Home for Christmas (2006)

Well...we're back home now after a week in Cincinnati visiting our families. On the way to Cincinnati we hooked-up with Jane's brother in Breezewood and convoyed to Cincinnati. The drives out and back were okay--no complaints. We arrived in Cincinnati last Saturday and enjoyed dinner at my niece's house. On Christmas Eve my whole family gathered at my older brother's house and we had dinner and opened presents. Among our holiday traditions are tasting my Dad's homemade italian sausage (this year's batch was exceptional) and the game Me Got-Me Want-Me Take. This game must have originated some time in antiquity because it sounds like Caesar's Veni-Vidi-Vici and, as the number of presents dwindle, is played with the same ruthlessness--jokingly of course and everyone has a good time. I'll write out the rules for playing Me Got-Me Want-Me Take on some future post. I always enjoy my all to short and infrequent visits with my siblings at Christmas. On Christmas Day we sat around my parents living room (Mom, Dad and Astro are pictured above) and opened presents. In the afternoon, we moved over to Jane's sister's house and had second Christmas. We opened presents, met Jane's sister's recently adopted puppy, Eliot (Jane with Eliot in her lap are shown at left) and had a great dinner of steak and tater tots. We all sat around and played Scene-It, a game that Judy got this year for Christmas. All of us played against Jane's brother who is a trivia maven and movie buff, but we managed to win one game. We had a great time with our relatives and were sad we couldn't spend more time.

We went on a couple of outings. One to Findlay Market, a Cincinnati landmark with a farmer's market in the summer and year round specialty food shops. Findlay Market was renovated a few years ago and it was nice to see that there is a substantial retail trade going on there but the downtown area surrounding Findlay Market is still deeply depressed by urban blight. We were there the day after Christmas and all, or mostly all the stores were closed for the day. We had made the trip to Findlay Market with Jane's brother who wanted to purchase Cincinnati sausage and cottage ham to bring back home. So when we saw that all the stores were closed we quickly improvised a plan B.

Plan B was a visit to Mount Adams, an oasis for the hip and trendy in Cincinnati nestled on a hilltop overlooking the downtown skyline. Here, the stores were open but the streets were completely isolated-there was no sign of people going about their daily activities. The ghost-townish feeling was was just a tad eerie. I took the picture of the church steeples (see below) while we walked aroung the deserted streets of Mount Adams.

Lastly, we desperately wanted to go on hike and scheduled a day trip to Miami Whitewater Forest, a park approximately 30 minutes from my parents house. The trails were okay, not exactly what we were looking for but it was a nice sunshiny day and as the temperatures warmed we felt great to be outside getting some exercise. On the way back, we took a side trip to Oxford, Ohio to have lunch and drive around Miami University. Elroy was with us but didn't really have much interest in exploring the campus but wanted to get back to grandma's house to watch TV and play with his cousins. The woodsy picture below was taken at Miami Whitewater. Sadly, we departed on Friday. Today as I'm writing this post it is New Years Eve---Whoopee!!!! We'll be fixing appetizers for dinner; pigs-in-a-blanket, pop-in-your-mouth sausage balls, shrimp and cocktail sauce, cheeses and plenty of chips and dip to complement the champagne my Dad provided. Sooo, if anyone reads this post---we wish you a very happy and healthy New Year.

Running Log (12-30-2006)

The Friday before we left for Cincinnati was a 16 mile run--and so two weeks ago was approximately 28 miles. Over our Christmas vacation Jane and I ran three times for around a total of 16 miles and this Saturday did 11-ish on the Rock Creek Trail for another 27-28 miles. I'll have to pick-up my mileage this first week of the new year.

I think Jane and I will target the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Marathon & 50K, which will be held on March 3rd, 2007. The next question is whether we do the marathon (26.2 miles) or go for the 50k (31 miles). I think we can decide in real time as were running. Okay, so we have a goal.....that is the first step!!

Christmas Cookies!!!

