December 30, 2014: Exercise! Friends! And maple maple maple!

“You shouldn’t do CrossFit.  You should do Peanutty X.”

- Akemi this morning as she watched me struggle my way through my workout.

Yes, it’s been a while.  But my buddies, Lawrence and Bruce, have inspired me to resume my daily exercise routine despite the absence of a home gym.  Today, I kicked things off with:

15 lunging stretches

15 overhead squats

15 sit-ups

15 back extensions

15 push-ups

15 dips

Repeated three times.

With my warm-up out of the way, it was on to the actual workout:

24 air squats

24 push-ups

24 walking lunge steps

A 400 meter run

Repeated six times

My post work-out celebration

Once I was done, I was DONE.

I think I may follow Akemi’s advice and give Peanutty X a try.

Between work on the show, the holiday eating, and sitting around watching old episodes of Murder She Wrote with mom, I fear I may no longer be in tip top shape.  And so, I’ve decided that things are going to change.  My attitude!  My commitment to exercise!  My diet!

Next year.  After all, I’m still on vacation.  I still have time to squeeze in a few great meals.

Last night, for instance, I met up with a bunch of my Montreal friends for dinner at Moishes Steakhouse.

Bruce, aka Sushi-man (because he once ate 40 pieces of sushi in one sitting.  Note: Since publishing this post, Bruce reminded me that it was actually 65 pieces of sushi.  Bruce: “I eat 40 pieces running for the bus..”), focused on some hilarious cat video on the left; Nigel, aka Supa (because he is), our Master of Ceremonies, who dislikes cooking so much he once lived in a place without a stove…for six years!

Ron, fellow Japan enthusiast and an amazing photographer (https://500px.com/ronthemon) who is supposed to be visiting Tokyo with me some day.

And Jason, family man and devoted reader of this blog.

My 45 day aged rib steak.  It was very good – for a North American cut.  Still, nothing beats a nice piece of wagyu.  I tried actual Kobe beef for the first time back in Tokyo in 2004 and was so blown away that I was unable to eat North American steak for years.

I convinced Bruce to have dessert.  Then asked him to pose for this photo which I’ll be forwarding to Crossfit HQ.

After dinner, Akemi and I swung by the hospital where my sis was waiting – and waiting, and waiting – to be seen by a doctor, then for blood test results that, ultimately, discounted the possibility of a blood clot to explain the pain she’s been suffering for days now.  She’d been there since noon – and it was 11 p.m.!  A day earlier, my friend brought his mother to hospital emergency – and waited eight hours before eventually giving up.  Compare this to Vancouver where I’ve never had to wait more than an hour to be seen by a doctor, either at a hospital or a clinic.  When I mentioned this to my dining companions, they had their own horror stories to offer.  I was told you’d be better off making the drive to Cornwall, Ontario than trying your luck at a hospital in Quebec.  Even factoring in the six hour drive (three there and three back), it’s actually faster!

Anyway, we picked up her house keys, then swung by her place to let the dogs out – and spend some quality time with them.

A wistful Ralph awaits Andria’s return.

Earlier in the day, Akemi and I returned to Old Montreal for a stroll, some crepes, and lots and lots of maple syrup-themed eats!

We discovered a Maple Museum in the basement of a shop specializing in maple treats.

Follow the snow shoes.

They’re empty.  I checked.

I’d forgotten my hat at home so I picked up a new one – that Akemi fell in love with and claimed for herself.  Well, it looks better on her anyway.

Akemi had a maple cookie, a bag of maple popcorn, and some tire d’erable (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_taffy).  She was flying high on a sugar high for most of the early afternoon – then passed out on the car ride home and napped through the rest of the afternoon.

Tomorrow – finally – it’s my Best Reads of 2014!