Sunday, March 23, 2008

Pineappled...

Today I drove back out to Bowie (we had to go back to Tucson for my dentist appointment) and did another day of digging. There was a massive backup on I-10, and since I hadn't left any wiggle room (we've been keeping way too late hours), I didn't get to DM until nearly 1:00. Fortunately, the Kubota was right where I left it, so I didn't have to do much to get started - just a quick fluids check, a quick check for visible problems, and then get on it and drive it back up to the trench, which is extra fun because I have to back it most of the way up the hill so that I have the right tool pointing toward the trench.

Today I dug another thirty feet, which wasn't too bad for two hours, but was a bit disappointing. I think the three things I'm doing wrong that are really costing me a lot of time are: trying to keep the bottom of the trench free of rocks; digging about a foot deeper than I need to; trying to make too much progress per hop.

By per hop, I mean that when you're digging a trench, you back the backhoe up so that it just reaches the bottom of the place where you last dug; you then dig a new trench from there to the closest you can get to the tractor; then you move the tractor again and repeat the process. It's possible to dig a perfectly square trench right up to the back of the tractor, but it takes almost as long to square off the end of the trench as it does to dig up to that point. So it's better to make the hops a little shorter, and clean up the excess at the beginning of the next dig. Who knew digging a trench could be such an intellectual feast?

I've been eating a lot of pineapple since the surgery. It started when Andrea asked me what I wanted to eat and I couldn't think of a thing that sounded like it wouldn't just make me feel worse. And then I thought, maybe something with a high water content. So I asked for watermelon and pineapple. The watermelon was a bust, but the pineapple is really great - I've been eating it nearly every day since. What a fantastic food it is. I don't mean the canned stuff, which is pleasant. I mean fresh-cut pineapple. Yum. Highly recommended. I eat it with yogurt, which is ayurvedically questionable, because yogurt is a milk product and milk doesn't interact well with pineapple, but it seems to work, so I think the fact that yogurt has been cultured must make a difference.

Thought for the day: is it different for me to be happy that you are in my world, than for me to be happy that I am in yours?

4 Comments:

Blogger Will Shetterly said...

Huh. I left you a post yesterday I must've previewed and not posted. It just said I was very fond of plain yogurt and fresh grapefruit, so I suspect pineapple would be a treat. Especially with some nuts and raisins.

Monday, March 24, 2008 7:57:00 AM  
Blogger Ted Lemon said...

Hm, I bet pineapple is yummier than grapefruit... Although grapefruit isn't bad. :')

I tried putting muesli in with the pineapple, but it doesn't add anything to the experience. And the yogurt provides enough protein. I might try adding some of the local walnuts or pecans if I remember to stop in the pecan store. It's kind of cool to be able to have local pecans.

Monday, March 24, 2008 9:00:00 AM  
Blogger Will Shetterly said...

I tried muesli too, but the texture wasn't as satisfing as nuts and raisins. You are right about the protein, of course.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 9:17:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love fresh pineapple and vanilla no fat yogurt. YUM!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 9:49:00 PM  

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