New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #232

At least the Bush State Dinners had a little class.

Dinner at River City Grill

Shane and I took a break from fixing up our new house and went out to
dinner at the River City Grill in Punta Gorda, FL. It was wonderful.
I had the Phylo Salmon (pictured) and Shane had a New York Strip Steak
with Mashed Potatoes. Next time I'm getting the potatoes instead of
the rice. They were yummy! It all was really good though.

Sun Setting Behind Our New House

We've been working hard getting our new house in Punta Gorda, FL, set
up. It was a forclosure, so it was a mess. Not only was it filthy,
but there are lots if repairs to get done. Luckily, Shane's step dad
has been there to help us. Thanks Jerry! We have also already bought
a sofa and our beds are being delivered tomorrow. We love this
house! It was worth all the trouble. Look at that view!

Florida House Update--The Drama Ends

The house is ours!!! We found out at 5:15 today (finally) that the
seller provided the HUD statement and so we get the keys. It is such
an amazing relief. It is almost 5:30 now and we are halfway through
South Carolia, but very happy now.

Sent from Mark's iPhone.
www.runningwithbluesponge.com

Virtual Run Update

On our drive to Florida, I took a picture at approximately the place
along I-95 I would be on my virtual run from DC to our house in Punta
Gorda, FL. The distance it has taken me 2 and a half months to run--
about 220 miles--we drove in 3 hours. I wish I could Photoshop a
picture of me running here (with a blue sponge), but don't know how to
do that on my iPhone.

Florida House Update--Almost Closed

It is just after 11am and we've signed and Fed Exed the papers to
close on the house in Punta Gorda (see previous post). The only thing
we're waiting on is for the seller to sign the HUD statement. Once
our title company receives that, Shane's mom can get the keys. There
always has to be some drama. We're hoping the HUD comes through today
or we can't get in the house until al least Monday. Right now, we're
in the car driving in the rain south to Florida. We should get down
there tomorrow afternoon--about a 16 hour drive. Hopefully, we can go
in our house when we get there.

Sent from Mark's iPhone.
www.runningwithbluesponge.com

Florida House News--I Don't Want to Jinx This, But

We are all set to close on the house we're buying in Punta Gorda, FL, tomorrow! This has been the most stressful 2 weeks we've ever gone through. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong with this house, but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Barring another unforeseen problem, we will own the house starting tomorrow. It is hard to believe that it might actually happen. We have to sign the documents and overnight them back to Florida tomorrow morning. Once they get confirmation they are sent, Shane's mom can get the key. We begin driving down right after we send the papers back and should arrive sometime on Saturday and we're spending the week in Florida. I'll do more updates from my iPhone with any news when there is news.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #231

The good news is the effects of the Cialis have worn off.

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #231. Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter.

Virtual Run from DC to FL -- Update #10

This is another update on my progress doing a virtual run from my home in DC to the home we're attempting to buy in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is a distance of about 1,003 miles. 

Last week, I didn't do the usual update. I just announced that I finally entered North Carolina. This update covers the last 2 weeks of running. The best news is that it was warm enough here yesterday to run outside. I ran from our house, down to the National Mall, said hi to Abe Lincoln sitting at his memorial and back home. It actually was a little cooler than I thought, but it was so great not running on the treadmill. Here's how the the last 2 weeks of running breaks down. The time in minutes and seconds is now after my milage. 
Monday: 4 miles -- 32:59 Tuesday: 4 miles -- 31:07 Wednesday: 6 miles 49:37 Thursday: 3 miles -- 23:46 Friday: 10 miles -- 83:20 Saturday: Off Sunday: Off

Monday: 3 miles -- 23:55
Tuesday: 3 miles -- 23:59
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 4 miles -- 31:47
Friday: 4 miles -- 31:44
Saturday: 6.5 miles -- 57:00
Total Distance Run First Week: 27 miles
Total Distance Run Second Week: 20.5 miles
Total Distance Run in 2010: 211.5 miles
Total Run Time: 28 hours 50 minutes 10 seconds
My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 791.5 miles PUSH UPS I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups. I have lost some of my drive for doing push ups lately. It is something I have really come to dread doing. Goal for the year: 10,000 Tuesday:70
Thursday: 72
Monday: 70
Thursday: 72
Friday: 20
Sunday: 20 Total Push Ups for these 2 Week: 324 Total Push Ups in 2010: 1,556

American Idol Wishes They Could Get This Guy

5 on the Fifth -- Missing Maine

This is an idea from State of the Nation UK -- taking five random photos on the fifth of the month and share them with the world.  The theme this time around was People, and so I thought I would go with photos of important people in my life.   That didn't work out, so I then thought I would rather show different shots of Pumpkin Island Lighthouse, which is our view when we stay at Moose and Squirrel, a house in Little Deer Isle, Maine.  Obviously, I didn't take these today, but so what.

