For you: flatness

TVP for you and me!

TVP for you and me!
Originally uploaded by Crystl.

It's been about a month since I decided to try out a vegan diet. Save for two days of traveling ,when the pickins were slim, it hasn't been that hard to do. I feel better and I look forward to seeing what the upcoming cold and flu season are like. It's really easy to be a junk food vegetarian or rely heavily on dairy for protein when you're ovo-lacto. (string cheese and coke for lunch? why not.)
After about an hour of general catching up, the topic of conversation at my Grandfather's funeral quickly turned to that of health issues. It seems that I one of the few not afflicted by the top three chronic health issues in my extended family. I think, given my genes, I owe this to diet and exercise.

Goodbye

blowkiss
Originally uploaded by Crystl.

Gene “Ed” Tempel, 83, of Decatur, IL, died 11:05 P.M., Monday, August 14, 2006, at his residence.

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M., Thursday, August 17, 2006, at Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Home, Decatur, IL, with visitation two hours prior to service time. Burial will be in Boiling Springs Cemetery, Decatur, IL.

Memorials may be made to Decatur Memorial Hospice.

Ed was born July 10, 1923, in Decatur, IL, the son of Andrew George and Wilma Fern (Dodd) Tempel. He married Janet Ruth Walker on October 3, 1942, in St. Louis, MO.

Mr. Tempel was a member of Oreana Christian Church. He was a U.S. Army Veteran, serving in WWII. He retired from Superior Welding in 1983.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Janet of Decatur, IL; children Andrew James Tempel and wife Sharon of Decatur, IL, Michael Eugene Tempel and wife Edna May of Parkin, AR, Mary Alice Feeney and husband Daniel of Maroa, IL; sister Maxine Simpson of Decatur, IL; six granddaughters; many great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Richard, sister Lorraine Taylor.

Off to Chicago for the weekend

see ya on the flipside.

OK Go - Here It Goes Again

I looked over at the kids while this was playing and said "That's what mommy does at the gym". I don't think they believe me.

I went on a very Brady hike

I went on a very Brady hike today
Originally uploaded by Crystl.

So yesterday, I finally made my way up to Matthiessen State Park. It's full of these wonderful caves, and, had I brought my tripod, I'd actually have decent pictures of them. Ah, next time. Unfortunately, this late in the season, the waterfalls aren't active. I'll have to make a point of going back in the spring if I want to see them. The trails at Starved Rock (about five minutes away) have been covered with wooden and metal structures to protect the sandstone from erosion. It's less like hiking and more like stair climbing. Matthiessen has more actual hiking trails with rocks to perch upon and branches to limbo under. Not to mention, this great stone Hawaiian Punch lookin' guy. Don't you just love him? He's tiki-riffic.