One More Reason for WoW...

For some of you it is hard to understand why I enjoy playing WoW. But it isn't always just about running around killing things. Blizzard did a beautiful job with the graphics for this game. Sometimes I'll just be wandering around on a quest and I'll come across something just lovely and have to take a moment to appreciate the moment. So it was tonight, as I was trying to find my way back to an Alliance base in Azshara, where I could catch a gryphon to Tanaris. A lovely waterfall in the distance. So, I wandered up the rocks a bit for a better view and then sat down to just enjoy the falling water. I could very nearly hear the roar in the distance and I imagined how lovely it would be if I could be in that place, smelling the fresh air, feeling the cool breeze through my hair. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't replace the real thing. But in a world where we work more then we play, even a moment of peace found in an online game environment can be worth a lot.



Granted, if I was on a PC I probably would have had better graphics, but I'm happy to have my gynormous iMac.

On a separate note, today was the 2nd Annual Business & Finance / ITS Chili Cook-Off. I spent Sunday preparing my chili with as much love and experimentation as possible and ended up with what I thought was a particularly excellent batch of turkey chili. I ended up getting 3rd place again this year (2 green ladles now). A fun and tasty time was had by all and I look forward to next year's event. Here's Mr. B helping get the chili samples out -- once again patiently working with a bunch of perfectionist women.



Also today, a visit to the physical therapist. We had a two week hiatus while she was out of town, so I was a bit apprehensive about going to see her, feeling like I had slacked off a bit. But things weren't too bad. While it seems like a didn't improve much, she noted that she wasn't having to work that hard to stretch it out. She thinks we may be able to move soon to just twice a month. Tomorrow I have a check in with the orthopedic surgeon. I'm sure that will go well.

Avoid Migraine Medicine Late in the Day

Okay, note to self: do not take migraine meds (in this case the basic over-the-counter Excedrin for Migraines) late in the day. My migraine is gone, but the 65mgs of caffeine -- which doesn't seem like much to me -- has me totally wired. For the past three and a half hours I have been tackling a whole host of work related tasks. I started out just planning to do some quick project updates, but then I kept going, and going, and going, like the proverbial Energizer Bunny. I have, however, been extremely productive. But I might have also added a bunch of tasks to my Toodledo list. I will not look at it any more tonight and tackle it tomorrow instead.

I've got American Idol playing in the background, while I wait with baited breath to see who will get booted. I am surprised to say that the first two folks Ryan pulled out as in the bottom three where not from my list of poor performers. It is very stressful. LOL.

My elbow continues to improve slowly. I have a two-week hiatus between PT appointments while my physical therapist is out of town. I've been off-and-on with my stretching, but I am trying to remember to stretch the arm as much as I can during the day. I hope when I see her on Monday that there will be some improvement despite my minor slacking.

Hoping to see Watchmen this weekend. Will post a review if I do.

Update: oops, just realized I took two of those Excedrins, so that's 130mgs of caffeine! According to a Yahoo Answers! response, that's more than the caffeine in two cans of Mountain Dew and just a little less then that in two cans of Jolt! Eeek and Eee Gads! I swear I'm blinking only four times a minute right now! LOL. Please let my new SleepStream iPhone app work tonight!

The Latest Victim

Katja and her deadly fangs have struck again. This time, my poor Dad. Apparently Katja did not appreciate the ruckus we were making. First, she attempted to attack me. I soothed her and she seemed to have settled and we lowered our voices. But then, while she was walking along the couch's armrest, Dad did the typical and seemingly pleasurable act of petting her when, yes, out came her fangs. Normally this would be a minor nip, but the heart meds Dad is on thin his blood, plus I think his skin has thinned with age. My poor, wounded father. Luckily the house was full of medical supplied and all was taken care of with no shedding of tears, or fur for that matter.

While I blame the noise volume on Katja's nipping tendencies, I suppose I should consider the possibility that she has grown to like human flesh and that, in reality, no one is safe.

Yum

Oh, the yumminess of it all!

Wine, wine and some more wine

The weekend away at Russian River for Barrel Tasting weekend was lovely. We rented a place on the river from Russian River Vacation Homes called River Dream. On the whole, the place was really nice. It is much more spacious than it appears in the pictures. Kitchen was nice, deck was nice, having a gas fire made things easy. But... ah, with a rental house there is always a but... the beds were very soft. I think they were using the memory foam type mattresses, but if they were they weren't the good ones (not like SP's). Of the 3 beds, two lodgers complained. Also, the site says wifi, but we almost never had a usable signal. The biggest complaint, though, is that the site says the place sleeps 8, if you use the pull-out couch off the living room. But the couch was unusable. AS ended up sleeping on the couch without it being pulled out (it was a love seat size) and MM slept on the wicker couch in the living room. They had a tough time of it, poor things. Other than that, the place was nice and we all enjoyed the weekend there. I would consider renting the place again, but not for more then would sleep in the three bedroom and without any expectation of wifi.

Saturday was our day of tasting. I purchased gobs of wine... we hit quite a few vineyards, starting further north than we usually do: Korbel (where we picked up our tickets), Dutcher Crossing, David Coffaro, Mazzoco and Quivira. I bought several bottles at Dutcher Crossing, one at David Coffaro (I would have bought futures there, but you had to buy by the case and it was just too much), and a ton of stuff at Mazzoco (per usual). I ended up joining their club because I wanted to buy some of their Maple Reserve, but only club members could buy it, so there you go. The plus was I got to taste to reserve wines they weren't actually pouring that day, one of which goes for about $125/bottle. It was a very nice, smooth Zin, though MM turned his nose up at it. By the time we got to Quivira, I could no longer taste anything and just hung out outside with EI. In total, I think I came home with 10 bottles. Not too bad. I look forward to drinking each and every bottle I purchased. :-)

We had two nice dinners together, too. Friday night AS and I prepared dinner (simple pasta and sausages). Saturday night, MM's friend R, who had joined us for the day, cooked up some extremely tasty Chicken Karange (sp?) with rice and broccoli, finishing it off with her insanely delicious rum cake. Yum. Word. Of course, no weekend would be complete without beef, and despite all the food a big bit of tri-tip ended up on the grill and served up with breakfast this morning.

Overall, it was a very good weekend, what with it being my first trip since the fall and my first time really drinking again. I truly was missing wine.

Now I must prep for a week with the folks. Dad and Adele arrive Tuesday.

Gobalicious

The Gobe snoozing will we are rambunctious. Half the group heading
into Guernville for drinks.

RR Settling

Fire going. Chilling. Soon to open the first bottle of wine.

U2's New Album: No Line on the Horizon

Just want to say... it kicks ASS!

Mmmmm, Fresh Brains

This is Sarah's brain. Really.

New Toesies!

Red like your blood. Tasty.