Days 123, 124, and 125 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (October 16, 17, & 18), were days 123-125 of my Papa’s Walk Challenge. I’ve been walking every day, but just haven’t had time to blog about it. I’ll share cool stuff that I see on my walk tomorrow with you. 🙂
Last Monday and Tuesday, October 14th and 15th, were Days 121 & 122 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
It was all I could do to get out of bed on Monday morning. I thought I had the flu, but my husband was suffering from the 
same flu-like symptoms – and that’s when I remembered we had eaten delivery pizza the night before. There’s nothing like a food borne illness to start the week. Once the Imodium kicked in, I was determined to go for a walk. You know what? Walking made me feel better!
By Tuesday, we were almost fully recovered. To add some levity to our predicament, we turned to the music parodies of Dr. Carl Winter. He is the Director of the FoodSafe Program and Extension Food Toxicologist in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California at Davis. He provides food safety education through music by setting lyrics about food borne illnesses and their causes to popular pop and rock songs. He’s known as the “Elvis of E.Coli” and the “Sinatra of Salmonella” for parodies such as “Stomachache Tonight” (a take off on the Eagles’ Heartache Tonight).
I hummed songs from Dr. Winter’s CD of song parodies as I took my Papa’s Walk on Tuesday. 🙂
Last Sunday, October 13th, was Day 120 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge! 
My husband and I volunteered to help our son move into his new digs, an apartment in San Jose, California. I decided that the multiple trips transferring 30 boxes of stuff from his old place into my van, and then moving those same boxes from the van into his new apartment qualified as part of my Papa’s Walk. There weren’t that many stairs involved, but it still felt like I’d completed a step aerobics class by the time we were through. A quick walk around the neighborhood completed the day.
Today is Day 119 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
As I started my walk it was foggy and dreary until I noticed something that lit up the landscape – persimmons! The bright orange globes hanging from tree branches brightened the 
scenery and my frame of mind.
Did you know that the persimmon tree is native to China? It was brought to California in 1870, where it proliferated. Learn more about persimmons at the UC Davis Fruit and Nut Education website.
The first tree I spotted had Fuyu persimmons. Fuyus have a slightly flattened spherical shape. They sort of resemble pumpkins. This is the variety that tastes best raw because it doesn’t have as much tannic acid as other varieties.
All of the rest of the trees I saw had Hachiya persimmons. Their perfect acorn shape is more attractive, but they’re practically inedible raw. They are very astringent and will make your mouth pucker and coat your tongue so that it feels dry and yucky. They are best when the pulp is used to bake cookies, breads, and puddings. Here are some recipes to try…
Papa’s Favorite Persimmon Bread
A co-worker gave this recipe to me in 1981. I make it whenever a neighbor shares their persimmon harvest. Papa enjoyed this baked goodie. This recipe makes two 9-inch loaves – one for you, and one for your Papa. 🙂
Ingredients
1 cup seedless raisins
½ cup of brandy (or use warm water)
2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup white sugar
2 cups ripe Hachiya persimmon pulp
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
1 cup chopped pecans
Butter for pans
Flour for pans
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak raisins in brandy (or water) until they plump and set aside. Mix together the sugars with the persimmon pulp and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to egg mixture, blending well. Add raisins and pecans. Pour into 2 buttered and floured loaf pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove loaves from pans, and allow loaves to cool completely on racks. Serve with a dollop of whip cream.
You may also enjoy these recipes…
BONUS! Learn How to Predict The Weather with a Persimmon Seed at the Old Farmer’s Almanac Website. Have fun!
It’s Day 118 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
I walked about 2.5 miles today and as I neared home I saw the oddest thing – a round bus! No kidding! The entire body of the blue vehicle was round, not rectangular. 
It was parked on the street in front of a house. I walked all the way around it and noticed a bunch of music festival and rock radio stickers on the back of the bus, as well as the letters “UE Boom” and the website address UlitmateEars.com.
When I got home, I looked it up on the Internet and discovered it’s a promotional vehicle for a round music speaker by Logitech.
The Boom Bus is on tour visiting music festivals and extreme sporting events to give people an opportunity to touch, feel, and hear the round sound system. I guess the Boom Bus driver lives in or was visiting someone in my neighborhood.
You can see more pictures and learn all about it by visiting Figure Plant, the company that designed and made the Boom Bus for Logitech.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I learn about the coolest stuff on my walks!
Day 117 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
My friend, Kim Daly of the Urbane Concierge, was a sponsor of the 23rd Annual YWCA Luncheon at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
She invited me to join her at the fundraiser with Keynote Speaker, 
Jane Goodall, the world-renowned primatologist, conservationist, and humanitarian who (at 79 years young) travels 300 days each year to deliver her message worldwide.
Ms. Goodall, made a point to tell the audience how important a strong mother is for the optimum development of a child, and illustrated the point with a poignant story about her own mother and stories of chimpanzee mothers as well.
