Discounts Galore

If you're over 55, you're eligible for more discounts than you ever dreamed possible. This list was sent to me by Alan. I do not vouch for any of the discounts listed, so please check on your own to assure that the places listed do offer the discounts listed. I do frequent many of the listed establishments, and am aware of many of these discounts. Something good about getting old, discounts.



Restaurants
* Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)
* Arby's: 10% off (55+)
* Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)
* Bennigan's: discount varies by location
* Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)
* Boston Market: 10% off (65+)
* Burger King: 10% off (60+)
* Captain D's Seafood: discount varies on location (62+)
* Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee (55+)
* Chili's: 10% off (55+)
* CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)
* Culver's: 10% off (60+)
* Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members (55+)
* Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee (55+)
* Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)
* Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter (55+)
* Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)
* Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)
* Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)
* IHOP: 10% off (55+)
* Jack in the Box: up to 20% off (55+)
* KFC: free small drink with any meal (55+)
* Krispy Kreme: 10% off (50+)
* Long John Silver's: various discounts at participating locations (55+)
* McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday (55+)
* Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)
* Shoney's: 10% off
* Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)
* Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday (50+)
* Subway: 10% off (60+)
* Sweet Tomatoes 10% off (62+)
* Taco Bell: 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)
* TCBY: 10% off (55+)
* Tea Room Cafe: 10% off (50+)
* Village Inn: 10% off (60+)
* Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)
* Wendy's: 10% off (55+)
* White Castle: 10% off (62+)

Retail and Apparel
* Banana Republic: 10% off (50+)
* Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month (50+)
* Belk's: 15% off first Tuesday of every month (55+)
* Big Lots: 10% off
* Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days (55+)
* C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)
* Clarks: 10% off (62+)
* Dress Barn: 10% off (55+)
* Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
* Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
* Kmart: 20% off (50+)
* Kohl's: 15% off (60+)
* Modell's Sporting Goods: 10% off
* Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions
* Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday (55+)
* The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off (55+)
* Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month (55+)

Grocery
* Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month (55+)
* American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday (50+)
* Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)
* DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)
* Food Lion: 6% off every Monday (60+)
* Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday (55+)
* Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
* Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)
* Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
* Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)
* Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)
* Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
* The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday (50+)
* Publix: 5% off every Wednesday (55+)
* Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)
* Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 5% off (62+)

Travel
* Alaska Airlines: 10% off (65+)
* Alamo: up to 25% off for AARP members
* American Airlines: various discounts for 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
* Amtrak: 15% off (62+)
* Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members
* Best Western: 10% off (55+)
* Budget Rental Cars: 10% off; up to 20% off for AARP members (50+)
* Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Clarion: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Continental: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations
* Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off (50+)
* Econo Lodge: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members
* Greyhound: 5% off (62+)
* Hampton Inns & Suites: 10% off when booked 72 hours in advance
* Hertz: up t0 25% off for AARP members
* Holiday Inn: 10%-30% off depending on location (62+)
* Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
* InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)
* Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)
* Marriott Hotels: 15% off (62+)
* Motel 6: 10% off (60+)
* Myrtle Beach Resort: 10% off (55+)
* National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members
* Quality Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Sleep Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
* Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
* Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50 and up
* United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
* U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount) Activities & Entertainment
* AMC Theaters: up to 30% off (55+)
* Bally Total Fitness: up to $100 off memberships (62+)
* Busch Gardens Tampa: $3 off one-day tickets (50+)
* Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)
* Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
* U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
* Regal Cinemas: 30% off
* Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket (55+)
* SeaWorld Orlando: $3 off one-day tickets (50+)

New Foods From The Garden

I love discovering new and interesting fruits and vegetables, and just when I think there can't be anything new out there, along comes a surprise. My delicious surprise at the Leucadia Farmer's Market was the Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber. It measures about 1 inch long and looks like a mini watermelon. It's the cutest little vegetable ever. It's loaded with nutrients and lots of fiber. They are crunchy, slightly lemony but with a cucumber taste. I just love them. They can be eaten whole, as a snack, or added to salads for a wonderful crunch. They can even be pickled. I have used them in salads since I bought a small bag of them a few weeks ago. I call them Watermelon Cucumbers. A simple recipe for these little delights follows.


Tomato and Watermelon Cucumber Salad

1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 . watermelon cucumbers, halved
champagne vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped lemon basil

Halve the vegetables, then add the rest of the ingredients to taste. Normally I use 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to meld. It's a nice side salad to serve with barbequed meats. Enjoy.

Phase Two-Week Five

It's been 33 days since Ron was released from Taft, 17 days since he left the halfway house. In some respects it seems he was never gone, in other ways time is moving very slowly. When Ron was incarcerated I had multiple ways of counting the time, as did he. One obvious way was my calendar, which I marked off each day. The other way I counted was with my jelly bean jar. My jelly beans are all gone, and I have not even thought about marking off my calendar in weeks. In fact, I haven't even looked at the date on the calendar. He's home, and marking time is no longer something I think about doing. We were driving somewhere last week (along the coast, Ron's favorite drive) and Ron mentioned to me how slowly he thought time was going. Since his return we have been busy from morning until evening working, driving, organizing, talking, planning. We collapse into bed each night, and except for the one or two calls from the halfway house that awaken us each night, we both are sleeping pretty well.

Ron is excited. He's working hard to return to work. His mind is finally free from fear and he has renewed energy and excitement about getting into business. Ron plans to umpire again, little league and pony league, with his friend Buzz. This is something he dearly loves, and is just awaiting final confirmation on this activity.

Food is still constantly on his mind. He doesn't eat that much, but he wants to try everything, every new restaurant, every kind of food that he's missed for the past 19 months. We've been eating out a lot. Two of our friends bought us gift certificates to Ruth's Chris and Flemmings. We are going to use those soon. I look forward to that.

