Day 31: Gram's Gingerbread

We went to visit my Gram today, we took her favorite gingerbread to her. She fell again this week, the day she told me she was doing 100% better. This time she bruised up her ribs and back. The worst part for her is not being able to get around to see her friends.

My Grandparents had been dating before World War II. Just before Gramp went into the service my grandparents married and lived together for five or six months. Gramp shipped off to the south for basic training and became so sick with chigger bites he was hospitalized for a couple of weeks. To remedy the situation, the military shipped Gramp off to Iceland with a bunch of bars and stars. Gram said he had never worked so hard in his life as in those three years he was stationed there. He taught skiing and rifling to Allied soldiers. He also mastered and taught the art of ice lodge making, "a fine business if you're planning on staying in it awhile." After three years in Iceland, Gramp taught in England and North Ireland for a year.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, Gram organized the entertainers for the military hospitals. Part of her job was figuring out the transportation. "Black girls rode the tour bus to the hospital. White girls rode the tour bus to the hospital. But you could never mix the two, even if they were in the same act. Opera singers would sometimes come perform, we had all sorts" She also took care of my father.

By the time my Gramp returned from the war ("There was no such thing as leave back then,") my father was almost 4 years old.

Gramp passed a couple years ago. I, miraculously, was there as he passed. I have an intuitive gift for such things. He had been riding the roller-coaster of non-hogdkins lymphoma for a couple of years. He passed a week after Gram and Gramp's 65th wedding anniversary, and two weeks shy of his 91st birthday.

I can still hear his friendly, "well, Hello!"

Gram's Gingerbread

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan-line with parchment.
Whisk together:
1 cup flour (5 oz)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (4 oz)
1 ts baking soda
1 Tb ground ginger
2 ts ground cinnamon
1/4 ts ground cloves
1 ts ground cardamom
dash of cayenne
1/4 ts salt

In a large bowl, whisk:
1 stick softened butter
until creamy. Add and beat until lightened in color:
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar

Gradually beat in:
1 cup dark molasses

Add the flour mixture and stir until combined. Mix in:
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1/2 cup boiling water.

Pour into pan. Bake about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely (if you can). Slice into 2x2 squares and serve.

Non egg alternative: pour 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1 Tb ground flax seeds in a food processor and turn on for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. Use in place of egg. BTW this works for lots of other batter recipes as well.

It was a rest day today. I pick up my swimming tomorrow. Yay!


My (projected) Week Schedule

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Warm up/easy swim Freestyle 300 yards (10 laps) Cool down (4 laps)
Cycle commute
10-15 minutes basic flow yoga, 10 dips and 20 crunch sit ups on the big ball – do ONE set!

Tuesday Thursday
Warm up/walk 10 min, Run 25 min, Cool down 10 min
Cycle to and from work 7-10 miles each way
10 push-ups, 25 crunch sit ups, 15 ball squats, and 10 lunges, each leg. Keep good form do ONE set!


Saturday
Early in the morning, a nice little 25-35 mile ride

Day 30: Dia de los Muertos

We are driving home right now after attending the dia de los Muertos celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It's the only time I have ever paid to enter a cemetery. We arrived while it was still light out and could see the elaborate alters decorated in the graveyard. Flowers, food, candles, dioramas, skulls, skeletons, and most importantly photographs of deceased loved ones. Some were huge and elaborate, others were simple and understated. Each told a story, each was a reminder of at least one life. What a beautiful tradition.

Before we walked in the gates we could hear drumming. Dancers in ancient and huge feather headdresses were dancing to drums just inside the cemetery gates. There were other dancers and bands throughout the cemetery.

When we set out this afternoon, we weren't sure what to expect. Though there were a lot of people in costume, the atmosphere wasn't a Halloween party. It was more somber, like walking through a museum. Some of the costumes were amazing.

As was the food. All things Mexican. Pan Dulce, agua fresca, churros, fruit on a stick with chili and lime, sopas the Dastrups couldn't finish, and more. I had a hand made thick tortilla with al pastor. Je had a bacon wrapped hot dog with grilled veggies. It was awesome.

This morning I woke up hankering to run. We had talked about driving to the beach to run down there, but the car battery was dead. I asked JE if he would mind if I ran while he dealt with the car. The man is a saint. When I got back, he was just returning from getting a battery and a new clutch for the washing machine. Like I said, a saint

Day 29:

There are some things it is best not to know. For instance: each peanut m&m has just over 10 calories, whether or not your coworker tried to grow a beard, how many spiders cross your pillow at night, or who makes a habit of reading your blog.

