Berkeley Food Extravaganza!

Today, Talli and I went with Sue and Geno to Berkeley for a tour of their favorite organic food spots. A couple after our own hearts. The itinerary was definitely chock full of extremely high quality destinations. I only wish that Fremont could offer half the variety, quality and even prices that we saw while in Berkeley. We went to:

1. ACME Bread Company 2. Monterey Fish Market 3. Magnani Poultry 4. Coffee Market 5. Monterey Market 6. Berkeley Horticultural 7. Chez Panisse 8. Cheese Board There were a couple quick stops at other places, but the places I listed above were the highlights. So, what did we get, you ask? Good question. The answer is, in order: 1. A loaf of organic sour batard and a loaf of organic cinnamon, currant & walnut bread 2. Two pound of California farm raised Tilapia (very eco friendly choice) 3. A rack of all natural lamb(no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, vegetarian fed) and some All Spice Seasoning 4. 1/2 lb of Organic Darjeeling Tea, 1/4 lb of organic China Green Tea and 1/4 lb of organic Sencha (Japanese) Green Tea 5. Baby Shiitake mushrooms, tamari soy sauce, strawberries, green beans, asparagus, potatoes, white pitas and wheat pitas (All items were organic) 6. Skipped this time, next time though... 7. An amazing meal. I had pan fried Hoffman Farm chicken breast with rocket and celery root salad and salsa verde and Talli had Morel mushroom ravioli with peas. We all shared the house zinfandel and two appetizers; pizzeta with leeks and lamb sausage and baked Sonoma goat cheese with garden lettuces. We also had chocolate-glazed walnut cake with bittersweet chocolate cream. Then, Talli had the mint tisane and I had Blue Bottle Coffee. 8. Organic Reggiano Parmesan & Organic Morbier The whole experience was amazing. Talli and I enjoyed it so much. The day could not have been better spent. Good food, good times, and great company. Thank you so much Geno and Sue for the fantastic afternoon! We had a tremendous time. We also now have a list of great places that we can visit again in the future. We're looking forward to trying out Saul's Deli on our next trip up. The recommendation we got on that one makes it sound like it's a place that we have to visit. By the way Robert, we didn't see you anywhere! I thought we'd see you around for sure. Next stop...Shasta! Next post...Monday! Until next time true believers!

Cool Aquarium

Guess where this aquarium was at? In a restaurant in Beijing. In the US, those are pets. In China, they were fresh fish ready for dinner. Day 4 of retirement wrap-up: 1. Continued reorganization of the house. 2. Walked to Raley's for some organic groceries. 3. Replanted marsh marigold and moved it to the pond. (Pictures to follow.) Weekend plan: Friday: Trip to Berkeley with Sue and Geno. Saturday & Sunday: McCloud Hotel B&B in McCloud, CA near Shasta. That's our first weekend of retirement (or summer vacation, if you prefer). Makes me wish we retired earlier. Looks like fun. We also got our first call from a patient at our house. We haven't even been gone for a week and people are already tracking us down. Oh, well. What can you do?

Water Garden #2

Here's the new incarnation of our water garden. Last year, I created one for the first time. This year, I created a water garden using all different plants than last year. The four plants that I used this time are: Umbrella Palm - The tall plant with fronds that look like the spokes on an umbrella. Parrots Feather - The short plant on the top right that looks like a little bush. Marsh Marigold - Medium height plant in the top left with large, lily pad-like leaves. Water Poppy - The plant on the bottom right with the small round leaves. They're still submerged, but will emerge soon. I'm probably going to move the marsh marigold out of the water garden and into the pond or another water garden soon because it's a shade plant. Unfortunately, the water garden gets too much sun. I'll get it all figured out soon. That's the fun part. Friday, we're heading to Berkeley. Maybe I'll find a water plant while I'm there. Either way, it'll be fun.

Redecorating

Well, Talli and I brought home all the plants from our clinic and used them to redecorate our covered area in the backyard. We set them all out there, at least for the summer. Then, we rearranged all the furniture. You can see what we ended up with here. Since, I've taken that picture, we've also changed the light hanging there from a pool table lamp to another lamp that hangs, but not quite as low. Michael's head will be happy about that last part. I'll throw an updated picture of the covered area with that new lamp when we finish the last few changes I've been contemplating. Afterwards, Talli and I rearranged the garage a bit to organize what we brought home and reorganized a couple of our rooms after bringing some clinic items in and taking some other items out.