The constant phone calls and the calling in that Ron has to do twice a day are constant reminders that he must be accountable. It's a small price to pay for freedom. It's a big pain for him to have to drive down to the halfway house twice a week for his lifestyles class and his meeting with his counselor, but it sure beats the alternative. They have been very accomodating and have now scheduled what was two trips, to only one. That makes it a bit easier, and in a few weeks, this will all be behind us. In the meantime, Ron is diligently making his weekly schedules so that the halfway house knows where he is at all times. Sunday night we were having dinner with some new friends when we had to rush home to make Ron's 6:30pm curfew. And yes, they do check. Someone came to our house at 8:35am last week to make sure Ron was here, as he's not supposed to leave until 9am. He was here. They can check all they want. He's always where he's supposed to be.

The Best Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Ever

For the past 40 years I've been buying a ranch dressing in Los Angeles. Over the years it's become harder and harder to come by. Those of you who lived in LA in the 1970's and 1980's probably remember Caplan's Delicatessen in Northridge. Caplans carried this wonderful dressing in addition to some wonderful Weight Watcher's approved desserts. I would trek out to Northridge once a month to stock up. They made a fruit danish that was about 100 calories. I would buy about 20 of them, freeze them, and enjoy them as an evening snack. I'd also get 2 or 3 containers of this declicious dressing. Unfortunately, Caplan's closed. The wonderful desserts were gone, and the dressing became harder and harder to find. It is still sold at Factors in Beverly Hills, but I rarely get there. So, I decided to experiment and try to replicate this ranch dressing that my family liked so much. I came up with a pretty good recipe, and it's very low in calories without giving up great taste. I use it as a salad dressing, a dip for veggies and crackers, and as a topping for baked potatoes. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Caplan's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup non fat sour cream (I use Trader Joe's. If I don't have that I use low fat sour cream, as the other non fat sour creams are not very good)
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo (get any low calorie brand)
1tsp pureed garlic (I use the one in a plastic tube)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a blender for a few seconds. Taste, and adjust top three ingredients according to your personal taste. Make sure it is fairly thick. It will thicken as it cools in refrigerator. It will keep at least 2 weeks, if it lasts that long. For a change, add a little blue cheese for a wonderful blue cheese dressing. I don't know the calorie count for this dressing, but it is low. Enjoy.

Americans Just Keep Getting Fatter

It's disheartening to learn that despite programs to educate children and adults on the benefits of health and exercise, our nation (and most of the rest of the world) continues to broaden its girth. In the last 15 years, adult obesity rates have doubled or nearly doubled in 17 states. 20 years ago not a single state had an obesity rate above 15%. Now all states do. Even Colorado, long the healthiest state in America has an obese rate of 19.8%. When you look at the statistics year by year it doesn't seem like much, but over a decade the steady climb becomes a crisis.

As if our healthcare system isn't in enough trouble already, burdening the system with millions of new diabetics now and in the future could mean disaster. People like Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution are doing what they can to change the eating habits of children, but it's an enormous problem. Young adults who see their parents and grandparents develop diabetes and hypertension are not taking action to help themselves. They think poor health is their fate, but for the most part, that simply is not true. What in the world can we do to wake people up to this ever growing crisis?

Some solutions seem so simple, like boosting physical activity in schools, serving healthy lunches to school children, and broadening access to affordable healthy foods for people of all socio economic levels. But we've tried all this and it doesn't seem to work. I think we have to find out what motivates people and approach the problem from that perspective. Money motivates people and poor people are the unhealthiest, so possibly making food stamps go farther for fresh fruits and vegetables than they do for frozen foods might encourage them to buy healthier foods. Also, if you're a good driver you get a discount on your insurance. Possibly healthy policy owners should get a discount on their health insurance. Competition is another motivation for many people. I can see towns having programs where the whole town is working to lose weight, reduce hypertension, and increase exercise. Anything you do as a group seems to motivate. Just look at Weight Watchers.

Well that's my rant for today. I feel passionately about the terrible toll diabetes is taking on our population, especially because so much of it is preventable. My father in law was a diabetic late in life and I saw what it did to him. Fortunately he died a few weeks before they were going to have to amputate his foot. My husband is a diabetic, also developed late in life, but he is doing a lot to control it. He watches his diet and exercises. It's been 10 years since he was diagnosed, and the disease has progressed very little.

The obesity rate remains highest in the deep south, Alabama and Mississippi have the highest rates, and disproportionaly high among poorly educated and minority people. Among African Americans, obesity topped 40% in 15 states.

Much of the problem is lifestyle. I go to Boulder, Colorado to visit my kids, and wonder where all the fat people are. Phil says they're aren't many. That's because most of the people living there live an active, healthy lifestyle. How to translate what Colorado and Utah are doing to the rest of the country, is the big problem. I hope someone smarter than me is working on this. If not, health care for the next 50 years will be consumed with taking care of diabetics, and at a younger and younger age.

What Are The Best Healthy Oils?

We have all been deceived by the clever marketing of canola oil. We have been led to believe this is a healthy oil, high in monounsaturates. That is is true, but it is NOT a healthy oil. Here's why.

Canola is made from rapeseed,a member of the mustard family, which was bred over the years to reduce it's problematic component, erucic acid. If you google canola oil, you will see that erucic acid is no longer a problem in this oil, but there are other issues. Canola oil is typically 55-65% monounsaturated fat and 28-35% polyunsaturated fat, with just a small amount of saturated. We've been led to believe that high monounsaturated fat oils are good for us (which they are), but canola oil has more detriments than it does benefits. The problem is that the polyunsaturated component in canola oil is highly unstable under heat, light, and pressure, and this heavily oxidizes the polyunsaturates which increases free radicals in your body.

The end result of all this refining and processing is an oil that is highly inflammatory in your body when you ingest them, potentially contributing to hear disease, weight gain and other degenerative diseases.

The reason that extra virgin olive oil is good for you is that it is cold pressed. EVOO also contains important antioxidants that help protect the stability of the oil.

So what are the healthy oils? EVOO (use for low temperature cooking or salad dressing), Udo's Choice Oil Blend(use for salad dressing only, not cooking, it's a blend of healthy cold pressed oils), Virgin cocnut oil (use for cooking at all temperatures, it stays stable when heated), Organic grass-fed butter(has a healthier omega 6 to omega-3 ratio than standard butter).

