Learning about produce, starting with peaches

One of the reasons I agreed to move to Tallahassee was the close proximity to real peaches. There are those of you in the lower 48 that take your peaches for granted. Alaska has a hard time getting good peaches. While in Alaska, I have had a few decent peaches. A little sweet, sometimes some juice, but I knew there had to be more to it.

Last Saturday we went to a sidewalk market and I bought a bag of peaches. The peaches were hard, which gave me a bit of anxiety, harking back to my Alaska peach experience. But I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I decided to try one in the car; I was that worried about it being an Alaskan peach. Oh my, oh my, oh my! It was already better than every peach I had ever had in Alaska. It was juicy and slightly sweet and the texture! I was starting to understand why people liked this fruit. Even to my untrained palate it was obviously not completely ripe, but on its way.

So today I went through the rest of the bag and discovered the bruised peaches were the sweetest and those not bruised were just a little less sweet. Oh, man, I am in peach heaven. Imagine if I lived in a high peach producing area! I am thinking we might need to take a little road trip in a few weeks. I’ll see what peach stands need my help!

Does anyone know if you can have too many peaches? You know, like you can have too many pineapples?

Cable, cable, cable...

We had satellite for nine and a half years and we rarely had problems with reception and when we did it was always related to the weather. In the condo it was wind and heavy rain. At the house it was heavy snowfalls.

We have had cable for two and a half months. We have had approximately the same number of problems during that time as we had for the entire nine and a half years we had satellite.

In Juneau, choosing satellite made economic sense. It looks like it will be for different reasons in the lower 48.

Along the same vein, we chose to not get a dvr with our cable because the price was so much higher. We are now regretting that decision, because I start to watch “my stories” and I do not want to miss the end. And now they really know how to keep you glued, because they start the next show just after the first bit of credits start from the last show. You almost do not have time to grab the remote.

What are my stories you ask? Pretty much anything Law & Order related and a few copycat shows. Which pretty much means there is always something on to watch.

Up-Coming Travel

Derek's new job entails a lot of travel. A LOT! He has already traveled a number of times this spring and the remainder of the summer will not be any different. We had always planned to go with him a few times to take advantage of the road system (LOVE it! :) The foot and unsold house thing has dampened my enthusiasm somewhat. However, he will still travel! I will hopefully be walking by July when he will be going to DC!

I was wondering if anyone would like to join us at one of his destinations. I know we will be traveling in the heat of summer, but it cannot be helped. If there is somewhere else close to these locations you could meet, let me know!

mid-July in Washington, DC
early August in Montgomery, AL
mid- to late August in Atlanta, GA

Email me for specific dates (Derek is paranoid about posting them) if you are interested in meeting up with us.

Zucchini

Here is Molly in her lovely new "zuchini."

She really had no concept as to what the big deal was about bikini's. I kept telling her I wanted to see her cute belly sticking out of her bikini.

Derek thought it was funny that she already knew how to sashay her butt around. But really, it is the here's-my-belly-"bizuchini"-dance.

The 4 year-old mind

I love this stop motion video. It is a basically a sales video, but it is not a slick production.

I thought Molly would like it as well. Mid-way through the video I realized, nope, no go. She asked at every new scene what is it? What's that? What's happening? What's going on?

We turned it off.

Boring and Bored

We still have not sold our Juneau home.

My mom arrived and did most of the cooking and left.

My in-laws are here.

I had a purple cast for 5 weeks. Now I have a removable walking boot. I have to wait at least another 5 weeks, maybe longer, before I can walk.

H2O

In my experience, when you need hot water, you run the tap until the cold water runs out and the hot water reaches your faucet. Now that it is starting to get warm in Florida, I have noticed the water in the pipes is warm for a while before I get cold water. This is the first time I have had to wait for cold water.

Capital Regional Medical Center

Valet service at a hospital? For a moment I thought I was in California. Then we walked into the rotunda entryway, complete with green stonework and wood paneling. It must be California.

This surgery was different than any I have experienced before. The pre-op procedure was the most thorough collection of my medical history I have ever experienced. Everything was discussed from my adenoids being removed to ulna nerve problems and my oxycodone intolerance. The next day the anesthesiologist asked me a few questions and we found one that pre-op missed, my past hiatal hernia issues. Apparently hiatal hernia's can be a problem with general anesthesia. So, I took some disgusting liquid to get rid of any remaining acid in my stomach (which, btw, was described as tasting like SweetTarts, yeah right SweetTarts!) and a Pepcid to prevent future acid.

The orthopedic surgeon performing the ORIF told me a few choices I had regarding anesthesia, which were then contradicted by the anesthesiologist. I was dismayed at the complete lack of communication between the doctors. In Juneau, I have heard anesthesiologists and doctors have a professional disagreement about my care, but at least they were talking.

The hospitals chaplain joined Derek and I for a moment before I was taken away. He kindly talked to us about where we might be religiously in our future (turns out 25 years ago he was throwing up and in a fetal position on the floor asking for gods help, not exactly the same position we were in) and then said a prayer for my surgery. Hmm, I can hear my father groaning now.

I went in at 9:30 am and they were telling me the time again at 2 pm, so the surgery was around four hours long. My doctor told Derek he was able to use less screws, etc then he expected because once he moved one of my metatarsals the rest moved back into place, he left one permanent screw to fuse a section of mangled bones together, three larger temporary screws, and I have one spot where the cartilage was badly damaged (which might give me arthritis trouble later in life.) Some good news, some bad, but at least this surgery is behind me.

Recuperating over the last few days has been boring, tiring, painful, and drugged all at the same time. This is the first time I have actually felt pain reliever work. I have always skipped pain meds after surgery because it didn't change anything. This time I am all about the pain med schedule.

Now I am on the long road to recovery. I really appreciate all of the good wishes everyone is sending my way. It really helps!

Spencer

Spencer, Spencer, Spencer...

What can I say about Spencer? He is handling the transition, at times very well and other times not so much. Tonight, at bedtime, he just decided he was done with me. He crawled off the bed and ran to Derek. Next thing I know, he's screaming for "Mama" in his room. Derek spent an hour in Spencer's room with him screaming. Spencer then ran to me and, after laying with me for a bit, started screaming "Daddy!"

Still Sunny

I still remember moving to Alaska in the middle of summer. I could read all night long without a lamp! Wonderful! While in Fairbanks, it was lovely. The sun would never come up or it was up all the time. I loved it. Of course, I was in college so my schedule was pretty flexible. In Juneau we never saw it because it was overcast most of the time. When the sun was out everyone kind of goes fever pitch crazy, trying to be out in it as much as possible. Derek once commented three weeks into a sunny spell that he could not wait for it to rain again so he did not have to feel obligated to go outside all the time.

Since our arrival, we have heard constantly that this is the best time of the year; this is the prettiest time of the year, etc. Derek and I see the trees don’t have any leaves and a few azalea’s and cherry tree’s blooming, but not enough to knock your socks off. Finally someone explained that Tallahassans (Tallahasseeans?) hate the sun. It gets so hot in the summer that the cooler period is much looked forward to and appreciated.

Since our arrival the trees have started to leaf and wisteria is blooming. Together they make a very pretty package. Our apartment is in the middle of a nature walk that looks like it would be quite nice to walk or ride a bike through. I think by the time I am able to walk, it will be very hot, but I hear mornings are a great time to get outside (or the only time.) When I am able, I will let you know.