Favorite Portuguese Castle? - Guimaraes

Okay, the question came up the other day at Robert's birthday party. What's your favorite Portuguese castle? Well, here's mine: Guimaraes. This picture was taken the last time I visited it in 1999. Next time I go, I'll get a better picture. Why did I choose this castle? Easy. It's very defensible. A small force could easily hold off a large one and inflict large casualties on it even if the outer wall was breached. That's my kind of castle. Today, was day one of our retirement. It was awesome. We slept in, I replaced the light in the covered area in our backyard with one we picked up from Lowe's, and we cleaned up a bit around the house. Oh, and we had a great dinner and finished off a bottle of Benziger's Pinot Noir that we opened yesterday in celebration of the last day of the clinic. It was a great bottle. We also relaxed and watched some South Park and Robot Chicken on DVD. The latter was courtesy of my brother. On loan, of course.

Closing Day

Well, that's it. It is finally over. Talli and I dropped the keys off with the landlord today after the last of the equipment was picked up and moved out. We had a good run of it. At least we went out on our own terms, the way I always like to do things. It's best to take control of your fate instead of letting fate take control of you. It leaves you with better options. Well, now y'all can picture us rollin'.

Earth Day 2006

Today is a day to reflect on the importance of the Earth in our everyday lives. A lot of people say that they don't care about the environment. They also ridiculously call anyone who does a "hippie." What the hell is a "hippie" anyway? It was a member of the counter culture during the sixties that indulged in drugs, free sex and protests. What the hell does that have to do with not wanting to breath pollution and drink water laced with the chemicals used to produce Teflon? Tell me. The Earth is an important part of our everyday lives because it is where we live, breath, eat, drink, sleep and raise our children. Would you defecate and urinate on your floor and then leave it there for the whole week? Of course you wouldn't. Why wouldn't you? Because it's not healthy you say? Oh my God! You care about your environment! Sure, it's a very small piece of the environment, but it is the environment and you care about it. Now stop fouling your larger environment. Keep it as clean as you possibly can because your children will inherit a complete disaster if you don't. Their health problems will be your fault. Besides, a clean healthy world will be more enjoyable for you as well. Don't you enjoy a pristine beach with crystal clear water? Sure, we all do. So, don't throw garbage out your car window, which will go into the gutter, wash into the bay and end up on a beach somewhere. Then when you see garbage at a beach and ask yourself, "What pig would leave a mess like this on the beach?" the answer would be, you. See what I'm getting at? The Earth is beautiful. We all enjoy it most when it's clean. It's your responsibility to keep it that way. Don't tell me that there's no point in keeping it clean because everyone else is polluting. I'm not. Talli is not. Together we can make a difference and your efforts will be appreciated. If you tell others, more will follow. That will make a difference that we can all appreciate. Robert? Happy 20th Birthday!

Moving Day #2

Today, Gary came to pick up the gym. I'm glad Talli and I found someone who was willing to take that piece of equipment. For a while there, we were afraid that we'd have to pay someone to haul it away. Glad to not have to worry about that anymore. It took them only an hour to get it out of there and I barely had to help them, except when they were carrying it out. It was a tight fit out those doors. Afterwards, Talli and I came home and relaxed a bit before going shopping. First, we checked out OSH, but they have a no sales tax sale this weekend, so we decided to wait to buy the pots that we were going to buy. Then, we went to see my mom. We stayed there for a bit and my brother came home, which was cool. Then, we went to Navlet's to get some water plants and some soil for Talli's vegetable garden. We got some great plants that I'll feature in the blog; tomorrow most likely. Then we came back and did some yard work. Tomorrow, there will be some more yard and house work. Then, Robert's birthday party. Sunday, we'll go to the clinic to move the last of the things out and turn in the keys. That will be a huge moment for us. I'm looking forward to having the whole thing finished.