There may be some canola oils out there that are cold pressed, but these would be the only canola oils that could be considered healthy. Heating canola oil changes the architecture of the product. Stick to one of the several healthy oils listed above and your body will thank you. Do not be fooled by clever advertising.

Information for this article was taken from a variety of nutrition and exercise experts. The consensus among the experts I studied was that canola oil is not a healthy oil.

Are You Ready For A $20 Movie?

I'm sure you've noticed how the prices of movies keeps creeping up. UltraStar used to be the biggest bargain around. You could clip the coupon from the UT and see a movie for $5 almost anytime. Those days are gone. I guess we better get used to it. I just went to see The Help this afternoon and paid $8 and was happy, considering how the cost of many theatres is as much as $12.

Now that looks cheap. The Cinepolis theatres are the latest rage. Both La Costa and Del Mar Heights theatres closed and are reopening as upscale, mostly adult theatres (serving alcohol). The cheapest seat is around $19. That's for an extra special seat that swivels and reclines. In addition, food can be ordered at your seat and brought to you, while the movie is playing. This simply does not appeal to me. To pay $19 for a movie is outrageous. Who wants to eat food, and listen to others order and eat while they are trying to watch a movie? I don't get it. Apparently the upscale movie theatres are quite popular on the east coast. They're new here, and it remains to be seen whether they will catch on or not. Right now I say NO to a movie this expensive, but I may change my mind. It would take a lot of convincing for me to even go to a movie that costs so much.

Cinepolis is an international chain that has 2,800 screens in 270 theatres in 10 countries, all of them in Latin America. They have been in business since 1947, and this is their first foray into the U.S. market. They plan to go nationwide if all goes well.

I feel these expensive movie houses will only increase the stock in Netflicks. I'm going to buy that stock next week, as I can only see at home rentals becoming more and more popular as the price of movie theatres becomes prohibitive. I never thought I'd live to see the day a movie date would cost a guy close to $75. That's pretty pricy for most people I know.

Phase Two-Week Four

It's now been more than three full weeks since Ron was released from Taft, and about 10 days that he's been home full time. We've gone to 2 movies, been out for lunch and dinner several times, taken drives along the beach, and seen and talked to lots of old friends. Are we back to "normal?" Not quite.

The adjustment from camp life to real life is much greater than I imagined. Ron made some very strong attachments at Taft. There are one or two men in particular that Ron talks about often. Every time he is "enjoying the moment" on the outside, he thinks of his friends at Taft. It's been hard for him to leave them behind, and harder knowing he will most likely never see them again.

Ron keeps asking me if he's changed. I would say yes and no. His general manner has not changed. He's a joke teller, speaks his mind, knows what he wants and goes after it, and loves his sports. None of this has changed. What has changed is his attitude toward me. He wants to spend lots of time with me, doing things that I like to do. This is new and I like it. Our trip to Smart and Final a few days ago never would have taken place 2 years ago. Ron usually wanted to do what HE wanted to do. Now he wants to do what I want to do. Another big change is tour shared responsibility for taking care of the house. I wanted to make sure that we both shared in household chores, cooking and doing dishes. So far things are working well. I am pleasantly surprised.

There is so much that Ron experienced in the last 19 months that will only be revealed over time. The good and the bad will come out through stories, experiences that remind Ron of an event that took place at Taft, or through our evening talks that get Ron talking. I look forward to hearing it all, but I will not push Ron to discuss anything before he feels ready. There is so much I want to hear, and I will hear it all in time.

Tips to Beautify Your Garden

I was a huge gardner when I lived in Los Angeles. I had a vegetable garden to die for. I had the earth tilled and enriched every year, and the result was a bumper crop every year. Since living in the San Diego area, my garden has NOT been something I'm very proud of. Part of the problem is the soil. It's very hard, dry and needs ammendments. I recently read a magazine that gave me several good tips for the home gardner, and here I share them with you.

1. Use empty eggshells as pots, to get seeds or seedlings started. Then, when they're ready for the ground, simply place them in the ground. The egg shell will protect the plant and provide much-needed nutrients to your young, tender plants.

2. Use cayenne pepper and pre sifted flour on and around plants to keep bugs, especially worms, off your plants.

3. To get rid of gophers, take ammonia soaked dryer sheets and drop them in gopher tunnels, then seal them off.

4. When planting vegetables in containers, add the following recipe to a half and half mixture of good commercial potting soil and compost. You'll get a harvest that will make you proud. 1/2 c. Epsom salts, 1/4 coffee grounds (rinsed clean), 1T. instant tea granules, 4 eggshells 9dried and crushed to a powder) per 2 gallons of soil.

5. Use a mixture of 1c. of hot pepper sauce and 2 T. of baby shampoo in 1 gallon of water. Pour this solution into a handheld sprayer bottle, then apply to any of your troubled plants to the point of run-off. It will keep pest away from your garden.

6. To help prevent snails and slugs from climbing your citrus trees, smear the following recipe on the trunk of the tree: 1 1/4 c. petroleum jelly, 1 c. castor oil, 3T. each of cayenne pepper and hot peppersauce. Your visitors will go somewhere else in a hurry.

These are just a couple of tips to keep your garden, both plants, trees and vegetables happy and healthy. I hope some of them work for you.

Move Over Nutella

For years, Nutella has been the chocolaty spread of choice the world over. Wherever you go, bread or toast with Nutella is a staple. Well, there are several new products that may change your habits.

Le Pain Quotidien is a worldwide bistro that I go to often. Their food is fresh, mostly organic and delicious. One of my reasons for dining there is their delicious hazelnut and chocolate spreads. I will sit there as soon as I arrive, with a spoon, eating this most delicious spread, until our food arrives. This stuff is addictive.

