Archive for June 5-11 , 2000Musings of My Mind
Sunday, June 11, 2000
Recipe UpdateNetwidows Recipe Page!!
Yes, indeed-- we are up and operating!! After much anticipation, our new Netwidows Recipe Page is working and available. No, there aren't a whole lot of recipes up there yet but, we're working on it. Give us time-- soon, you'll have so many that you'll end up staring at the cupboard the way we do: wondering what to fix!!
Strange Day
Up early and had a hot breakfast-- for a change! Then, off for a bike ride-- did 6 miles, thanks for asking! Then, as I was about to take a shower, what happens to my computer? Oh, yes, the fateful BSOD!!! How fun, eh? A simple reboot fixed the problem-- at least as far as we can tell-- so, after my shower, its on to the grocery store for fruits and vegetables (mostly) and then back home again.
Sorry so short but I've had a busy morning and I've got another thing or two to do before the day is done!
Have a good day and evening!!
Bob Thompson, not to be outdone by JHR, has contributed his own recipe which has been added to the Daynotes section of the Netwidows Recipe Page. Wonders will never cease, eh? And, of course, the stark simplicity reminds us all too well of why he gets grumpier and grumpier every time Barbara goes on a trip!
Saturday, June 10, 2000Miscellaneous
As reported earlier by Brian, we're done with our errand-running for the weekend (already!)-- made the trip to Costco when it first opened but still had a bit of a line to deal with on our way out. Still, we hadn't bought meat in over a month so the bare essentials were required. I added in a couple of books (well, I am reading again!) and movies and Brian threw in his chocolate fix.
After that, I worked on the recipe page a bit (which will be launched tomorrow-- more in a bit on that) and after Brian split out the meats into the freezer portions, prepared the strawberries. Yes, it is time for the Once-a-Year-Whether-I-Need-To-Or-Not strawberry shortcake.
My sister and I had a discussion about this the other night. If you'll recall, I am not that crazy about strawberries so my sentiments don't tend to lean in the preservation direction. I told my sister that we (the other Netwidows and I) were putting up a recipe page and she thought that was a cool idea. She asked what I was going to put on it and I said that I'd put up the recipes I use most often and a few of the "specialties". "Like what?" she asked innocently. "Like the strawberry shortcake recipe", I replied. "NO, you won't!!! Your mother would roll over in her grave!!!" Well, we can't have that now, can we? So, sorry but the FAMILY strawberry shortcake recipe won't be posted on the INTERNET. (Okay, Karen???)
In a hushed whisper: You see a long time ago, in a land far, far away from California (more specifically, Michigan), Karen gave away the Family strawberry shortcake recipe away and Mom didn't talk to her for months!! NOW Karen is very protective of the recipe for good reason: 14 years ago when my Mom died, the Internet wasn't even a twinkle in Al Gore's eye <g> yet so to POST the family recipe would be a heinous thing to do indeed!!
The Netwidows' Recipe Page
Will be launched later tomorrow. A few minor tweeks: Keri and Wendy will be maintaining their own pages and linking into the mainsite; Leah will probably do the same. Barbara and I are going to post from the main Recipe site and, as I've just found out, Delanae doesn't cook so her page will say exactly that! A few recipes to flesh out the pages to start and we're ready to rock-n-roll so you'll be able to see it tomorrow.
Speaking of which, I'd better get to it!
Have a good evening!
Friday, June 9, 2000Short-ish Post
I've already done my cycling for the night (five and no problems!)-- it makes a huge difference when shifting gears, y'know? I suppose that's why they put them there. Now, the thing is that I have figured out what "cadence" is: its when I almost lose control because I have the gear set too low and start going too fast! Yeesh!!
Anyway, Keri has re-thought the location of the Recipe Page for Netwidows based on the problems that ITool is causing and websites needing to be moved, etc. so, I'm going to be finishing up the construction on the Netwidows Recipe Page afterall. Hopefully, that'll be launched later this weekend-- I'm going to have some fun putting it together the rest of the way!
Other than that, nothing is new and exciting except that it is already another weekend and I'm not complaining!! Three weeks to the next four-day weekend/three-day work week and then vacation again! Rough life, eh? I can dig it!
More later if the time permits . . . have a great evening!
Thursday, June 8, 2000
(Cycling Update)So Here's A Chuckle For Ya!!
