Botulism?

I'm sitting in my back room looking out at the sky as the changing of the guard from night to day takes place while eating my breakfast. As I polish off my bowl of Kashi flakes with cranberries I reach over and crack open my container of raspberry yogurt.

I take a bite.

(Brain) hhmmm? tastes a little funny. better try another bite, not sure

Now most normal human beings would have stopped here, cut their losses on the can of bacteria filled dairy product and gone to the kitchen for a banana. Not me though, another spoonful later and I palpating it around my mouth.

(Brain) looks a little chunky...sometimes yogurts chunky though.

(Mouth) smack, smack, smack! More! More!

(Brain) Ok, maybe just one more bite. It could have been a flavor clash from the cereal...

Third bite into the container and I'm wondering what the heck I'm doing.

(Brain) well I've only got one or two more bites so it seems like a waste to toss the rest. Besides that which does not kill you make you stronger right

It's precisely this backwards kind of thinking that kills people. So, I'm off to work hoping desperately that I don't have to see this yogurt again.

Note to self: if it tastes bad and looks bad it probably is bad. Don't eat it! Dummy!

Valdaree! Valderaa!...

".. I love to go a wandering, da da da da da da.... with my knapsack on my back!"

The weather here this weekend was divine! Everything is melting away and it's starting to look like a very early spring. What did old Punxsutawney Phil do again? http://www.groundhog.org/

Any how. We thought that instead of pushing the stroller throughboot drenching, 8 inch deep, icy puddles or attempting to scale glaciers built up at the end of sidewalks (we always forget our crampons at home) we would try out our new backpack.

Perfecto! The Bubbin loves it! And why wouldn't she. It's the first (and only) time that she will be taller than her parents!

I can't wait for summer to come along. Due to the backpacks success we have now planned the following trips:

Pacific Crest Trail
Appalachian Trail
Grand Canyon
Trekking Nepal

I think the Bub is up to it. She is now attempting to eat more solid foods which greatly resemble most of the backpacking meal-in-a-bag items I have ingested.
Really the only thing missing from the pack is a reservoir for beverages. A camel back for beer perhaps. Hey folks over at Kelty! Get on it!

Well were off for another walk! See you on the trails!

Sadness

It's amazing sometimes how you can suddenly be surrounded by so much sadness. Amid tribulation at home and at school today I decided to pay a visit to Martyn Bennett's web site. I originally found his music about 8 years ago at the local library and one track in particular on his CD Bothy Culture struck me as such a beautifully mastered tribute to a great poet Sorley McLean. The poem is Hallig and the song has wandered in and out of my mind ever since I heard it first. Last year I went to purchased the album but I couldn't find it so I bought his new album Grit. I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier album but it was interesting and unique. I also found out that Martyn had struggled with cancer and was apparently recovering. Today I learned of his passing on January 30th. I wouldn't consider myslef a huge fan of his. I don't even know if I would buy another one of his CD's. So why would this complete strangers death, someone that I wasn't even that interested in strike me a so unbelievably sad? Ultimately everyones happiness is important to me. Sometimes it's just hard to care so much for the well being of others ... but I don't think I could ever stop. Rest in peace Martyn.