Then there's Biscoff, from Lotus Bakeries, which will make you extremely happy. In Belgium the product is called speculoos spread. It's made from 57% biscoff cookies, the rest is sugar and oil. The cookies themselves are quite delicious, and you can find them in the US in some supermarkets. Delta Airlines also served the cookies on their flights, but I don't know if they still do. They're thin little cookies made from brown sugar and spices. The spread is made by crushing the cookies and adding oil and sugar and other ingredients. It is creamy, sweet, smooth, and addictive. The only way I know that you can get it in America is to order it from Amazon or from the Biscoff (Lotus Bakery) website. If you don't want to do that, try to find the cookies. They are available, but you'll have to ask around. Below is a homemade recipe of Speculoos spread that comes close to replicating the real thing. Try it on toast or any bread, croissants, ice cream or use it as a dip for apples or pear. Nutella may be a thing of the past.

Homemade Speculoos Spread

3/4 cup Biscoff cookies (sold by Lotus) ground into a fine meal in food processor
1 T. vanilla sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp canola

Grind cookies into a fine meal, using the food processor. Melt the coconut fat and let it cool down until luke warm. Mix ground cookies with remaining ingredients and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the fat and oil. Mix until well blended. That's all there is to it. You can experiment by using other types of cookies, especially if you can't find the Biscoff. Try snickerdoodles, oreos or gingerbread snaps. You may create something even better.

Laughter Yoga

A few months ago I saw a piece on TV about laughter yoga. I had heard of it through my friend Jane, who told me several years ago she had started doing it. There's a woman in Carlsbad who teaches it, and Jane was taking her classes and enjoyed it very much. I didn't think much of it again until I saw the short piece on TV, which emphasized the benefits of laughter.

Laughter Yoga was founded by Dr. Madan Kataria in India, and has spread worldwide. Laughter is initiated as an exercise in a group where intentional laughter leads to natural, contagious laughter and a sense of playfulness. Laughter Yoga combines laughter exercises and yoga breathing, whith no yoga mats needed. Ten to twenty minute sessions of hearty laughter provide an energy boost to your body, mind and spirit.

For the most part, when you go to the doctor, a clinician is not going to tell you to take two aspirins and watch Laurel and Hardy, but the reality is that may be just what you need. Laughter leads to the release of endorphins, which create a positive state of mind and boosts optimism, self-confidence and feelings of self-worth. Blood and all major organs are fully oxygenated leaving us bursting with energy. Laughter is a combination of deep inhalation and full exhalation, inspiring excellent ventilation, wonderful rest and profound release. Laughter also causes an "internal jogging" that massages the internal organs and promotes circulation to the digestive and lymphatic systems. Laughter strengthens the immune system, promotes cardio vascular health, and lifts depression. It sounds like such an easy to solution to so many medical and emotional problems.

After just one laughter yoga session many people feel the difference. After some Laughter Yoga mediation sessions people describe surging feelings of joy and happiness. According to Stanford University studies, laughter stimulates the parts of our brain that use the "feel good" chemical messenger dopamine.

When was the last time you really had a big belly laugh, the kind where you can't catch your breath and tears are streaming down your face? If you're like me, it's been way too long. Laughter yoga is adaptable for all ages and abilities (don't say you can't do it because of your bad back). It's for everyone, and especially helpful to those who are dealing with grief, pain or medical illness. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, laughter yoga could help lower American health care costs. That's a bold statement, but why not try it? It doesn't cost a thing and it certainly can't hurt. Go to www.laughteryoga.com for more information on this unique form of therapy.

A Day At The Races

I hadn't been to Del Mar Racetrack in at least four years until last week, when a few friends asked if I would go with them. I said yes, and am happy I went. For years I was a constant fixture at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita and Del Mar. We had a large string of horses, and Ron and I were often trackside early in the morning to watch workouts, then later in the day to watch our horses run. It was an experience I felt lucky to have had, but one that is behind me, and I wondered how I would feel going back to the old stomping grounds, seeing old friends and wondering whether I would feel the lure of the racetrack.

I arranged to take our group to the barn before the races started. Our old trainer, Alfredo Marquez, one of the finest horsemen and gentlemen in the business, met us at the gate and took us to see his horses. He has a small group of 5 horses there, but our group got to take pictures, pet them and hear a little about their daily routine. Then we headed to the Veranda Room, where we had lunch, watched the races and enjoyed a birds eye view of the goings on from above the paddock. Our picks for each race were very scientific. We picked by name, silks, or the good looks of the horse or jockey. My years of handicapping did not come into play. I went without a racing form. I was just there for the experience, not the betting. We all put $5 a piece into a kitty and came out with $12 each at the end of the day. I call that a big win. The ladies loved the track, I loved taking them, and towards the end of the day we went to the paddock to see Alfredo's horse, who was racing in the 6th race. While walking back from the paddock I ran into many old friends. It was very nostalgic. The whole day brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me.

I probably won't go back to the race track for quite a while, but the day reminded me of a very different time in my life. It was a great time of life, but it has passed. I am happy with where I am now, but was glad I could share an earlier time of my life with some of my friends. They got a little taste of what my life in the 1990's was all about. Fast paced, exhillarating, and very expensive. I'm happy to have left that behind, and the few real friends we made from those days still remain friends.

Raspberry Peach Crumble

I recently heard a static that didn't surprise me, but brought to my attention how much food we all waste. 27% of the food we buy is wasted. Wow. That's a lot. I try hard to buy just what I need, but hardly a week goes by that I don't make a pot of vegetable soup using leftovers. Today I made a raspberry peach crumble with 4 peaches that I bought earlier in the week, but never got around to eating. I know you know what I'm talking about.

I am going to Fran's for dinner tonight, so I decided to make a nice summer dessert using the peaches I never got around to eating. It will be delicious. I've made it before with a variety of fruit combinations, but peaches and raspberries are just the right combination of sweet and tart.


Raspberry Peach Crumble

1 pint fresh raspberries
3 fresh peaches, pitted and chopped (drop in boiling water to peel if you like)
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 c. white sugar
1 pinch cinnamon
flour as needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 6 small ramekins, or make in an 8X11 pyrex pan (that's what I did). In a bowl mix above ingredients. If your mixture is very juicy as mine was, add either a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch to the mixture. This will thicken everything as it cooks.

1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 pinch cinnamon

Mix these ingredients until well combined, and the butter is broken into pea sized pieces. Sprinkle evenly over top.

