New Year's Resolutions

Mileage: 2586

I don't usually make new year's resolutions, but this year I was thinking of a few things I might integrate into my life in 2013.

1. To be kinder and gentler - We are in difficult times. Financially people are struggling, also we are in a much worse place financially as a country than anyone wants to admit. In many ways it is bad if not worse than in 1933, but we keep printing money and giving people money the government technically doesn't have. It may all crash soon. I am happy to have my job and I have no debt (other than my new car) but many, many people are struggling. I vow to be kinder and gentler with people in these tough times,

2. To lose weight - I simply need to eat LESS and exercise MORE. Nothing fancy no "new diet" no new exercise DVD. I need to put less on my plate and get off my butt and walk or hike or explore or whatever. I simply need to move.

3. To find love - It could be a person, or a new hobby, or a new passion (photography, art) doesn't matter. I need to give love more and receive love more. I am 53 I have less life in front of me than I have behind me and I want to show love more and I want to be loved.

Steven's Christmas Card to Me

Mileage: 2378

Steven, my funny wonderful son, gave me a great card for Christmas.

Les Miserables

Mileage: 2290

Mom and I went to the 12:00 noon showing of Les Miserables on Christmas Day. The movie is wonderful. I enjoyed it so much!

Christmas Day 2012

Mileage: 2351

Spent Christmas Day with my wonderful son, Steven and my sweet mom.

Lunch at Apple Farm with Mom

Mileage:  2284

Mom and I had lunch at Apple Farm. The food was great and the dessert was delicious. They make an "Apple Dumpling". The apple is cored and covered with a pastry and baked until soft. In the middle of the apple they put butter and cinnamon. Once its out of the oven it is served warm with vanilla ice cream and carmel sauce. Yum!

Breakfast at Madonna Inn

Mileage: 2204

Took Mom to Madonna Inn for breakfast. Madonna Inn does this over the top decorating for the holidays. We had a great time.

Jordan visiting me in December 2012

Mileage: 2,186

Here we are getting ready to go see the movie "The Hobbit".

Happy Family, we opened some presents this weekend, Jordan has to go home on Monday and won't be back until the new year.

Manse Christmas Party December 2012

Mileage 2,155

Had a great time dancing the night away at the Manse Christmas Party.

Conga Line.

Dressing up fancy for the Company Christmas Party

Mileage: 2,155

Christie and me dressing up fancy to attend my company's Christmas Party.

Christmas Tree - 2012

Mileage: 1,962

Put my Christmas Tree up this weekend. Also did some shopping and wrapping. Jordan, Christie, & Mike visiting December 14th through the 18th.

Now it's beginning to look like Christmas.

Video of the Making of the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Mileage: 1,810

It turned out great!

Here is a little Video to show ya how I made the cheesecake. So Fun!

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake!

Mileage: 1,686

I am hosting a book club meeting at my home this Sunday. I needed to come up with a tasty dessert. I turned my food guru and hero, Martha Stewart and she never disappoints. I found her recipe for Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, Yum! (Recipe below)

Keeping my fingers crossed I can make it and it will turn out good!

Cheesecake
Ingredients:
1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies
 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
 4 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
 1 1/2 cups sugar
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 4 large eggs
 1 cup sour cream
 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
 Chocolate Ganache, for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Assemble a 9-inch springform pan with the raised side of the bottom facing down.

1. In a food processor, pulse cookies until finely ground. Add butter, and pulse to moisten. Transfer to prepared pan, and press crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 10 minutes, and set aside.
2. Wipe out bowl and blade of food processor. Add cream cheese, sugar, and salt; blend until smooth. With motor running, add eggs, then sour cream, and finally chocolate; blend filling until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Pour filling onto crust, and bake just until set, 1 hour. Turn oven off, and let cheesecake sit 1 hour in oven, without opening (this helps prevent cracking).
4. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan (this helps prevent cracking, too); leave in pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
5. Prepare Chocolate Ganache. Unmold cheesecake. Spread ganache in center of cheesecake; let set before serving.

