CathysRunning

Running into the New Year!

2012-01-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe the year is already 16 days old! I wish I could say that I've been running at least 16 days, but sadly, getting back to running has been slow going for me.

I told myself that I would run on January 1. We were actually out of town on that day, but I knew that I needed to get some sort of exercise. My family and I were staying in this cute little town on the Central Coast - Cambria. We stayed at a hotel at the top of a hill in the town, and the hotel had a "path" going from the hotel, down the mountain, and into town. I say "path" because what the hotel called a path, was more like an intermediate mountain climb. I knew I was in trouble when the walk down had me sore. So we ate breakfast and my kids and I began the climb back up the hill. The whole time I keep telling myself, "I run half-marathons, this shouldn't be too difficult". Yeah, I'm a half marathon runner.

Well, after going up the hill behind two very fast kids, nearly losing my breakfast, warning 2 people in their 60s that they shouldn't try to come back up after the trek down, and sweating like a weight lifter, I came to a very important realization. I'm only a half-marathon runner when I actually run half-marathons. The rest of the time I'm either a runner, or not. And remembering that I had not run at all between Thanksgiving and January 1, I realized on that day that I was in the "not" category.

Now, I have to make myself a runner again.

So, I'm looking at the next half-marathon that I want to run. Baby Boy and I are going to try a new half-marathon race in San Luis Obispo in April. Since my mountain trek, I've run 3 times...in 2 weeks. Well, it's a start.

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope your running is much more regular than mine has been!

Running with Dr. Seuss...

2011-12-27T17:11:00.000-08:00

My 2 favorite parts of Christmas are 1: putting the tree up and 2: taking the tree down. That sounds weird, but by the end of the Christmas season, I just want my house back - no decorations, no pine needles. When it's done, it's done.

Our tree this year was more "Seussical" than anything. Not only was our star a "tad" askew, but we had creatures inhabiting our tree.

So, here's my take on a little "Green Eggs and Ham" for Christmas!

Cats in the Tree

Cats in the tree, Cats in the tree

What do I see? There are cats in the tree!

Should there be cats in the tree?

Oh my, oh me, where should they be?

Cat in the wash, cat in the wash,

Oh my gosh, there's a cat in the wash?

In the wash, he should not be,

Well, at least he's not in the tree!

Cat in the sink, cat in the sink,

I need a drink, there's a cat in my sink.

Not in the wash, not in the tree,

Where oh where should this cat be?

Cat in my bed, cat in my bed,

I'm out of my head, there's a cat in my bed!

Not in the sink, not in the tree,

Let me think, where should he be?

Cat on the loo, cat on the loo,

I don't know who, put the cat on the loo!

In the wash, in the tree

Can someone see where this cat should be?

At last I see, where this cat should be,

Not in the wash, not in the tree,

But, sleeping with

My sweet Baby!

Hope you had a wonderful, blessed Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by today!

P.S. All of the cat pictures were taken by Baby Boy and Baby Girl and were not discovered by me till I downloaded my photos!

Running (still) with Gratitude (part 5)

2011-12-04T19:58:00.000-08:00

I got a little behind on my gratitude posts so...here's my last one (we'll just pretend it's still November).

I'm eternally thankful for my dear friends the Wine Gurus! They are, of course, responsible for the more than 40 bottles of red wine sitting in our "wine cellar". However, they are also responsible for the very grand times we have together at our wine dinners and out of town excursions! Who else, but the Wine Gurus, would say "Yes" to a dish of fried bone marrow?

Although I must admit that wine was consumed before, during, and after the taste of fried bone marrow, which was actually not bad. I'm sure that the famous chef from whom I copied the recipe makes it so much better than I, but hey, we ate it and survived!

So, here's to you, my wonderful friends, I love you, I'm thankful for you both (but Hubby is especially thankful for Mr. Wine Guru), and I look forward to many more dinners together!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running with Gratitude (part 4)

2011-11-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

Friends are great! Some of the best friends I have made through the years are the people I have worked with. Mason is one of my favorite people. She is funny, thoughtful, a great cook, and one of the best moms I have ever met (and grandma too)!