Cook for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and brown. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving. It doesn't need a thing, but if you're so inclined, top with a scoop of vanilla or peach ice cream. Enjoy.

Phase Two-Week Three

I really thought by this time Ron would be home and settled. He's finally home, but far from settled. As of last Wednesday, he was still in the Halfway House from 7pm-8am, and would leave every morning to come home and work. He would get a 52 hour pass for the weekend, but by Sunday afternoon was extremely depressed about having to go back the Halfway House. The director and counselor kept telling him it was just a matter of getting a signature on a piece of paper, but days would go by and nothing happened. Last Thursday was his counselor's last day before a week's vacation, and Ron knew if it didn't get done then, he'd be stuck for another week. How many times can you keep asking the same question? He did not want to get too annoying.

Tuesday night we met Donna and Kay for a quick dinner before bridge and before Ron had to leave for the Halfway House. He was terribly depressed, to the stage where he was quiet, sad and disconnected. I was worried, because I have noticed that each day around 4pm he gets very depressed and angry. He knows that his paperwork is just sitting on someone's desk to be signed, but that wasn't getting done. Anyway, I went off to play bridge Tuesday night concerned with how this emotional rollercoaster was effecting Ron. Wednesday morning I got a call from him at 8am, and he was a completely different person. He was happy, excited about the day and about the weekend ahead, and he had made an important decision. He recognized that he has done all he can to get his paperwork complete, and he is going to simply wait it out, knowing that this will be over soon. He is looking back to where he was just a few weeks ago, and is grateful for the freedom he has. This is an inconvenience and time consuming, and he hates it, but he is facing it as he has everything else. He has done what he can, it's out of his control, and it will end. Best of all, he has a much diffent attitude today. I'm happy for that.

Wednesday night I went to play poker in my monthly game and when I turned my phone back on I had a message from Ron. He would be released from the Halfway House the next morning. He was so excited. All he had to do was fill out a few forms and he'd be on his way. His counselor called him at 9pm to tell him the news. Who knows how these things work? I wouldn't even try to figure this all out. Anyway, he's home and we're happy, and it only took 15 days to get him home. I know from the experiences of others that he could have ended up staying there until October. So I can say in this case we hoped for the best, and got it.

The Ultimate Thermal Massage System

I first discovered Migun thermal massage beds about 10 years ago. At the time we had finished building our home in Del Mar, but were still not full time in the area. We would usually drive here Thursday afternoon and return to LA on Monday. I didn't know many people down here, but I worked out an arrangement with the local gym, Del Mar Workout (now defunct) where I could use the gym when I was here and only pay 1/2 price. Through the gym I met several people, and one of them told me about a new store that had opened in Encinitas called Migun. The store sold the Migun massage bed, and in order to get people to buy it, they had 20 beds available to use, at no charge, hoping to get customers hooked. I was intrigued by this, so of course I visited the store.

First, the Migun bed is fantastic. It is Korean made and represents the fusion of Asian and Western Medical techniques. Inspired by the effects of acupressure, acupuncture, heat-therapy, chiropractic and massage, Migun thermal massage provides you with the most amazing relaxation and balance you can imagine. I was told that the bed was invented my a Korean man who wanted to help his arthritic mother feel better. The bed contains dozens of heated jade cones that press on all parts of your body to help get the kinks out and create complete relaxation. The store is not here anymore, but the company is based in Los Angeles. The store became so popular that you would have to sign up upon arrival at Migun and wait for a bed.

Picture this. You walk into a showroom with 20 massage beds lined up, 10 on one side, 10 on the other. Every bed is occupied by a man or woman with a towel over their eyes, arms out, completely relaxed, many asleep. You think you've walked into the Twilight Zone. Soft music enhances the experience. There was no charge to use the beds, and for over a year I would stop in regularly, at least twice a week for a massage. Then, one day, they changed their concept and started charging for the use of the bed. You could pay $50 a month and use the bed whenever you wanted. It was a lot cheaper than buying the bed that retailed for over $3,000, but people were used to paying nothing, so it didn't fly. Ultimately, the Migun store that we all loved so much closed, and now you can only buy them on line, as far as I know.

34 minutes on the bed, and you would come away completely refreshed and revitalized. As I looked at the web site before writing this, I see that the bed has many more features than it did 10 years ago. Now you can manipulate the jade heads to focus on a specific area of the body.

Every time I walked into Migun I looked around and couldn't believe that right in the middle of Encinitas, in the middle of the day, grown men and women were taking off their shoes, closing their eyes, and taking time out to relax. It was quite strange, but in a good way. I miss the place. I have no idea what made me think of this bed and all the hours I spent on it, but something must have triggered that memory. If you ever have a chance to try the bed, please do. You will love it. I guess they just couldn't sell enough beds to keep the showroom open. It was great while it lasted, though.

Intelligent TV

Current TV, the station started by Al Gore, is new to me. I recently ran across it because I heard that Keith Olbermann had a $10million deal with them for his show, Countdown. Keith may not be your cup of tea, but don't stop reading this yet, as the programming of this network has so much to offer.

Current TV has a team of journalists that travel worldwide to give the viewer in depth stories that you probably won't find anywhere else. One current story was called "Soccer's Lost Boys", about the soccer slave trade in West Africa. Thousands of young West African boys are sucked into slavery with the promise that their athletic abilities will get them to the pro league. Another show called Vanguard, does in depth stories on drugs and the direction our young people are going with drugs, which is fascinating, but depressing. A program called "Gateway to Heroin" explores the trend for users of prescription drugs to switch to heroin. The show studies the Boston area, one of the most heroin infested areas of the country. Another story I found interesting dealt with marketing smoking to our youth. Sure, occasionally CNN will have an in depth story on a topic of interest, but this station has fascinating programming every day.

In the fall they are going to have a series on called something like, "The best 50 documentaries of all time." That's one I will definitely not want to miss.

Current TV is not an extension of MSNBC. I would call most of the programming "Under the Radar" stories. This is stuff I love, and thought I'd let you know that I'm enjoying it, and maybe you will too.

