Sleep is glorious.
As is walking on the beach on a beautiful, warm day in January. I couldn't determine if my light jacket was necessary or not, for most of our walk, and tied it around my waist.
Beef stew for dinner. We've been eating too much rich food and I'm feeling gross. I want clean, fresh food. Tomorrow is sushi night for JE and I. JE is a pro at making rolls. Can't wait.
I've also devised a more set schedule for my workouts, as per what happens on what day of the week. Everything is subject to change. Everything is always subject to change...
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Half
We ran our first half marathon today, no competition. Just us. The Huntington Beach boardwalk was brilliant in the morning's post rain haze, but the wind was gusting in our faces for the first six and a half miles. It felt like we were running uphill.
Before the first quarter, it felt like we had already been running forever. But JE, in wisdom, broke the whole thing down into bits, dividing the whole thing up into familiar distances on our usual trail: to the pink spot, to the footbridge, to the irises. In that manner, we proceded to accomplish the thing, mile by mile. The fact that there were a billion and two distractions around helped bunches, as well.
It seems that around nine and a half miles, I start to get fatigued. Today was no exception. Those last four miles were dearly bought. With .04 mile left, we stopped for water. It was all I could do to keep from crying from pain, and the realization that I may not be able to actually run a full marathon crept into my brain. I'm ok, now. But every muscle in across my hips was screaming at me to stop. I finished my run, and forced myself to keep walking, even though the car and warmth were waiting a few feet away. Eventually, I stretched out a lot of that pain, and took a giant ibuprofen with a quart of chocolate milk.
Dinner tonight needed to be simple. JE wanted to make cassoulet, but changed his mind after our run. We made French omelets with Brie, and a yummy avocado and grapefruit salad we have been eating a lot this winter. This new year, I am determined to find extraordinary things to do with ordinary vegetables and fruit. I get so tired of lettuce, and while spinach is a great substitute, I get tired of that, also. There are many other amazing things to eat raw, or almost raw, and it is my goal to find those things out.
Avocado Salad:
Two ripe but firm avocados, sliced
2 ruby red grapefruit, sectioned
Arrange on a plate (over green leaf lettuce if you'd like)
Season with balsamic vinegar, a good grassy olive oil, salt and pepper.
Dad brought home a bottle of kalamata olive oil from trader joe's. Yummy!
Before the first quarter, it felt like we had already been running forever. But JE, in wisdom, broke the whole thing down into bits, dividing the whole thing up into familiar distances on our usual trail: to the pink spot, to the footbridge, to the irises. In that manner, we proceded to accomplish the thing, mile by mile. The fact that there were a billion and two distractions around helped bunches, as well.
It seems that around nine and a half miles, I start to get fatigued. Today was no exception. Those last four miles were dearly bought. With .04 mile left, we stopped for water. It was all I could do to keep from crying from pain, and the realization that I may not be able to actually run a full marathon crept into my brain. I'm ok, now. But every muscle in across my hips was screaming at me to stop. I finished my run, and forced myself to keep walking, even though the car and warmth were waiting a few feet away. Eventually, I stretched out a lot of that pain, and took a giant ibuprofen with a quart of chocolate milk.
Dinner tonight needed to be simple. JE wanted to make cassoulet, but changed his mind after our run. We made French omelets with Brie, and a yummy avocado and grapefruit salad we have been eating a lot this winter. This new year, I am determined to find extraordinary things to do with ordinary vegetables and fruit. I get so tired of lettuce, and while spinach is a great substitute, I get tired of that, also. There are many other amazing things to eat raw, or almost raw, and it is my goal to find those things out.
Avocado Salad:
Two ripe but firm avocados, sliced
2 ruby red grapefruit, sectioned
Arrange on a plate (over green leaf lettuce if you'd like)
Season with balsamic vinegar, a good grassy olive oil, salt and pepper.