Since we no longer work together, we have to find other occasions to catch up. Our favorite one is pedicures! Nothing better than having someone make your toes look beautiful! We have our favorite place for our toes, and we always get seats together.

So, in addition to begin thankful for good looking toes, I'm thankful for my wonderful friend Mason! Love ya!

Running with Gratitude (part 3)

2011-11-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

I'm going to use every last moment of November to be grateful. To me, the Christmas season doesn't officially begin til December 1st.

I'm very grateful to my dear cousin over at Sweet Bee Cottage. She is not only a great cousin, she's also a really great friend! Our Baby Girls are very close in age, and always enjoy their time together, (even though it takes a little time to warm up, and I must remember - no sesame seeds). Sweet Bee and I share an awful lot in common...we both teach, we both love crafts, we both have outstanding personalities (smile), but what I'm most grateful for (or what I blame her for) is my addiction to both blogging and coffee. Because of her, I own my own Starbucks espresso maker - which actually has saved me a heck of a lot of money - thank you! And, because of her, I have a blog - sporadically attended to, but I'm always trying!!

So, dear cousin and friend, I'm thankful for your presence in my life, since birth - wow, can't say that about too many people I know!

We now have something else in common...can you guess? Yeah, its the iPad! Thanks cousin!

Running with Gratitude (part 2)...

2011-11-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

I am blessed with a wonderful family. My mother, although she drives me crazy at times, is the best mother, who would honestly do anything for her family. My dad...he can build anything...and has done some wonderful gifts for my children and me (note to self: blog about the woodwork Dad has done). My sister, 100% loyal to her family, and the best aunt my kids could ask for. For all of my family I am extremely thankful.

On a side note... I made a pie for Thanksgiving. I'm not a pie baker - mostly I hate rolling out dough for crust - but I tried this recipe for a Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie from Fine Cooking magazine. Seriously, how can you go wrong with these ingredients?

I used the food processor that my mother "stores" at my house. I hate cleaning all the attachments, but WOW, it makes the dough so easy to prepare! So, here's how it turned out...yum!!!

Fine Cooking also had recipes for a Maple Bacon Pecan Pie...hmm...sounds like a dessert for the Wine Gurus!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you had a very blessed Thanksgiving!!

Running with Gratitude!

2011-11-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

I read an article today that said gratitude is healthy for you. Grateful people feel more alert, alive, interested, and enthusiastic. They also feel more connected to others. Apparently, being grateful can actually influence your health in a positive way! Nice...

So in this week of Thanksgiving I'm working on reconnecting with some people that I've been "too busy" to see. (Sad...) I'm grateful for so many people in my life, and for the grace of God who placed each of these wonderful people in my path.

I'm thankful for my wonderful friend Rosie. Rosie has been a friend for over 14 years. Her daughter was in my 1st grade class and Rosie eventually ended up being our daycare provider for both my son and daughter. We've stayed close through the years. Rosie is truly a daughter of God. She speaks to God...calls him Dad when she talks to him and about him. I love that. Rosie is so spiritual and truthful about her beliefs.

Whenever we meet up, the conversation begins with kids, husbands, future plans, and finally moves to God's place in our lives. Rosie keeps me real...she doesn't sugar coat anything, and I always come away from our times together feeling just so...grateful! I love you Rosie! Thank you for being my very special friend!

Running on Shoesday!

2011-11-21T21:34:00.000-08:00

It's Tuesday Shoesday! Look at these gorgeous stunners!! Sometimes you find some "drop-dead" fabulous shoes but...you must ask yourself...What the heck are you going to wear them with? When are you going to wear them? I haven't quite answered these questions yet...it's enough to just put them on and dream...

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Drop in with the Shoe Obsessed One and see what kind of "stunners" she has today!

Thanks for dropping by!

Running with deliciousness...