We sit out on the porch of Moose and Squirrel, drink wine, and watch the sun set.  I got a call today from the realtor that rents us that house.  She was asking whether we were going to rent again this year.  Since we're buying a house in Florida, we're not sure if we can go to Maine.  Also, we were pissed about Maine taking away gay marriage, but we still love Maine and miss it.

This House is Cursed!

This is the house in Punta Gorda, FL, we have been trying to buy now for about 6 months. We were scheduled to close on it tomorrow. We originally scheduled to close around Thanksgiving of last year. To put it mildly, this house has issues.

Our plan (up until late today) was to start driving to Florida tomorrow after it finally closed, but because our insurance company delayed getting information to the bank this week due to a printing "glitch," and after the insurance agent handling the account called in sick, and therefore our bank was not able to complete our paperwork in time, and nobody could ever tell us until that very last minutes whether it could close on Friday. It is just one headache after another.

Anyway. We're going to have to delay our trip another week and we hope that the damn closing actually happens early next week. It has been a stressful, not fun, disappointing process. We're both sick of it.

Gay Marriage Legal in DC Starting Now

The Supreme Court denied haters' request to postpone DC's same-sex marriage law, which begins today.  That means same sex couples can start registering for a marriage license today and can get married after 3 full days, so I believe that the first actual marriages will be on Tuesday, March 9.  The AP reports that 200 couples are expected to apply today.  I'm not sure how they know that. 

Shane and I do plan to get married in DC.  I was hoping we could get married on May 2, which is the date we celebrate as our anniversary.  I thought it would be less complicated to have just one date to remember.  However, May 2 is on a Sunday, and we just wanted to go to City Hall and have a judge marry us, and I doubt that can happen on a Sunday.  We need to get more information. 

Girl Scout Cookie Stash

These were on my desk when I arrived at work this morning. I ordered
these prior to giving up sweets for Lent. It was not my smartest
move. I am, however, still sweets-free -- this is day 13. The
cookies are currently out of my site in my office cabinet.

New Yorker Caption Contest #230

I told you this is how you get to Roman Sesame Street.

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #230. Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter.

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk by Rufus Wainwright

Just because.

Aerial View of Our House in Punta Gorda, FL

Friends of Shane's parents took an aerial photo of the house we're purchasing in Punta Gorda, FL.  To find our house, look for the straight line of mangroves on the right side of the photo.  Our house is across from the middle of the straight line.  

This photo also gives a great perspective of how close we are to the Gulf.  It also is a bit scary, since we seem to be very vunerable to a rise in the sea level.  This is one instance where I hope Fox News is right and Al Gore is wrong. 

We're hoping that we can close on the house (finally) this week.  It is scheduled for Friday right now, but we're hoping it could hapen even earlier.  We found out the city of Punta Gorda recorded the variance on Thursday, which is earlier than was expected.  Keep your fingers crossed. 

Top 10 List - Netflix Instant Queue TV Series

Since purchasing our Roku device, that allows us to watch Netflix instant queue content on our television, we have been watching some some "classic" TV programs.  Since last week I listed our top shows that we currently record on our DVR, I thought this week I would list my favorite old shows available on Netflix.  These are also available to watch on the computer with a Netflix subscription.

10. Saturday Night Live -- There are early seasons and more recent seasons available, as well as compilation shows, such as the best of individual cast members.  If you like SNL, you will be happy.  I remember watching the first season shows and thinking it was the best thing since sliced bread when I was a kid.  However, upon watching some of the early season shows again, more than 30 years later, it surprises me at how bad some of it was.  There are moments of genius and lots of moments not of genius.

9.  Kate & Allie -- I'll admit this wasn't the best show ever, but I am a big fan of Jane Curtain and I also love Susan St. James.  I'm not proud that I like this show, but I like this show.

8.  Hearts Afire -- Most people won't even remember this show, but it starred John Ritter (post-Three's Company), Markie Post (post-Night Court), and Billy Bob Thorton (pre-Sling Blade).  Ritter was a Senator's aide and Post was a journalist.  It is fun to see them work together.

