Shell’s Weight Loss Journey - Special Post (Bailey and Abby)

Posted Aug 19, 2006 by jriley

Updated Aug 21, 2006 at 10:13 AM

Ok, I know it’s not my normal posting day of Wednesday however after you read this entry you will understand why I wanted to post.

First a little side note:  Today was the big kayaking day.  I LOVED IT!  Karen will be posting the details as this was her event.  I just want to say that I have always told anyone who cares (and who would listen) that I would never ever get married again.  Well, if you are a single man who was waterfront property I am available…

Now – on to the reason for this special post.  I am terribly upset and felt that if I got it out that I would be able to let it go…

Leaving the kayaking event I had to stop and get gas.  While pumping my gas at the Hess station in Lutz, I noticed a rather large dog coming towards me across the street and held my breath and prayed quickly when a car just barely hit him crossing the street.  He came right over to me, licked my leg and then laid down behind the Jimmy.  While asking him if he was okay and where were his owners another dog came up to the white car next to me getting gas and then came over and laid by the other dog.  These dogs were covered in mud and looked as if they had been “lost” for several days.  The guy from the white car “Tim” came over when he was done pumping gas and I asked him if he had a cell phone on him as I had found the veterinarian’s number on the tag.  I had my cell phone in the front seat of my Jimmy and didn’t want to go around to get it for fear that the dog’s would run off and get hit.  Tim called the vet and gave them my cell phone number to call me back on as I had said that I was staying with the dogs.  After hanging up Tim watched the dogs while I went to get my cell phone.  The dogs were just laying there looking up at me and my every move.  They were so very sweet in nature.  After about ten minutes I called the vet back to see if they had located the owners.  Nope – no answer from the owners.  I then asked where the vet’s office was located as I was going to load the dogs into the back of my Jimmy and drop them off there for safekeeping while the owners were located.  “No can do” stated the vet’s office.  They were closing and said that they didn’t have a place to house the dogs? 

UNBELIEVABLE Tim and I both agreed.  After giving the vet the number of the tags the vet indicated that I had found Bailey and Abby, both Labs.  I then called Karen at her Sister’s house (where the kayaking event had just taken place) to ask if Karen’s house had a fenced in yard.  That was not an option either.  At that point I was minutes away from loading the dogs into the back of the Jimmy and hauling them back to Brandon with me for safe keeping in my back yard until the owners could be located.  There was just no consciousable way that I was leaving these two beautiful dogs there to get hit and possibly killed!  Tim then located the owners name on one of the collars and I asked Karen to look in the phone book for an address for me.  She located it and Tim headed off in his white car to find it and see if the owners were home and if there was a place to secure the dogs.

A clerk came out of the Hess station to thank me for taking the time to help out the dogs and then said “this is the fifth time that the dogs have ended up here; the son has a problem keeping the gate closed”.  What?  FIVE times?  Tim came back to tell me that no one was home however the fence looked secure enough to leave the dogs there.  At this point a lady had come over to offer me a towel to wipe them down and a guy in a red jeep was asking me about the situation.  I put my back seats down and then lowered the tail gate and the two guys helped the dogs up into the back of the Jimmy.  I then followed Tim to the owners house.  When we arrived and let Bailey and Abby out the back they seemed relieved to be home and ran towards the gate.  I made sure the gate was latched securely and then Tim and I walked to the other side of the house to check the fence for holes before we left.  I thanked Tim for helping me (A stranger – and a Tennessee fan at that) out expressing to him how grateful that I was.  I told him that I didn’t have a good feeling about leaving the dogs and their future safety.  He expresses the same sentiments and told me that he had left the owners a “message” indicating so.  Driving towards Brandon I kept thinking of beautiful Bailey and Abby and said a prayer for their continued safety.  I then called the owners and left them the following message:  I spent 45 minutes with Bailey and Abby, watching over their safety and trying to get them safely returned home.  Your dogs are safe and secure behind the fence at your home although I did not feel good about leaving them.  If what we were told at the gas station was true that this was the 5th time they were found I am very upset and concerned about this.  PLEASE, PLEASE make sure that there is not a sixth time as you have been lucky that they were alive and returned the previous five times… the sixth time they may not make it back to you safely.  Please love and keep those precious dogs safe”.

                                                    ^ My “Doggie Dog” Winston! ^

Those 45 minutes had me so shook up that I was hoping that I would pass a MacDonalds so that I could get me some french fries (my comfort food).  Thank goodness there was not a MacDonalds in site and my mom had told me that she had a grilled chicken salad waiting for me at home.  As soon as I pulled into my driveway, there was my doggie dog Winston (photo above) sitting in the doorway wagging his tail in anticipation for me to come in and play with him.  I gave him an extra hug and loved on him extra hard. 