2011-11-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

I love fall! My favorite fall things? Cooler days and evenings, beautiful fall colors, and warm soups and stews. We made this delicious soup last week. It's Posole - not the traditional recipe, but still very yummy!

My mother in law is a wonderful cook. She's the kind of cook that just knows how much of every ingredient to include. She makes the most wonderful Spanish rice and her most requested dish is Tacos Margarita! Yum!

When we told her about this soup she wanted the recipe, so...here it is!

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 6-ounce cans whole green chiles, drained
1 cup fresh cilantro
4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
2 15-ounce cans hominy, drained
Sliced avocado and radishes and/or baked corn chips, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a blender, then add the chiles, cilantro and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and puree until smooth.

Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns deep green, about 5 minutes.
Add the broth, hominy and chicken to the saucepan. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with avocado, radishes and/or corn chips, if desired.

This soup actually tastes better a couple days after you make it - all the flavors meld together!

If you love soup, you need to check out Sweet Bee Cottage (this is a shameless plug for my cousin). Over at the Cottage they have made some fabulous soups - made my mouth water just reading about it!

Thanks for stopping by today! Tell me, are you making anything delicious for the cold weather?

Running...without water!

2011-10-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

Water...it covers at least 70 percent of the earth - too bad some races aren't covered wtih 70 percent water!

I feel so stupid!! I always wear my water belt...always...even for 5Ks! But when Baby Boy and I ran the Cross City Race recently, I felt so (over)confident that I wanted to run as free as I could. So I left my water in the car. I knew they'd have water at every mile...right? WRONG!! I even remember my trainer, Kyle, warning everyone to NOT rely on the race for water!

So, Baby Boy and I started at a really great pace...9:28 for our first mile! I started looking for the water tables...none appeared. Second mile...9:30...again, I looked for the water tables...I even heard other people asking the volunteers on the side streets - "Where's the water?" and I saw the volunteers point forward! Mile 3...starting to feel my extreme lack of water...finally a water table...but alas...too late for me. Mile 4,5,and 6...averaged 10:20...must have water...

So, my goal had been to beat last year's time of 58 minutes, but instead I ran 59:46. Disappointing. Lesson learned - always take water.

Up next - Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K...I'm feeling fast...and I'll have water!!

Running...recaps!

2011-10-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear...howlin' and a growlin' and a sniffin' the air...anyone remember that tune? Well, Smokey gave us a great day at the Smokey Bear run.

Gorgeous day, gorgeous views, and a good time with Baby Boy!

Our time was good, (1:00:47) considering the many slight hills...more hills that I had anticipated. I was sore for about 3 days! Baby Boy stayed right with me - I even told him to run ahead of me at the end so he could beat me...he didn't. Sweet, huh!

Baby Boy and I have been dealing with his "D" in Algebra...it hasn't been too pleasant...so it was very nice to get out and run with him.

Up next...another 6 mile race on Sunday! Last year my time in the Cross City race was below 1:00...so excited to see if I can better my time! I'll keep you updated!

Thanks for stopping by!

Running and Racing...finally!

2011-09-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited - I've got a race this weekend! It has been 4 months since my last race - I'm going through withdrawls!

Baby Boy and I signed up for a race that I've never run before - The Smokey Bear Run! Sounds fun - huh? It's a 10K held in Bass Lake. The race photos I've seen are just gorgeous. It's got a few hills, but I'm feeling good about it!

The best part is that Baby Boy won't be yelling at me from 100 feet back, "Mummy...Mummy...wait up...Mummy...Mummy...wait up!" He does that all the time when we run around the neighborhood, but I know he won't do it in front of a crowd.

Oh, yes...my 13 year old, who could run me down in seconds...who runs a 7 minute mile with his cross country team...did I mention he's 13?

I'll let you know how it goes! I'm so excited!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running with Martha!

2011-09-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

I love Martha Stewart! I love cupcakes! However, I'm not sure if I love Martha Stewart's cupcakes!

I received this book as a birthday gift last year. I just started using it a few months ago. The first recipe I tried was for Mocha Cupcakes. They were very yummy! Even put chocolate covered espresso beans on top - just like Martha!

