This post will contain unadulterated braggadocio. Viewer discretion is advised.

Even though I've quit drinking coffee (day 27, but who's counting?), I still have a use for the filters. This is the final step of the maple syrup experience. After boiling on the woodstove for several hours, we finish off on the kitchen stove, then filter into a jar. It takes a while to run through the filter, naturally, but it's worth the wait. I wish I could have brought this batch to Pop, Debbie and Eve, but they got stuck with the trial run. Next time...

Now for the bragging. I finally got a chance to take another go at the Military 1000. To refresh your memory, it's comprised of 75 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 200 sit-ups and 525 squats. The goal is to finish in under 40 minutes, which I couldn't quite pull off last time. Today the conditions were better. I had a great partner--Jake!--and we did it in the shed, using our brand new 6 ft. pull-up bar. Time: 37:47. Yeah, boyyyyyy!!!!!!

After we were done we were pretty spent, but still managed to collect gallons of sap. Lucky we could carry the jugs.