Jer and I went to six wineries today as part of the Passport to Woodinville Weekend. Then we used a Christmas gift certificate to see "300," because wine and violence go hand in bloody hand.

My favorite wineries so far are Red Sky and the Mark Ryan Winery. Jer really liked the Cabernet Sauvignon at Page Cellars called Libra de Carta, so he bought a bottle. Other than that we've successfully resisted temptation very well. Most of the tastings have been some sort of Bordeaux blend, Sauvignon Blanc, or Syrah. I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow.

Today I learned:

• The word "tassel" is endlessly amusing to drunk girls in stretch limos.
• The new Flamethrower Burger at Dairy Queen does no such thing.
• You should never go to war with just 300 dudes. At least, not if you want to -- I don't know -- win.

Breaking News!

Amazon just shipped Twin Peaks - The Second Season to me! The wait was long but soon it will be mine! All mine!

Well, the mattress was delivered about 9:15pm and last I heard Jer was checked in and waiting for a doctor. So, you know, it could be worse. The cats are both accounted for and I made myself a veggie burger on whole wheat bread with avocado and laughing cow cheese for dinner. Plus apple slices. It's my second day without liquor, which for most of you isn't a real milestone, but it's worth noting for me. The bed is made with clean sheets. I'm about to pack my gym bag, throw some blueberries and granola in a bag for lunch and text Jer again.

TGIF, meng.

Hi internet!

This week has been just so super!

Jer is driving himself to the emergency room, right this second, as I type. But not as you read, most likely. He cut his finger open on a really sharp computer case and it won't stop bleeding, but he can still drive! See? Super!

And it is 8:30pm and I am waiting for the new mattress to be delivered. It could be any minute or another hour. So I'm stuck here!

What a tremendously awesome week this has been everyone! I'm so glad we could share it together.

Yesterday I met with a personal trainer for the first time since last August. August, if you're keeping track, is when I took a break from training because my trainer changed gyms. And then I may have thrown a small tantrum and said to myself: Self? You know how to use the machines and you know that you shouldn't stuff your face, so stop spending all this money and get fit. Do it!

For awhile that worked out okay. Then in December I injured my knee, which didn't bother me a whole lot because hell, this working out stuff sucks anyway. But then my miserly side came out, as it does, and I realized I'd spent $300 on non-refundable training last August and damn, I'd never used it. So here I am. Using it.

I can hardly walk.

My legs hurt. My glutes hurt. I just plain old hurt.

I know it'll get better.

But right now it doesn't feel like it.

And I don't want to go back tomorrow.

The end.

P.S. Our Costco has a new walk-in refrigerated section and I bought lots of fun things that start with the letter 'a' like asparagus and apple slices.

For real the end.

wishin' for a shortcut

I know you have to work and work hard for the things you want. But some Sundays, I wish I would just wake up the next morning with a bank account full of cash and no responsibility.

Don't get me wrong. I love what I do, which makes me more fortunate than a lot of people in the world. I have my health and a small savings. I have friends and family and two great cats. Life is pretty awesome. I just need to focus on the good stuff and not get bogged down in the little things. But it's those little things that keep me up at night, staring at the city lights, listening to the rain.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. I do not like spending money, at least, not a lot of money. I like buying little things, trinkets really, and spreading my purchases out over time. But after sleeping on the same full size mattress for almost 7 years (add 2 more just by myself), Jeremy and I finally decided to take the plunge. We bought a king-size. Oh dear.

It was heavily discounted because a previous customer returned it, but it's a Beautyrest and any defects that may have been an issue weren't a problem for us.

The store threw in a set of sheets, and they're not bad. We still need to buy a comforter and a blanket. Bah. New purchases make me sleepy. It's lucky then I get to sleep on my new purchase! It should be delivered Thursday night.

Also today we picked up our wine "passports" for the Woodinville Winery Weekend, which is next weekend. And we ate lunch at the Redhook Brewery. My Northwest Salmon Sandwich was perfect, although I could have done without potato chips as my side.

Oh dear.

I was all set to post my normal pity-party-of-1 entry and then I remembered that there are bigger things than me telling you fine folks what I ate for lunch. (Subway, Roast Beef, Jared style) My friend Courtney is doing a very generous and selfless thing and I wanted to share with you her words, and also her request. I asked her if I could reprint an email she sent to her friends and family, and she said, yes. I am proud to support her in any way I can. Here it is:

Hi,

This year I am participating in a very special event called the Breast Cancer 3-Day.

