Thursday, September 25, 2008

busy day ahead

My host Bob ended up having other social engagements yesterday, so he couldn't make the Shermer talk, but when he got home last night, I played my recording for him, minus the Q&A (where all the politics was).

Bob's an LPN, like Mechelle, and he's been generous about sharing from his cupboard for breakfast, a meal he gently insists I eat to keep my blood sugar level roughly even throughout the day; spikes in blood sugar can apparently start you down the road to diabetes. The first meal of the day is usually tea along with Quaker oatmeal* and some fruit; I've flavored my oatmeal with molasses, or even sugar (Bob regrets the current lack of honey), and most recently with a fantastic compôte that's apparently a mix of berries and even some small chunks of apple. I'd steal Bob's whole supply if I could; it's that good.

Today, I've got a lot to do, since this is my last full day in Walla Walla. A list of tasks:

1. Goodbyes to (and photos of) some of the people I've met-- Adam and Suzanne at their motel, the Korean folks at the teriyaki-jip, the Korean folks at the campus convenience store, Mechelle, Connie at the bus stop, etc. I'd like to get pics of the folks I've met at the last two Spirituali-Teas, but tracking them down will be a task. Maybe I'll hunt them down in the spring.

2. One of the strictures of the Continental Airlines buddy pass is a mild dress code. I need to buy a button-down shirt with a collar. Kinda makes me regret having sent back my other shirts.

3. Settle final arrangements with Chuck and Cousin Marie; she'll be contacting me with a reservation locator number for my e-ticket; Chuck will be arriving tomorrow after he's done with work, and we'll make the over three-hour haul to Portland, where I'll hit a motel.

4. Figure out how and where I can reduce weight on the backpack, and how I'm going to handle carry-on baggage. I already have an idea.

5. As always: laundry. I regret doing it so frequently, but I've got only one pair of pants, three tee shirts, a few pairs of socks, and Spandex biker shorts serving as underwear (the shorts' legs protect my thunder thighs from rubbing each other raw).

There's doubtless more to do, but I can't think of it now. This morning, I cleaned the upstairs toilet; yesterday, I repaired a chair; tomorrow, I think I'm going to vacuum the upstairs floor before I leave.

Right-- off I go, then.

UPDATE: Items 6 and 7: launder my bed linens and buy Bob some replacement oatmeal. Perhaps Item 6 is really Item 5a, as I can do the linens and my clothes in one fell load.





*One day Bob asked me whether I was familiar with quinoa ("kee-nwah"). I wasn't, so we had quinoa with butter for breakfast. It looks like birdseed when dry, cooks fast like couscous, and tastes a bit nutty, as Bob noted. I asked Bob, who's an ex-restaurateur and an astute gourmet, whether quinoa might serve as a couscous surrogate; he brightened at the thought and said that it probably could.


_

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob's right about the breakfast - blood sugar - diabetes connection. Frankly, I'm amazed that with your one-meal-a-day eating habits you don't experience bouts of light-headedness, energy "crashes", etc. Those are the danger signs to watch out for. There's evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, that some people are more genetically disposed to have problems in that area than others, and you may be one of the lucky ones. Still, eating breakfast is a good idea.

P.S. Quinoa is native to the Andes and was a staple of the Inca.
(another pretentious display of irrelevant and trivial erudition)

Kevin Kim said...

My problem with eating breakfast is that it makes me want to poop soon afterward. Not good when I'm on the road, and positively dangerous when I'm walking through a suburb.

If I could somehow eat breakfast without needing to do a stop-and-squat, I'd gobble something every morning.

I also think that, because I'm naturally a night person, lunchtime is breakfasttime for me.


Kevin

Unknown said...

Kevin -

I'm holding a good thought for you.

You are not the only trekker experiencing problems -

http://www.leehorselogger.com/

Go home and get rested for the next leg of the journey.

Becky said...

Have a wonderful last autumn day in Walla Walla, Kevin. The weather is beautiful, and it's a good send-off for you. Have a safe trip to Portland and a comfortable flight to VA.

Happy travels.

Kevin Kim said...

Becky, thanks. I wrote a reply to your other comment re: please re-send your email address. Did you see it?

Anyway, we'll be in touch, and I'll meet you when I'm back in town next year.

Mark,

Thanks for the encouragement. That logger-blogger is in a much tighter fix than I am.

Alan,

I learn something new every day.


Kevin


Kevin