Playing catch-up: A dozen highlights (the first half)
Although I’ve continued to provide Flickr photo updates to the blog, I haven’t posted any words since May 15th. So, to catch up on what’s been happening in my life since then, I present the first half of the top dozen highlights of May and June 2009 (in chronological order).
: : : : :
1. One year anniversary of eating a (mostly) vegetarian diet. (Okay, pescatarian, if you want to be specific.)
In May of 2008, I finally decided that it was easier to just give up land-based meats than it was to constantly worry about whether the beef was grass-fed and local, the chickens being free-range and fed organic feed, and the pork being raised in a humane manner. And it turns out that it’s healthier, cheaper, and leaves a much, much smaller carbon footprint to eat this way. I still eat seafood and love it – being raised on it makes it hard to give up – but I’m also careful about purchasing only wild-caught fish, as opposed to farm-raised versions (although farm-raised bivalves are a particularly beneficial type of seafood – both environmentally and otherwise).
A year later, I feel noticeably healthier and more energized, I spend less, and I have become a better cook. When you can’t slap a steak on the grill and call it dinner or add bacon to a side-dish and call it finished, it’s becomes much more challenging to cook with just grains and vegetables. Quinoa is now one of my favorite grains (the most complete protein of any grain), beans are a staple in my diet, whole wheat products are my friends, and so many amazing vegetables and fruits grow right here in Oregon that I’m never, ever left wanting for healthy, local produce. It’s been a revelation and, after the first few weeks of eating way too much bread and cheese, my body adjusted and I really no longer crave meat (although finding the smell of bacon to be irresistible must be somehow hard-wired into our bodies!).
Homemade pasta & sauce (7.2009)
: : : : :
2. Two Red Sox games – Two coasts – Four days
Sunday, May 17th – at Seattle (Seattle won 3-2)
Wednesday, May 20th – at Boston (Boston beat Toronto 8-3)
I predicted before the Boston game that David Ortiz would hit his first home run of the season at that game (since I was going to be there, of course!). It was a long-shot bet, since he had gone 40 games and 149 at-bats without one – the longest home run drought of his career. Nevertheless, I was sure that it would happen and told my dad and my friends Jake, CJ, Chris and Sam who were with me at the park that it would happen. And in the fifth inning, Papi’s third at bat of the game, we watched as saw Papi crush his first home run of the year, straight-away to deep center…exactly where we were standing and yelling in the upper part of those centerfield bleacher seats. He’s now hit 9 and seems to have regained his stroke. And we were there!
Papi (6.2005)
: : : : :
3. Spent 10 days on the East Coast visiting with friends, family, Skylar, Hannah, Fenway Park, Onset Island and Martha’s Vineyard.
Plus, got to see my god-daughter Lavery, my sister’s new condo in Roslindale and caught a bunch of striped bass over the course of six days on the water. Can you say happiness?
Top – Sarah & Me :: Middle – Mom & Dad :: Bottom – Hannah & Skylar (5.2009)
: : : : :
4. I started some part-time volunteer work with the Great Green March (www.greatgreenmarch.com) as their Route Planning Manager.
Even the temp agencies in Portland don’t have work for me, so I decided that it was best to just start working for free.
: : : : :
5. Sarah and I road-tripped to Bend, Oregon for the first time.
We drove the Cascades Lakes Highway loop from Wickiup Reservoir and north past Mount Bachelor into Bend. We then explored Tumalo Falls and camped at LaPine State Park. We were there to scout the bike section of Sarah’s upcoming Pacific Crest Triathlon. A beautiful, beautiful landscape.
Along Cascade Lakes Highways southwest of Mt. Bachelor (pictured in background) – (6.2009)
Tumalo Falls, Deschutes National Forest (6.2009)
: : : : :
6. We had a visit from Sarah’s parents for about a week in mid-June.
They were in town to celebrate Annie’s graduation from Portland State University, as well as to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary! Congratulations, Jon and Paula!
While they were here, we did several fun things:
- We watched Sarah and Brian go head-to-head at the Blue Lake Triathlon in Fairview, just outside of Portland. It was a sprint triathlon: 0.5 mile swim, 12 mile bike and a 3 mile run. Sarah finished 2nd in her age group!
Jon, Sarah, Brian, and Paula – Blue Lake Triathlon (6.2009)
The happy silver medalist! (6.2009)
- We visited the historic (and incredibly cool) Timberline Lodge built between 1936 and 1938 by the Works Progress Administration. You might recall it as the lodge featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining.
Timberline Lodge @ 6000 feet on Mt. Hood (6.2009)
- We walked around Trillium Lake.
Trillium Lake (6.2009)
Andy & the Eustis crew (6.2009)
- We went to our first Portland Beavers minor league baseball game at PGE Park in Portland. They are the San Diego Padres AAA affiliate and are part of the Pacific Coast League. They lost…badly. But we had a great time!
PGE Park (6.2009)
: : : : :
Woooohooo! Great to see you guys doing so well! Miss ya.