I bought two books at the presentation including, In the Shadow of Man and Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man. I waited in line to get the books signed and when my turn arrived, I remembered that I had a copy of Papa’s Pearls in my purse. I slipped my hand into my bag, pulled out the book, and presented it to Ms. Goodall saying, “Please accept this gift. I agree with you that strong mothers are essential to rearing children, and I also think strong fathers are essential as well.”
“I couldn’t agree more!” she exclaimed.
I added, “I wrote this book about my dad, who was a strong and loving father. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it on one of your airplane trips.”
She took the book and said, “Thank you, I most certainly will!”
Then, I was shooed along by the staff members who wanted to keep the line moving. 🙂
The Santa Clara Convention Center is GIGANTIC and it was a very long walk to and from the parking lot. On the way back to my car, I walked alongside a young woman who was moved by Jane Goodall’s reminder that the most important thing we can do to improve the world is to make decisions using both our brains and our hearts when it comes to animals, people, and the environment we share. My walking partner said, “We all need to be reminded of that from time to time.” Indeed.
Days 114, 115, & 116 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
Things are still a bit hectic around here. My walks have been haphazard – I just walk whenever there’s a lull in all of the activity.
I was thinking that some people might think going for a walk every day is boring. But you can spice up your walks in ways that will not only lead to physical fitness but mental fitness too!
In fact, I wrote an article titled, Fun Walks for Mental & Physical Fitness to encourage parents to walk with their children with some fun activities you can do on walks including:
Just click on the link above to read the article. If you have a fun way of walking, tell me about it! Post a message here. ☺
Days 110, 111, 112, & 113 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
I’ve had a few busy days that included installing cabinets in my home office, having my mom (Papa’s loving partner for 66 years) as a house guest, and attending the 7th birthday party of Papa’s great granddaughter.
I walked every day and what really caught my attention were 
the harvest and Halloween decorations sprouting in the front yards of neighborhood homes. There are autumn wreaths on front doors and harvest garlands entwined through front porch railings.
Lawns have been transformed into graveyards with funny headstones such as:
Here lies John Yeast,
Pardon me if I don’t rise.
There are skeletons, witches, ghosts, mummies, and zombies hanging from trees, and pumpkins dot the landscape. Some houses are so elaborately decorated, I have to pause to take it all in.
I love this time of year and the different ways people celebrate the season.
Today is Day 109 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
I had just finished climbing to the top of a steep hill when I heard a woman’s voice say, “Hi! Can you help me? I’m up here on the roof.”
I looked at the roofs of the houses around me and spotted a woman waving to me from her rooftop. She said, “I’m washing the windows and forgot to turn the water to the hose on. I’d rather not have to climb down the ladder to do it. Would you mind turning the water on for me?”
She directed me to the hose bib in her yard and asked me to turn the water on all the way. I followed her instructions and was showered with appreciative comments: “You’re so sweet to help me. Thank you so much. You really helped me out.”
Now that’s something that doesn’t happen every day!
Days 106, 107, & 108 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge!
I filed an extension on my income tax return and the deadline is fast-approaching. I fantasized that if the U.S. government shut down 
I might not have to file my return and pay taxes. No such luck.
So, for the past three days, I’ve been combing through receipts for deductions and putting together the information my accountant needs to file the return. I find this process stressful and used my Papa’s Walks to let off some steam. Today, I completed the tax package and drove to San Francisco to deliver it to my accountant.
It was a PERFECT day in the city by the bay – sunny, blue skies, about 70 degrees, with a gentle breeze. After dropping off the tax stuff, I decided to take a walk through the financial district. I walked from Harrison and 2nd Street to Market and then over to Kearny.
It was noon, so the sidewalks were filled with young, white-collar workers stopping at tiny deli’s, cafés, and food trucks to get lunch. I never saw so many people carrying salads in clear plastic containers!
I walked down Kearny to California where the monolithic Bank of America skyscraper soars 52 stories above the ground. I stopped, hoping to ride the high speed elevator to the top of the building for a view of The City. I expected to find The Carnelian Room restaurant with a stunning panoramic view located atop the tower. The security guard informed me that the restaurant closed in 2010 and there isn’t an observation deck accessible to the public.
I was a little bummed out as I headed to the plaza, but smiled when I saw the gigantic granite sculpture that is shaped like a human internal organ. It’s titled “Transcendence,” but the locals call the big, black blob the “Banker’s Heart.”
I walked down to Montgomery Street and joined the crowd of lunch-hour walkers who were ducking in and out of doorways to mega-businesses in the “Wall Street of the West.” Once again, many were carrying salads in clear plastic containers. That’s a lot of lettuce being eaten, traded, exchanged, and (in my case) forked over to the U.S. Treasury to support a government that is shut down.