~- Hello Daly -~

Quality Day

2012-05-16T21:56:00.002-07:00

I love days when things run smoothly and its productive. Most weeks are like that. I think this particular was extra special because it started out with a bike ride to the office with John. Traffic was very minimal, the weather was perfect, and no one tried to smoke us out with the exhaust of their diesel truck. Upon arrival on campus, we had plenty of time to sit down for coffee and pastries

Positioning for a Perfect Solar Eclipse

2012-05-15T22:58:00.002-07:00

The Biggest Little City in the World will be one of the best places in the world to view an astronomical event this Sunday, May 20 when a perfect solar eclipse will sweep across the southwestern United States after passing over East Asia and the northern Pacific Ocean. While a solar eclipse is not a rare event, a perfect eclipse visible from our backyard is; where a portion of the sun's surface

Bike to Work Week

2012-05-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

I rode my bike to work on Friday in celebration of Bike to Work Week (which doesn't officially start until this week so I was a little early). The distance was about 6 1/2 miles each way (a mile more than driving because I wanted to stick to roads with bike lanes for safety. Outside Reno Bike Project on 4th Street near downtown John rode with me in the morning to make sure I could find a

GourMelt Grilled Cheese Truck

2012-05-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

One cold day in late February, John picked me up from the office for lunch and as usual we were undecided about a place to eat. Then he remembered the GourMelt Grilled Cheese Truck and lucky for us, the food truck was parked nearby. I once heard an interview on the radio with (I believe was) one of the owners discussing the challenges of the food truck industry in Reno/Washoe County and since

Reno Rock 'n River Marathon

2012-05-08T22:09:00.001-07:00

When I tightened the shoelaces of my new running shoes at the start of this year I never dreamed that I would run a half marathon several months later. After giving up the sport over ten years ago, all I wanted was to get back in to running for a little variety in choice of hobbies. As I embarked on a 5K running plan I found in an old book from Runner's World, I 'ran' with my co-worker during

Celebrating Our 6th Anniversary

2012-05-07T19:58:00.001-07:00

The race weekend in Livermore, CA was all the wedding anniversary celebration I needed. Seeing John place 2nd in the road race; earning enough points to upgrade to the next category and spending time with a sister I have not seen in years were gifts I couldn't place a price tag on. Still, John and I had another non-work day to share together and so soon after we returned home from our trip, we

Wente Vineyards Classic Criterium

2012-05-06T21:07:00.004-07:00

The Sunday after the Wente Vineyards Classic Road Race, instead of going home after breakfast John and I stayed a while longer in Livermore so we could watch the criterium. On this rare occasion, John was at a bike race not to compete in it, but to simply be a spectator--which he truly enjoyed. First we went to breakfast at the Railroad Cafe, a cute old-timey restaurant not far from the

Reunited

2012-05-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

As chance would have it, one of my sisters moved to northern California the same weekend John and I moved to Reno which meant we would be closer in distance. When she lived in Seattle and I lived in Las Vegas, the occasions during which we visited each other were rare. Truthfully, I don't remember the last time I saw her. Now that our homes are a few hours drive from each others', John's bike

Sunday at Reno Riverwalk District

2012-04-23T21:50:00.001-07:00

John finished his bike ride just after I had finished my jog on Sunday. Then we drove down to the Reno Riverwalk District to catch an Earth Day Picnic. There were crowds of people everywhere, waiting in lines spilling out the doorways of the local merchants downtown. Earth Day couldn't draw this big of a crowd could it? I had expected families and children but these were adults, around our age.

My Earth Day Project

2012-04-20T22:24:00.000-07:00

With Earth Day around the corner, projects from those trying to do their part are cropping up here and there. This Nevada block "N" was created out of recycled water bottles in honor of UNR's Earth Week festivities. As for me, I was inspired by a bottle garden on Urban Green Survival's blog. Check out the blog post with a very helpful video and a photo of the finished project (then the next

Western Scrub Jay

2012-04-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

Spring is definitely here and I hope it will stay for good. I've heard it can snow even through June and I believe it. In one week we had a sunny day and I laid out in my bikini and the next few days, we had a blizzard! Everywhere flowers and trees are in bloom. I haven't had a chance to take photos of the magnificent views and have only captured them with my eyes. I did snap a few shots of

Yard Service

2012-04-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

I hired a couple guys to mow the lawn and look who they sent! Even worse, they were working on the wrong yard. These two are up to no good ;-)