This is my first year walking for Breast Cancer and I am excited to be part of such an amazing group of women - The Warming Hut Hotties! Walking 60 miles in 3 days is a challenge. Even more challenging yet is that I've personally agreed to raise at least $2,200. The Hotties have planned many fund-raisers and events for this summer on top of all the training. In addition we're reaching out to our friends and family for donations.

Would you please consider making a donation? Any amount helps me reach my goal. I'd really appreciate if you could look at my donation page and decide which amount is right for you.

I'm going to train as hard as I can to help fight this disease, promote breast cancer research, educate people about screening and prevention, and help bring breast cancer care to those who need it.

Net proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Philanthropic Trust. All donations are tax deductible (to the extent allowed by the law).

Thank you for supporting me as I take this amazing journey in the fight against breast cancer!

WHY I WALK...

• I walk to raise awareness about breast cancer and early detection.
• I walk so that one day no more mothers, fathers, sisters,brothers, daughters, sons or friends will hear the words "You have breast cancer."
• I walk in the hopes that my nieces will know a world free from breast cancer.
• I walk for a personal challenge.
• I walk for the survivors of all cancers – like my father, and my grandfather-in-law.
• I walk for those who have lost their battle with cancer – like my Aunt Connie.
• I walk for those who are currently fighting cancer.
• I walk so that one day we will live in a world free of breast cancer.
• I walk to celebrate my own health.
• I walk for those who can't, because I can.

Thank you in advance!

Walking for a cure,

Courtney

Thanks!

For dinner we ate at JaK's Grill in West Seattle. I ordered the herb encrusted lamb tenderloin (I think the actual name was fancier; it was a special) and Jer ordered the ribeye. Also, I had a very strong Old Fashioned with Jack Daniels. All of which I recommend. I am no food reviewer, but I will say that my meal was very very good. And we only waited 10 minutes for a table, which I know can be a problem there since they don't accept reservations.

On Sunday I wrote lyrics for the first time, for an actual song, and I'm pretty happy with the process. It took about three hours of pausing and playing the music for a 2 minute 45 second song and tapping out the syllables (duh duh duh-duh duh-duh) and it made my brain hurt a little, but it was a fun exercise. I think the words turned out fairly decent too for a first effort. Yay for new things.

Maybe I'm regrowing some of the brain cells I killed on St. Patrick's Day.

I went to the gym today and yesterday, so there's that. And my cats' food wasn't part of the recall, in case you were wondering. We feed them Purina Pro Plan because they are spoiled.

This entry isn't particularly snarky or witty and for that I apologize. It's all I can do to digest that tasty meat and stay upright. Totally taxing.

Tonight there were anti-war protests, which I sorta watched from my skyscraper office building because I'm just that sort of fat cat. But I'm also a realist who understands that protests make the buses run late, which actually makes me a fat cat realist environmentalist commuter drunk. So I accepted an offer to drink made by C Ro and we went to the Whiskey Bar and Nite Lite Lounge.

At both fine establishments I indulged in the PBR selection. Whisky Bar serves it from a can, and Nite Lite Lounge serves it on tap. Also nachos. Whisky Bar had very nice paintings of lovely nude ladies stretched out on pool tables, but Nite Lite Lounge had wheelie chairs and a diorama of the San Francisco Earthquake. I think. And a bathroom that beeped. But no paper towels.

Thus stands my review.

Mostly I meant not to drink tonight, but the offer was too good to refuse. And boy am I glad I did. Good times and awesome dioramas all around.

omelets and guacamole

I just made a very tasty 3 egg omelet, if you're interested in that sort of thing. I used these instructions (to get around the error the link takes you to, click "bypass this message") to figure out the egg situation, and then I filled it with guacamole I made last night, bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.

I started with unsalted butter in the pan (9" Le Creuset skillet), added a tbsp of olive oil and then cracked the eggs into the pan. Then I added a little less than an 1/8 cup of heavy whipping cream (only milk type product on hand), and followed the rest of the instructions. Right before it was done, I crumbled 2 1/2 slices of bacon on one side, spread some guacamole, and sprinkled some cheese I shredded in my food processor, and folded it over.

The guacamole was for the kick ass St Patrick's Day party I went to last night, so it was still pretty fresh. I used a potato masher to mash 6 avocados and added garlic, onion, diced jalapeno, salt, pepper, a Lawry's guacamole seasoning packet, a tbsp of vegetable oil, juice from 1 lime, and fresh cilantro (Yes, George, I used cilantro this time.)

