We were up and ready to go to the House of Pain, also known as Peak Performance. We had our coffee mixed with 30 grams of protein courtesy of the Enure Max Protein drink!
We arrived at Peak Performance right on time and did our usual five-mile bike ride before our resident painmaker summoned us to the first “exercise” — a word I’m convinced is just Latin for “legal torture.”
Everything was going along just fine until I got to the leg press and thought, “Wow, this feels a little heavier than usual today.”
After two sets of 15 reps and some light soul-searching, I finally looked at the weights.
I was pushing 200 pounds.
Apparently, my legs had accidentally enrolled in an advanced class without telling the rest of me.
I looked over toward Mary, and there she was, working with pound weights like they were made of feathers, another good reason I do not argue with her!!
“I don’t always lift heavy, but when I do, I make sure everyone hears about it.”
From the gym, we went home and got the house ready for our cleaning staff! Yes, we cleaned the house. It was warm and quite humid outside, so I stayed inside until about 3:00 pm.
We invited Vicky over for a swim, and she made her grand entrance right around 5:30 pm, just as Domilita and the crew were making their grand exit.
We chatted for a bit while Mary whipped up some garden-fresh bruschetta like she was auditioning for a cooking show. I handled the dangerous work—chopping garlic, tomatoes, and basil—while Mary toasted the bread to golden perfection.
Then I shouted, “Last one in is a rotten egg!”
Apparently, these ladies had been waiting their whole lives for that moment. They shot out the door at near-light speed, and before I could even process what happened, I heard two massive splashes and saw a tidal wave rise from the pool.
So yes, after all my big talk, I was officially today’s rotten egg.
Right after the splash, I heard them screaming something about a fish?
I heard them singing a duet, “Splish splash, I was taking a bath… along about a Wednesday night!! Rubba-dub-dub, we’re in the tub, and everything is going to be alright!” Bobby Darin, eat your heart out!!
The three (four, including the fish) of us just talked, told stories, and enjoyed each other’s company. Finally, around 8:00 pm, we dragged ourselves out of the pool, Mary made one more round of bruschetta, and she brought out the heavy artillery, the s’mores! Marshmallows never tasted so good!!
Here’s some fun s’mores trivia:
• Name origin: “S’mores” is short for “some more” — as in, “I want some more.”
• First known recipe: The earliest published recipe appeared in a 1927 Girl Scouts guidebook called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.
• Classic ingredients: Traditional s’mores use graham crackers, chocolate, and toasted marshmallows.
• Campfire icon: S’mores became popular because they’re easy to make outdoors and perfect for camping trips.
• National day: National S’mores Day is celebrated in the U.S. on August 10.
• Marshmallow magic: Toasting a marshmallow caramelizes the sugar on the outside, giving it that golden-brown flavor.
• World record: Giant s’mores have been made weighing hundreds of pounds.
• Variations: People swap in peanut butter cups, cookies, caramel, Nutella, fruit, or different chocolates.
• Graham cracker history: Graham crackers were created in the 1800s as part of a health-focused diet.
• Debate: The biggest s’mores argument? Lightly golden vs. completely charred marshmallows.
We played in the fire until 9:00 pm, and then Vicky headed west into what was once the sunset!
The little guy was lonely.y
During our discussions, we talked about kids today NOT wanting anything old (including us). I remember my dear Aunt Edith offering me her fine china because our daughter, Claudia, did not want it.
I took it home in the early 1990s, and to this day, it sits in our dining room, with several pieces used almost daily. I treasure that gift and think of happy times at Aunt Edith’s home when I was growing up (before you say it, I am still growing up!!).
Just a note: Aunt Edit bought that pattern in the 1920s, and it is still available to buy today!
The kids do not seem to care!
After hours in the pool and a couple of glasses of wine, Mary and I attempted the long, dangerous expedition to the bedroom—wobbling like two newborn giraffes on a cruise ship.
Mary hit the pillow and immediately powered down like someone pulled the plug. I, on the other hand, heroically stayed awake another 30 minutes to complete the daily diary, because apparently even mildly pickled historians have responsibilities.