At Home

2012-04-19T13:53:00.001-07:00

The radishes have teeny weensy leaves! I should have radishes in about 20 to 25 more days. Radishes - Day 3 My attempt to make chocolate dipped strawberries was just short of a success, LOL. Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Elgy is waiting to stretch on the yoga mat with me. Lately I've been limping around from post-workout soreness. While Havi naps with John. We rarely see her

Our Easter Weekend

2012-04-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend John and Maggie were in town for business and even though their time was pretty much devoted to their work, we managed to spend some quality time together while they were here. One of the nights we went to dinner at a newly opened restaurant called Ling and Louie's. It's a chain restaurant, though there are only six at this time, that started out of Arizona. They're gauging their

Help for My Two Brown Thumbs

2012-04-12T11:11:00.001-07:00

I sowed some Cherry Belle radish seeds and this morning when I looked, they've started to germinate. I removed the greenhouse (a plastic bag which covered the pot). What else should I do at this point? I see little fuzzy roots...should they be above the soil level? I wasn't sure so I poked them back into the potting mix. Day 1 - Radishes Radishes - Day 1

Happy Easter

2012-04-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

I am outside with the girls enjoying our beautiful Sunday in Reno. Beergarita by my side while I soak up the sun on our patio. Soon I will start prepping Easter Dinner of ham, and sweet potatoes, greens and salad--and deviled eggs of course. John's parents are in town and he is out on a bike ride. Wishing you a Happy Easter!

Beauty Contest

2012-04-07T12:36:00.001-07:00

I received a letter in the mail yesterday addressed to our family. It read that 'our daughter has been referred to [the organization] as a possible candidate who may enjoy modeling, acting, or learning stage techniques that will help empower and enable her to accomplish her future goals.' Well how did they know that our girl is a beauty queen in training?? The letter went on and revealed that [

Google Offers $5 for $10 Starbucks Card and help Create Jobs for USA Fund

2012-04-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

For today only, buy a $10 Starbucks Card eGift through Google™ Offers for just $5! Google™ Offers will donate $3 to the Create Jobs for USA Fund (up to $3 Million) to help more Americans get back to work. Go to Starbucks.com or click this link to visit Google Offers to purchase. I receive no incentives for this post. I just want to share the savings with you. A couple things you need to

Spinach Soup with Egg Strips

2012-03-31T15:52:00.001-07:00

Today is that kind of a day for a comforting soup. We made this Spinach Soup with Egg Strips but added mushrooms and topped it off with French's fried onions. It takes very little time to prep and is easy to make. To make the original recipe, all you need are these ingredients: 3 teaspoons olive oil 4 large eggs Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 scallions thinly sliced 1 garlic clove finely

San Francisco Bound

2012-03-23T12:30:00.001-07:00

My stomach is in knots and oddly enough, I am homesick for Seattle even though I have never lived there.

Tax Time

2012-03-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting here after breakfast, having coffee, and finishing up my tax returns...or should I say tax filing. I've been putting it off because I know have to pay again this year but that's okay. The snow that started falling last night and the sunshine this morning is making the process bearable. Maybe I'll get a chance to run outside today.

26 Pounds

2012-03-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Would you believe the girl in the pink (and red) shirt was me just over ten years ago? I had just moved to Redondo Beach, CA from Washington state in the year 2000 and spent much of my time at the bars, drinking. I had gained nearly 33% of my normal body weight in fat and was almost unrecognizable to my mom (and even to my friends who've never seen me overweight). How about this one taken

Opportunity Cost

2012-03-08T20:37:00.002-08:00

I have not given an arm or leg for fuel at this gas station but anyone who stops should be prepared to do so. I'm fortunate I only need to fill up the 14.5 gallon tank of my car once a month...if that, now that I drive 2 miles less per day as part of my commute to and from work. Sure the savings in gas may be marginal, perhaps two gallons in a month, but the cash in my pocket would be better

Fun Meets Function

2012-03-03T13:14:00.001-08:00

Ever since a friend gave me fingerless gloves for Christmas, I have received at least one for Christmas, like this pair, and I am getting my use out of them. I wear them all of the time. Well, almost. Outdoor, indoor, and running so I can still type, write, or use my phone. The bright colors make me smile especially when I look at the sport watch I wear on my wrist while I am running. My gloves

SQL

2012-03-02T17:14:00.000-08:00

I learned to write some very basic SQL today using the SELECT statement to choose columns and rows for display, the COUNT function to aggregate data, and the GROUP BY statement to group things. For more practice, I could apply this in my personal life with a grocery list to my husband. How about this? SELECT Item, Quantity, Aisle FROM Grocery_List WHERE Store = ‘Costco’ ORDER BY Item.