Next, I tried the peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes. Not such a winner these! I think I baked them too long, as they came out very dry! So dry, in fact, that I ended up throwing out the last 4 cupcakes - it should be a crime - I know!!

So, this past weekend I tried a chocolate mint cupcake - with a real chocolate peppermint inside!!

Dry...that's all I can say. They are supposed to be "brownie" cupcakes, but I think I'm having issues with the baking time. Martha...give me a little help here - really, how long should these yummy things bake? Sorry, Martha, I'm going to have to second guess you from now on when I make cupcakes - I still love you though!

Running Outdoors!

2011-09-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

I'm celebrating Outdoor Wednesday with a special highlighting of my son's collection. Baby Boy is a collector. He began collecting freeway signs and street signs several years ago. He's only 13, but can navigate and bid on eBay like no one I know!

He actually found this sign at a local antique/collectables store. I told him we could put it in the backyard, but I got to pick the location. So, we ended up putting it at the end of the walkway to the backyard. I thought it was funny that the arrow points to the fence - not the way to the backyard. Baby Boy doesn't share my humor (sadly) and he wondered why we didn't make the arrow point the other way. Having to explain my humor is complicated, so I just quietly walked away.

I think it's fun. Not your traditional backyard accessory.

Thanks for visiting today! Be sure to check out Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer!

Running on Shoesday!

2011-09-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

It's back! It's Tuesday Shoesday!

It's still "toasty warm" around town, so these fun shoes are cool and comfy! I've gotten lots of compliments on my shoes, even from my students - so they must be cool!

Thanks for stopping by today - enjoy your Shoesday Tuesday!!

Running with Julia!

2011-09-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

Our theme dinners with the Mr. & Mrs. Wine Guru have been going along deliciously!! One of our summer dinner themes was recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (by none other than...Julia Child).

We choose recipes that we could actually pronounce...well almost...

Our dinner was set for 6:30, and preparations began the day before. The Wine Gurus spent the day before searching and scavenging, making friends with butchers, and driving around town!

Hubby and I didn't have to run around too much, but we started preparing at 10:00 am - a full 8 hours before our dinner!

Here's everything we used...half the day was spent cleaning up!!

So, lets translate...Coquilles St. Jacques, better known as scallops (we thought ham and cheese sandwich at first...wrong!)

Braise Aux Choux Rouges...braised red cabbage.

Stuffed Beef Rollup - amazing how it sounds the same in English - no, I forgot the French name.

Reine de Saba - Chocolate Almond cake.

We began the evening with name tags, in French of course. Google translate is the best...amazing how wonderful "bite me", "shut the #$#$ up", "my cat is crazy", and "I am a ham sandwich", all sound in French!!

Braised red cabbage


Stuffed Beef Roll-up!

By the time we were all done cooking, here's what the cookbook looked like! Don't you love that look...a well-used cookbook!

Our assessment of the evening was:

1) Scallops (the one thing I didn't get a picture of) were fantastic and worth the time. These we would make again.

2) Stuffed Beef Roll-ups - not so much...meat stuffed with more meat...not worth all the time.

3) Braised red cabbage - uh...just ok...not worth the 4 hours of braising.

4) Chocolate Almond Cake - oh yeah!! Totally worth the 30 minutes of beating, and the 2 different kinds of chocolate being melted over a double boiler, and the slicing of each tiny almond (not really). This is a phenomenal cake - very spongy, not too sweet, really, really, good!

Here's to you Wine Gurus (aka The Evil Ones)! We always have a fabulous time with you!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you're having fun cooking this season as well!

Running with Shadows!

2011-08-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

I love my kitties! They give me such simple joy. When our last kitty died in November, we lived 6 weeks without a little 4-footed friend in the house. It was lonely. The cats have always greeted me at the door when I come home. Don't get me wrong - I love my kids and hubby. But, there's just something special about a pet.