Whew! I finally left work today at 12:30 pm and don't plan to go back until January 2nd. Yesterday was our Christmas skit, which several of us had spent around a week writing (just silly spoofs and funny songs) and a whole hour rehearsing. Anyway, I came home and together with Jane put together a couple of cookie trays for some of our neighbors that Elroy and Judy will deliver tonight. Judy and I had worked hard over the past week baking and decorating cookies with quite a few successes and a couple less-than-stellar end-products--however when the basic ingredients are butter, sugar, flour, and egg one can hardly do badly. Here is a picture of the cookies....not bad for our first attempt at multi-cookie Christmas baking. Included are sugar cookie cut-outs (Christmas trees, stars and bells), chocolate covered peanut butter balls, Amish raisen cookies, pistachio and cranberry biscotti dipped in white chocolate, chocolate-chip-toffee, black and white, and crisp chocolate bites.

Running Log 12-19 and 12-20-2006

I been having a little difficulty updating the blog--between making cookies (look for pictures of these soon), work and the kids schedules the past couple weeks have been hectic. I currently have a backlog of posts to enter, but these will have to wait until the end of the week or next week when the family is in Cincinnati, Ohio for the holiday break. Anyway, I did want to make a quick post to the Running Log. Yesterday and today I ran 6 uneventful miles. Jane and I will do a long run on Friday, soooo Thursday will be a rest day. On Saturday we'll be on the road--therefore this week's total will be around 28 miles.

Running Log forWeek of 12-10 through 12-16-2006

Saturdays are dirt trail runs through beautiful Rock Creek State Park. Jane and I almost always run together on Saturday mornings with our trail group buddies (a few are pictured at left). However, today Jane and I ran alone (due to scheduling problems). Mileage on trail runs are always approximate but today I'm giving myself 12 miles, although I may have done a little more than that. I was out 2 hours and 16 minutes, but some parts of the run were walking, some were scrambling up shear rock cliffs 50 feet above the Rock Creek. It was a nice run, but I was really tired at the end. Over that last 7 day period I ran approximately 43 miles, and that is a lot for me. Next week will be less.

Running Log 12-14-2006

Had another run with Jane yesterday morning. We were out for 1 hour and 6 minutes for approximately 6.4 miles. The temperature at the start was ~40 with heavy fog which made for a nice run. I used my Adidas everyday shoe. It was nice running along Rock Creek Park as the fog gently lifted. Today is a rest day, no running. Wednesday was a good day for the Elroy and Judy. Elroy wrestled on the varsity squad and won his match despite getting mat bruises on his arm (the result of a vicious take-down), getting his shoulder wrenched a little and throwing-up. It seemed like he had a good time and I'll try to get some pictures posted over the weekend. Judy ran in a developmental meet and tried the 2 mile run for the first time in indoor track. She ran ~13:25, which she was happy with and thinks she can do better once she gets the pacing down.

Judy told me that these Running Log posts were boring. Hey, like I said earlier, they just for me. But I thought I would jazz this post up with a couple pictures of Desiree Ficker.

Running Log 12-13-2006

Today Jane and I went out for a nice, approximately 6.34 mile, run. We left the house around 6:15 am, the weather was ~50, there was substantial ground fog that turned into a nice, gentle rain about halfway through the run. We we're out about 1 hour, 7 minutes--which is about right for an approximate 10 minute pace. I wore Adidas Supernova shoes and felt very relaxed--my hip has not been a problem, during the run or afterward.

Jane and I had watched a former MCRRC member, Desiree Ficker, finish second in the ultimate Ironman Triathalon Competition in Hawaii recently and her performace has been a source of motivation in my recent running activities. Anyway, she has a blog-website that....well promotes her of course, but also gives some interesting training tips if I ever decide to do a triathalon. Let's see....first, learn to swim.

Running Log 12-12-2006

I had a nice 6 mile jog today while at EPN. I went out around 10:30, got back at 11:30 so I'm estimating 6 miles. The day was bright, clear skies with temperatures in the high 40s. I wore Nike running shoes. My hip which has been bothering me, felt a little stiff when running uphill but felt fine after a hot shower. My hip hasn't been an issue as I've finished up at work after sitting at the desk for extended periods of time.