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The Mickey Challenge

Posted Aug 18, 2006 by jriley

Updated Aug 21, 2006 at 08:42 AM

I just spent the last three days at Disney’s Vero Beach and Boardwalk resorts to celebrate the Men’s Team’s bowling victory.  (heh heh, see the Splitsville video link above to see the Women’s Team get crushed).  My wife and I went out to eat several times, had a few drinks, and even a dessert or two.  We balanced that with a lot of walking on the beach and a thorough gym workout, yielding a net result of no loss, no gain.  I’m still at -17 pounds.
Some non-diet-related details:
We learned a lot about sea turtles at Vero Beach, and even met one named Crush, Jr. (after a Disney character in “Finding Nemo”) just before he was released into the ocean.  He had washed ashore a few months earlier, very sick from swallowing plastic and other debris.  Things that shouldn’t be on ANYONE’s diet!  Disney’s ‘Living Seas’ crew nursed him back to health, and sent him on his way with a small beacon attached so they can track his movements.

Since we moved to Florida four years ago, we’ve been very happy to see how much support and protection Florida’s endangered and threatened species are getting, especially the sea turtles and the manatees (we have one of each on our license plates).  Keep up the good work, Floridians!
Next on the endangered list:  about 20 pounds of Shamu-fat around my waist.  Stay tuned for the latest bulletins.

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In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream, “BAM!”

Posted Aug 18, 2006 by Jeff Houck

Updated Aug 18, 2006 at 01:16 PM

Science reporter and resident sommelier Kurt Loft sends this little tidbit. Apparently the folks on the International Space Station got their spice on the other day.

The crew of the International Space Station joined Chef Emeril Lagasse today after tasting several of his gourmet creations, delivered to space by the shuttle Discovery last month.

Lagasse sent NASA some of his special recipes for potential use in space. After the required testing and processing, five different recipes were selected. Emeril’s Mardi Gras jambalaya, mashed potatoes with bacon, green beans with garlic, rice pudding and mixed fruit were delivered to the station in July.

“It’s an absolute honor to share my food with you on such a journey,” said Lagasse during the special hookup. For Lagasse, the call to the station crew on board doubled as a treat. “Since I was a little boy, I’ve been a huge fan of the space program.”

The station is home to NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter. Station crews usually live and work in space for six months. “Our research has indicated that quality, appetizing food is important for the health and morale of astronauts during space missions, especially long ones,” said NASA’s Vickie Kloeris, who oversees the development and distribution of food on the space station.

“We sampled the food and especially enjoyed the jambalaya and the kicked up mashed potatoes,” Williams said, “in particular, the extra spiciness.”

The ‘kicked up’ cuisine was a welcomed addition to the crew’s menu for its zest appeal.

“Our perception of taste is a little bit decreased,” Reiter said. “We have a longing for a little bit spicier food.”
Menu options for shuttle and station crews are more extensive than ever before, with about 200 U.S. food items available. Russian food also is available.

Williams suggested Lagasse join them in space one day as the onboard chef.

“Now, that would definitely be kicking it up a few notches,” Lagasse said.

There was no word if he sent along a copy to his failed 2001 NBC sitcom, “Emeril.”

To see video of the chat, click here.

 

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Meat The Team

Posted Aug 18, 2006 by Jeff Houck

Updated Aug 18, 2006 at 01:24 PM

Buried in our end-of-training-camp coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was this delicious morsel from Tribune reporter Katherine Smith:

STEEP STEAK: Cost of the double porterhouse at Morton’s Steakhouse - $84. Cost to feed about 20 Bucs offensive players - $40,000. Sticking the rookies with the bill - priceless.

As part of training camp tradition, the players went out on the town the night before camp broke and frequented some of the nicer restaurants in the Orlando area, with the team split up by position.

The offensive line and quarterbacks gathered at Morton’s in Orlando on Wednesday night and racked up a rather large bill.

Among the rookies footing the bill were their first- and second-round picks, G Davin Joseph and T Jeremy Trueblood, probably thankful they got a signing bonus.

 

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“Secret” Sauce

Posted Aug 18, 2006 by Janine Dorsey

Updated Aug 18, 2006 at 08:48 AM

I am so not feeling the love for my lunch today.

I read the “title” but not the description while in the store. I just thought, “Oh! Grilled turkey breast. I’m there!”

On closer examination, I see that the turkey has some sort of “sauce” that involves a clear gel, cranberries and apples.

But more alarming is the the presence of both locust bean gum (?!) and BEEF EXTRACT.

Ummm…. I know several people who do not eat beef for health or religious reasons and wonder if they know about this? I do eat beef and I do not want to know what “beef extract” is.

Because I can see them now picking through the choices in the frozen food case: “Beef tips in merlot sauce - no, meatloaf and macaroni & cheese - no, turkey giblets with gravy - YES!”

Scary.  I feel like I didn’t make such a “healthy choice” afterall.

Almost as scary as Marty’s giant portion of beans and rice with chicken today.  I swear it weighs in at two pounds, at least.

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