So, for Shadowshot Sunday, I present to you...Sophie and Jack. They love to look out the backyard slider...and dream of chasing a bird or a butterfly! I love the morning shadows on the lawn and patio. Wow, I wish I could have sat there all morning and enjoyed a mocha...sigh... Hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do. (It took all my self-control not to turn this black and white!)

Don't forget to head over to Hey Harriet and check out the other shadows this weekend!

Thanks for stopping by today! And, yes, an explanation for my month-long absence will be forthcoming!

Running the Golden Gate!

2011-07-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I got out of town - just the 2 of us (very exciting). We spent 3 days in San Francisco. The weather was -- fantastic! Usually it's foggy and cold, but we had 3 gorgeous, sunny days - what a treat!

We spent our days walking, riding the trolley car, eating, and looking at art that we can't afford!! It was lots of fun!

At the end of the line, the conductors actually turn the cars by hand!

This one pushed with his back - not sure which one is easier?

I dreamed about steamed crab all the way to SF!

It's practically a crime not to get ice cream at Ghirardelli!

But the best part, (don't tell this to hubby) was running on the Golden Gate Bridge!!

This foggy morning quickly turned sunny!

I absolutely love running out of town. Monterey is my favorite place to run. I can put in 4 miles right along Fisherman's Wharf and the ocean - love it! I've walked the bridge before, but running it was fun...kinda! Just the idea was exciting - running above the ocean.

My shoes have more than 400 miles on them! (Yes, I know, I do need a new pair!) And no, that's not blood on the ground - they were painting the bridge!

But the reality is...trucks and cars skidding past you at 50 miles an hour...5 feet away from you...and exhaust...lots of exhaust...

The bridge is almost 4 miles round trip, and it has a gentle slope that I didn't really notice until I had to turn around and run the incline...gentle slopes are killers I tell you!!

So, tell me...do you run when you're on vacation? What are your favorite out of town trails?

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Running with Shadows!

2011-07-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

My favorite part of summer is a trip to the beach. I taught summer school this year, so my school year was longer, and all I could think of was...ahhh...the ocean. So, on the last day of summer school, my kids came to help out and 10 minutes after saying good-bye to the last little 1st grader - we took off!!

I love taking beach shots of my kids. Today I'm hooking up with Hey Harriet for Shadowshot Sunday!

Here are my kids and I at the Carmel Beach in California. It's a gorgeous stretch of cool, white sand. It's also a very inviting place for dogs - notice the little doggy paw prints!

It's usually overcast and foggy in the summertime, but we picked a beautiful day for a visit!

Hope you've been able to get away this summer! I'd love to hear about your favorite beach!

Thanks for visiting today - and don't forget to check out the other lovely "Shadowshots" with Hey Harriet!

Running with Bacon!

2011-07-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

The night: A balmy, summer evening...

The event: Dinner with the Wine Gurus...

The food: Bacon, bacon, and more bacon!

Our monthly dinner with the ~~Evil Ones~~ Wine Gurus was designed around...bacon! Bacon everything!! Bacon drinks, bacon appetizers, bacon entrees, and even bacon dessert!! Bacon - it's the food that never stops being...delicious!! It's unbelievable what you can do with bacon...smoked bacon, Canadian bacon, slab bacon, bacon syrup!!

Our evening started with a Bacon Bourbon Sour! Torani makes a Bacon Syrup for drinks! Combine 1 oz each of bacon syrup, and fresh lemon juice, add 2 oz bourbon, ice, and shake!! It was actually pretty delicious!

Along with our Bacon Bourbon Sours we snacked on some Bacon Tiki Snack Mix! Bacon (of course), peanuts, pineapple - delicious!

Next, we made individual pizzas with apple butter, Canadian bacon, apple slices, sweet onions, and mozzarella cheese. So easy and delicious!

We used slab bacon to make a romaine, bacon, blue cheese skewer - it was the closest we could come to bringing in a vegetable with bacon! Please, we do eat healthy!!