Clinic Finished - Fish Released

Today, was one of those days that feel like two days. Early in the day, we had our last two patients come in. We treated them, they left and then the day really began. Someone came to take our desk, the bookshelf, the coat rack, the water cooler and the brochure racks. Meanwhile, Talli and I were packing up some of our stuff. Then, my dad and my brother Michael arrived with the mini-van. We took two trips with the mini-van and my car, but we got everything we needed moved. After the moving was completed, we sat in the backyard and relaxed for a bit and I prepared to release the last two koi into the pond. My dad had to leave to pick up a new water heater to replace his that started leaking, but Michael stayed and we played a video game while we waited to release the fish. Finally, the time came and our sanke and shusui koi were released. Then we headed over to Mission Pizza, so that I could feed my moving team. Definitely cheaper than hiring a crew and a truck! It's hard to believe that it's finally coming to a close. It's a relief though. With the nice weather that has come, it feels like we're getting out of school and going on summer vacation. It's been ages since we've done that and we've never done that together, so this will be so much fun. I'm looking forward to the future.

Less than 14 hours left!

I've finally received all the orders I placed. Here's the podcasting gear that I ordered. There are my three mics: Audio Technica ATR25 Audio Technica ATR35s Audio Technica ATR97 There is my portable recorder: iRiver iFP899T Last, there is my set of Studio Monitor Headphones: SONY MDR-V6 Studio Headphones That's my traveling kit. At home, I have our Mac G5, a Sennheiser mic and another SONY headset. I already had that equipment though. All this equipment will allow me to do recordings from home or on the road and I'll be able to have a co-host or a guest with me both at home and on the road. I'm looking forward to trying some things out. A domain name has been procured and a theme has been chosen. The format is currently being discussed and contemplated. Clinical Update: # of Patients left: 2 Hours left until last patient finishes: < 14 hours Days until keys returned: 4 days (Date pushed back until Sunday due to a conflict for a mover) I'll talk to you all soon.

Two Days Left!

The last patient will walk out the doors of In Stride Physical Therapy in about 37 hours! I know. That is soon. We actually only have three patients left. Can you believe it? I know I can't. Then we close our doors, forever. In podcasting news, my iRiver is on its way. Also on its way is a new battery for my 12" powerbook. I'm going to need one of those since my battery life is starting to fade, just a little bit. I think I have about 2 hours of life in it at a charge, so having a spare will help out quite a bit. My co-producer Talli and I debated the theme of the show heatedly, today. We're trying to hammer down the theme and I've been a jerk, shooting down idea after idea. Hunter, of course, was no help. As you can see, he ignored my requests for ideas. There is a lot of chafe out there and I don't want our show to deliver more of the same. Our podcast has to deliver quality content. Then I will make it sparkle! With some help of course. If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right. Patient Countdown: 3 left!

100th Post Extravaganza!

Okay, maybe I'm hyping this post a little bit too much. It is the 100th post though. Yesterday, Talli and I went to my grandparents' house for Easter. It was a great meal, as always. I had two servings of everything. Admittedly, I was a little low on the desert consumption metric, but I prefer straight food to deserts. I disappointed my grandmother in that area but, I told her, "Make a bad dinner and then I'll have room left for desert." On the pond front, Roy is adjusting well to the pond. Pond temperature is 57 degrees. All the fish seem happy. Now, I guess I need to reveal something amazing for the 100th post... hmm... give me a moment. I'll come up with something. Well, most of the podcasting gear has arrived. I also picked up a good set of headphones for monitoring. I have a lead on a good co-host and I'm looking for reporters or guests. So, if any of you have something interesting to share with the world, but not enough for a weekly show of your own...I want you. Send me a comment or send me an email with your interest and I'll contact you and see what we can work out. My new show will be starting in May. Show name, content, frequency and length are all TBA. Clinic Update: Days of patients left: 3 Days left until keys turned in: 5

Happy Easter!

Easter is here once again. In celebration, Talli and I released one of our koi that we had in quarantine into our pond. Roy the Koi, our Yellow Gin Rin Yamabuki Ogon, was released today during lunch. Monster immediately took a liking to Roy and the two have been inseparable since. They both swim around together quite a lot. Next weekend, on Earth Day, Talli and I are planning the release of the last two koi. That release will commemorate the end of the clinic. I think we'll pop open a nice bottle of wine as well. Which one? I haven't decided yet. It'll be a good one though. Have a Happy Easter everyone! I'll talk to you again tomorrow. Now, it's time to head to my grandparents for a great Easter dinner!