Running Log 12-10-2006

Serious runners keep a daily logbook of the running activities--recording various observations including, weather conditions, distance run, time elapsed, what shoes they were wearing and whether they experienced any physical ailments or noteworthy happenings along the way. There are several reasons, besides obsessing over details, to chart one's training. The most important is to track weekly mileage and types of training runs (speed, hill, or long-slow-distance, LSD) so one can gradually ramp-up weekly mileage and conditioning runs in preparation for a race without getting injured. So, I figure if Jane and I are going to prepare for some running event (still not sure exactly what, where or when), I'd start my own running log so I can chart my training. Therefore, if you reading this, I would seriously consider making better use of your time. These posts (under Running Log) are intended for me, but will be posted on this blog. Anyway, you've been warned!


First, before recounting today's run I want to mention the shoes I use during the week. My newest pair are the Adidas Supernova Cushion. I like the Adidas Supernova series. They fit my feet just right and are a good balance of support and cushion and generally last 4-5 months--which is a good thing. These are now my everyday shoe. I've only had these about a week and in the picture they still look new.


On Saturdays Jane and I run on dirt trails in Rock Creek Park and the shoe I'm currently using for those runs is an Asics (the one with silver and orange stripes). I'm not sure the precise shoe name; I got it at 50% off at our favorite running shoe shop that routinely sells going out-of-stock shoes at discount prices. This shoe is okay for trails but a little hard for running on streets. Asics generally tear my feet to pieces, but I have found these quite refreshing when used on dirt trails. I have another trail shoe I use when the trails are muddy--another Asics, the Gel Trail Attack. This is a dedicated trail shoe with a hard feel, but good knobby undersole for traction. I'll have these a long time since dirt trails are gentle on shoes and runner's bodies.

Lastly, is my occasional street shoe a Nike. I like the Nike Swoosh. All Nike shoes are fun to run in, they're so light and cushiony, but they don't last very long--at least not for me, so I only use this shoe the day after a hard training run as a treat.

Okay, now for today's run. The weather was cold and clear, in the low 30s when we left the house around 7 am. I wore the Adidas shoes and ran 12+ miles mostly along the bike path in Rock Creek Park. Total elapsed time was 2:04:20. My laps were comprised of:

Lap 1: 19:28:27 (~2 miles From the house to the trailhead)

Lap 2: 10:24:43 (1 mile)

Lap 3: 10:01:96 (1 mile)

Lap 4: 9:54:26 (1 mile)

Lap 5: 9:46:84 (1 mile)

Lap 6: 35:23:76 (~31/2 miles detour along the Capital Crescent Trail)

Lap 7: 9:49:37 (1 mile)

Lap 8: 19:31:53 (~2 miles home)

I took a short walk after leaving the bike path at the beginning of Lap 8, but jogged the rest of the way. The final mile I was pretty tired and had shooting pains running down the sides of both legs. Other than that it was a really good run I felt fine.

Advance Copy Christmas Letter, 2006

The complete note (with pictures) will be sent in your Christmas card, but if you can't wait, here is the blog version.

CHRISTMAS 2006. As we look forward to the approaching holidays, we once again review the year that was. Although “stay the course” isn’t a popular theme nowadays, much of the past year was just that for us. You could easily re-read our past Christmas letters and get a pretty good idea of how life has been here.

One high note was our summer vacation. This year we flew to Seattle, WA and had a wonderful time touring around the Olympic National Park. While in Seattle, we also got to spend some time with Jane's childhood friend and her family, which was really nice. We spent most of our time in ONP exploring tidal pools, hiking through alpine meadows and gawking at the huge 1000 year old trees that grow in its’ rainforests. Things went without a glitch—not sure if it was luck or the fact that I planned this vacation rather than Jane—probably luck had a lot to do with it.