Finally, we grilled bacon wrapped shrimp with a barbecue chipotle sauce - the sauce was "to die for"...smoky, spicy, yummy!!

For dessert, the Wine Gurus brought Chocolate Chip-Bacon cookies. The chocolate and bacon were tasty together, but the bacon was mostly tasted at the end of the bite. Yummy!!

So, here are the plans for our summer dinners:

July - Julia Child Night - Mastering the Art of French Cooking - mais bien sur!!

August - Nepenthe Dinner. (Nepenthe is a delightful restaurant near Big Sur. It has breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, and a wonderful cookbook!)

Now, I need some ideas for the upcoming months. Here's a few we've been tossing around - deep fry dinner, raw food night...

Help, we need some inspiration! I'd love to hear your ideas for dinner themes!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Running...back...again!

2011-07-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it again...took too much time off from blogging! It's a vicious cycle...I don't blog...I feel bad about it...I feel so bad that I don't blog...I feel bad...

Anyway, I'm back! So here's a quick update for my first day back!!

When last we met, I had 2 weeks till my last half marathon. It was quite a run!! It was a fantastic run!! My trainer, Kyle, predicted that I would shave off 10 - 12 minutes off my best previous time! Amazingly, I really did take 13 minutes off my best time! I ran the California Classic in 2:05:11. My best half marathon has been 2:18! Wow!! I was pretty thrilled!

The secret, you may ask, is speed workouts! That was the difference in preparing for this race. Running 400s and tempo runs! What a difference!

Hope your runs have been going well...I got hubby out for a run today. I'm hoping I can keep him going out with me. He even mentioned running a half marathon with me in November! I'll keep you posted on his progress - keep good thoughts for me! (His past experience with running was in the Army - not the most pleasant memories!)

I'm almost at 40 followers - I'm excited! When I reach 40, I'm going to hold my first giveaway - so keep checking back!

And, here's a little preview of my next post...BACON!!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy 4th of July!!

Running...a long way!

2011-05-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

2 weeks till my next half marathon! I'm very excited about this one because I have been involved with a training group. We've been doing speed workouts once a week, and I can truly tell that I'm getting faster and have more endurance! Our trainer, Kyle, predicted that I would shave off about 10 - 12 minutes from my PR for a half marathon! EXCITING!!

We had our long run last Saturday - 12 miles! Really? 12 miles - to train for a 13.1 mile run? That was different for me. I've never run that close to the final mileage. I think the farthest that I've run for training before a 1/2 marathon is 10 or 11 miles.

It was a good run - nice slow pace. I ran with Running Buddy 2- we always seem to have a good conversation. She was heading to a Kentucky Derby Party - I hope she wore a good hat!

So, here's a question for you: How many miles do you train up to for a half-marathon? I've also been thinking about running a marathon in the next year. I was always concerned about getting up there in the mileage. I'm not sure how often I'd have to run 20+ miles.

So, here's another question for all you marathoners out there (I bow down to you)...How many miles do you train up to for a marathon?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running with Random Thoughts!

2011-05-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

My random thoughts today are not totally random...let me explain. I received an e-mail from the Wine Gurus - remember that they are retired and have unfilled hours every day in which to read and forward emails (just kidding WGs). The email they sent me was filled with observations that I have totally thought at some point in my life - some of them made me really crack up because they are so true! So, read my random list and let me know...you've had these same thoughts...haven't you?!

Random Thought #1 Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. (It's happened!)

Random Thought #2 You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day. (This was me last Friday!)

Random Thought #3 How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said? (Again, this happened just a couple weeks ago!)

Random Thought #4 I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters! (I've been here!)

Thanks for stopping by today! Happy Thursday!

Running and reading!

2011-05-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Books - I just love them! I had a week off recently for Spring break and got to finish a couple books that I had started. It's funny, I either read 1 chapter at a time, or read for 3 hours straight! I need to find some balance here!