Dad brought home a bottle of kalamata olive oil from trader joe's. Yummy!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Manufacturing
All week, JE and I have been plotting...
I learned last Thursday in class, that today's class would be held in Los Angeles at 10:30 this morning. We both traded out Monday's holiday so we could spend the day together and play. One of the benefits of having dad staying with us is having a rush of teenage mischievousness thinking about sneaking away without dad knowing.
My meeting with the software company this morning was really interesting. The focus of my work has been all about hand building patterns and costumes. This new software could potentially cut my patterning time and opens so many possibilities for work. Maybe my focus will be to learn the program well enough to teach it internationally. Travel sound fun. I suggested this to one of the presenters. He asked if I could travel and if I spoke any other languages. Not any well enough to teach in, but that can change. I wish I were born a language super learner...
Cities are big, loud and a little bit crazy. But today, we found a sweet spot in the heart of all that crazy. In the brilliant California winter sunlight, we ran through Elysian Park. Most of it was trail, some of it was hobbled road. All of it was beautiful and covered in new grass. I love that California turns bright green, while so much of the rest of the northern hemisphere is hunkering down for another month of winter onslaught.
After our run, we checked into a Korean Spa on Wiltshire. It was so nice to unwind, relax, and be warmed. As I sat in the hot tub, I noticed the women around me. The women's area of the spa is clothing prohibited. It isnt a big deal, just the way of things. Its comforting to look around and see all the scars, moles, flab, cellulite, veins, and things that we all share as human beings. As well as the great stuff: skin colors stretched over fat, muscles and bone to create a body as unique as fingerprints; faces, and hair. It probably sound very strange that I mention these things, but artistiacaly speaking women are beautiful. Not no mmuch in the manufactured forms in media, but just as we are and as we ever were, we are beautiful. As I was getting ready to leave, an old old woman was shoulder deep in the bubbles of the hot tub. She had been talking with someone, motioning to them to get into the tub. Almost too late, I realized she was talking to me, as I sat on the edge of the pool. I slid in, and gave her a wink. She gave me a toothless grin and winked back.
On a recommendation from Jonathan Gold, a local food critic, we went to dinner at Palsaik on Western. We waited a bit for our table, but it was worth it. This was Korean BBQ as I've never seen it done before! A one of a kind. Pork belly, seasoned eight ways and grilled, served with a pickled radish paper and chili sauce. There were other condiments on the table, of course--it is a Korean restaurant. The kimchi was served on the grill, hot. After the seafood soup, the hot dish was used to cook the remaining kimchi and bean sprouts into a fried rice dish. My only complaint? I want that fried rice for breakfast tomorrow with a couple scrambled eggs!
I learned last Thursday in class, that today's class would be held in Los Angeles at 10:30 this morning. We both traded out Monday's holiday so we could spend the day together and play. One of the benefits of having dad staying with us is having a rush of teenage mischievousness thinking about sneaking away without dad knowing.
My meeting with the software company this morning was really interesting. The focus of my work has been all about hand building patterns and costumes. This new software could potentially cut my patterning time and opens so many possibilities for work. Maybe my focus will be to learn the program well enough to teach it internationally. Travel sound fun. I suggested this to one of the presenters. He asked if I could travel and if I spoke any other languages. Not any well enough to teach in, but that can change. I wish I were born a language super learner...
Cities are big, loud and a little bit crazy. But today, we found a sweet spot in the heart of all that crazy. In the brilliant California winter sunlight, we ran through Elysian Park. Most of it was trail, some of it was hobbled road. All of it was beautiful and covered in new grass. I love that California turns bright green, while so much of the rest of the northern hemisphere is hunkering down for another month of winter onslaught.
