A Cupcake, a diet Coke and U2.

My birthday was 2 days ago, there is always so much going on around this time of year.  Since my birthday is the day before St. Patrick's Day, I seem to become more and more Irish as I get older!  I love the green holiday with all of its craziness.  Steve bought me a cupcake for my birthday instead of a cake.  YUM!

This is a peanut butter, ganache filled cupcake from a place in downtown Plymouth called Cupcake Charlie's.  This little bakery was featured on the Food Network show, "CUPCAKE WARS", and made it to the finals.  They unfortunately lost, however I am glad they were on the show because I had never been there before & I did not know that they existed.  I was watching the show, and WOW, I saw they were from Plymouth MA !!  Too funny

Beside this yummy treat is my Yellow Submarine mug with my diet coke.  I am trying my best to reduce my consumption of this delicious drink, however hard it is to do.  I do not drink coffee.  This beverage is my drink of choice, and I know how bad it is, and I am trying to ween myself off of it !

It was an uneventful birthday for me, as most adult birthdays are I am guessing.  It was my 46th birthday.  Now I am in my "late 40's", but that is just fine with me.  I much rather be this age than to repeat my teen years or the 20's... they were not fun !

My birthday gift from my family is a week end away in May.  What pray tell could I be doing then in May?  Well if you know me, you will know my obsession.  U2 is kicking off their North American Tour on May 21st in Denver Colorado.  I am meeting friends in Denver.  I will be driving with a friend from Denver to Salt Lake City, where I will see them play on May 24th.  Am I excited?  Heck YAAAAA !!!

This is not my first U2 birthday trip.  In 2001 Steve asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I said tickets to U2.  They started their Elevation Tour in 2001 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in March of that year.  I flew down by myself.  It was great fun!  It was the first of many memorable shows that year.  My U2 fandom changed in 2001 and went to the next level of craziness!  I was so blessed to meet some amazing fans, who I can still call my friends, even after all of these years!

Thank you Steve for the Cupcake, running to 7-11 for the diet coke, and for being the kind of husband that does not get upset about my U2 obsession and need to travel to see them in concert.  YOU ROCK!

Body of Mine, Beware the Ides of March

For the Romans the 15th of March could have been a full moon and for Julius Ceasar it was not such a good day for him, lets just say. 

However, today for me the Ides of March, ( aka March 15th), is a day of a new beginning and a day where I am warning my body to beware of what is going to happen to it starting today.

I joined a GYM.

Beware Body, movement and exercise is hopefully going to kill the fat cells, and strengthen my heart and body.

WHY now ?

I don't know, other than tomorrow is my birthday ( I will be 46 years young), and I really feel the need to get my body moving.  Lately I have lived a sedentary existence.  My movement includes a bit of walking of our dog, and regular household stuff, but not to the extent that I need to be healthy.  For my job, I drive around in my car a lot and do not get much exercise.  Now that I am entering my "late 40's", I feel a need to take control of something that has had control of most of my adult life.

It isn't so much about weight loss, ( yes that would be great too !!), but it is more on how I feel.  Right now I do not feel as healthy as I did in years past.  I am tired easily, I am less than motivated, etc.  I need a kick start, and the energy that comes from exercise and being physically active.  I want to be able to accomplish one of my dreams before I am 50 years old, and I need to get fit before then, so today is the start of a great journey.

Body of mine, BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH !!!

Deb

Devastation and Hope.

My VERY first time blogging was on 10/10/10.  The title was EARTHQUAKE.  ( Go back and read it!)


Little did I know that 5 months later an Earthquake would hit the area of Japan I had visited.  Little news has come out about Shichigahama Japan, the coastal town that is a sister town with Plymouth.  Reports have come in of towns north and south that have been totally wiped away into the sea because of the Tsunami.


If you also read back on my blogs about my trip to Japan, you will see the topic of conversation when we visited the Fire Department.  Their biggest concern of safety was earthquake preparedness.  Also, when we went to the town hall, we were invited to see some middle school  children present to their town officials a project they did, which included simulating an earthquake and living in emergency conditions all day at school as a drill.


I have found out this morning that our translator, Marti (from the USA) is reported to be safe.  I am not sure of her circumstances.  Jamie Rosenberg, another translator  who worked with other Plymouth groups in Shichigahama reports:

"There seems to have been very major damage to Sendai, and a lot of deaths in the area close to where I used to live, but I have not been able to contact anyone in the town, yet. I have heard reports on the news of a tsunami as high as 10 meters, and those who have been to Shichigahama know that our tsunami walls are only about 2 meters high at their highest.  The Kokusaimura is a designated tsunami and earthquake refuge area, and Town Hall just had his earthquake proofing redone less than a month ago. The earthquake struck while most people we know were at work or school, so it's likely that they were safe in reinforced areas."

The waiting for information is difficult.  My thoughts and prayers are with the new friends that I met in Japan and their families.  

There is always Hope.  I believe in Miracles.

Deb