How to buy a new refrigerator

We in the Kennedy-Owen household (or Owen-Owen, if you happen to be in the Social Security office) are getting a new refrigerator as we speak. If you want to buy a new one, first determine the person in your house who is good with taking measurements and thus figuring out if the delivery people can actually get it in the house.
(I'll let you know later.)
In our case, this person is Michael. Also, he scoured the several stores from which we might make a purchase and he found us a good deal at Lowe's. So that kept two of us from schlepping around town.
It will be soooo nice to have a frig with an ice maker; and it will be nice to have a CLEAN refrigerator. At least for the time being.

Elizabeth Edwards: Tomorrow on 'Today'

On "Today" tomorrow (!), Elizabeth Edwards talks to Matt Lauer about John Edwards, her cancer, kids, etc.
Here's what I presume is most of the text.
Funny but when I clicked on the story, my mind registered Tipper Gore.
Lots of political and celebrity breakups lately. Sad.

Tour de France: Lance's last

Lance will ride this year but for the last time.
The Tour de France starts Saturday in Belgium.
Viva la lance!

Subway: Far from underground

Cool story about how a few Subway shops, stationed throughout this work site at Ground Zero, are moving up along with the building. Shops were put in because it takes so long for the workers to get to the ground for lunch.

Conversing with strangers

So last night on Facebook, a religious discussion got started. I know, dangerous. Or at least tricky.
I posted two things. The first was in response to my friend's status update. (This is a real-life friend.) The second was to a response by one of his friends. Someone I don't know.
This is new territory for me--this conversing with strangers. I'm old enough to be cautious about what I put online. But I'm also cautious in another way; I don't know the person I posted to, which on the surface is OK.
But in another way, not.
I don't know what bothers him. I don't know what makes him tick, makes him laugh, makes him interesting. All I know is a few lines about his religious beliefs.
People laud the Internet for bringing people together. I get that; I'm addicted to Facebook. But something about bringing people together to "converse" via computer, and separated by perhaps thousands of miles, seems artificial. It's artificial because I don't know how much to divulge when I don't know the person on the other end, not to mention pretty much anyone in the world who has access to a computer.
And then there's the real downside: People who don't know each other blasting one another because it's easy. (I'm thinking primarily of comment boards). You think you're countering a position when in fact you're communicating with a real person you can't see.
How is it with you, conversing with strangers?

Isner: Hitting the wall

Not surprisingly, John Isner of the U.S. dropped his second-round Wimbledon match, following what he called his three-day "ordeal." It was the longest match in tennis history.
Read the Canadian Press story here.

Done!

It may have been the shot heard 'round the world.
A backhand winner by American John Isner secured his second-round Wimbledon win today, as he beat Nicolas Mahut of France. (70-68 in the fifth, because of the no tie-break rule.) The match was spread over three days. Three DAYS.
"You know," Isner told the crowd after wining, "it stinks someone had to lose."
Indeed.

Into the fortnight?

This is quite something. And it will continue.
As it stands, John Isner (a Georgia guy) and Nicolas Mahut have been slugging it out at Wimbledon but have not been able to finish their second- round match. At this writing, the score is 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 59-59.
No, that's not a typo.

"Then you are ready for a walk"

Quotes from one Henry David Thoreau:

"We should go forth on the shortest walk, perchance, in the spirit of undying adventure, never to return ... prepared to send back our embalmed hearts only as relics to our desolate kingdoms. If you are ready to leave father and mother, and brother and sister, and wife and child and friends, and never see them again, if you have paid your debts, and made your will, and settled all your affairs, and are a free man, then you are ready for a walk."

"A saunterer, in the good sense, is no more vagrant than the meandering river, which is all the while sedulously seeking the shortest course to the sea."

Summertime: Peanut butter pie

Peanut butter cream pie

We had this last night when my parents came over for pre-Father's Day feast. (The rest of the meal was healthier.)

Ingredients
4 oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. confectioners sugar
one-third c. peanut butter
one-fourth c. milk
16 oz. Cool Whip
Graham cracker crust pie shell (ready made)
one-fourth c. chopped peanutes (optional)

Place cream cheese in deep bowl. Whip until fluffy. Beat in sugar, peanut butter and milk. Fold in Cool Whip, reserving some for top. Spoon into pie shell. Top with remaining Cool Whip and peanuts. Chill.
Note on the word chill: Put it in the freezer. I put ours in the frig for a good 6 hours and it came out nearly like soup. Also, I accidentally put the whole package of cream cheese but it didn't seem to make a difference, taste-wise.
-- Recipe from The Market, a local eatery

Pat McHenry: BRAG blog

Check out my friend Pat's recent blog post on his completing BRAG (Bike Ride Across Georgia).
Not only is Pat an avid cyclist for exercise's sake; but he's a devoted rider for economic and ecological reasons. He rides every day to his job as a professor at Columbus State University. Major hat tip to Pat.