After our run, we checked into a Korean Spa on Wiltshire. It was so nice to unwind, relax, and be warmed. As I sat in the hot tub, I noticed the women around me. The women's area of the spa is clothing prohibited. It isnt a big deal, just the way of things. Its comforting to look around and see all the scars, moles, flab, cellulite, veins, and things that we all share as human beings. As well as the great stuff: skin colors stretched over fat, muscles and bone to create a body as unique as fingerprints; faces, and hair. It probably sound very strange that I mention these things, but artistiacaly speaking women are beautiful. Not no mmuch in the manufactured forms in media, but just as we are and as we ever were, we are beautiful. As I was getting ready to leave, an old old woman was shoulder deep in the bubbles of the hot tub. She had been talking with someone, motioning to them to get into the tub. Almost too late, I realized she was talking to me, as I sat on the edge of the pool. I slid in, and gave her a wink. She gave me a toothless grin and winked back.
On a recommendation from Jonathan Gold, a local food critic, we went to dinner at Palsaik on Western. We waited a bit for our table, but it was worth it. This was Korean BBQ as I've never seen it done before! A one of a kind. Pork belly, seasoned eight ways and grilled, served with a pickled radish paper and chili sauce. There were other condiments on the table, of course--it is a Korean restaurant. The kimchi was served on the grill, hot. After the seafood soup, the hot dish was used to cook the remaining kimchi and bean sprouts into a fried rice dish. My only complaint? I want that fried rice for breakfast tomorrow with a couple scrambled eggs!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Adding
Work was tough today. The project I was hired for originally has been sent to the back of the closet, and even the other project I was asked to particiapate in later, was placed on hold. There are seven pairs of men's jhodphurs that the shop is building. I'm not sure when they became my project, but I was slammed with them today. Most of my day was spent hunched over the cutting table with my 10 inch blades in hand, cutting multiple layers of heavy wool. In most cases, I would have been elated. Today, my hands hurt; my neck and shoulders were burning.
All morning, I'd lamented not getting up to run, but when my day started heating up, I was so grateful I'd reserved my energy. Sleep has been hardto find lately... This arvo, the swimming pool was sounding better and better.
It's a strange and glorious thing, to know that I want to add 12 laps to my swim and to just simply do it. No worries. Sixty laps, a mile and a quarter. JE and I were talking about how different it is from when we first started working. When we worked toward twelve laps, instead of just adding twelve to an existing routine. We remember what it was like to work toward two miles, and not just add two miles to a large base. Pretty cool. I just increased my workout by 25%!
All morning, I'd lamented not getting up to run, but when my day started heating up, I was so grateful I'd reserved my energy. Sleep has been hardto find lately... This arvo, the swimming pool was sounding better and better.
It's a strange and glorious thing, to know that I want to add 12 laps to my swim and to just simply do it. No worries. Sixty laps, a mile and a quarter. JE and I were talking about how different it is from when we first started working. When we worked toward twelve laps, instead of just adding twelve to an existing routine. We remember what it was like to work toward two miles, and not just add two miles to a large base. Pretty cool. I just increased my workout by 25%!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
With three mouths to feed, and and work and class happening for me right now, foodie life has been a bit crazy. Today we foraged. Fortunately, the kitchen pantry is stocked well enough and the freezer isn't empty. JE made lentils with boiled sausage (Joy of Cooking). I made whole wheat biscuits. Though the biscuits were so tempting, we held off eating them until it after dinner. I sweetened some frozen berries with a bit of honey and added a dab of canned whipped cream for a sort of berry shortbread. Perfect! I think I'll try to keep low carb meals for Sunday and serve a low sugar dessert--it's a bit of a slippery slope, but I think we all just feel better having that little treat!
Yesterday's run was kind of amazing. Eleven miles in less than two and a half hours, with very few slowdowns or stops. Toward mile ten, I did stretch need to stretch my hip. My only regret is how quickly the LA marathon is happening. If it were a few more weeks out, I'd sign up. But ten weeks just isn't enough time to gain 15 miles. How fun would it be to run through the streets of LA, closed to traffic. Ok, maybe a little nutty with 40,000 other folks; but still pretty dang cool.
