Tad Hamilton. Not Ted Hamilton. I should have noticed that when I linked it. At any rate, it was a cute movie.

Yesterday afternoon I was in a meeting when a sudden feeling of queasiness came over me. I excused myself from the meeting and went to the Ladies’ Room. Next thing I know I am vomiting my lunch. Once finished, I washed up and went back to the meeting as if nothing happened.

When the meeting was over, I went back to my hotel room and spent the evening vomiting. The damn stuff was even coming out of my nose!!! It was truly horrific. I am not sure if it was food poisoning or a stomach flu. As it is, I haven’t had anything to eat other than some water. The flight back wasn’t bad at all. I just thank God that I had decided to stay until Saturday rather than leave on Friday night. That could have been a real hellish experience.

My stomach is so full of food. I feel sick.

I didn’t have much of an issue getting back into my work routine. Although I am feeling rather overloaded.

All I want to do is sleep.

…than sit here drinking coffee and scanning Web pages. The last few bits still need to be packed and the room could without a doubt be tidied somewhat. This has become so typical of me. Staring into space knowing full well that there are things to do. Why am I so lazy?

The one thing I am really going to work on is exercising more. I feel so sloth-like and lethargic. The last few days I have really worked hard to move around and walk. What I have decided though is that it is simply not enough. I am going to put in my aerobics tapes and do it! SWEAT! HEART PUMPING! No more moseying around the block and calling it a day.

With that said– I am now off to Chicago for 3 days.

It’s over. My vacation is finished. This evening I washed clothes and packed my suitcase. The one nice thing is Lisa is accompanying me on this trip. I always have a blast when she’s with me so I am looking forward to it.

The other day, Lisa decided to alphabetize my CD collection.
“Where should I place Die Toten Hosen? Under D or T?” Lisa asked me.
“Under T, please”
“Oh, here’s that Peter Tork CD we got at his concert– I am going to put it under S for Sh*thead. Is that ok?”
“Good idea, that will make it easy to find.” I replied.

A few people have written to me asking why I didn’t mention the passing of Superman. Quite simply, it’s old news. George Reeves shot himself in the head back in 1959.

In my opinion, Christopher Reeve was better in period pieces: Somewhere in Time, Monsignor, The Bostonians, The Aviator, Anna Karenina, etc… Back in 1995, I remember a joke going around that I really thought horrifically funny: What’s the difference between OJ Simpson and Chris Reeve? OJ’s gonna WALK!

My last day of vacation is today. It has been so wonderful not thinking of work and just putzing around. I still have about 3 or 4 weeks left of vacation. I think I am going to start taking more time off. (Gosh, I hope I’m not addicted).

Waitrose.com recipes – Thai Pumpkin Soup with Basil Cream – Recipe Search

Thai Pumpkin Soup with Basil Cream
Serves 4 generously
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
414kcals/31.4g fat/23.7g saturated fat 1.7g salt per serving
Ingredients
1kg pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 tsp Bart Red Thai Curry Paste
450ml vegetable stock
400ml can Bart Spices Coconut Milk
142ml pot single cream
20g pack fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Place the pumpkin or butternut squash on a non-stick baking tray and season. Roast for 30 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium pan and add the onion and ginger. Cover and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the pumpkin, stock and coconut milk. Cover and bring to the boil, then allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Purée the soup in a food processor or blender in 2 batches, until smooth. Return to the pan, season to taste and reheat gently, adding a little more stock or boiling water for a thinner consistency if required.

Place the cream and chopped basil in a small pan and heat gently. Serve the soup in bowls with the basil cream swirled over the top and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper, and with crusty granary bread on the side.

My vacation is almost over. I could use a few more days. Wednesday I fly back to Chicago. Blech.

This evening I finished the 2nd season of La Femme Nikita. I am hoping I can find some pirated VCD of the entire series on eBay. The second season still hasn’t come out so it seems rather useless to wait for the official release of the third season.

Last night I had a terrible dream that I threw a tiny, live tiger kitten into a pot of boiling water. I think it had to do with a conversation I had earlier in the evening about Siegfried and Roy.

Saturday night I took Lisa, Mom, and Dad to the Wycombe Inn for their Oktoberfest Feast. This is the same restaurant that I went to last year with Barb and George. The wursts, white sauerkraut, red sauerkraut, and Spätzle were just as delicious as last year. Afterward, Lisa and I walked around New Hope. We both ate so much we had to at least attempt to walk some of it off.

There were so many people wandering around New Hope we decided to just get a beer. Sitting at the Logan Inn, I noticed a couple that must have been very much in love. How else to explain their complete and total obliviousness to their surroundings? And this isn’t the first time it’s happened, either. It is something I am seeing more and more AND I DON’T LIKE IT. Let me say that this isn’t just typical PDA (Public Displays of Affection). This is something that shouldn’t occur in public. What is it these men are doing? They are either touching their girlfriend’s crack or in the even fouler instance, they are actually placing their hand/arm down the back of their girlfriend’s jeans. It is foul and repulsive and it is happening more and more. PLEASE STOP!