Category: Food

Weekend Kickoff Mini-Thoughts

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date April 16, 2020

It’s back for the first time in 5 months – a rapid-fire session of thoughts on my mind right this minute:

I miss doing these fun blog posts.
This was a fan favorite from the early days of this blog.
By “early days” I mean late-2000s.
Most of you weren’t tracking with me back then.
“Tracking with me” – that’s a favorite phrase among pastors and preachers.
This “Sunday Scripture” I’ll look back at my 4-part sermon “Faces & Heels”.
It’ll be a nice wrap-up of that 4-Sunday experiment.
So I’m nearing the end of Week 4 of my work-at-home experience.
It’s an experience – no longer an experiment.
The biggest “pro” – not having to deal with traffic.
The biggest “con” – working longer (and more erratic) hours at home.
I’m working out of my kitchen.
I never eat in my kitchen.
I always eat in my living room.
I’ve driven only 88 miles over the past 28 days.
I last filled-up with gas 37 days ago.
Last week I walked only 11.63 miles.
That was barely over 25,000 steps in 7 days.
That was the lowest ever during my 4½-year #Fitbit era.
3 weeks ago was my 3RD-lowest week of the era.
Ironically despite little to no exercise – I’m losing weight.
I can’t explain that.
Maybe I’ll get up and walk at dawn this morning.
Lately we’ve been close to 80°F at dawn.
This morning we could actually dip into the lower-70s.
That’s an incentive to get up and walk around outside.
Next week marks 12 years since I quit smoking !
I smoked from age 11 to 41.
You know I’m doing a lot less laundry since I’ve been working at home.
My washer and dryer are using less electric power.
My A.C. is using more electric power.
It runs at the same temperature day and night now (77°F).
Happy 39TH Birthday tomorrow to my sister-in-law Christina !
She doesn’t read this blog.
Nobody in my family reads this blog.
Happy 10TH Birthday this coming Monday to my oldest niece Taylor !
I met Taylor for the first time at #DFW when she was 24 days old.
I’m looking forward to seeing my family again at the end of June.
Well I’m running out of things to write, so let’s end it here.
That was abrupt.

Here – Eat This !

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date February 13, 2020

Last Saturday morning with chilly temperatures for South Florida (low-to-mid-60s) I enjoyed about a 3-hour visit to the local Fruit & Spice Park. They claim to be the only park of its kind in the continental U.S. It was my 4TH visit ever, and my 2ND visit in 10½ months. I got in for free because I’m a member. (I bought a $25 annual pass last March.)

I toured the Park for a good 90 minutes, and I walked almost exactly 2½ miles. After that I hopped on the tram (pulled by a John Deere tractor) for a fun 1-hour and 15-minute tour of much of the Park that I had just walked, but this time narrated by a 21-year-old expert. He made many stops along the way treating us with exotic fruit samples, edible leaves and flowers, and other leaves for us to smell. Here at the Park you can’t pull anything off of any trees. Only the tour guide can do that. Any fruit that has already fallen to the ground is yours to claim !

After the tram tour I stepped in to their small café, and I enjoyed a hot and delicious Cuban sandwich (served panini style) and a cold and refreshing banana milkshake. Good Stuff my friends ! Little did I know that later that same day and into the night my stomach would become bloated and somewhat painful. I ended up calling it an earlier than normal night knowing that the bloat and pain would eventually dissipate in my sleep – or I would be rudely awaken early the next morning with botulism. I’m blaming it all on those 25 or so edible leaves that I consumed – particularly the bright yellow ones.

Incidentally I awoke the next (Sunday) morning feeling great. The pain went away in my sleep.

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Christmas In Okeechobee

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 26, 2019

Merry Day After Christmas my friends. I hope that you got to spend some quality time with loved ones, or you got to do something that you love.

For the 2ND Christmas in a row I embarked on a Florida road-trip to and from just a few hours to the north of where I live. This time I drove 355 miles round-trip to West Palm Beach, and then over to Okeechobee. It was a 4-day road-trip. I returned home yesterday (Christmas Day) morning.

Over in West Palm Beach I saw Jim Gaffigan LIVE in concert at the Kravis Center For The Performing Arts. He’s my favorite comedian today. I last saw him in 2010. Ryan Hamilton opened for Jim. He was very funny. He reminded me of Jerry Seinfeld. The next morning I spent a couple of hours at the historic Palm Beach Zoo. I got in for free as a military veteran. It was my first visit since 2010.

A few times each year I visit a town in Florida that I’ve never been to before, I haven’t visited in many years, or I’ve only driven through – in order to determine whether or not I wish to move there in a few years after I retire. I selected Okeechobee several months ago, and I spent a couple of days and nights there leading up to Christmas Day. It’s on the northern side of the big Lake Okeechobee.

While in Okeechobee I visited the main attraction – the big Lake ‘O’. I walked a couple of miles high atop the dike / levee known as the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. If you were to walk completely around the lake then it would take you a few days to do so – because it’s 109 miles around the lake ! I also ate at a couple of family-owned restaurants “where the locals eat”, and I toured the town’s old historic downtown district. It was a fun visit, but I don’t think I’d want to move there after I retire. Its location is a bit secluded from other towns. I’ll visit again though. It’s got small-town charm.

I ended up taking over 110 photos of my excursions on this Florida road-trip. 3 of them are up above, and I’ll probably post about half of the remaining photos over on my Flickr site in the weeks and months to come.

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Merry Christmas

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 19, 2019

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On this Thursday before Christmas (next Wednesday) I take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you following me and reading my blog a very Merry Christmas.

My traditional family “Christmas” actually occurred 3 weeks ago today on Thanksgiving Day. For the past dozen years or so my family has enjoyed a hearty home-cooked Breakfast, and then shortly after that we’ve opened all of the presents underneath the Christmas tree. Once they are all opened it’s time to watch the Macy’s Parade, and then football for the rest of the day and into the night – pausing for about an hour to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at around three in the afternoon.

On the day after Thanksgiving (“Black Friday”) Christmas is done and over for me. Well – sort of. For the first 3 weeks of December I get to observe and celebrate bits and pieces of Christmas here and there by putting up the Christmas tree and decorations in the church sanctuary, listening to Christmas music on the radio, watching Christmas shows on television, writing and sending out Christmas cards to friends from afar, and enjoying several Christmas luncheons with friends and coworkers.

We all celebrate Christmas in our own unique and traditional ways. May you spend this season with your loved ones. Make and share good memories that will last a lifetime. Honor each other. Love one another.

And may we remember why we celebrate Christmas.

And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21 NLT)

The LORD saves.