Chocolate Ganache Topping
Ingredients:
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat, and add chocolate. Stir until melted, then set aside until thickened, 2 to 5 minutes.

Make sure and let set before serving. Serves 12.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Book & Movie

Mileage: 1,546

For our monthly book club meeting, we have selected To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is the 50th Anniversary of the publishing of the novel, so to celebrate, we are reading the book again. We have scheduled to at meet at my home to watch the movie on DVD. We are going to discuss the themes in the book and discuss the differences between the book and the movie.

Skyfall - James Bond 50 Years of Movies

Mileage: 1,521

This Saturday after doing some Christmas shopping, I thought I would go see the new James Bond movie Skyfall. It had a few things going for it, one, Adele sings the opening song, love Adele! Two, it was getting good reviews and three, it was featured on 60 Minutes last weekend. One way to make a good James Bond movie is to have a good villain and this time they did in the form of Javiar Bardem with a bad hair piece making him even more creepy than most Bond villains. This movie did  sort of a "re-set" you will figure out what I mean once you see the movie.

I guess at the 50 year mark,  007 might need to be "re-set" to garner a new wave of fans, especially the younger crowd. This Bond movie had more humor in it and that appealed to me greatly. Sure, I like a good over the top action scene, but to deliver a pithy one-liner at just the right time, makes it even more enjoyable. Though I had my doubts about having a "blond" Bond, I am warming up to Daniel Craig, and heck I would love to cuddle with him too, I enjoyed this one completely and look forward to more Bond movies in the future. At 50, Bond (and the series) are still very entertaining and dashing as ever.

Lincoln - New Movie by Steven Spielberg

Mileage: 1,323

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, I went to see the movie Lincoln, the main focus of the movie was President Lincoln's attempt to pass the 13th Amendment (ending slavery) and presumably to help end the civil war. The movie was well done, well acted, and for the most part very accurate. Daniel Day Lewis excellent job as Lincoln, he made him more human and less god-like. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Trip to Lancaster, CA

Mileage: 1,197

The Focus now has over 1,100 miles on it.  I drove it to Lancaster in the Mojave desert to visit my brother, Robert and his wife Alexis. I had transferred some home movies for him and wanted to make sure and return the movies and give him the DVD I had made for his family.

Had a great time visiting with Robert we went out to lunch at fun restaurant with tasty food.

More info on the transferred movies:

Book Club Meeting - Shell Beach, CA

Mileage: 538

Book Club Meeting for November 2012

We had a wonderful lunch and conversation at our monthly Book Club meeting at Basque Restaurant. The book we read was Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Attending were Left to Right, me, Rachel, Susan, Rachel's friend, and Rita.

The restaurant we select was a Alphy;s Basque Chateau, Shell Beach, CA. The cuisine comes from the Basque region, which occupies an area in and around the Pyrenees mountains on the border separating France and Spain. In keeping with Basque restaurant traditions, all entrees are served family style with fresh bread, Basque soup, salad, beans and Spanish salsa. Entrees include lamb, steak, chicken, pork and seafood dishes.

Halloween Time

Mileage: 487

I had a great time dressing up as a Flapper on Halloween at work. My co-worker, Mariel dressed up as a flapper, too. Had a Blast!

New Car - New "Focus" - New Adventures

Mileage: 225

Starting a new "Focus" of my blog. All puns intended. On October 20, 2012 I purchased a 2013 Ford FOCUS Hatchback. I love the car.

I purchased it from Perry Ford in San Luis Obispo, CA. Moses Medina was my salesman. I will be writing about my road trips with the car. When I bought the car it had 225 miles on it. I will indicate the odometer reading as I post blogs on this site.

5K Walk - Strawberry Stampede

I did a 5K walk for charity. Very cool!

The race is about to begin, I have on my bib number and the blue electronic tab on my shoe to record my time.

Got to the finish line!  I felt great.
My time:  56:22   (17 min mile)
Last I did it in 58:01
Bettered my time this year Yay!!!