7. South Park -- I have to be in the mood for this show, but when I am, it is funny.  It seems to constantly try to outdo itself in the shock value arena, but there is no denying it is not boring.

6. The Office (US version) -- Though I've debated whether this show has "jumped the shark," with its wacky plot twists, it continues to plod along with surprises that are often funny, even if they are not believable.  I wish they would be able to stay true to the making the absurdities of office life funny without going off into bizzaro land.

5.  All Creatures Great and Small -- This is an amazing show that I love to watch.  For those not familiar with the books by James Herriot, it is about a veterinarian in rural England in the late 1930s.  The people in this show grow on you until you feel like they are your family (or you wish they were your family).  Also, some of the veterinary procedures are amazingly authentic looking.  Did he really have his arm in the back of that cow?

4. Worst Week -- There were only 16 episodes of this show based on a British show, but this ridiculous, silly show made me laugh out loud.  This show took Three's Company-style gags to the next level.  How did it not become popular?

3. The Office (original UK version) -- Ricky Gervais makes this show almost too awkward to watch, but in a good way.  I only wish there were more episodes, but perhaps the quality would decrease like the U.S. vesion.

2.  The Dick Van Dyke Show -- Next to I Love Lucy, this is the best classic TV show around.  One of the episodes from the first season shows the original pilot with Carl Reiner in the lead role.  The second cast is much better.  Reiner (Alan Brady), Van Dyke (Rob Petrie) and Mary Tyler Moore (Laura) are second to none.  Also, I can't get enough of Morey Amsterdam (Buddy) and Rose Marie (Sally).

1.  30 Rock  - I love this show.  It only gets better on repeated viewings.  It is by far the best show currently on network TV.  How it recently lost an Emmy to Glee, I will never understand.  Glee?

Virtual Run from DC to FL -- Special Update!

This is special update on my progress doing a "virtual run," mostly on the treadmill at the gym, from my home in DC to the home we're attempting to buy in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is a total distance of about 1,003 miles. Today, I ran 10 miles, and shortly before I reached mile 2, I (virtually) crossed the border into North Carolina!!! I have been running in Virginia since New Year's Day and I'm finally in another state.

Blooming Forsythia Sticks

When I was up at my Mom's over Valentine's Day weekend, I trudged through the very deep snow to the forsythia bush in her backyard and cut off some bare sticks, smashed the ends, and stuck them in a vase.  These "forced" forsythias are now blooming like mad.  Spring has sprung a bit at our house.

A Whole Week Without Sweets

This is not on my menu.

Last Wednesday, I decided to give up sweets for Lent (not a religious thing--just an excuse to get healthy and perhaps lose some weight). I have to admit, it has not been easy and it looks like it is not going to get any easier.

Saturday night, Shane and I got together with our friend, Elaine. We exchange gifts for various holidays, including Valentine's Day. She got us a big box of chocolates, and made us iced sugar cookies and chocolate-covered pretzels. I didn't tell her that I had given up sweets for Lent, because I thought she would feel bad giving us these gifts if she knew.

Shane, on the other hand, is not complaining. He has no mercy. He doesn't bother eating these things discreetly out of my view. He eats them with relish (not actual relish, but with glee), since he knows it is torture for me and he thinks I'm crazy to follow some arbitrary rule when there are yummy sweets to be had. I can be stubborn and I haven't given in to temptation--yet.

Now, I've learned that the Girl Scout Cookies I ordered (way before I decided to give up sweets) are coming in on Monday. I ordered two boxes of Thin Mints, two boxes of Do-Si-Dos and a box of Samoas. Shane likes the Do-Si-Dos (peanut butter cookies), but I LOVE Thin Mints. The Thin Mints will go right into the freezer until after Easter.

And now, I just learned that at our next All-Hands meeting at work, scheduled for March 11, there will be a baking contest for various desserts, including pies, cakes, cookies, etc. They are encouraging everyone to compete in several baking categories for the prize of an hour off of work. Then, after the judging, everyone at the meeting can chow down on all the entries. Suddenly there are free, endless desserts just when I give up sweets. How long can I take this?

To substitute for the sweets in my life, I've been eating more fruits. I have an apple just about every afternoon now. Over the weekend, I sliced up a fresh pineapple. I also have been eating some peanut butter cheese crackers. I realize they aren't the best thing in the world to snack on, but they are not sweets. Yes, I know that peanut butter contains sugar, but the total grams of sugar for a package of those crackers is 3 grams. I don't consider that a sweet. I also have been snacking on 100 Calorie Packs of walnuts and almonds.