Passover 2006

Last night's Passover meal was a success! Talli prepared a great meal. There was matzo ball soup, potato latkes, a vegetable kishke, a spinach pie, haroset, a passover chocolate tort and a matzah stack with chocolate. We invited Leor, my parents and Michael all over for the meal. Everyone had a good time and there was plenty of food for all. The best part is that we'll be having great leftovers for a few days. Talli has already come up with some improvements on the recipes for next time. Almost every recipe was a new one for Talli, so she hadn't had them perfected to her grueling standards, yet. Next time, will be stupendous. I'll enjoy helping her perfect the recipes by tasting them all. Today, was a relaxing day. There was a little bit of work cleaning up after the fish and a little bit of shopping. The rest of the day was dedicated to relaxing a bit. Tomorrow, is Easter and we'll be going to my grandparents' house for another great meal. Talli and I are looking forward to that. Clinic Countdown: Days of Patients left: 3 (We're taking a 3 day weekend) Days left until keys returned: 7 (closing on Earth Day, Robert's birthday)

Feeling Tired

In this picture, Hunter looks the way I feel. I'm feeling a little bit burned out and tired. Why, you ask? To that I reply, "Have you read any of my recent posts?" The last day of the clinic is next Thursday. I'm now what we used to call, in consulting, a "short-timer." That's someone who has an end date and it is coming up. At that point, their head is at work and in their next destination at the same time. I was a King at handling this back in the day. I'm out of practice since I've been at the clinic now for over two and a half years, but I can still handle it. The key is focusing when at work so that nothing is neglected. In fact, sometimes, things are taken care of even more efficiently than before. Where everything falls apart for me is at home. How does that work you ask? My you are full of questions today. At home, every day feels like Friday. It makes getting up the next morning, on what should always be Saturday, very hard. It also makes me think about what I'll soon be doing. No, I won't tell you the answer to that question yet. So, in other words, we take great care of everyone at work and, at home, we just want this painful process to end. I've always been a fan of ripping the Band-Aid off, not pulling it off slowly, pulling out the hairs on your arm one-by-one. Countdown: Days left of patients: 5 Days until clinic closes: 9 Planned closing day: Earth Day 2006 (A fitting end to a green business)

Welcome to In Stride Physical Therapy...

It's ticking down. Soon, we'll be starting our Thursday morning at the clinic. A week later, we'll be seeing our last patients. Now I'm starting to feel very nostalgic. Talli and I are very proud of what we created at In Stride Physical Therapy. We have the best damn clinic, hands down. I won't set any artificial limiters like, "in Fremont" or "in California" or even "in the world." We're the best because we put everything into what we did every day. Not many people do that anymore, unfortunately, and it takes a family business to take it to the level that we needed to take it to; for ourselves and our patients. That was both physical therapy and psychology for a lot of people. We did it all professionally and with empathy. We treated everyone like the human they were and gave them the respect and attention they deserved. In some cases, we gave them more than they ever expected. Some appreciated our efforts very much. I wish I could name names, but HIPAA laws prevent me. One patient even gave us the 10 gallon aquarium that we have in the clinic to this day for Christmas. He also gave us fish for that tank. This wasn't a patient with much money and the gesture touched us deeply. He appreciated what we did, but we never expected anything for it. That he thought of us though, made us very happy. It made our work that much more special to us. It made me feel like we touched someone's life. How often do we get to do that? I'm thankful for the opportunity we had to do that for some people. Sometimes, Talli was upset at patients for their ingratitude, but she tried not to let it show. Other times, she was upset because they ignored her professional advice. Others would have given the patients the easy way out, took their money and moved on. Talli couldn't do that. She told the truth and sometimes the truth hurt. I know I'll look back on the clinic fondly, probably forever. For the next little bit, it will choke me up to think of what we built and how it finally came to a close. I just hope that we'll be remembered fondly by a few people.

Spring Has Sprung...

But, you wouldn't know it if you looked outside. It's been cloudy and raining almost everyday. In between rain, a few days back, I caught a picture of Talli's newly sprung tulips. It was a lovely bright spot amidst the rain and the clinic closing. There are actually more tulips out now, maybe I'll get another picture of the flower garden up when the second wave of flowers bloom. I've been neglecting to go back to craigslist.org to post up a few more items for sale. Motivation has dipped since the largest items were sold. I'll probably have to get my act together and get a few things up over the next few days. I'll try to remember to take my camera to the clinic tomorrow to take the pictures I need to post online for the ad on craigslist.org. Countdown: Days of patients left: 7 Days of clinic left: 11 Pond Temperature: 56 degrees (Yes, I still check the pond.)