Elroy and Judy are high school juniors and doing well. When not flexing their academic muscles, Judy is still pursuing cross-country and Elroy wrestling. Judy's XC team qualified for States this fall and it was fun to go and watch all the great young runners. Both started learning to drive this summer and after only four months behind the wheel apparently completely understand the rules of the road. However, when we're out driving there's still a lot of "you're not coming to a complete stop", "slow down you're going too fast", and my favorite…"wasn't that a STOP sign back there?" Anyway, now that we’ve recovered from their earlier driving efforts we’re planning for them to get some highway driving experience during our trip home to Cincinnati this year. We'll see how that works out.

Judy and I are fine and still in our same jobs. At home, we're slowly evolving into digital, wireless, and satellite TV people--an adaptation to our children's lives that we're becoming more adept at. To keep in touch you can go to my blog, Over the Hill, at http://experiencetk.blogspot.com/. Don’t be confused, I use aliases to protect our identities in the blogosphere. This site also has links to two other blogs we like.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
The Jetsons

Top Ten Photos of The Year (2006)

Here are my picks for the top ten photos of the year for 2006. These are photos that I've taken over the past year, some have previously been posted, but not all. They are presented in no particular order. Vote for your favorite and I will tally the votes after the first of the year and post the Picture of the Year. Of course, only one or two people will likely vote in this contest so here is my editorial policy on choosing the Picture of the Year. Majority rules, in case of a tie my vote will be the tie-breaker and if there is no majority on the best picture, my vote will count the most. I think if you click on the pictures you'll be able to get a larger picture in a new window.

Number 1. This picture was taken at the Kentsburg Labor Day Parade in Old Town Kentsburg. At the street festival after the parade there was a shop selling Indian clothing and these were some of the examples piled together.

Number 2. This is close-up of a spider plant that grew in our flower garden last year. Spider plants are one of Jane's favorite annual flowers; this plant either grew from seed (as spider plants readily grow from last year's fallen seeds) or was purchased. I thought the clarity of the picture and the purple hues against the green background very appealing.

Number 3. On our summer vacation to Olympic National Park, Jane and I took a hike in the Quinault Rainforest and came upon this old shed with a classic native picture of a salmon painted on it. Looking in the other direction, away from the shed was the crystal blue water of Lake Quinault. In back of the shed rose the rainforest. The shed was surrounded by fir trees and overgrown with vines; this picture was better than any artwork we saw in Seattle.


Number 4. The morning we drove through Port Angeles up to Hurricance Ridge in the Olympic National Park was completely fogged-in. The visibility was near zero, limited to only a couple of car lengths in front of us. We could barely make out the vegetation on either side of the narrow switchback road as we drove for over 30 minutes up the mountainside. We were unprepared and immediately awed when we finally broke through the clouds into the bright sunlight and caught our first view of the Olympic Mountain Range. It was magnificent.


Number 5. I was lucky to get this picture of Judy feeding a grape to a very friendly squirrel at the Pioneer Park in Seattle Washington. We had gone to visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum and were relaxing in the nearby park when the squirrel approached and seemed willing to take handheld food.

Number 6. This picture of a water lily was taken at Brookside Gardens. These are really pretty plants that you don't see every day. This particular flower had just bloomed and its' colors were vibrant in the afternoon sun when Jane and I stumbled across it.

Number 7. Not to influence the voting, this is my favorite. This picture was also taken at Brookside Gardens at the Japanese Tea House. I like the blue sky with the offset picture of the japanese red maple.

Number 8. This picture was taken at one of Judy's cross country meets. The kid wearing the bulldog costume, and his assistants, would cheer as the runners went by. The dozen or so teenagers and I were the only spectators at this section of the course which was well back in the woods.

Number 9. This picture was taken in the afternoon at an abandoned lot behind the Kentsburg train station. I like the contrast of images of the bent bicycle tire rim and newly fallen leaves as symbols discarded objects.

Number 10. Close-up view of flower. I don't remember exactly where this picture was taken and it isn't completely in focus, but this is my list and I still like it.