So, I have survived so far--a whole week without cake, candy, soda, pie, ice cream, anything chocolate, or anything real sugary. Having had a brother-in-law with Type 1 Diabetes, I realize there is sugar in lots of stuff that I eat--pasta sauce, pizza, just about everything really to some degree. However, I am sure by cutting out "sweets," I have reduced the amount of my sugar intake considerably. I haven't weighed myself yet, but I'm hoping I've loss some weight. I'm trying, anyway.

People of Walmart -- New Blog Link

You might have noticed I recently added a new link on my Blog List (located on the sidebar).  It's People of Walmart.  When I first found this site, I wasted over an hour looking at every photo.  I was hypnotized.  I've seen these people at the Walmart.  They are real and they congregate at the Walmart.  I wonder why.  These are often the same people who end up on the TV show, Hoarders.

We Need a Turtle Fence! -- Auto Tune News

Double click video to see full wide-screen video.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #229

"If anyone would see the hypocrisy of the
Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy,  Justice Scalia,
I think it would be you and your fellow lovers."

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #229. Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter.

Sunday Dinner -- Chicken and Cashew Stir-Fry

For Valentine's Day, my mom got me a wok cookbook and Shane gave me a beautiful wok for Christmas.  Tonight I used both gifts and made a Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry that was De Lish Us!  Though the recipe says it serves four, the two of us ate  nearly the whole thing ourselves.  Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

-- 1/2 cup cashews
--  1 red bell pepper
-- 1 lb. chicken breast
-- 3 tablespoons peanut oil
-- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
-- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (I didn't have either, so I just used red wine)
-- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
-- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
-- 5-6 scallions, green part only, cut into 1-inch lengths

Brown cashews for 1-2 minutes in a hot wok without oil and remove from wok and set aside.

Cut up the bell pepper and chicken into thin strips.  Add peanut oil to the hot wok and add the garlic and let it sizzle for a few seconds.  Add the chicken and pepper strips and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add the wine or sherry and hoisin sauce.  Continue to stir fry until the chicken is tender and evenly glazed.  Stir in the sesame oil, cashews, and scallions and serve immediately with rice.

Shane had seconds, so I say it was a hit.  I loved it too.

Virtual Run from DC to FL -- Update 9

This is another update on my progress doing a virtual run from my home in DC to the home we're attempting to buy in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is a distance of about 1,003 miles. This week I ran 5 days. Friday, I learned a valuable lesson about not eating a huge burrito steak bowl from Chipotle and then trying to run a few hours later. I had planned to run more than 3 miles on Friday, but I had no energy and felt a little nauseous. Look at the difference between 3 miles on Thursday (where I also did push-ups) and 3 miles on Friday. Here's how the week breaks down in running. The time in minutes and seconds is now after my milage.
Monday: Off Tuesday: 4 miles -- 31:52 Wednesday: 5 miles 39:24 Thursday: 3 miles -- 23:13 Friday: 3 miles -- 25:28 Saturday: Off Sunday: 5 miles -- 39:37
Total Distance Run This Week: 20 miles
Total Distance Run in 2010: 164 miles
Total Run Time: 22 hours 20 minutes 56 seconds
My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 839 miles I'm getting close to North Carolina! PUSH UPS I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups. Goal for the year: 10,000 Tuesday: 66 Thursday: 70 Sunday: 70 Total Push Ups This Week: 206 Total Push Ups in 2010: 1,232

Top 10 List -- Current Favorite DVR Shows

The following is the list of our favorite television shows that we currently record on the Digital Video Recorder (DVR).  I was just going to list our favorite shows, but I record some shows in blocks, so I included them as a single entity.  I love zipping through commercials on the DVR, enabling us to watch more content faster.  This isn't even the complete list of our DVR recordings.  I don't know how we manage to watch all this junk.

10. Intervention - Hoarders (A&E)

9. American Idol (Fox)

8. Saturday Night Live (NBC)

7. Desperate Housewives - Brothers and Sisters (ABC)

6. Suze Orman Show (CNBC)

5. Big Love (HBO)

4. Project Runway (Lifetime)

3. RuPaul's Drag Race (Logo)

2. The Middle - Modern Family - Cougar Town (ABC)

1. Community - Parks and Recreation - The Office - 30 Rock (NBC)

These Cut Flowers Just Won't Die

"Flowers -- in the dead of winter!"  That is a quote said by Patricia Neal in the original Walton's movie, The Homecoming, where she played John Boy's mother, Olivia.  We occasionally will buy fresh, cut flowers to brighten up our lives during the dreary winter months.