Counting Down...

Well, the last few days are ticking down. It is definitely a bitter sweet thing. There have been many, many good times with the clinic. We've had some great patients and we have some great memories. Of course, the insurance companies have been putting a squeeze on all the physical therapy clinics. So, things have been getting less and less pleasant on the billing and receiving side. We've made a living, but things took a turn for the worse this year when Medicare cut off the amount of visits that they allowed for physical therapy. Since that is the bulk of our practice, it really impacted our load. That's in the past though. Our lease is ending at the end of this month. Next Thursday we'll see our last patients. Thursday, Friday and Saturday we'll be moving out our stuff. If all goes well, it will just be a matter of wrapping up our bills and taxes from then on. As you can see, Hunter is excited... I'm looking forward to a little time off. Moves like this can definitely be stressful, even though they are necessary. Talli can surely use a break. She's the therapist after all, so she has felt this all even more acutely than me. Countdown: Days of patients: 8 Days Left: 10

Purchase Completed

I finally figured out what audio equipment to buy for my podcasting rig. I originally was going off some equipment that was recommended by David Lawrence of the David Lawrence Show. Unfortunately, I had one major problem. That would be the portable recorder. What I was looking for was the iRiver iFP 799T 1 GB Flash MP3 Player/Recorder. Unfortunately, they don't sell it anymore. I could probably have found a refurbished one somewhere, but I didn't find one. So, I searched really hard trying to find a recorder that had both a line in and mic in jack. I also wanted a good price. I finally found one that wasn't made anymore, but it was still sold by one company. So, I bought the: iRiver iFP 895T 512 MB Flash MP3 Player/Recorder. It seems to be able to handle everything that I want it to handle. I wanted a 1GB model, but this 512MB model was the largest that I could find with the right features set and the right price. What price is that you ask? $127. Not cheap, but much cheaper than the other recorders that I saw. Audio Technica ATR-25 Stereo Condenser MicrophoneNext, I wanted a microphone that I could use for interviews. This mic along with all the ones that follow I took from David Lawrence's recommendations. I know it seems premature to think about interviews, but you have to think ahead. Once you have an interview, you need to have the equipment ready to go. I'm not premature; I'm prepared. Audio Technica ATR-35s Lavalier (lapel) MicrophoneThe next application that I wanted to handle was walking around doing sound-seeing tours. That way I have a rig that I can use as I move around like when I go on a tour when I'm on vacation. I wish I could have had it with me when Talli and I had gone to China. Then I could have had some very interesting podcasts ready for my listeners when I got back. Audio Technica ATR-95 Omnidirectional Condenser Boundary MicrophoneThe last application that I was looking to handle was interviewing multiple people or recording a meeting or round table discussion. I thought it might also work well in interviewing grandparents who might not be comfortable with the mic right in their face. That's important in capturing family history. It might not make a podcast, but it would definitely make the family archives.

Farmer's Market

Talli and I made our weekly journey down to the Irvington Farmer's Market again today. The market starts at 9:00 and goes until 1:00. The best stuff, especially the best organic vegetables and fruits go early. After 9:30, all the best bunches are gone. So, we're there sometime between 8:55 and 9:05 every Sunday. We always hit the Ledesma Family Farm booth. They have the best organic vegetables at the best prices. Not only is it cheaper than Safeway, Raley's, or even Trader Joe's, it is also grown locally in Hollister. That means that less fuel is used to transport it, lowering the impact on the environment. Plus, it is able to be picked at the height of freshness and has that much better a taste. Their vegetables truly are excellent. On the way home, Talli and I picked up some stainless steel kitchen utensils at Bed Bath & Beyond to replace our plastic ones. Just one more step in our attempt to minimize the chemicals leaching into our food from plastics and non-stick surfaces. All of our non-stick pots and pans have already been replaced with stainless steel. We've also replaced almost all our plastic bowls with glass bowls. Now, we've replaced all our primary utensils with stainless steel versions. There are only a few items that still need to be replaced. Next, I'll be cleaning out the aquariums and then searching out my podcasting equipment online. I hope to have an update on my choices for that job soon.