I'm not so much into non-fiction, but this first book was a surprise hit with me. It's called Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

Laura Hillenbrand wrote this true story - she also wrote Seabiscuit - I never read that book, but loved the movie! Louie Zamperini is the main character in this story. He grows up a rebellious kid who discovers running (love that part of it), he competes in the 1938 Olympics and joins the Air Corp during WWII. He gets shot down in the Pacific Ocean, and survives at sea for over 50 days, but then gets captured by the Japanese. The book mostly takes place in the Japanese POW camps.

I found the accounts of life in the POW camps very interesting, and a totally different perspective than the majority of WWII stories that I have read, which mostly concentrated on the German concentration camps.

It was a great read, and the book ends with Louis participating in the 1998 Nagano Olympic torch relay - oops, I inadvertently told you that he survived the POW camps - it's really a fascinating book!

The other book that I finished was Freedom by Jonathan Franzen.

This was an Oprah Book Club selection. I read The Corrections several years ago. It was quirky, but enjoyable. But Freedom? Kinda whiny, and the ending was just a little too "let's wrap this up with a pretty bow". I didn't feel like the end was authentic to where the story led. It seemed to me that the author said, "Well, this is what the readers will want, so here you go." A little disappointing. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this one.

Finally, in light of recent world events concerning Osama Bin Laden, and the focus on the World Trade Center, I have a book to recommend that was amazing. I read it a few years ago - 102 Minutes: the Untold story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers, by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn.

This story was just amazing, heart breaking, insightful, and emotional! It tells the story of so many of the people trapped in the tower, and the rescue workers. It wrenchingly describes many of the problems the rescuers faced with the building design, and the 102 minutes from the time the first plane crashed to the time when the towers collapsed. It was a wonderful book that I highly recommend!

So what have you been reading lately? Anyone reading on a Kindle? I'm still struggling with loving my Kindle and loving the feel of a book in my hand. And the struggle with loving a book, but not being able to share it with a friend because it's on my Kindle!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running...in Spurts!

2011-04-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

Had a great run last Saturday with my training group. 8 miles on a new route. I was running with a gal that I met in the training group - Running Buddy 2! So RB2 and I got to talking about intervals. She's been running about a year (I think) and has been running around 4 minute intervals, with a 1 minute walk. I'm running 7 1/2 minutes with a 45 second walk.

We started talking about how running the intervals seems to have given us more endurance. When I first started running, about 2 1/2 years ago, I didn't run intervals. I ran a 5k race in about 32 minutes. Running Buddy 1 got me running intervals. She trained with Team in Training and that was how they trained for a marathon. Ultimately she was running 9 minutes with a 1 minute walk. So, after I started running intervals, I ran that same 5k race a year later in 29 minutes.

I really think that the intervals have helped me build that endurance and faster speed. However, our trainer, the Running Ghost, doesn't seem to be a fan of intervals. He has "encouraged" both me and RB2 to move away from the intervals.

Here's my question to all you runner's out there...How do you feel about intervals? Are you using intervals? Have you seen benefits with them?

Thanks for stopping by today! I have a 10 mile race next Saturday - so excited!

Running with Shadows!

2011-04-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm linking up with Harriet at Hey Harriet for another Shadow Shot Sunday! Check out her blog - there are simply amazing photos! Love this!

So, here is my Shadow Shot - my sweet little kitty Sophie!

I'm becoming obsessed with turning my photos into black and whites, and the ones with shadows are really cool - if I do say so myself!

Thanks for visiting today!

Running...raw!

2011-04-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

I love it RAW! No, not like the World Wrestling Federation kind of raw, but the Sushi kind of raw! Yum!! So, here it is Friday, during the Lenten season, and every practicing Catholic is either at McDonald's getting their Filet-o-Fish, or at the local sushi restaurants! My choice tonight? Sushi! I love sushi! And, what could be better than drive-thru sushi? A little place opened up a couple months ago - drive thru! Nice!

Here is what we ordered tonight! Seaweed salad (very crunchy, but gets in your teeth), California Roll, Rainbow Roll, and a Lion Roll. First time trying the Lion Roll - it crab and tempura shrimp with a spicy sauce and dynomite sauce. Pretty good - the sushi maker put shredded carrots around it to make it look like a lion - cute!