These "daisies" were purchased more than 3 weeks ago and still look -- well, fresh as a daisy.  My mom pointed out these aren't actually daisies.  She asked me what kind of leaves do they have.  They have chrysanthemum leaves.  She said they are actually chrysanthemums bred to look like daisies.   The leaves are actually pretty dried up, but the flowers still look great.  Whatever they are, they were worth every cent ($8) I paid for them.

Life Without Sweets -- Day 2

Although I'm not religious, I am using Lent as an excuse to give up sweets until Easter.  (Come on... I can't not eat chocolate on Easter--I'm not a fanatic.)  It is only Day 2, but I have to say, I do miss the sweets. 

Giving up "sweets" begs the question, "What is a sweet?"  Obviously it would include cookies, cake, donuts, ice cream, and candy.  But as I was about to put a piece of gum in my mouth, I stopped and wondered, "Is this a sweet?"  Since it was sugar-free, I decided it would be permitted.

Another problem is when I leave the gym during my lunch-time workout, I have to walk through a mall on my way back to my office and I always pass an Auntie Anne's pretzel place that has small pieces of sugar-coated pretzels sitting out as free samples.  I would often reward myself with a sample after a long run.  That is now out for a while. 

Anyway, I'm convinced I can actually lose weight if I don't eat any sweets, even if I don't really cut back on my eating.  I have been eating out the last few nights and although I haven't had any sweets, I haven't exactly been starving myself.

 I did have an apple today when I normally would have had a late-afternoon snack containing sugar in some form or another.  I also have been snacking on those little 100 calorie bags of nuts (almonds and walnuts), but just one bag  a day.  That's progress, right?

Giving up stuff for Lent is so much easier than a New Year's Resolution.  It is just 6 and a half weeks.  It's not like you have to commit to an entire year.  Anybody else giving up anything for Lent? 

Zest American Bistro - New Barracks Row Restaurant

To celebrate our good news (see post below), Shane and I went out to dinner at a new restaurant on Barracks Row called Zest .  Barracks Row is the up and coming area near our house on Capitol Hill.  Shane read about Zest in an e-mail newsletter he gets on Barracks Row businesses and suggested we give it a try.  I'm glad we did.  We loved it.

It is beautiful inside with its exposed brick wall and the other wall is fabric covered, which helps keeps down the noise.  It looks very trendy and modern.

To start out, I had the Troegs Nut Brown Ale -- a dark wheaty beer on draft, and Shane had a lighter draft beer, the Brooklyn Lager.

I ordered the Roasted Leg of Lamb on grilled flatbread with caramelized onions, crumbled feta and pomegranate bbq, along with mixed greens.  OMG it was good.  I have always felt that doggy doo would taste good with caramelized onions and this was much better than doggy doo (I imagine).  The sandwich was sweet and delish.  I will be getting it again.

Shane had his favorite meal, a cheeseburger with "herb" fries.  He said it was all "wonderful."  Zest was a great find.  We highly recommend.

I give Zest 4 out of 5 blue sponges.  That is a very high recommendation for me.  Also, the price was very reasonable (both our meals were around $10 each).  If you are in the DC area, you won't be disappointed by trying Zest .

Good News On the Florida House Front

You may be aware that we are trying to buy a house in Punta Gorda, FL, which is pictured above. There was a problem with a variance that was subsequently challenged by a neighbor in his attempt to get the house torn down because he thought it made his McMansion valued less. Anyway, today was the Punta Gorda Council Meeting, so they voted on the variance on the house and approved it. Now we have to wait up to 2 weeks for the town to "record" the variance, whatever that means, and then we can go to closing shortly thereafter (we hope). There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

The view of the canal from the Lanai.

Marion Barry Broke a Law?

Former DC Mayor and current DC City Council member Marion Barry is in the news again for possibly breaking the law. He personally benefited from a contract he awarded a former girlfriend. An investigation found Barry violated DC law and recommends the findings be referred to the U.S. Attorney for criminal charges. The girlfriend got a contract to develop a program called, "Emerging Leaders of Ward Eight," which is Barry's ward. The investigation also found that significant portions of the program were copied from the Internet without attribution. Also, Barry had loaned the girlfriend money and forced her to repay him from her paycheck from the contract.

Barry doing illegal stuff? I thought he was too busy protesting gay marriage because it is so immoral.  In other breaking news, the sky is blue and the pope is Catholic.