The Emerald Rose

      Well, here we are again, Saturday morning. I was up at 6:30 this morning and decided to vary my day a bit. Normally on Saturday I’ll sleep in ’til 7:00 am then have breakfast, take a big cup of coffee and go to “The Pit” and do “important computer stuff” (surfing and learning)  until noon or 1 o’clock. Then I’ll saddle up and head for the Gym, doo three or four miles on the treadmill (watching either college football or golf, and listening to classical music on my iPod cranked to about “11”). I’ll do some “strength training” on Nautilus equipment, and then about 4 – 4:30pm head for the Pub to replenish those vital liquids lost while exercising. (spelled “G-u-i-n-n-e-s-s” or as my friend Carl calls it, “Cereal in a bottle”.) I’ll spend an hour or so there watching the football games or the golf match and then toddle home to shower, shave and either go out to a movie and then a bite to eat with my wife, or just “crash and rest” for the night and watch a movie at home or read until bedtime (usually 9:30, on a good night 10:30)

        But this morning I got up, went out and walked 3 and a half miles in under an hour, came home, did my “Obsessive/Compulsive” number gathering (blood pressure, pulse, steps taken, resting pulse and BP, etc.) and recording, had breakfast with my wife, (when she came back from her 4 miles or so. Helpful long marriage tip #7,258: Never exercise WITH your spouse, they will never take a break when you want to, which inevitably will lead to friction, and then the fight will begin!)

         I then refilled my “pill boxes”, you know those little compartmentalized plastic things with the “S” , “Su”, “M”, “tu”, etc. on them. (I know, “old fart”, but instead of having to think what do I have to take each time (some in the morning and the rest at night) I just fill up the little compartments and all I have to remember all week is the day and if it’s morning or night-time,…..cool!

        Now I’m on the computer writing blog number 476 (the average page contains 250 words, and since each of my blogs runs around a 1,000 words, that would be 4 “pages” per blog, and times 475 of them that would be 475,000 words or 1900 pages. (Shit,…longer that “War and Peace”) Maybe I should get them all categorized and see about releasing a four volume book called “Wasting away in the ether-layer of the Internet”. But I digress.

      So after a while (the wife loves to go out Saturday, hit all of her favorite stores, the thrift stores, and “putter” on the stuff that drives us guys NUTS, then she goes food shopping and gets home about three or four and sits with her music practicing for Church to morrow morning. She’s a “cantor” in our church) this gives us both some “free time” to go do what we enjoy on Saturdays without imposing on the other. For those keeping notes, that was “Helpful Long Marriage Tip # 4,734” !

         Now today I’ll go to the gym about 1:30, just do some strength training until three, and then adjourn to the Pub to settle in and watch my favorite College team, Boston College take on Florida State University (about two hours away) and the Alma Mater of a ton of friends down here so “a good time will be had by all”. Then I’ll head home for dinner and a “crash” night.

        A few weeks ago we went out to dinner at P.F. Changs, a chain restaurants that calls itself a “Chinese Bistro”. We tried something new, Lettuce Wraps. And as Joan Rivers would say “To die for darling”. It seems real simple, but essentially it’s like ground meat with Chinese Chili paste, hoisun sauce, soy sauce, and a couple of other things with diced onions, garlic, and  water chesnuts. You saute that all down and then serve it in a bowl with lettuce leaves. (Cut the head of lettuce in half and just peel and rinse the leaves off) Spoon the meat mixture into the center of the lettuce leaf, add whatever seasonings you like (Chinese Mustard sauce, hot sauce, your choice) roll them up like a burritos and munch down with a nice chilled glass of dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio, or Savignon Blanc. If you are really interested in the recipe drop me a line and I’ll have my wife give it to me to e-mail it to you. They are delicious, nutritious, and VERY healthy. (i.e. meet all the South Beach Diet requirements) She used ground chicken not beef, but you could do ground beef or pork, or a mixture as well I would imagine. Gotta stop on the food already I’m drooling on the keyboard in anticipation! (Trust me that is not a pretty sight)

       Oh yeah, I’ve got an old Dell Server that I’ve got to ship to my son this afternoon as well.

       I just can’t seem to break that 190 pound barrier (I know, I know, swear off Guinness for a week and it will all just wash away and I’ll be in the mid 180’s! I may have to as I control my weight and it’s just a conscious decision!)

       Oh got to go back to the Doc on Wednesday for my Annual Check up. It’s like being on that stupid game show with Vanna White where I buy vowels (exercise), consonants (eat right) and hope I can solve the puzzle before the Doc says the usual, “Well you know what you need to do?” But I’ll get all my numbers back from the lab on Wednesday as well and I’m hoping he’ll back off at least two of my prescriptions now, or at least cut the dosages back.

        Speaking about interesting things I was just subpoenaed for a deposition on October 13th. I’ve been there before and it’s a pain in the ass. You go into this conference room and sit at the end of the table, next to a stenographer, on one side of the table are three of your attorneys (to defend you I suppose) and on the other about six to eight of the oppositions attorneys. They then start with “itty bitty” questions like “When were you born?” and follow up with something like, “Could you take us through your entire life’s history, education, past jobs, physical health, anything that you can think of,…please” (SHIT man I’m 64 years old, we could be here for the next month,…you know?) Then the lawyers start battling, “I don’t see the relevance of his entire life’s history”, and back at them “Well it goes to his qualifications to be considered as a credible witness and his depth of knowledge and understanding of the facts of the case.” Depositions last about six or seven hours, and if they are real junk yard dogs they may go for another day on you.

        Well got to balance the checkbook, “Let me see here, put in $400, pay bills $600, (Note to  self : “Scramble and get your expense check from the company, ….QUICK!”

        I’m starting to think about what to write for my 500th blog, but that looks like it will be about Thanksgiving or the Holidays at this point, but I’ll keep you posted.

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