Cool fun in the summertime

It's June so lots of kids are in camps of one kind or another.
A shoutout to these two: Camp Merrie-Woode and Camp Illahee, in the mountains of North Carolina where I worked in the summer of '97 and '89 respectively. Both outstanding experiences. Both are girls camps.
Though never a camper myself, I immensely enjoyed being a counselor.
It's a fulfilling, though tiring, way to spend a summer.
Happy Friday, y'all.

Mickey Drexler: Retail therapist

The other day I was in a local coffee shop and spotted this magazine article on a table. Fascinating read. The comments below the story are fascinating, as well--some current and former employees who say Drexler either walks on water or is the devil incarnate. In so many words.
Public figures, and people in the public eye (Drexler's in the latter category) tend to draw these extreme reactions. Based on this article, though, I don't know that I've ever heard of a CEO being this micro-managing. Have you?
P.S. It's correct that this post has nothing to do with health and fitness.

World Cup: The underbelly

It's not the fault of World Cup soccer that this happened,, of course, but it's a sad byproduct.
People go wild over this sport. Viciously wild.

For your Tuesday pleasure: A little A.A. Milne

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said."

Great shot of Nadal

It's not fresh news, but I like this shot. (Associated Press)
Nadal won the French on June 6.
Read AP story here.
In other news: Because we have not given away enough money lately, we gave some more this morning to a local company that blows in insulation. I know it will make a huge difference in our power bills (since what little insulation we had didn't do much good); and let me just say that the workers in this field earn every penny. Today the heat index here will top 100. One guy was in our attic for an hour. Ouch.

This cole slaw rocks

More on the subject of food: This cole slaw will put a little pizazz on your picnic table:

SOUR CREAM COLE SLAW
8 c. shredded cabbage or Napa lettuce (I use those easy 8-oz. bags)
3 TBSP chopped onion
one-fourth c. sugar
one-half tsp. dry mustard
one-eighth tsp. pepper
2 TBSP. chopped parsley
one-half tsp. salt
one-half tsp. celery seed
one-fourth c. vinegar
one-fourth c. oil
one-half c. sour cream

Mix cabbage and onion in a bowl.
Bring the next seven ingredients to a boil.
When mixture is cool, add oil and sour cream, blending well.
Pour over cabbage and toss well.

Yield: 6-8 servings
(From "A Southern Collection: Then and Now" by The Junior League of Columbus, Ga.

Key lime pie

Click here to find recipes from some of America's favorite eateries. The one I've got my eye on is Key lime pie, probably because the heat index here was 101 today.
Stay cool, friends. (Unless you are reading this at the North Pole, in which case I despise you.)

Friday theme: Double dipping

Today I'm posting a story we ran today in the paper and online.
Sometimes you just gotta double-dip, ya know?
Dana Gentry of Phenix City is being hailed as a hero, even though he refuses that title. He's in a hero in my book, and certainly to the two people from Georgia he rescued.
Hope his weekend is a little more relaxing than last.

John Daly: Cash poor

This is sad.
But, why is it necessary to start this story by calling him a "hefty professional golfer"? If it were relevant to the story--say, if he were suing the maker of Oreos--I would understand.
Nonetheless, it seems that John Daly's ongoing troubles are spilling out unnecessarily into the legal community, and taking other people with them.
P.S. I use the phrase "cash poor" rather in jest, because a (wealthy) friend used to describe himself that way. Sometimes it was hard for him to write a check for something because, even though he had piles of money, it wasn't always accessible. I gather the same couldn't be said for Daly.

'Everything in the store is organic.'

'Ya think?
I was searching on the NPR site for another story I'd heard today, one that I wanted to share with you; then I came across this ditty.
Internet, hope you're having a good week.

America's fittest cities

Here you go. Look for your city here, to see how it ranks among other fit cities.
I'm still searching for Columbus, Ga.

John Wooden's wisdom

Click here to read through some sage advice from the coaching great.
Read the Times obituary here.

Support systems

Over the past few days, since my parents suffered a house fire, I've marveled at the great outpouring of support for them. People have sent food, money, flowers, clothing; done chores for them; offered their homes or apartments. It's really something. I'm also thankful that they have insurance. SO thankful. There was another couple, not far from us in Alabama, who lost their home to a fire; the home was paid for but they didn't have insurance. Granted, many people are reaching out to them too, but I imagine it's slow going when you don't have representatives from an insurance company telling you what needs to be done. In my parents' case, it's tedious work with all the questions and sorting through--but life-giving in that they're not worried about reimbursement.
Grateful.

Smoke alarms

Here I am, testifying how thankful I am for smoke alarms. My parents had a fire at their home the other night, while they were sleeping, and Mom woke up when they were going off. She got my dad up.
A good portion of the house is burned up, including one car in the garage.
Sadly, their cat hid in the house and died.
Thankfully my parents are fine, physically.
Check those smoke detectors!

B.E.A.C.H. Diet

Dr. Oz's BEACH Diet. No, not South Beach.
I like the C one myself!
I'm not fond of the word "diet" because that presumes one day you'll be off of it. I prefer "lifestyle." These suggestions, I can live with.
Happy June 1.