Missed a Day

Well, I missed my post yesterday. I was too busy trying to find some equipment online to do some podcasting. I was hoping to get an iRiver iFP 799T. Unfortunately, they don't make them anymore. Also, the replacements either don't have a line in, are too expensive, or too bulky. I think I might get a refurbished one. I'll be posting later today with an update on the daily activities.

Another Day, Another Sale

The success on craigslist continues. Today I had several more contacts regarding the home gym. Four people wanted to come see it. One came over at 11:00. Another was supposed to come at 4:30. Two others were setting times for Saturday. I had to contact all those people. The first guy walked in with his cute little kids. They were probably twoish and threeish. Very cute kids. I described the gym, what it had, the age, the extra cables, etc. He looked it over a little. Checked a measurement and said, "I'll take it." No negotiations. He just took it. I told him I needed a deposit, he went to the ATM. He gave me the deposit, I gave him a receipt and on Friday, April 21, he'll pick it up. I was stoked. It was awesome. Now all my most troublesome items are gone. The only post I have left from craigslist is the: Recumbent Bike









I'll probably put a few more small items up over the weekend. Just a few things that I want to get rid of that might be a little awkwardly shaped or too heavy to ship. We'll see what I turn up. I'll either keep the rest of the stuff or sell them off over time on eBay. I've never used eBay to sell stuff before, so that should be fun to try out. Countdown: Patient Days: 9 Days Until Moved out: 16 (at most)

Buying Frenzy!

Today was amazing! Last night I posted 8 items up on Craig's List. I had my first email of interest in about two hours. By the time I got to the clinic this morning, I'd had three inquiries. Two of them came in to view some of our items today at 12:15. By 2:00, we had sold 75% of our clinic off. It was amazing. They bought the upper body power trainer, the mat table, the massage table, the stairs, the chest freezer, the desk and lots of things we hadn't even posted on craigslist, yet. We gave very good deals to everyone. We sold everything for much less than they were worth, but it is still a happy thing. We had been trying to sell to companies that sell used equipment and they wanted nothing. It was very discouraging. We didn't want to rent a truck to move everything and we don't have much room to store it all anyway. We've pretty much cut our work load in half, saved a lot of space at home and freed up some cash to pay a few extra bills. All in all, we're pretty happy. On top of it, we helped out a couple that is starting an adult day care facility in Vallejo and a nice man running a business from his home. Plus, everything is being reused rather than landfilled. The green business legacy continues... Here are our remaining craigslist items: Multi-Function Gym









Recumbent Bike











There are two interested parties coming to check out the gym. One from Sunnyvale on Friday and one from Livermore on Saturday. So, if anyone else is interested in any of the remaining items, jump on them. Everyone that came in so far grabbed a few things that they hadn't even come in for. Heck, we even sold mirrors, a garbage can, a candy dish, an aquarium, some pictures and too many other things to list here right now. Countdown: 10 days left of patients

For Sale!

Well, I finally got finished posting items on craigslist for tonight. I figured I'd better get the bigger items up there now. It'll be a little easier than moving them all and then selling them. The items are all shown below and have a link to their craigslist ad. If anyone wants any of the items, let me know. If anyone knows anyone that wants any of these items, let them know or if you're really nice and surprise them with it as a present. They'll love you for it! Multi-Function Gym









Recumbent Bike











Upper Body Power Trainer











Chest Freezer









Desk






Mat Table








Single-Sided Therapy Stairs










Massage Table







Countdown: 11 days left of patients (New official last day of patients Thursday, April 20, 2006.

Amazing Amateur Light Saber Fight Video

I just saw the most amazingLight Saber Fight video the other day on a video podcast I watch called Rocket Boom. Definitely check out the Light Saber Fight. It's five minutes long. The special effects are very good and the fight itself is fun to watch.

