Of bikes and diapers

Recently got to go mountain biking for the first time in... oh, about a year and a half. The ascent totally kicked my ass, as I haven't done anything more vigorous than a brisk walk since my last bike ride, but the ride was so much fun! From the top of the hill we could see the ocean to the west and various hills to the southeast (some of which we've also ridden to the top of). The descent was long and rolling, which is definitely the best kind. Makes all the work to get to the top seem worth it when you've got a fun descent.

We followed that ride up with a second the following weekend. With all the gear we had to pack, for ourselves and for the baby, it was probably inevitable that we would forget something. This time, it was the diaper bag. D'oh! A quick run over to the grocery store for disposables solved that problem.

I think I felt slightly less silly buying the diapers since, just recently, we switched to disposables at night. We'd only used cloth since using up the initial pack of diapers the hospital gave us. It was amazing how the smell of the disposables brought back memories of that time. Back then, she was such a teeny little thing, a tiny baby burrito, who just ate and slept. Now she's this mobile, babbling creature. Who just removed two of my earrings.

Need to cut back on the rich foods

My triumphant return to mountain biking has been delayed. We really do need the rain, but I wish we could have switched the order of days, so that today's sunny and mild weather came before the driving rain.

Since I didn't have a nice long workout, it was clearly time for me to make all sorts of rich foods. I made bittersweet cranberry brownies, much to R's chagrin. I like them (though they did turn out pretty wet, probably since I used frozen cranberries), but he feels the strong cranberry flavor obscures the chocolate. I'd never taken him to be a chocolate purist before - guess I'm rubbing off on him. Lucky for R, though, there are more brownies in the future, as the chocolate kept seizing up while I was making chocolate popcorn with sea salt. After the first bag of chocolate chips seized up I put the chocolate in the fridge for a future batch of brownies, blamed the splash of cold milk, and started over. When the second (and last) bag of chocolate chips also seized, I had to make the best of it and added some oil to re-liquefy the chocolate. I had to refrigerate the resulting popcorn in order for it to harden, but my grandpa didn't mind. Cool chocolate popcorn is still delicious. (I'm thinking there was too much steam coming out of the double boiler. Cooking with a crying baby tends to mean I'm not paying quite enough attention to what I'm doing.)

To top off the no-exercise-rich-foods weekend, we dined last night on a lovely home made pate. We had been missing the pate at Costco and the local grocery store at our new place doesn't seem to carry it, so this week I resolved that it was finally pate time. Rather incredibly, in my opinion, the little butcher shop by my house didn't carry any sort of liver, so I wound up going across the street and getting a tub of chicken livers for $2. It turned out delicious. So there.

Chicken Liver Pate
Adapted from Jacques Pepin

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 very large shallots, chopped
  
• 12 oz chicken liver
• 1 t herbes de Provence
• 3 big fat cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 t salt
• 1 t fresh ground pepper
• 3 t bourbon

1. Melt butter. Saute shallots until soft. Add liver, herbes de Provence, and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until liver is done (about 2 minutes). Add salt and pepper.

2. Transfer to blender. Add bourbon. Blend until liquid.

3. Pour into a dish. Let cool 1 1/2 hours, then refrigerate overnight to allow pate to set and flavors to develop.

3. Serve on a crusty baguette. Take some to you in-laws to show off you mad cooking skills.

Don't look if you have a weak stomach

So yesterday we were biking down this awesome, fun, incredible bike trail that we just discovered right next to our house. The trail consists of these trails through a tunnel of trees which drop down into a canyon and then climb back out.

At the lowest point in the trail, right were R thought to himself "It would really suck to get injured right here," I hit a rock, my foot slipped off the pedal, and the gear wheel sliced open my leg. I got off my bike, took one look at my leg, and sat down to apply direct pressure and wait for R to come back to get me (and bring the first aid kit).

We then had to walk out of the canyon while our roommate raced home to get the car to pick us up. We then spent several hours in the emergency room. Apparently the place was really freaking busy. Anyway, I got two cute little stitches. My first from things other than surgery. I'm so proud!

We've decided that the garter will need to go on the other leg. Glad I have a long dress!

Bernardo Mountain, before and after

It's amazing how much a year can change a landscape. Last July, we biked up the peak of Bernardo Mountain for the first time. Aside from the incredible view, one of the more memorable parts of the ride was a gully set between two stands of trees, creating a tunnel for us to ride though.

When we returned today to ride the trail again, the tunnel had disappeared. Last fall's fires had bunt the trees to cinders (even the stones looked flame-kissed), and the following rains turned the gully into a treacherous crevasse. The whole trail had to be rerouted, lest the hillside erode even more.

Still, there was a stark, post-apocalyptic beauty to the landscape. Grasses and flowers were taking advantage of the water and additional sunlight, adding green, purple, and yellow to the area's red and black palette. From the higher points on the mountain, one could see houses being rebuilt. Life returns to San Diego.