Peach and Burrata Salad: A Fresh Summer Idea

There's nothing better than a fresh, juicy peach, and this summer the peaches have been sensational. The only thing better than a good peach is burrata cheese. I've written about it before, so you know how much I love it. It's like mozzarella with a surprise inside. It's got a soft, gooey center of soft cheese and curds. Served at room temperature, it is to die for. It's getting easier and easier to find this cheese locally, so try this delicious recipe and pair this cheese with a delicious summer fruit, the peach. I hope you enjoy it.


Makes 4 salads

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 peaches

Sherry vinaigrette (see recipe at right)

1 baguette of bread for toast points (see recipe at right)

Extra-virgin olive oil (to brush on bread)

2 cups of frisée (curly endive), rinsed and torn

1 cup fresh arugula leaves

1 medium-sized onion, cut into thin slivers

1/2 cup torn fresh basil

4 3-ounce balls of burrata

Drizzle 1/4 cup of honey on a plate. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon fresh thyme over honey. Cut two peaches in half and remove pits. Place face down on honey and let sit for 15 minutes. Place a medium sized sauté pan over high heat. Allow pan to get very warm, then place peaches cut-side down in pan without any oil and allow to roast for 30 to 45 seconds, or until they start to turn brown around the edges. When they have begun to brown, remove from pan and place them back onto the plate with honey, cut-side down. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes, then place them on a cool, clean plate. Set aside.

Sherry vinaigrette
1 tablespoon good Sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of sugar and salt

Dash of pepper

Whisk ingredients together and set aside.

To make toast points: Slice the baguette on a bias; each piece should be about 1/3 of an inch wide and about 3 inches long. Brush slices lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and toast in a 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes.

To make salad: Add frisée, arugula, onions and basil leaves in a mixing bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss. Divide between 4 salad plates. Place a ball of burrata cheese and half of a roasted peach on top of salad and garnish with toast points.

5 Billion Cell Phones and Counting

Back in the late 1980's, Ron bought his first mobile phone. It was huge. It had a regular sized hand set, and a huge battery pack. He used to tell a joke about a man selling someone a mobile phone (new at the time) and showing him the handset. The guy was so excited about the phone, he bought it, and as he's getting ready to walk away, the seller says, "Don't you want the batteries," with which he hands him a suitcased size case containing the batteries. We've come a long way since those first phones. We had to go through a mobile operator to be connected in those days.

Today there are over 5 billion cell phones world wide. They are everywhere. I was crossing the street in Los Angeles last week and noticed that almost every person was either talking on the phone, sending a text, or reading a text. Last night I was watching a program on Kenya, and how a man there has started a business that is employeeing hundreds of Kenyans. Does he have a cell phone? But of course. The journalist went out to the Masai, to visit a village that is usually considered very authentic, with few modern changes. That's not quite so. These regal Masai men in their flowing red robes, are now walking across the Mara with a stick in one hand and a cell phone in the other. Really. They all have cell phones.

Cell phones of course have had a great positive impact on developing countries, especially in the health care area. Text messaging reminders to rural villagers, texting information on how to take medications to these same people, and getting out information about clinics are all ways that the cell phone is improving the lives of rural villagers.

About 10 years I was on a train in Europe and was shocked by the fact that the man sitting next to me was talking to business people in different countries. He was on the phone almost the entire 2 hour journey, and I commented to him that he was going to have a huge phone bill. Not at all. He told me he had a flat charge per month, and this was long before our all inclusive phone packages existed. At the time, our phones were only domestic, and we had big roaming charges. Everything has changed now, but at the time I could see that the Europeans were way ahead of us in how they were using their cell phones.

Today it's hard to exist without a cell phone. I fought the full texting keyboard on my phone, but gave in and got one, otherwise I wouldn't get to talk much to my kids. That's how they communicate. I'm now fighting the urge to get a SmartPhone. Everyone loves them, but I think to myself, is this something I need? Is this going to enhance my life? So far I've said No.

I think of the cell phone and all the great things it has done for our world. You've heard stories of people who have been kidnapped that have been rescued due to having a cell phone, and people in developing nations having access to cell phones opens a whole world of information to them. There's no question in my mind that much of the time and effort people sending texts, pictures, etc on the phone is a complete waste of time. But that's a blog for another time. I will talk about my take on texting, facebook and twitter sometime soon. Are these tools really connecting us? The cell phone is definitely connecting us in ways we never imagined, and that's a good thing. I smiled when I saw an old African man, dressed in a suit and tie in rural Kenya, calling his wife on his cell phone to say good night. It showed me that people everywhere have the needed to stay connected.

Phase Two-Week Two

As I said last week, I'm a dreamer. I never imagined what Ron's release to a halfway house would actually mean. He's still under the control of the BOP (Bureau of Prisons), which tells you immediately that there will be a million rules and forms involved. The population at the halfway house totals about 100. The term "house" is a misnomer. It's a warehouse. There are about 90 young Histpanic men, most between 18-30, about 8 Blacks, all ages, and 2 Whites. (Ron and a 73 year old guy). There is so much misbehavior there, but no one seems to care, as long as no one gets hurt. Everyone has been extremely nice and helpful to Ron, from the residents to the director of the halfway house. Ron got a lucky break last week, and met the nice young man who runs the facility. It was obvious to him that Ron didn't belong there, and he has done everything he can to expedite his return to home confinement. The first order of business was to get his job approved (again). The director took care of this immediately, and Ron was approved for work beginning August 1. This would mean that I would pick him up at 8am, take him home, let him do the paperwork associated with his job, then drive him around all day, and back to the halfway house before 7pm. Whew. That was tiring. The next most important thing was to get his car approved, so that he could drive back and forth to the halfway house rather than my doing all the driving, which was totaling around 250 miles per day. They had to inspect the car to make sure it was in working order, then he was approved for driving. This process took about 5 days.

