Why I Shouldn't Cook

Today I was going to have a sweet potato for lunch.  I have had success before cooking them in the microwave.  Here is how today's attempt turned out:

With all of the windows and doors open, it only took about half an hour to clear the house of the smoke.  The smell still lingers.

Lew and I just got home from getting a new smoke detector.  The old one needed a new battery after its workout today, but I couldn't figure out how to change it.  So, of course, I ended up breaking the unit with all of my attempts.

Oh...and by the way...I did not eat the sweet potato.

Reengineering

I recently finished reading the book "Reengineering Health Care: A Manifesto for Radically Rethinking Health Care Delivery" by Jim Champy and Harry Greenspun.  I decided to read this book for a couple reasons:

1)  Health care is a big topic in the news these days.
2)  The Kindle version of the book was free for a limited time.

When I download free Kindle books, I'm pretty good about archiving them quickly if they don't hold my interest.  I did read all of this book, so that's saying something!

This post is not a review of the book.  I just want to mention one point that was made.  (I believe it originated with one of the doctors that was interviewed for the book.)

The point (to my best recollection):
If something is the right thing to do, then make it the easiest thing to do.

To accomplish this may take a lot of investment (time, money, etc.) up front.  But once your lean and mean, efficient, straightforward process is in place, you will reap the benefit!

Why does this matter to me?  Because I enjoy and am quite effective at developing processes.  The above "point" validates this skill.  I will keep this in mind as I contemplate my next career move.

Dad: Unedited XXVI

(I don't like driving in the snow, so I have never intentionally attempted what my father describes below.  I wonder if my Aunt Debbie has a different recollection of what happened that day....Hmmmm.....Enjoy!  -- Tracy)

Derf here!  On a sunny 'shorts wearing day' in January from the great State of Maine (which now has a new down-to-earth governor as of about 5 minutes ago)....

In the saga of my 'plow truck' -- It has returned and ready to go when the next storm arrives (perhaps as early as Saturday.)  Let it come!  I'm ready!  I still feel pretty good as I have yet to receive the cost of repair.

A short time ago I wrote the story of travelling with Dad to Massachusetts and retrieving stuff from sister Jean's apartment.  I will now relate another story about me and the Studebaker 'hand-painted' truck.

It was mid-winter and for some reason (which I don't remember) sister Deb and I were headed for Grammy and Grandpa's farm.  As we turned from Route 202 on to Grammar Road I noticed a nice snowdrift further down the road.  Well I decided to go through the drift.  So naturally, I pushed the accelerator towards the floor.  Our speed increased and into the snowdrift we sped.  The results were not what I expected.  We hit the drift with good speed.  The drift won the battle.  The truck lurched to the right and we ended up on top of the snowbank.

I can't recall what sister Deb said about my experiment, and perhaps if I could remember I wouldn't dare print it.

Fortunately, we were very close to our grandparents' house so I had a solution to our problem.  We proceeded to walk to Grammy's house (I'm sure all the while listening to Deb's comments about my choice of challenging the snowdrift).

Upon arriving at the farm I proceeded to hop on Dad's 'Farmall H' tractor.  Back to the truck we went -- pulled it from its perch about 3 or 4 feet above the roadway.  Problem solved.  I never challenged another snowdrift to this day (some 50 plus years later).

The score for the day:  Snowdrift won -- I lost -- Farmall won.

I hope sister Deb remembers this event.  I probably added a little to the event to make it more interesting.  I hope not too much!

Until next time;

Toodle Pip!  Derf.

Achy

I had a little bit of a headache earlier, but the rest of me has been slightly achy today, too.

Why is that?  Some thoughts follow....

I've been using the elliptical machine pretty regularly.  I think I heard once that people my age should take a "day off" every now and then so that their muscles can heal.  But I already do that.  More days off?

Lew and I have a sleep number bed.  It has allowed us to be happily married -- I set my side on 95 and his is on 40 (or 45).  That's a pretty big difference, as the highest setting is 100.  If my bed is too soft, I get achy.  So, I just checked my side and it was at 70.  Oops.  I reset it.

I've been doing a lot of computer work lately, given the year end.  This tends to tense my shoulders up a bit.  So, maybe tomorrow I'll work a little less on the computer.  Maybe.

My aches and pains are probably due to a combination of all of the above.

Lew gave me a "white noise" machine for Christmas.  It has 12 different sounds -- four sounds for each of three different categories.  The categories are Relax, Sleep, and Renew.  I need the "Sleep" category the most, but now I shall go enjoy some "Relax" time.

Here's to a hopefully less achy day tomorrow!

Lew's Doctor Appointment

Lew had his annual physical today.  Here is what he posted on Facebook last night:

Told Tracy I was a little nervous about my physical tomorrow. Several men I know have had to make serious life style changes recently. Her comment: "Well, you've had a good run". Is that what is known as "tough love"?

I just checked Facebook and so far he has 3 "likes" and 9 comments regarding the above.  People were so helpful.  Someone suggested he should begin worrying if I start boxing up his things.  A couple other suggestions were to increase his life insurance and cancel his appointment.  My friend Anne-Marie wrote that "Tracy was never one to mince words!"  (Thanks, Anne-Marie!  LOL!)

I am pleased to report that Lew had a great appointment today.

His "good run" continues.

Chronologically Reading

I read through the Bible each year.  Last year I used The Message, which is a contemporary language translation by Eugene H. Peterson.

This year I am reading the New International Version (NIV).  But instead of reading it in the "regular" order, I am reading it chronologically.  I have never approached my yearly Bible reading this way.  The idea intrigues me, and I decided a couple months ago that I would do this for 2011.  So, I purchased The One Year Chronological Bible and I am now two days into it.

For my devotional time with Lew, I am selecting a passage to share from my daily reading.  Yesterday I shared Genesis chapter 3, which is when Adam and Eve sin.  Although we did have a serious discussion, Lew and I also shared a couple chuckles:

--  Earlier in the day Lew had been pondering what to eat, and I suggested an apple.  He reminded me of this during our devotional time!

--  My written comment (which I read aloud to Lew):  "Genesis chapter 3....The first documented account of a man listening to his wife does not end well!"

Lew and I are very thankful for God's Word.  If you are not in the habit of reading through the Bible each year, I encourage you to try it in 2011.  It's definitely not too late to start!  And it is so worth it.

Another Cool Date

Today is the first day of the year 2011.

1/1/11.

I like it!

Today I did some things that I have traditionally done on New Year's Day....sleep in, watch the Rose Parade, watch college football, and eat what I feel like eating.

But I also did some things that I don't think I've ever done before on New Year's Day....exercise, take a shower, and laundry.  (The exercise necessitated the shower.)

The rest of the day will be taken up with more football and some reading.

Yep.  A good day.

And thus ends the first post of the second year of "Mainely Tracy."

Thanks for checking in!