Hitting the trails

We were able to mountain bike today for the second time this year. The rains of the previous months have softened the canyon's appearance. Trails that were rutted are now smooth, places that were hard-packed are now sandy, the sandy places have acquired greenery. The very edges of the trails are obscured by the verdant growth. The water has brought other changes, as well. Whole sections of the trail have sunk, not to mention the muddy expanses that haven't quite dried yet.

I suppose this happens every year, the renewal of the trail. It is fascinating to watch the changes take place.

Brains!

We were very productive today, on this damp and wonderful day off. R and I had been thinking of perhaps going mountain biking again, but due to the rain (and lingering soreness), we called it off. I then decided that it would be the perfect day to go wedding cake tasting. Being the decisive people that we are, we wound up buying the cake. The place we visited was recommended to us for being and excellent bakery and offering very good prices, so I don't think we could have done better if we had looked all weekend.

We decided to get a chocolate cake with butter cream frosting, with tiers filled, alternately, with chocolate and white chocolate mousse. The outside will have white squiggly lines all over a white base, which reminds me of a brain coral. It should be interesting and tasteful, just what I was looking for. Success!

This one's for the ladies

We went mountain biking for the first time since November and, I kid you not, there are palpably swollen spots on my hiney. Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun. I need to remember to eat breakfast beforehand, though, as apparently I get a little woozy without something in my stomach.

I noticed this time that there were a lot of other female mountain bikers. Usually the women are vastly outnumbered by the men, and they still were, but this time the ratio was something closer to 2 to 3 instead of the usual 1 to 8. I was definitely glad to see them out there. I'm not some sort of radial feminist, demanding equal participation in everything just for its own sake; instead, I'm glad that other women are enjoying something fun, despite it being a more traditionally male sport. Good job, ladies.

The celebratory New Year's Eve post

Here in the A&R household, we've resolved to see in the new year with risotto, mead (the champagne of beers, though it really isn't a beer at all), and video games. I was going to make baked oysters, but one look at the supermarket convinced us to put it off until later in the week. Shopping madness. I was gone all week! What's their excuse?

Being the last day of the year, it's time to look back on the goals I set for myself at its beginning. To recap:

The Goals:

1. Continue exercising several times a week, and don't slack off when school gets busy. Just think of all the complements you got this Christmas, and also keep in mind Grandma's quip about how she hopes they can also expand the ring when you told her about how you had to get it re-sized smaller. Grr.

2. Continue doing the readings for class on time. It really paid off last quarter, so don't get lazy.

3. Get a firm figure on how much money Dad will be contributing to the wedding. We don't want a repeat of what happened when we went of to college, now do we?

4. Reserve a ceremony and reception location and a caterer this summer for next summer's wedding, so that these tasks don't have to be done during the school year.

5. Post, on average, every other day. I think I'll be shooting for every day, but life just gets in the way sometimes.

6. Send people cards on their birthdays.

How I fared:

1. I've actually been quite successful in this endeavor. I slacked off a bit after moving to the new house, but have since recovered since becoming the owner of a nice new treadmill. Our continuing passion for mountain biking, snorkeling, and other outdoor activities has also helped. I haven't really lost any more weight, but have changed shape a bit. I'm just prone to adding muscle, which masks any changes in fat mass.

2. I did my best for the first half of the year, but have since given up. I almost didn't buy the books for my classes this past quarter and somewhat regret doing so (or at least buying all of them). However, most of my classmates have similarly given up, as the books, while containing useful information, have little to do with what we are doing in class and take up valuable time that could be spent planning or sleeping.

3. Not only did I get a figure from my dad, but the money has been sitting in my bank account for the last six months collecting interest. Score! I'm really relieved to have it conveniently accessible for when I actually start making reservations and the like. Oh, February, you can't come fast enough for my taste!

4. I've done the best I can at this one, but unfortunately the place we've picked doesn't finalize its booking schedule until February. We're on the top of the list, but could get bumped by a summer camp or some other big event, however the lady handling the whole affair says that August is normally a calm time so it shouldn't be a problem. The place requires us to use their caterers, so that will be two birds with one stone. We just have to wait a little longer (can you tell I'm slightly antsy for this all to be put in writing already?).

5. Success! I've got a total of 259 entries for the year--more than meeting my goal. Even breaking it down month-by-month, I've still posted (on average) at least every other day. Go me!

6. Medium. I did better than last year, but I still think I could be better at this.

Three in one

Recipe Review: Macaroni and Three Cheeses

If you're looking for a quick recipe, this isn't it. However, if you're looking for something tasty and a step up from mac in a box with orange stuff, you might want to try this out. I think it may have been even better the next day, which is a mark of superior craftsmanship.

