Long toes and short heel bones can apparently give sprinters an edge. You know, gentle readers, that I wouldn’t make this up. Apparently being in shape helps too.
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Memphis: Before and After
Before
After
She’s about 90 pounds now and still growing. She could grow to up to about 140 pounds before she’s done.
Chow Time
Dinner time - Delia looks up
On the Train
A while ago, I decided to try to lose a pile of weight from my more than ample bulk. I figured it could only help my bad knee and in general help me maintain some of the good health I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy.
I’ve been at this for 5 weeks now, and I’ve lost 23 pounds. This has meant some adjustments. I’ve become almost religious about having breakfast (cereal with a banana and milk) every morning. I eat loads of raw veggies through the day. I eat fat-free yogourt for snacks. I’ve cut out junk food. I only occasionally have a beer. I’ve cut back my meat portions, but I still eat meat regularly.
In spite of the adjustments, I’ve still had a couple meals out. One, with East Texas Red, included meat loaf with mushroom gravy, roast potatoes, and a couple beer. The other, with my friend AI, was a pad thai lunch with a beer. In other words, I’m not starving myself, and strangely enough, I’m not finding this so difficult. Mostly it’s about discipline.
So far so good. I’ve increased my walking. If I take Memphis out to play with her buddies, I try to do a walk first, and sometimes a walk after as well.
Meanwhile, did I tell you my knee has been diagnosed as a muscle problem. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that. Two muscles are out of balance, causing my patella to be pulled out of place. I’ve been doing exercises involving a soccer ball and a lot of squeezing to rebalance things – and so far, it’s helped tremendously. My knee is much better than it was already.
I still have plenty more opportunities to get rid of excess bulk, so I expect I’ll be on the train for a while.
Now that I’ve found a doctor I’m happy with, I’ve also just had a physical. It’s been maybe 30 years since my last one, so I guess it was about time. If the blood tests come back OK, it looks like I’m reasonably healthy. Good to know. I’m going to try to have a physical every year or so now. Next year, my doctor wants to start doing colo-rectal screening. I can hardly wait.
Dog Park
There’s been some talk recently about the City creating an off-leash dog park area in Colonel Sam Smith Park, just down the street from Anchovy World Headquarters. Dog walkers who attempt to walk their dogs off leash in the park proper now are usually confronted by by-law officers skulking around in the bushes. The fine is hefty, over $200.
Dog parks can work quite well. We enjoy the one at Jack Darling Park frequently, and the one that runs down Etobicoke Creek as well. People who don’t like dogs or who are afraid of dogs don’t have to worry because the parks are fenced. There is plenty of space for the dogs, and in the case of Etobicoke Creek, lots of trail and different terrain too.
Given that the poster for the meeting has “Review final design of the area” on the agenda, I wonder if it is a done deal? The area we’ve heard is being considered isn’t ideal. Just east of the water treatment plant, it sits in a very swampy spot, which we affectionately call Grimes Lake, after our local Councilor. In the summer, it is a mosquito-infested malerial bog down there. Perhaps if they eliminated the swampy bits it would be better.
In principle though, I support a dog park in Sam Smith Park. I think it would be great for the community and a fun place for the local dogs, including my Memphis.
Ahhhh, that’s better….
My apologies, gentle readers, for all the farting around I’ve been doing with my theme. It just wasn’t quite right and if I knew what “quite right” meant, it would have been far easier. I had thought I didn’t want a banner, but when I looked at this theme, which is Cutline, I realized I was wrong. So I made up a little collage this afternoon for the banner and here we are. I’ll change up the image from time to time.
Sal had commented that a banner is a pain for those readers still on dial-up, and while I empathize, I post quite a few photos, and I’m sure they slow things down more than the banner. If anyone has problems with this blog loading slowly, let me know. In my experience, the thing that slows down blogs most is lots of junk on the side-bar. I cut out a lot of sidebar material when I switched over from Mister Anchovy’s but I don’t feel I’m missing anything.
Still messing about
I’m still messing about, trying to find the right theme for this blog. I appreciate the comments on the one I tried last night. I really liked the look of that one, but it wasn’t the most user friendly, and WC found a real problem with it. What I’m after is a theme that supports the content in a very clean, simple and uncluttered style. I think I was close with the first one I tried, but going into winter, it seemed just a little dreary. For now I don’t want to use a picture type banner.
I’m trying another one for today….I may yet change it again though.
Oh oh…
On a whim this evening, I took another look at some WordPress themes. I’m pretty happy with WordPress, and with the new blog in general, and I liked the theme I picked. I was just feeling a little restless, and wondered what my content would look like in another theme. Anyway I stumbled across this one, which somehow or another I had overlooked before. I really like the magazine style format, and if you click on a post title, you get a page for that post.
I’m going to try it out for a while. Let me know how you like it.
Tuffy P’s Animal Crackers
Spud considers a snack
Justin Townes Earle
Who says Mister Anchovy doesn’t listen to “emerging artists”? Eh? Just forget for a second that Justin Townes Earle is the son of a really fantastic songwriter and performer, and a personal fave of mine, Steve Earle, and forget for a second that he was named after the late great Townes Van Zandt (now that must have been a hell of a burdon). Instead, listen to this great tune and the interview that follows it. He can’t be that good, can he? Let’s try They Killed John Henry. This is making me happy, friends, very happy. Here he is at SXSW. Ok. Ain’t Glad I’m Leavin’. Yeah, I’m going overboard. I know it. One more. Here his is playing one of his dad’s songs, Tom Ames’ Prayer.
Har!
I lied. One more. Leadbelly’s Midnight Special.
27th Street 