I am out riding my bicycle last night, diligently cycling my five miles and, because I am not a spring chicken (although I wouldn't begin to go down that road if I were you!), I think nothing of the fact that my legs start to hurt a little after the first mile and then, my knees start to hurt a bit after the next mile and then my gluteus maximus really starts to hurt but then, you know what they say: "No pain, No gain!" so I really think nothing more of it. Until tonight . . . oh, you know what? There's this "thingy" almost like a knob on my bicycle handle bars . . . if you push it one way, it makes the pedaling a little easier! How about that?? What will they think of next?? Man, this modern technology, eh?
Okay, John and Barbara-- stop laughing!!!
It never occurred to me to change gears-- I've just been struggling along! I guess this means that I don't get to buy the skinny-tired bicycle since it has 18 gears and I'd probably only use one!! Yeesh!! Needless to say, making the five was a lot easier tonight.
I've decided that I'm going to do at least five miles every night and then increase it to the next one mile increment after five days at that level. That way, when I miss a day or two, I don't have to go all the way back to square one (the five mile route) in order to get any exercise.
Doctors!
I had my annual physical today-- and why is it that women are better at getting these "annually" than men???? Yeah, that's a question that'll stump 'em on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"!! But, I digress... my blood tests are back, and except for my triglycerides being a "little" high, I'm fine so far. I've got the x-rays and a final lab test or two to endure but, all in all, I'll live. My thyroid is still a little too high so we're going to nurse that along for another month or so and then, do another blood test to see if we need to "activate" the T4 which seems to have gone "dormant" or whatever the medical term is-- Yo, Doc Jim!!!! Help us out here!!
I was on time for my appointment and waited 45 minutes before I was taken into the office; everyone is polite about apologizing for "unforeseen delays" but, it is a doctors' office and how many days go by without "unforeseen delays"??
Okay, these are all rhetorical rants not intended to get Jim Crider to respond for the entire medical profession!
Recipe Page Construction
After starting a preliminary draft, Keri Beland has taken over the construction of the Recipe Page for the Netwidows-- makes sense since the page will be similarly based from the Netwidows page. You will be appropriately updated as things progress so hang on to your shorts-- it'll be along directly.
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After all of that, I'm off to do a little correspondence and writing and reading and whatever else I can do to get myself in trouble tonight! How about you?
So, I've head from John Doucette:
Subject: GearsIts nice to know that I provide "comic relief" to the Canadians, eh? Knock it off, John!!!
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 2000
From: John Doucette
To: Marcia BilbreyI am still laughing, doubly so because you told me to stop laughing.
Now on the serious side the use of the gears has two uses. One to provide you with the ability to set the gear ratio at a level you can comfortably pedal in all conditions - uphill, into the wind, with the wind. Secondly and the one missed by most is to allow you to maintain a steady cadence ( the number of revolutions you pedal per minute ). I normally pedal about 80 - 90 RPM. That's 40-45 pedal strokes per leg per minute. Experiment a bit to find out what works for you. You will also find if you haven't already that you can go faster with a gear that allows you to have higher cadence than running higher gear with a lower cadence.Hmmm . . . me thinks this is getting very complicated! All I want to do is ride my bicycle and he starts talking to me about "cadence". Isn't that a software company? What do I know of cadence? I did, upon reaching the crest of a hill, move the lever (pronounced with a long "e" sound, don'tcha know?) to provide more resistance on the pedals. I think this was a good thing if only because it kept my legs from flying and flailing all over the place going downhill!!Oh, okay, John-- I'll be sure to keep an eye on my cadence next time-- you betcha!! Yeesh!!
As usual, thanks for writing and giving me a grin in return!
Wednesday, June 7, 2000Catch-Up!!
There is nothing sooooo frustrating as having the DSL mail server go down!!! ARGH!!! I've got mail criss-crossing the country two and three days late!! Barbara and I have been trying to organize and collect our thoughts on the "Recipe Page" concept and we keep having our emails cross and re-cross just a titch off kilter! Its very frustrating but, they ("The Powers That Be at PBI") say it is fixed so we'll have to hope it is for the time being at least!
Working
Work has been going fast-n-furious again-- it doesn't take long when its end of the quarter time! Since I support the Southeast, it doesn't help any when the Atlanta office loses their phones for a day! I got an email from the AVP that said he wanted closure on three or four agreements today. I explained that they couldn't be closed if I couldn't talk with him to get closure-- worst case scenario, he would have to respond to my emails about the suggested changes and counter-suggestions I was giving the customer. However, no response so I'll have to hope that the phones are up tomorrow!
Keep Your Eye on THIS Space!!
