OTTER's Feb 2008 CalorieKing Blog
Letter arrived from sponsored child!
Saturday, February 23rd 2008
Finally, I've received my first letter from a child I sponsor in South America. She's just 5-years-old, and I've been sponsoring her since last summer. For several months areas of her country had very bad weather, severe rains and problems with flooding and even hail which destroyed crops. I was concerned for her safety and her family, and her community (agrarian). But the sponsoring group reported that all was well enough, and they would contact me directly if there was truly something to b...saturday? must be blog day...
Saturday, February 16th 2008
Just back from first bike ride of the season. Felt great. No problems with my knee or hip, feeling stronger than last time I rode at the end of last season.Weight down a bit this week, about a pound. Too lazy to take body measurements. Maybe later in the week.
Whole different approach to exercise seems to be working. Focus is more flexibility and strengthening the weak areas. Think I dove in a little too quickly at the start of my program -- explains the joint pain I was experie...
What a week...
Saturday, February 9th 2008
Where to begin?I said good-bye to my friend at his viewing on Thursday. Really, it was a time to offer condolences to his family, to share with them what a good man he was, and to share with my friends and co-workers the grief of losing someone so unexpectedly.
On a (callously) practical note: This was my first dead body. It's true what they say. His body didn't seem like him at all. His spirit was gone from the figure I saw in the box. Though someone had done a nice job on him....
Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, February 6th 2008
What do I give up this year!?Thank goodness for sermons! I feel I understand anew the nature of the Lent season of "fasting" -- give up what enslaves me. Of course. How simple. Or not.
What I feel most keenly this year: gluttony enslaves. Not just a gluttony for food, but for things, for happiness over other experiences. Can I fast from gluttony this season? Can I carefully consider my choices, even the places where I've thought there are no choices. An interesting ...
Melancholy blues...
Monday, February 4th 2008
Quiet day at work, with sad news. One of my co-workers, recently laid-off, died over the weekend. A man with so many skills and talents, yet also weaknesses. As my Latvian friend says "tomorrow is not promised." So often I think there will always be enough time for second chances. But sometimes the second chances run out.So today I try to appreciate where I am, what I have, who is near, the love that is shared from afar.
And I remember the friendship, wry wit, intellige...