You can find the recipe here, so I'll not bother typing it up. I didn't put the bread crumb garnish on top, as I don't think bread crumbs add anything to pasta, but otherwise made it as stated in the recipe. Reviews were positive, so I think I'll keep this recipe. I will, however, be making a few modifications in the future. The dish could use a little more bite and personality, so I'll probably put in a little chili powder. Additionally, I may sprinkle some cheese on top so that the dish can have the crunchy top layer that it was supposed to have.

Fridge Friday VI: The top

Ah, yes. The top of the fridge. Home to whatever fruit I need to ripen (in this case, an avocado destined for grated carrot salad with avocado) and, only recently, the cat. He only figured out how to get up there this week and is still slightly unsure of whether or not he is supposed to be up there. Often times when one of us pass by we'll startle the cat, who then proceeds to try to hop up into the crevice between the cabinets and the ceiling, a space that is much too small for him to fit into. It's pretty funny to watch.

LaBloShoeMo

These dusty, filthy, slightly urine-splattered shoes are my mountain biking shoes. R and I fell in love with Solomon brand shoes after his brother gave him a pair of boots. They're really comfortable and have huge tread on the bottom, meaning they're perfect for keeping one attached to the pedals of their bike. Sure, I could get clip-in shoes, but you have to be sure you're not going to fall, because it's hard to detach yourself midway through the air. I'm just not ready to take that leap of faith yet.

That which is precious

The fires took something special to me. No, I didn't lose my house and nor did anyone I know personally (though one of the evacuated friends who was staying with us got to watch a couple of houses he helped build burn down). What the fires took were bike trails.

We knew it was going to happen. The bike trails in San Diego run through brush-filled canyons, which happen to be the same places fire likes to travel. One of our favorite rides of late had burned during the Cedar fire, and the remaining charred skeletons of trees surrounded by new growth gave the place a post-apocalyptic beauty.

I'm sure this will happen in time to the trails that burned in this most recent fire, but for now they are just charred. We were going to ride on one of the burned trails today, partly because it is a fun ride and partly out of curiosity to see the destruction first-hand. It turns out the trail is closed due to fire damage. How the fire damaged dirt and rocks, I will perhaps never know. I suppose they're concerned that people will not know where the trails are, due to the lack of foliage.

The silver lining was that we discovered a rather fun trail at a site we previously considered somewhat uninteresting. We had previously thought that this new trail was short and therefore not worth riding, but it wound up being quite long and fun, full of scenic views and technical trails.

Why I love my hometown/Why I hate my hometown

Although I write to you now from San Diego, I spent the majority of my childhood in a place called Davis.

I love Davis. It was an incredible place to grow up. Being the bike capital of the world, housing more bikes than people even, it was a great place to not have your driver's license. One could get nearly anywhere by bike, often not even traveling the bike lanes on the roads, but instead taking one of the many greenbelts that traverse the city.

Part of the reason that Davis is so bike friendly is because it is flat. Dead flat. The only hills are overpasses. R, a San Diego native, considers this flatness to be a great detractor. I, on the other hand, feel the flatness makes it easier to see great distances. Unlike in San Diego, the Davis sky is wide and dark at night, allowing one to clearly see the stars. Part of this is due to special street lights designed to reduce light pollution, since the Wiccans wanted to see the stars. They certainly had a direct line to the mayoral office, seeing as we had, for a long while, a lesbian Wiccan mayor. My dad secretly voted for her. My mom was very angry when B and I finally told her, even though the vote was many years past and my parents had been long divorced.

On the other hand, Davis does suck somewhat. Davis is so liberal that it is conservative. As tends to happen on the extreme ends of the political spectrum, people with differing views are ridiculed and scorned. Discussion (real discussion, not just voicing one's opinion and then ignoring what the other person has to say), compromise, finding common ground--these things just don't happen. If my mother didn't have tenure at her old school, the principal probably would have fired her for daring to voice her opinion that perhaps a video showing all the different sorts of families (hetero parents, single parents, gay parents) shouldn't be shown to kindergartners and it should instead be the parents job to talk with their children about such things when they feel it is appropriate. I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with her opinion, but she should still be allowed to express it without fear of repercussions. Even though there is a moderate population of people who are of a political preference other than Democrat, one does not voice such opinions in Davis unless you know your audience very well.

Between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice

Though many places in this hemisphere are experiencing dramatic changes in the foliage and snows, seasons in San Diego are a more subtle affair. The easiest way to mark the passage of time is the change in daylight. I've had to wear a light second layer on the way to work for the last week, but by the time I arrive it is no longer necessary.

My bike excursion this morning took me though a local canyon that happens to have a stream winding though it. This extra water supports a few deciduous trees, which were doing their best to turn greenish-yellow and scatter a few dry leaves about. In a few parts, the trail had a thick enough layer of leaves that it made a nice crackling sound as I rode over it.