The final step was to get approved for home confinement. This had already been approved months ago, but somehow everything has to be done twice. (just like every other job in America). The director is an extremely busy man, but he took an interest in Ron and got this done by the end of the week. What a relief. There is still a huge amount of paperwork and reporting that has to be done daily, but now that he's home things are much easier. When he was in the halfway house, Ron was required to fill out a request for every pass, from doctors, to dinner, to shopping. Last week he went to his psychologist, and had to bring a note from the doctor saying he had been there. They are trying to keep the men accountable.

Ron called one evening to tell me that all men were required to take a 9 week course, once a week, on life skills, anger management, etc. He was told he would have to do this even when he went home. Fortunately, the director realized that this is something Ron does not need to attend, and he will be getting him excused.

Most of the men at the halfway house have a bleak future. If they haven't yet been to jail, most of them soon will. They are young, uneducated, unskilled, and most of them have no interest in a life that doesn't include risk. It's a sorry situation.

Whoever said things would get right back to normal when Ron came home sees things very differently than I do. Ron thinks alot about the friends he left behind. Many people told him as soon as he walked out the doors of Taft he would forget those that are still inside. Maybe that's true for some, but Ron thinks about a few of them often, talks about them, and even though I barely know them, I find myself thinking about them too. It makes me so sad to think about their future.

One funny thing that happened this week involves eating. Food was something Ron thought about all the time while he was at Taft. How he missed his burgers, pizza, licorice, etc. Saturday night we went to Tommy V's Urban Kitchen for Happy Hour, which Ron absolutely loved. We ordered several items, much too much, but took a lot of it home. He did not overeat at dinner, but afterwards we went to Trader Joe's to stock up on some junk food. Ron bought chocolate covered raisins, chocolate covered orange peel, licorice scotties, ice cream bars, and butter cookies, among other things. He came home and proceed to mindlessly eat way too much throughout the evening. At 4:30am he woke up with the worst acid reflux he's ever had. He immediately took a Prilosec, but it was so bad he had to get up. That was the end of sleep for the night, and he vowed never to overeat like that again. I hopes he remembers how he felt and won't do that again.

For us, things are beginning to seem more normal, now that we're not spending all our time driving. Emotions for both of us are a bit of a roller coaster, but I think that will even out as time progresses. Ron's comings and goings are quite restrictive right now, but compared to where he was, he's just soooo happy. We've got about 8 more weeks of restriction, and then he comes and goes without asking permission. More next week.

Lessons From The Blue Zones

I recently read a most interesting book, The Blue Zones. I've always felt that it's not how long you live, but how well you live. This fascinating book taught me about the four blue zones, or longevity zones, of the world, and gave some possible reasons why these people outlive the average man. Most importantly, the book gave me ways to live a longer, healthier, more productive life. I will share with you here a portion of the many lessons I learned from The Blue Zones.

Author Dan Buettner identified 4 global blue zones, or areas where individuals lived disproportionately longer than other people, in most cases a decade or so longer. The 4 zones are Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California, and Nicoya, Costa Rica. Is it genetic? Is it climate? What exactly makes these people live so long? No, it is not genetic or climatic. It's a lot of what we already know leads to good health. First, in all these areas, people had a purpose in life, a reason for getting up every morning. They cleaned, shopped, took care of children or worked. They did something, and they knew when they rose each day that there was purpose to their life. They also had a positive attitude. There were very few grouches among the centenarians that Buettner studied. Second, most of these cultures ate a mainly vegetarian diet. Meat was an occasional addition to the diet for holidays or special occasions, but most of their food was plant based fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Most of these cultures had gardens, and the people worked in and maintained their own garden for decades. Exercise was key to all these cultures. None of these people were triathletes, but they got plenty of exercise just performing their daily tasks. From working in the garden, to walking to town, to cleaning their house, the blue zone cultures incorporated exercise into their daily life.. All of these centenarians were hard working people, many of them farmers, who had worked their entire lives. Hard work never killed anyone. On the contrary, hard work is good for the heart and good for the soul. Another common denominator of the 4 blue zones was a spiritual time each day. It wasn't that these people were deeply religious, but they had a few moments for meditation or contemplation every day. Finally, each of the cultures studied had a strong network of friends and family that they relied on and spent time with every day.

I enjoyed this book so much, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in how to live a healthy lifestyle. Much of the information is NOT new, but seeing the commonalities in these cultures makes it very clear what we should be doing. There is a website you can go to and take a little test to see what your life expectancy is. If the ideas of the book interest you, you start by making one small change, then another and so on. As I've always said, it's not how long live, but how well you live. What good is living to 95 if you're homebound and unable to spend time with friends and family? It's all about quality of life, and in this book Buettner shows that a large percentage of the people in the blue zones are living active, productive lives at 100.

I find the whole study of longevity fascinating. Get this book or at least get to the website and see what it's all about. Go to www.thebluezones.com and find out your biological age and your life expectancy, based on your health and life style. I found it fascinating, informative and motivating. I think you will too.

Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center

I love to garden, although I am unable to get anything to grow in my Carlsbad garden. I just talked to my gardener and asked him to roto till the small space I want to use for vegetables, then I will add humus and soil ammendments and water the hell out of it for a week or two, then try to plant some summer vegetables. I'm a little late getting started, but Ron, who has learned a great deal about gardening over the past 18 months, will take over the gardening duties when he gets home.

In the meantime I have discovered another great garden in the San Diego area. It is Olivewood Gardens, located in National city. There are so many farm to table restaurants in our area now, and so many people that want to think locally when it comes to food. Here's a little history on Olivewood Gardens.

In July, 2006, Christy Walton donated her former home and garden in National City to the International Community Foundation with the goal of growing and promoting healthy communities. After finally securing the zoning approval, the ICF relocated its offices to the property, then began restoring the 1925 Craftsman Home which is now its headquarters. The center was renamed to include Learning Center, and its mission statement now includes connecting and motivating students and families from diverse backgrounds through organic gardening, nutrition education and environmental stewardship.

In keeping with this mission, Olivewood Gardens offers classes and tours that are free to the public. For example, this summer they will offer, on four Saturdays, Gardening 101, How to Grow Your Own Food. Much of their is education is geared for children and families, but people of all ages are encouraged to attend.