Tonight, JE, dad and I spent some time and planned out the next months meals. It seems like a good idea, and I hope it is. A lot of work went into creating this calendar, but it feels good to have it all done. The are a few dinners that repeat every couple weeks, some of which are there as a template meal; meaning "plug a bean dish in here, woman!" or egg, or whatever.
Yesterday's run was kind of amazing. Eleven miles in less than two and a half hours, with very few slowdowns or stops. Toward mile ten, I did stretch need to stretch my hip. My only regret is how quickly the LA marathon is happening. If it were a few more weeks out, I'd sign up. But ten weeks just isn't enough time to gain 15 miles. How fun would it be to run through the streets of LA, closed to traffic. Ok, maybe a little nutty with 40,000 other folks; but still pretty dang cool.
Tonight, JE, dad and I spent some time and planned out the next months meals. It seems like a good idea, and I hope it is. A lot of work went into creating this calendar, but it feels good to have it all done. The are a few dinners that repeat every couple weeks, some of which are there as a template meal; meaning "plug a bean dish in here, woman!" or egg, or whatever.
Monday, January 9, 2012
It's difficult to write lately. Life is good, I'm working my tail off and enjoying it--literally. I lost another inch off my hips.im trying to work up a plan for the month for dinner. If I can plan 3 nights a week that rotate monthly, that is so much less work to plan for the week. Finding the time and focus is a bit tough.
Yesterday, JE and I ran 11 miles through the trails of irvine. It's lovely to be back in the warm country, where my shorty shorts and tank top are all that are required. The eucswere especially fragrant.
I think I will start to increase my swim distance, as well. A couple nights ago, I enjoyed one of my strongest swims I've known. Each lap felt like a speed lap. I was done with my mile in just over half an hour.
Did I write about New Year's Eve? Running through the streets of downtown Santa Cruz with a billion other people to get o the clock by the stroke of midnight? Did I write about the butterflies? Being at the reception and being asked if we had gone to see the butterflies. Taking off instantly to find them at a nearby church and being entranced by them as they flitted in the trees, enmass. Wings slowly fanning the dying fire of the sun as it shone through the trees, orange and perfect. Did I write about running 8 miles on New Year's day? To Natural Bridges state beach to seek out more butterflies, finding just a few, then running back to the church to find hundreds and hundreds of monarch butterflies swarming around the trees. The sky was filled with them. Did I write about driving back down the coast and stopping along the way at some of the places I camped? And remembering areas in photographic detail, as well as the people I had met there.
While the first part of our trip was worse than I'd care to remember, the last part of out trip was a little bit magical.
I'll be working tomorrow, and figuring out a class schedule.
Yesterday, JE and I ran 11 miles through the trails of irvine. It's lovely to be back in the warm country, where my shorty shorts and tank top are all that are required. The eucswere especially fragrant.
I think I will start to increase my swim distance, as well. A couple nights ago, I enjoyed one of my strongest swims I've known. Each lap felt like a speed lap. I was done with my mile in just over half an hour.
Did I write about New Year's Eve? Running through the streets of downtown Santa Cruz with a billion other people to get o the clock by the stroke of midnight? Did I write about the butterflies? Being at the reception and being asked if we had gone to see the butterflies. Taking off instantly to find them at a nearby church and being entranced by them as they flitted in the trees, enmass. Wings slowly fanning the dying fire of the sun as it shone through the trees, orange and perfect. Did I write about running 8 miles on New Year's day? To Natural Bridges state beach to seek out more butterflies, finding just a few, then running back to the church to find hundreds and hundreds of monarch butterflies swarming around the trees. The sky was filled with them. Did I write about driving back down the coast and stopping along the way at some of the places I camped? And remembering areas in photographic detail, as well as the people I had met there.
While the first part of our trip was worse than I'd care to remember, the last part of out trip was a little bit magical.
I'll be working tomorrow, and figuring out a class schedule.
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