Tracking the Tim Tam

My dear, fabulous, wonderful, Aussie friend, Chris Fawkes has just informed me that the biscuit {cookie} that I fell in love with during my stay in Oz is now making it's way to me!! (He is currently occupying the top notch on my friend list) A friend of his found some in a Pepperidge Farm outlet in PA so I checked out their website. The cookie is making it's way to our grocery store shelves!! I cannot tell you what a blow this is for my weight loss plan.

Happy Birthday

It was just a small celebration, accompanied by Jim's only request, ice cream cake. Family from both sides of the globe were represented in person and via webcam. Finding a gift for him is always difficult because he doesn't ever ask for anything and really doesn't care about getting presents. I hate to buy gifts just to have something to open at a party.
I opted to buy him an assortment of Australian candy bars that he normally can't purchase. There is a specialty store, Bridgham & Cook, across from Bean's in Freeport that sells English products, some of which are also available in Australia. They were very much appreciated by my exiled Aussie! Happy 41st Jim!

Breathless on Bradbury

Jim and I took our kids, plus a couple extra, to Bradbury Mountain State Park this afternoon. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to break in my $10 Bean's hiking boots that I picked up this summer in anticipation of the April Appalachian Trail Hike. Since the trail is a very quick climb, only .2 miles straight up to the summit, it's not an extremely useful tool for evaluating the comfort factor of the boot but I need to begin somewhere. I did notice that my right baby toe was sore after wearing them for a while, but I think this has more to do with the fact that I smash my toes religiously on various household items during the barefoot summer months. I'm sure I broke that particular one last month and it's still very tender. I also volunteered to carry the backpack with the water, snacks and my purse. It was only about 20 lbs. I'll be carrying a 40lb. one in April, so there again, not a great evaluation of my burden bearing capacity. What this short, unscientific, trail experiment did make clear is that despite my nearly daily date with the bike or elliptical, I need to make great strides in my cardio endurance before the AT Hike. (I hope Greg's not reading this or I'll never hear the end of it.) I was discouraged for about five minutes at the summit, while attempting to breathe again, but now I am only more determined to push myself a bit harder.

Double Time

Wanting to continue the healthy pattern begun by our evening workout, Jim and I stopped at Wal-mart on the way home to pick up some pizza and soda for supper. I was discussing how I had dialed back the weight on the arm machines, opting for faster reps instead. I've noticed my arms seem to be getting bigger again.....firmer, but definitely bigger. This of course is not what I want. The "Atlas" look is not my goal. While walking through the produce, this led to a discussion of my body type, which Jim described as hourglass. Although this is technically true, I mentioned that at the moment it's a stout hourglass. When Jim retorted with, "You are a 2-hour glass", I think they may have heard my outburst of laughter in the dairy section.

Divine Appointments

I was on my way to the bank this afternoon to sort out the mystery of a missing thousand dollars and picked up a hitchiker. This is certainly not something that I do as a general rule. I drove by him just past New Meadows Market. Thirty seconds later I uncharacteristically turned around and asked him if he wanted a ride. Long story short, I thought he was someone with car trouble. I offered to bring him as far as Cooks Corner and during the short ride he shared some difficulties that he was having in his life. There have been only a handful of times in my life that I have experienced knowing without a doubt that God had placed a complete stranger in my path so that I could share Christ with them in a few brief moments. This was one of them. I shared with him that no matter what our circumstances, the only thing that gives true peace is a relationship with Jesus Christ. "It's very strange." he said. "You know this is the second time today that someone has mentioned God to me. It's like someone's trying to hit me over the head and get my attention." I told him that I would be praying for him and if God lays it on your heart to do the same, his name is Justin.
The bank was closed, but as it turns out that wasn't the purpose of my journey after all.

Laboring Through Monday

The Labor Day weekend is the calendar's reminder that the lazy days of summer have given way to schedules and schooling. Tired of always schooling at the kitchen table, I picked up a couple desks for the boys Monday morning. When I arrived home, I sent Jubal and Nolan out to the van to each bring in their respective desks and set them to the task of putting them together. Watching each of them unpack and assemble the furniture was quite interesting. These kinds of projects tend to accentuate the differences in personality. Jubal wasted no time, ripping open the box, and pulling pieces out without any organizational thought at all, the directions floating in a sea of cardboard and plastic. Nolan carefully sliced through the packing tape on the upright box with a plan, gently laying down the box and looking at the directions before attempting assembly. Jubal initially jumped ahead in the race to completion. His progress stalled however, when he failed to follow the instructions close enough, and was forced to redo a section. Both boys finished at about the same time and now have separate areas in which to work. Once Jim arrived home and the work portion of the day was complete, we joined the Fisher's at the Morrill's house for lunch and a leisurely afternoon cookout. To finish the day, Mom and Dad arrived at our house in the evening for a game of Settlers of Catan, which Nolan finally won at 10:45. I think I woke up more tired this morning, after our supposed restful holiday, than I have all summer. Now it's full steam through September.