Green Business Recognition

Today, In Stride Physical Therapy was recognized at the Fremont City Council meeting as a Green Business. They recognized our efforts at conservation and protection of the environment through our ecologically sound business practices. We reduced our paper usage, continued our recycling of 100% of our paper waste, and switched our papers to recycled paper. We also installed low flow faucets. Then we switched to less harmful cleaning agents and organic massage lotions. We also switched from disposable paper cups to reusable plastic cups for our patients. At left, you can see the resolution that I received in front of the Fremont City Council. We are the first green physical therapy clinic in Alameda County. We'll have that distinction forever. Unfortunately, In Stride Physical Therapy will only be a Green Business until the end of the month when we close our doors. It was great while it lasted. I wouldn't change it for the world. If our status as a green business inspired even a few people to be more environmentally friendly, we will have made a larger difference than I had expected. Countdown: 26 more days until our lease ends 18 more work days until In Stride Physical Therapy closes 13 more days of patients

In Stride Physical Therapy Is Closing!

Sorry, everyone. I didn't say my announce-ment would be a happy one. In Stride Physical Therapy will be closing its doors officially on April 30. The last day that we will be open to patients is April 21, 2006. For anyone that wants to see the clinic one last time, give us a call. We will be in and out of the clinic through the end of the month as we transition out of the clinic. Talli and I would like to thank all the people that helped us start the clinic. We'd also like to thank everyone that made our success possible while we were in business. Thanks to all of our great clients and the great doctors that referred to us. There were a lot of good times and now there will be a lot of fond memories. This is the end of an era for us, but Talli and I will forge a new one. Everyone take care of yourselves. Exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep and be happy! If anyone wants to contact us and doesn't have our email address, leave a comment on the blog with your email address or call us before the clinic closes and leave us a voicemail, if we're not in. I have to approve all posts on the blog before they are posted, so I will take the email address, respond to you and reject the post, so that your email address will NOT be on the internet. I promise. Also, if anyone wants any of the exercise equipment, office supplies, art, etc that we have in the clinic, let us know. We will give you a good price. We don't have room to keep everything, especially the larger furniture and exercise equipment. More details will follow. I will also post some photos of our equipment for interested parties. Countdown: 19 more work days to go...

The Three Amigos!

As promised, I present to you...The Three Amigos! From left to right we have: 1) Butterfly Shusui - named Butterfly (by Talli) 2) Ginrin Yamabuki Ogon - named Roy (by Talli, after a patient of ours who is turning 90 this year) 3) Sanke - unnamed as of yet (I'm naming this one) If you click on the photo, you'll see in the enlarged photo that Butterfly has very long fins and tail. That's the standard for butterfly or longfin koi. The other two fish are not butterfly koi, so they have the shorter more standard tail and fins. The fish are still in the tank under quarantine and we're watching them for signs of disease like hawks. We want to make sure that they are healthy and ready for transfer to the pond in two weeks. Pond Update: Current temperature 54 degrees and holding - Hopefully the weather will improve and the pond will warm a little. Notice: Talli and I have a big update coming up for everyone soon. Stay tuned! This will be a big one. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell everyone in the next few days.

All Bay Area Koi Show

Today, Talli and I went to the 1st Annual All Bay Area Koi Show at the Wyndham Hotel in Pleasanton. The show was put on by the San Francisco Bay Area Koi Club and was sponsored by Genki Nishikigoi. The show was neat to check out because Talli and I were able get some perspective as to what a 30" + long fish looks like in comparison to our near 9" "Monster". Here is a picture of a couple of kohaku koi in their show tank waiting for the judging. These fish are the same type as our fish "Monster." They had far superior colors and they were between 18-20". As far as size went at the show, they were on the small size. We looked at some fish to buy at the show. Unfortunately, the ones at the show were $200 for the smallest ones. They were high quality koi imported from a well known koi breeder in Japan. So, after the show we went to a koi importer in San Jose that we found out about because of the show. Cherry Hill Koi had some beautiful fish. Talli and I were able to find three really nice quality koi that cost us much less in total than one fish would have cost us at the show. These fish were also imported from Japan. We got a Sanke, a Ginrin Yamabuki Ogon and a Longfin Shusui. I don't have good pictures of the fish, yet. I'll post some of them tomorrow in the 50 gallon quarantine tank we have in our front room. Today was a lot of fun. It was great seeing all the fish and obtaining some new additions for our pond. These last three fish have now capped the population of our pond. By all standards, the pond would be considered over stocked if not for the small size of almost all our fish. We know a bigger pond is in our future, but hopefully we won't need to start building it for a couple years at least.