As I made my way home, I noticed that the trees lining the streets were also changing color and dropping a few leaves, a fact that had eluded me until now due to my early morning departures and late night returns. I realized that the persimmon tree in my back yard, full of orange fruit and devoid of leaves, was actually doing what is natural and not, as I had feared, dying.

Fall has arrived in San Diego.

Too much homework!

Here, enjoy some lovely pictures from Montana.


Some lake.


We biked up to this waterfall.


A cloud that looked like a malevolent jellyfish.


"Grr. I shall float over you in a menacing manner."

Quote of the day

R: "You need to avoid those high-impact sports, like lap swimming. Stick with mountain biking."

Yes, I managed to mess up my knee while lap swimming. I think it has something to do with the way I thrash around. I had to miss the weekend's mountain biking to allow it time to recover.

"I guess it's just one of those days"

Said the member of our biking posse when I clocked myself with the car door while loading up for our bike ride. Indeed, it turned out to be one of those days, with two people falling. Luckily, only minor scrapes were received and fun was to be had by all.

Almost made our friend's dad black out, though.

Excerpts from this weekend's biking

R: "You're going to be riding on the roof of the car on the way home."

Other guy: "No need, there was some fennel. Cleans and makes your ass smell like licorice."

Ah, what wholesome, intellectual conversations we have.

Red badge of courage

I'm a real mountain biker now. I've got the wounds to prove it.


(I've also got some rather impressive bruises now, but this photo was taken right after I got home, before they had a chance to really bloom).

We were on an afternoon ride at the trail near our house. As I was traveling down a narrow and rocky descent, my front tire slipped off the path. I tried to get it back on, then bailed, as I could tell that bike was going down. I wound up doing a belly flop onto the path. R was out of site, so I got myself up and rode the rest of the way through the narrow section to where he had stopped. I got off my bike, bleeding, and started to tell him what happened. I passed out and fell (towards the descending side of the hill), my bike falling on top of me. R said that my life flashed before his eyes, and he leaped into action, pulling the bike off of me and helping me over to the other, safer side of the path. To me though, one fuzzy moment after I was looking at my bloody knee, I found myself sitting by the side of the path, trying to figure out whether or not R had noticed that I had just experienced some missing time. I'm always trying to play it cool like that.

In any case, R bandaged me up and, after a rest, we were back on our way. Can't just poop out in the middle of nowhere, now can I?

In the nick of time

Yesterday I joined the Camelbak club. All the guys had them, and I was starting to run out of water with only my water bottle, so it was high time I got one. While I was shopping I also picked up a small first aid kit to keep in my pack. We hadn't needed so far, but it's good to be prepared, and since R had all the bike repair equipment it was my task to have the people repair equipment. I got to break out the kit almost immediately, as today we ran across a couple of jumps that someone had constructed on a flat part of the trail. We decided to try them out and one of our party wound up falling dramatically and taking a good sized chunk out of his shin! I have to say, though, that the medical kit seemed a bit skimpy. I'm really going to have to pimp that baby out. Multiple rolls of tape, more packets of antibiotic ointment, syringe for snake venom extraction... You know, the works.

When life throws you lemons...

... it's polite not to post about them. Well, actually, it isn't me who received the lemons, so much as my sister. One of her friends, in truth an ex she was very close with, died this weekend. I could tell you about my weekend (biking, BBQ, Pirates 3), but it all seems very mundane. I could also tell you more about B's weekend, how her ex's mother called her right after she got the call and they both rushed down to the ICU to sit by his bedside all Saturday until he died, but I won't. Not only does death lead me to say inappropriate things, but my feelings on this one are decidedly conflicted. You see, my sister's ex died because he was driving drunk without a seat belt on. So, you all be safe out there. Don't celebrate too hard.

Latest firsts

- Ate my first soft shell crab on Friday. I took R out on a date for some sushi and we decided to order the soft shell crab roll. You could see the little crabby face at one end of the roll and all the legs sticking out the other. Really tasty!

- Put my chain back on my bike for the first time yesterday. The first time it happened to me I had to have one of the guys do it, but since then I've seen it done several times (happens frequently while mountain biking), so I was just able to reach down and do it myself. Three cheers for self-sufficiency!

- Installed my first shower head this morning. The one that came with this place had the teeny tiniest stream of water, so it definitely had to go. Replacing the shower head turned out to be incredibly easy, and so this morning I had the most glorious shower.

- Built my first computer yesterday... Well, sort of. I put some parts from my old one into R's old computer, so it wasn't as though I built it straight from scratch. Plus I got a lot of help from R (though I did do pretty much all of the work myself). I've since been installing all the programs I can't live without. Really time consuming, but it is nice to start fresh every once in a while, and get rid of all the old programs that I used to use ( [cough]Sims2[cough] ).