Orange Iced Cookies for Halloween

After singing at a wedding this afternoon and exercising, I decided to make soft sugar cookies with orange icing for Halloween.  The icing was good but the cookies needed to be a little less rich and a little cakier.  I'll try a different recipe next time.
 

Home From a Crazy Week

The week is finally over, a couple of late nights working at home, and I'm not working at all this weekend.  The exclamation point of the week was having to dust both cats with flea powder, as the Frontline was just not doing the job.  Now I'm relaxing to Anji Bee's Halloween Chillcast.

Crazy Day and Week

Work is just nuts this week.  In comparison, doing multiple kid transportation runs, grocery shopping, and fixing Beth's birthday dinner was a cakewalk!

New Blog - Scott's Workouts

I created a new blog today, called Scott's Workouts.  It is, at minimum, a workout log.  But hopefully it'll be more than that - an opportunity to discuss workouts and how they're working out.

Up to Clarion

We went to Clarion to see Stephen beat on the big bass drum in the Golden Eagle Marching Band.

Back to P90X

It was kind of a rainy dreary early evening after work, and I didn't feel like running in it. So I reconnected the DVD player and did the P90X Kenpo X workout. Felt great. But it's kind of interesting. The people on the DVD wear heart monitors. One person, and I think it's Tony Horton, reports their pulse as being 160. I don't think the Kenpo X workout has ever got my pulse above 120. Surely my conditioning isn't that good...

Emerald Ash Borer

I think I saw one of these bad boys sitting on the hood of my tractor while I was doing leaf cleanup duty yesterday afternoon. I hope it was something different - I like my two ash trees.

Great Weather and Afternoon Off

Had a great 1/2 day vacation this afternoon in beautiful Indian Summer weather. Took care of the leaves, cut some grass, went to the Ultimate game, and did soccer transportation. I'd do the same tomorrow but I have an offsite class in the afternoon.

Back Spasms and Heating Pads

I can't take any pain killers like ibuprofen or naproxen. Which is too bad, because they're great for taking the edge off the pain of back spasms.

I've been told that back spasms should be treated with ice. But ice doesn't make them feel any better, and heating pads do. Today's spasm is much better, thanks, after the heating pad treatment. I was able to go to work in the afternoon.

2nd Degree Black Belt Test

Beth and I both successfully tested for 2nd Degree Black Belt in our Taekwondo system today!

Michael Phelps - Not

I took Philip to Ross Park Mall to get his "I Swim" hoodie autographed by Michael Phelps, but they had already cut off his line. We decided not to get in the Peggy Fleming line.

Running Behind, Then VERY Late

Things were going OK this morning. I was running behind, but still on time for work. And then I discovered that I didn't have any keys for the car in my driveway. I got a set later in the morning. But I had a rather productive morning working at home.

G-20 Ghost Town/High School Open House

Everyone I had to call downtown at work was working from another location or from home. I went running again in my new running shoes, then it was off to the high school open house. It was nice of most of the teachers to show up.

Welcome to Pittsburgh

Had a nice warm Pittsburgh welcome at the airport this afternoon - cops and dogs. At least they weren't decked out like these downtown thugs.