste but not overpowering. Leaves you with a sweet aftertaste and the desire for another Brewer's Brown Ale. Maybe I am biased because Shipyard is a local brewer, maybe it is just because everything Shipyard puts out is great, or maybe it is just because I feel like I needed this beer tonight. You know what I mean. Grab one for yourself and see if I'm not right.