As mentioned above, Barbara and I have been trying to organize the Recipe Page for the Netwidows. While we've got some good ideas working in the right direction, it'll still take time to implement and put everything together. I'm looking forward to it-- I enjoy putting a website together!
Tuesday, June 6, 2000Email Problems
If you've sent me an email and think I'm being stuck-up because I haven't responded, think again: PBI email is down AGAIN!! Please re-send your email to me at mlbilbrey@yahoo.com-- I'll get it there, for sure! Rumor has it that Brian and Tom are working on some kind of new email-thang that will have each of our accounts generating our own email server! YEAH!!! I can't wait!!!
Meanderings . . .
You'll notice above that the Meanderings link is highlighted-- our trip highlights and pictures from camping this past weekend are posted.
Bicycling
It had been five days since I'd been on my bike but, I got out there tonight and did my five miles. I'm sore and my back is stiffening as I sit here to write this update! All-in-all, however, I didn't do all that badly. I didn't stop anymore frequently and, I did, at one point pass someone (that's twice now!) so I'm doing something right, for sure!
Work is back!!
Whoops! That's supposed to be "I'm back to work!" Oh, well-- it wasn't fun to sit down in front of the computer today. I'm still cleaning up end of the month things and end of the quarter is upon us, and bearing down fast and hard! Lots of deals to close before the end of the quarter, for sure!
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Well, I've got nothing major planned for the evening except a good soak in the tub. I'm going to try to continue in Barbara Kingsolver's "The Poisonwood Bible" tonight-- if I keep at it, maybe I'll be able to get into it!
Have a great evening!
Monday, June 5, 2000I need another vacation!
I'm already tired after being back only a few hours!! I've been trying to build the Meanderings Page "trip report" from our weekend camping trip. Fun was definitely had by all. I think I say this every time that we come back from a camping trip: I do enjoy it and every time we go to a new park, I want to stay in that park EVERY year!!
Again, our reservations were handled by ReserveAmerica and, again, the reservation went off without a hitch. In fact, I was almost left with the impression of "Oh, you're the Bilbreys!!" when we pulled up-- intimating what we all know is true: because we used the web to make our reservations, we must be the smartest human beings on two feet!
It was, as usual, wonderful-- scenic views and I even read a book on top of the magazines that I brought along. Anna Quindlen's "Black and Blue" that Brian had given to me as a birthday gift in 1999!! I read that on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning-- I'm not as fast a reader as Brian is! I also got a little further in the Barbara Kingsolver's book, "The Poisonwood Bible", that my in-laws gave to me on the same birthday. (I usually love Kingsolver's work-- I swear I've read everything she's written-- but I'm having a difficult time getting into this book. It is unlike anything else she's written so it isn't her typical style, either.)
Confession!!
Related to the above, I haven't been able to really sit and concentrate long enough to read anything more than magazines in the last 15 months. Prior to that, I was an avid, fast reader that would absorb a book almost as quickly as Brian does and rush to pick up the next. BUT, since we quit smoking . . . I know-- its a terrible excuse/reason!! I just haven't been able to sit and read and do nothing but read since we quit.
Obviously, this weekend proved that excuse/reason to be a thing of the past. I was quite amazed that, given its subject matter, I was able to get into the book, theme, plot and characters in order to breeze my way through "Black and Blue" without getting frustrated and bored and throwing it down!
This is a good thing-- I need to stop blaming quitting smoking on things like not being able to read a book or lose weight or whatever. It isn't a reason or an excuse-- its a crutch and I've got to get over-- the rental has long since expired!
Speaking of that . . .
. . . one thing I noticed this weekend is that my lungs, while I enjoy the smell of a campfire, don't like the way that they feel after sitting in the midst of it for two nights! I really could feel that which reinforces two things: 1) I canNOT smoke cigarettes anymore so its a good thing that I quit and 2) I couldn't have sat in the forest fire that was on the other side of the mountains from this campground last year. It was a good thing that we moved our reservation to another park!
And one last thing related to excuses . . . I've lost 7.9 pounds on Weight Watchers and I'm very pleased with myself. It has been a long process to lose even that much but, when you consider that I wasn't losing anything on "diets" independently, I'm very pleased with these results. Its been over two months and, while that's not very fast, that's okay. I don't want it to come back on fast either so the slower that I lose it, the less of a chance that has to happen!
Anyway, tomorrow it'll be back to bike riding-- cycling-- as usual and I'll keep losing weight.
One Final Word:
GO . . . Meanderings . . .READ
Okay, so I can't count!!
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