Where I am working right now seems to be a hot bed of intrigue. Some one was sent home on paid leave. Some people are disgruntled. There are vibes. I get to be over-hire, which means I get to enjoy everyone I work with without having to take sides. It's a great spot to be in. I was hired to work, and that is what I get to do. All I can say is, I am glad it is Friday, and I am glad I get to go back on Monday.

Now you know almost as much as I do, and probably more than you would really want to know.

I rode like the wind this morning. I kept my pace above 16 miles per hour the entire way to work-setting a new time record for myself and allowing me to actually be early! Awesome. No running today, I had some work to finish this morning before work--go figure. I really missed it. Weird to say that this thing I have hated my entire life is now something I really enjoy. It is still difficult, but not the way it used to be. I also think my ankles are growing in strength; my tendon's don't get as sore. Either that or I have learned to warm up and cool down properly.

Day 28: The Beard

"Will you tell me stories about your beard?" I asked JE tonight. Since mid-September, he has been growing a beard--The Beard. It all began with an innocent: "We could go as Paul Bunyan and Babe for Halloween," and suddenly JE had a full blown Paul Bunyan beard. Or a "Jesus-Beard" as Justin called it tonight.

I had just returned from a 50 mile bike ride to the car parked at JE's work, when JE and Justin pulled up. Mid conversation I commented on Justin's facial hair (Why must we comment on facial hair?). JE and Justin exchanged knowing looks and told me about Random Guy. "Dude!!! You got some serious fuzz growing there," says Random Guy who walks back and forth in front of JE staring hard at The Beard. Random Guy's own long beard wagging back and forth with excitement. "How long are you going to grow it?" asked Random Guy. JE tells him that since I like The Beard, it's tempting to keep it. "DUUUUDE! You got the job! You got the girl! Pretty much that entitles you to Facial Hair Freedom!"

This is not the only conversation about JE's beard I've heard about. The Beard has been tauted as "transformative," "The last frontier of manliness," and "pretty." All by men. JE's mom hates the thought of The Beard. "Shave it as soon as you can!" Apparently Dad had a mustache once that drove her crazy.

At work, I needed to do some specialty equipment I have at home, so I was able to leave early and take the long way home. The really really long way home. The ocean was glassy and perfect with completely clear views of Catalina Island. I rode to the end of Bolsa Chica and back. It was dark before I finished.

I didn't realize how many people are out there after dark. This was the maiden voyage of a new bike light. Good to know I can find my way around. I passed night runners who were grunting with effort, which made me realize how much more effort I could put into my workouts. I will strive for that.

JE and Justin had eaten at Curry House on Culver and Walnut in Irvine. JE took me there where I devoured an entire platter of Katsu. Long rides do that to me. Ready for sleep.

Day 27: Stephanie

This reminds me of that video they showed in Seminary of that kid playing soccer who falls down and hurts his knee. The pain doesn't go away and he finds out he has bone cancer.

JE finishes playing guitar and gets up for a drink of water. I am missing my chamomile tea tonight. We just found out that JE's oldest sister, Stephanie, has cancer.

Stephanie discovered aerobics before thongs were worn over tights as exercise apparel. She grew up loving aerobics. Her enthusiasm and fun personality encouraged a lot of followers and she was able to teach for a number of years. I met her just before she stopped teaching because of chronic pain.

Stephanie has always been in love with life. Anyone suggested a fun activity and Stephanie was there. One summer JE and I went tubing on the Provo River with Steph and her kids. As we pulled out of the water the Heber Creeper was rolling by with tourist leaning out waving. Steph turned to me and said

I'll give you twenty bucks if you moon them.

I didn't, I was afraid of a felony charge.

Last Christmas we spent time with Steph's family in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. When their family bought their house in PV, it came fully furnished and included a set of rather loud, resin chickens. Steph wanted to get rid of them, so bad. We chose a tall black and white rooster to take into the city with us and took photos of him everywhere. Her laugh kills me!

When I spoke with Steph on the phone the other day and she told me her news, she spoke about the people who love her. She is such a great example of the power of positivity and the ability to overcome. I know she will fight magnificently. I know it will be a tough battle, but she will see the beauty in it.