When the omelet was done, I sprinkled a little more cheddar cheese on top along with some Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning. It turned out really well. I know I'm gushing about it, but hey, this is me learning to cook. And this is probably the first omelet I've ever made that stayed intact when I tried to flip the side over. I'd like to thank my lovely pan, my silicone spatula, and the Internet. Also, I would like to thank the noble sweater monkey. For obvious reasons.

shut eye

I'm drinking orange juice because I craved it. Found a dentist this week. X-rays taken, teeth cleaned. Experienced drama. Hugged my cat. The trees are beginning to blossom. Need to buy avocados. Sleep is for the weak. And the sleepy. Someone wrote on my hand in red ink, but I think it must be gibberish because it's only shapes. Or the word "yacht." But why would anyone write the word "yacht" in funny shapes on my hand? Because I'm reminiscent of a sailing vessel? Because I'm sea-worthy? Because I'm high maintenance? Oh the humanity!

The end.

the battery conundrum

I managed to do my taxes, donate blood, and go to the gym three times last week. I think that sets the bar fairly high for next week; I anticipate a downward spiral.

I've been reading Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking," and learning all about milk -- why it curdles, what's in it, how it becomes ice cream -- and that pretty much covers my spare time, except for when I'm drunk blogging.

I did some research online for places that take recyclables in King County -- in particular I want to recycle alkaline batteries -- and found a couple of interesting database sites. The first is at King County Solid Waste Division and the second is at WA State Department of Ecology. In both cases you can search a database of drop-off sites for specific items.

I have to say however, I was surprised to read, "Alkaline batteries can be placed in the trash." Maybe so, but the guilt would probably melt my brain. It just doesn't seem right. So unless you can tell the comments where I can take my collection of used batteries (not rechargeable), I see myself making a special Saturday trip to 3RTechnology, which seems to be one of the few or only places that advertises it will accept them. I remember Fry's and Staples accept toner cartridges, but I just can't remember if they accept batteries.

So there it is. That's my life today: batteries and milk. Two great tastes that can kill you when mixed together.

candlelight

Hi. In case you were wondering? Hi. I do not have a secret blog. Just the one. And also? I had some beer tonight. I know. You are too refined to drink and blog, but me? Not so much. Somehow I am home, although the cats want my seat. And I am sleepy. Maybe I will sleep in. Or maybe I will be awakened by claws on the wooden door scraping at 6am and I will feed the cats. Because that is what I do.

So sad. Time flies. And cliches wrench parts of you that you didn't know could feel. Hi. If you are who I think you are, don't be a stranger. How do you know any of it is real? You could be dead tomorrow. Or rather, what burr stuck in my craw that it still rings? Was it pants? Or the gorgonzola cheese dip.

Wow. I just got an overdue bill from my dentist in California, almost a year and a half after my last cleaning. Now I am very careful to pay my bills on time and leave forwarding addresses, so this came as a shock. I've been worrying about it all day, but for once, it's okay! When I finally got through, the woman at the office said, "Oh yeah, I don't know where that came from. Here, I'll put you back at zero." So, there you go. Not everything in the world sucks right now.

What's really weird is I received the bill on the same day I made a dentist appointment here in Seattle. There's some sort of dentist buzz in the air, I guess.

In medically related news, Operation: Bloodletting was successful. I did not pass out or get too dizzy. The only casualty is my inner arm which is still stained yellow with iodine. This visit puts me halfway to my gallon pin!

Only then may I finally get a tattoo.

wonkavision

My Idaho friend (Hi Lily!) visited last weekend and we made the obligatory food rounds. We ate at Salty's on Alki, Blackbird, Claim Jumper, Dahlia Lounge and went on a tour of a chocolate factory. Also, on the way to the chocolate factory we stopped and ate tamales from a stall at the farmer's market, because hey, tamales.

I don't have much else to add except that -- if it is within your means and power -- you should go on a tour of the chocolate factory. It is only $5 and they give you lots of samples, although it is warm inside and may make you sweat. The factory is at Theo Chocolate in Fremont, where they are true and noble chocolate makers, organic and fair trade certified. Also, you must wear a hairnet, but that is okay because you look dead sexy in a hairnet. (Trust me. It's you!) The tour guide walks you through the whole chocolate making process, from the roasting to the packaging, and then gives you chocolate. What more could you want?

I bought several chocolate bars including one with chai spices, one with coconut curry, a bread chocolate (bread with sea salt in the bar), and some dark chocolate bars I can't remember. Also, excellent confections. We sampled a ginger confection which was melty and good. In addition, I bought a bag of sipping chocolate which involves chipotle somehow, but I haven't tried it yet.

Tomorrow I donate blood again. Wish me luck.