Olivewood Gardens also partners with Whole Foods for many interesting activities. Recently the Hillcrest Whole Foods offered "A Trip to the Growers." For $28, participants met at WF Hillcrest, visited Suzies Farm, Sungrown Organics, and Olivewood Gardens. The day included lunch and snacks. What a deal.

If organic gardening interests you, or if you are interested in seeing where much of our local fruit and produce is grown, go to the Olivewood Garden website and check out some of their programs. (www.olivewoodgardens.org) With locally grown food all the rage, this is a great place to see a farm in action.

It's The Little Things In Life That Count

Ron is back in San Diego, and although life is far from normal, we're moving in that direction. He's in a halfway house at the moment and should be home within a week. In the mean time, he was able to get a hygiene pass on Sunday to go shopping for necessities and stop for lunch. We had to tell the halfway house where we were going, with names and addresses, and bring receipts to verify where we'd been. It's a bit inconvenient, but nothing I can't live with.

We went to Costco to do a little shopping and stopped for lunch at Brett's afterward. Here's what I noticed. Ron has slowed down considerably. He used to be in constant motion. He was always in a big hurry to get going and often impatient waiting in line for service. Boy, have things changed. We wandered through Costo, stopping to look at everything. He was like a kid in a candy store. He's only been away for 18 months, but there was so much that seemed new to him. We went to Brett's for lunch, sat on the patio and enjoyed some delicious beef ribs. There was a woman by herself at another table, on her cell phone the whole time we were there. In the past Ron might not even have noticed this, but having just returned to the real world, he found her annoying and rude. He commented that sitting and relaxing over a meal, rather than hurrying to finish your food in 5-8 minutes, was was such a great pleasure. There are so many little things that we all take for granted.

Ron is so much more relaxed. No more, "Why didn't you call John?" or "Why haven't you had the fence fixed?" I think he finally realizes how unimportant all those things are in the grand scheme of things. He is focused on the here and now, and although he is definitely planning for the future, it's right now that is most important, and all the little things that happen each day make him appreciative of the life he has.

How We Hate Change

I went to the Y one morning recently to take a water aerobics class for the first time in a while. I was really looking forward to it, but when I got there a sign informed me that the instructional pool was temporarily closed. Disappointed, I went into the locker room to find out what the problem was, and was told they had overchlorinated the pool and were airing out the area because of chlorine fumes. I was disappointed, as I had planned my day around a morning workout at the pool. I guess others felt the same way. I heard others lamenting the fact that they'd made the effort to get to the pool and now there would be no class. Most of them went home.

As it turned out, the class was taught in the lap pool, which is colder, 78 degrees, and many students don't like the cooler water. Actually, most of the people don't like change, and any change in the regular program is an excuse to go home. There are at least 3 other classes that these women could have taken, assuming they didn't like the cooler water. I opted for the stretch class, as I had not brought shoes to cycle or do other gym activities. It just hit me that most of us are so resistant to change. It turned out that only about 8 people of the 30 or so that usually take the water aerobics class took it this day. Most said they didn't want to go in the cold water, and I understand that, but I also think most people just don't like change.

From changing your diet, to changing exercise routines, rearranging furniture in your house, taking a different route to go somewhere in the car, we all tend to stick with what is comfortable. I have certain exercise instructors I really like, and when I arrive and find out they're not teaching, I sometimes go home. I don't like change.

Recently a doctor told me to change my exercise routine to see if it helped my knee/leg problem. That threw me for a loop. I had a great routine that included walking, yoga, dancing, and weights. Fran and I have been walking for about 7 years, and now I would have to eliminate our walks and talks. No more dancing, no more walking for awhile. I hate change.

Actually, change is good for us. It makes us think. Taking the same route to work everyday, then changing that route, is good for you. I will keep trying to adapt and be flexible. It's hard, but it's healthy.

Phase Two-Week One

What a dreamer I am. I thought I'd pick Ron up at Taft on Wednesday, drive him to the halfway house for Orientation, then home, and we'd all live happily after. That's not quite the way it's working out, so my Monday blogs will continue with what I am calling "Phase Two."

I arrived at Taft at 7am on Wednesday morning. I couldn't sleep the night before. I was so excited about picking Ron up. He was released at 7:25am. He came out with a box filled with all the cards and letters he had received in the past six months, some books, and legal and medical papers. I had brought him some street clothes, which he quickly changed into, put his prison garb in a plastic bag, and we were out the door. We had gone about a half mile when he remembered that he had left $18 in the pocket of the pants he had turned in. This was what he had left in his commissary account, and they gave it to him in cash. I asked if he wanted to go back for the money. I think you know his answer. NO!

We had a great day. We stopped at Denny's in Valencia for bacon and eggs, and the best cup of coffee Ron had had in a long time. He was surprised that breakfast cost $20. I brought his cell phone with me so he could call family and friends. Would you believe he had forgotten how to pull up his contacts, recall numbers and other features, but within 15 minutes it all came back. We arrived home before noon, relaxed for an hour, then headed to the halfway house, which is located near the Coronado Bridge.

Ron had been lead to believe that he would be home before the end of the week. Orientation, and home. It didn't turn out that way. First, the halfway house is filled with all kinds of people, many of them pretty scary. I was afraid to leave him there, and he wasn't too happy with the raucous atmosphere and the tough looking residents. I was much more uncomfortable than when I had dropped him at Taft.

Within a few hours, Ron called to say that all was well. There were a few men who helped get him settled, and the food tastes gourmet compared to what he is used to. Now it's just a matter of waiting. His case worker should contact him within 72 hours, give him his orientation, and tell him when he can go home. It should be right away, but I won't bet on it.

So here we are, I'm driving back and forth to the halfway house, which is a lot better than driving to Taft, but still quite tiring. I always say, "It's not over until the fat lady sings." Well, she's not singing yet, so I'll keep blogging as long as Phase Two is interesting. I don't know what's coming next week, but I'm sure there will be something unexpected that I'll want to tell you about. Stay tuned.