All Juiced Up

Part of my Phillie makeover for this year is to eat healthier. I've needed to do this for a long time, but with my circumstances being as they are, I figured why not start now. I don't use the term resolution because I never keep them. So about 2 1/2 weeks ago, I took the juicer that my sister in law gave to us about a year or so ago. It was their old one (they got a 12 horsepower turbocharged one) but it worked fine. More on that a little later. I've been making a drink every morning that consists of the ingredients that I listed in the photo. Sometimes it varies a little but it always seem to have apples, oranges, carrots and some green stuff. Either spinach or kale. There is a great organic farm by us that still has spinach or kale, apples, yams fresh breads.
















It's a really great place. They have even more stuff in the summer and the cost really isn't too much more than the supermarket stuff. so my morning ritual has been to cut up all of this fruit and veggies, throw them into the juicer, and in a few minutes I get a large glass of fresh juice that gives me about 5 servings of my RDA of fruits and veggies just like that! I can't believe how much more energized I have been feeling, not to mention how my digestive system is working much better. Now one other cool thing about this juicer is that it was missing the food pusher, so I went to Hamilton Beach's web site to see about ordering a replacement part. Apparently, this unit has a recall on it because the metal and plastic cutting basket that spins at 500 rps has been known to break apart and attack the unsuspecting juicer. I called the number they listed on the web site and they sent me a letter offering me either $10, or a brand new juicer ($40 value) I opted for the new juicer. I can't wait to get it. Until then I have to juice at my own risk...

PS - To answer Cherish's comment, the juice tastes really good. I usually add a little more fruit than green stuff. The celery can be tasted and al long as it's not too strong it's ok. I know some people who drink wheat grass. That, I've been told, is like licking the bottom of a lawn mower...

We have some winners - Wendy and Yoda

I Guess Naming Her Mary Jo Would Have Been Too Tacky

Ted Kennedy takes dog's eye view of U.S. Senate
Wed Jan 11, 9:33 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy is writing a children's book that will explain the workings of government from the point of view of his dog Splash.

Publisher Scholastic said "My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, D.C." was a 56-page picture book about a day in the life of a senator and his dog, explaining how laws are made. It will be published in May.

"Kids love animal stories and they will be captivated by the tale of Senator Kennedy's extraordinary Portuguese water dog, and his adventures in Congress," said Lisa Holton, President Children's Books and Book Fairs, Scholastic. more...

Is he for REAL? It's like O.J. having a dog named Slash

They All Had Keys to the Strawberries...

A friend of mine passed this email on to me that came from a Senior Vice President of a MAJOR (I mean MAJOR) communications company. Has anyone seen the Caine Mutiny?

"Ahh, but the strawberries that's... that's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with... geometric logic... that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist, and I'd have produced that key if they hadn't of pulled the Caine out of action. I, I, I know now they were only trying to protect some fellow officers... "

From: Smith, Jim
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 8:01 AM
To: *IT Infrastructure Jims Group
Subject: Men's Bath room

There will be hourly checks of the men's bathroom. It is currently clean. Our goal for this year is to CATCH the person(s) the is using our toilets improperly!!!!!!

Also, please pick up your paper towels if you miss the basket. It's not acceptable to leave it on the floor.

Jim

BTW there is security camera pointing down that hallway. I intend to use it.

Reminder: Postage Rate Hike

Effective 8 January 2006 the new postage rate is .39 for standard first class mail. An increase of just over 5%. To commemorate this increase, the U.S. Postal Service has created a stamp with a picture of George W. Bush honoring his first-term achievements.
It has already been shown that the stamp is not sticking to envelopes, enraging the President, who has demanded a full investigation.
After a month of testing, a special presidential commission has made the following determinations:
1. The stamp is in perfect order.
2. There is nothing wrong with the applied adhesive.
3. People are spitting on the wrong side.

Take a Hike

Yesterday was a very nice day in NY State. There is still snow on the ground and the temps were in the mid 40's. My brother in law gave me a call (they live up the street from us) and asked if we wanted to go on a short hike. I wanted to get the kids outside to air them out as my Mom used to say, so we went. I wish Dana was with us, but she was out doing something else so off we went. We live about 2 miles from the Appalacian Trail, which runs from Georgia to Maine. There's a great book by Bill Bryson called A Walk in the Woods that talks about his adventures while trying to walk the trail. We were not so bold although I hope to take the boys next summer on an overnight and do part of the trail. We did, however, go to a real cool spot where there is a great waterfall and it's only about 1/2 mile from the main road. It rarely is crowded too. After climbing over streams that Grif seemed to keep falling into and up the side of the mountain, we arrived at our destination. The Falls. There was one other person up there. A photographer who had his equipment set up and was taking photos of the falls. He was oblivious to the 8 of us and I guess we were of him too. All in all, it was a great hike. I want to check this place out during a very heavy rain. I bet it would be very cool.
Here are some other pictures

BTW: for those of you keeping score, today is #50. I'm not posting much on the other site so you're not missing much

Dark as a Dungeon

There was a tragedy this past week where 12 miners were killed in West Virginia. My Grandfather on my Mom's side was a coal miner. He was born in the 1880's and was a Catholic in Northen Ireland, not very popular to say the least. He wasn't allowed to go to school and went to what they referred to as a 'Hedge School'. Work was scarce too and that's how he wound up in Scotland. After coming to the States, he got a job working the coal mines in Western PA. He did that for many years then there was an mining accident and his left hand was crushed. The doctor who worked for the mining company said he's be ok. He wasn't ok, he wound up losing his hand. My Grandmother used to hold the nails for him while he would hit them with a hammer. My Mom and her three sisters would always drop the nail. Talk about love...
Here is a Merle Travis song called Dark as a Dungeon that is from the 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken' album.
I never met any of my Grandparents, I wish I had. Some day I will.

here are the lyrics, the sound quality isn't too good

Come all you young fellows so young and so fine
And seek not your fortune in the dark dreary mine
It will form like a habit and seep in your soul
Till the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal
Chorus
Where it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew
Where the danger is doubled and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mine

There's many a man I've seen in my day
Who lived just to labor his whole life away
Like a fiend with his dope and a drunkard his wine
A man will have lust for the lure of the mine

[chorus]
Oh when I am dead and the ages shall roll
My body will blacken and turn into coal
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home
And pity the miner a-digging my bones

[chorus]
Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mine

And Now For Something Completely Different

My son took the piture and did the PhotoShop work, I just threw them together

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words... Oh Deer

Some Holiday Pictures