It is easy to take health for granted. It is easy to take family for granted... Let me not be found ungrateful for either. It has been a tough year, and at times I am still getting my head around it. It's time to amend, to take that step back into arms that love me. They need me, I need them. This is more difficult than running.

But I do run, and find myself looking forward to it. This mornings run was amazing. I tacked on a couple extra minutes and tried to run happy--with bounce.

Day 26: Exercise

"I'm so proud of myself," I could hear the smile in my 91 year old Gram's voice. "Yesterday I asked the doctor when I could begin my exercises again, he told me I could start whenever I felt up to it. So yesterday I did half my usual amount, and today I did the full amount." Gram was down for a couple weeks after a fall which caused a pinched nerve in her leg. She is a tiger.

On their wedding night, my grandparents stayed in a posh hotel. On their way to their room late that night, my gram discovered a wheelchair parked outside another guest's door. Gram sat down in the chair and Gramp sashayed her around the hallway. In my imagination, Gram is wearing a ball gown and a fur stole. Gramp, ever dapper, is wearing a tuxedo. Both are shimmering with suppressed glee and wheelies.

My Gram was a war bride. She married in a tailored navy blue suit with a string of pearls about her neck. She comes from "Society," but has always determined her own standard of joyful living. Against the wishes of her parents, her wedding dinner was a picnic under the trees.

My Gram paints, these days. Watercolor. She has always painted, but finds more time to do these things now. It fills her mind with focus on positive things. She paints the things she loves: birds, rabbits, turtles, Mammoth, dogs. Her mind is sharp, even if her brush stroke isn't. My Gram has a shake in her hand which makes painting and even writing difficult (I have never heard her complain of this, only observed). I have realized over the past year the importance of persisting in doing things I love, even if I am not as good as other people, or even as good as I once was. Perfection comes with the exercise.

I am on day two of my newly planned schedule. My swim was unexpectedly lovely this morning. JE and I rose before the sun and walked to the heated pool. This was the first clear morning in ages and the stars were in full force with a low moon. The pool was dark and still, but when we broke the surface, a million dark rainbows glided in waves across the bottom. We swam until the sunrise. My bike is in the shop and I got off work a bit early, so I walked 45 minutes to meet JE, who flew past me in the car. He picked me up and since all I could think about was Korean BBQ, he took me to pho. True story.

Foodwise: Loads in and loads out. I am keeping a record of this, not too sure I want to share. This whole thing with the calories I burn and the calories I eat aren't congealing in my understanding. I get the gist, but when I eat 3000+ calories I have a huge sense of guilt, even though I am burning half of it in my exercise routine. This is causing me some distress, and I need to do some reading to understand what my body needs while I am wreaking so much havoc on myself. Any objections? Please comment. Any support? Please comment

Day 25: Weigh in

The last couple weeks I lived in Russia, the water in my appartment was turned off. In fact most of the area around where I lived had no water. Sporadically the construction crew remembered to turn the water back on after working on new apartments in the area. No laundry, no showers, and a bucket of snow that would melt into water to flush the toilet.

Just before I left Tatiana Ivanevna and her husband rented a private bath at the local bath house. Her son, a friend and I were invited also. The private wing consisted of a small, deep rectangualar pool tiled with brown subway tile and filled with hesitatingly green water--it was clean, but very green like a river. The Sauna was a dry sauna in a wood paneled room with stadium benches all the way to the ceiling.

Tatiana and her husband liked heat. And steam. A bucket next to the heater was emptied a couple times while they were in there. Tatiana joked that it was the only way for a Russian to thaw and the only way to get truly clean. I like a hot sauna, but this was the type of heat that burned as it passed through my nose.

My current location in at a Korean spa in Los Angeles. Je scooped me up and drove off with me only mildly objecting--I have a lot to do at work tomorrow. This is one of my favorite places on the planet, with the women's spa and the jiljabong. My JE is waiting for me to join him in the salt sauna--a room made of salt with large salt crystals on the floor to burry myself in. So relaxing! Later perhaps, we shall get a bing to cool us down.

Foodwise: 3012 calories--I couldn't satiate today. But I did meet my work out goals. I burned 1324 calories on my morning run and my cycle commute. My spoke broke, so no commute tomorrow. I will run or walk or yogasize instead. Gotta go sauna!