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.