My favorite though is sashimi (raw fish with no rice). I love salmon, tuna, and octopus! We tried to make our own last summer. Went to our local fish market and bought 1/2 pound of salmon and tuna. Now, 1/2 a pound doesn't sound like that much, but once we cut it up, it turned out to be something like 25 pieces. We made ourselves sick eating so much. I think we figured it wouldn't keep, so we had to eat it. Honestly, it was a while before I could face sashimi again. You know, too much of a good thing...

We had the absolute best sushi several years ago when we vacationed in Oahu. We went to a restaurant called Sushi Sasabune. They offered something called the "Trust Me" meal. If you are an adventurer, they will bring you all the fresh fish that has been caught that day. Each time they brought a new plate they would explain where it was caught, the best sauces to use, and how to eat it. They just needed to tell me its mother's name, and we would have been on a first name basis. It was so incredibly fresh and delicious! Hubby and I made these faces of "eating ectasy" with every piece we ate! The sushi chefs were laughing at us and our crazy faces - we didn't care!

So, are you a sushi eater? What's your favorite kind? Are you open to trying something unusual?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running...randomly...

2011-04-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Just finished my Tuesday tempo run - ugh! It felt very random - felt good for a while, then...not so much! I don't think Cake Pops are actually an energy food, and that's pretty much what I was feasting on today! Randomly, here are my latest creations! I'm totally stealing ideas from Starbucks, who obviously stole their ideas from someone else!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Rocky Road

Sprinkles and Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean

Random Thought #1

Finally finished my traffic ticket saga. Attended traffic school - online! Truly, the only way anyone should do it. Years ago I went to an actual "sit down" traffic school - pure, slow agony for 8 hours. Online, it took me about an hour, and here's some factual tidbits I learned. Did you know...

1) A commercial truck driver can register a 0.01% blood alcohol level and still not be cited! Um, should a commercial truck driver be drinking at all?

2) Bicycle accidents cost over 8 billion dollars a year. Thank goodness I don't own a bike anymore - I couldn't afford it!

3) A motorcycle helmet should fit snugly...I had to pay to find that out?

Random Thought #2 (Warning...if you don't want to read about bodily functions, please skip to #3)

My stomach was a little upset during my run...in a "gassy way" (sorry).

This hasn't really happened to me before, but I was "passing some gas" during my run. I kept hoping that everyone I ran by had an iPod blaring in their ears so they wouldn't hear me. Does this every happen to anyone else?

Random Thought #3

I love my moon roof!

I especially love to open it in the evenings. Love that cool air coming through the roof, and some good music on a CD. I'm listening to Bonnie Raitt lately - love her bluesy voice!

Ok, your turn...what's randomly going on with you?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Running...obsessed!

2011-04-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

I'm obsessed...in a good way! What, you may, ask am I obsessed by? These little delights!

Cake Balls!

Yeah, I know, I love just saying the name too...cake balls...cake balls...cake balls. Ok, the official name is Cake Pops - if you want to get all technical!

I am obsessed with them! I've made, perhaps, 4 batches in the last month, and I have 2 batches ready to go in the fridge! They are delicious, dangerously bite-sized, and so easy to make! And, they taste like a little chocolate covered truffle!

I first heard about them from a friend at work. Then, I googled them and found so many wonderful blogs with cake pop/ball ideas! Check out this one - Bakerella- apparently the first to ever introduce them!

Here's what you do:

1) Make a box cake and let cool.

2) Crumble in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of canned frosting. Mix into a "truffle-like" dough.

3) Refrigerate over night.

4) Roll and smash into little balls! Refrigerate again, over night.

5) Buy candy melts - I use Wilton. Melt and dip a lollipop stick into the melted candy, and insert into the cake balls. Let sit for a short time, and then dip the entire ball into the melted candy. Sprinkle on anything you want!

6) Stick these lollipop sticks into styrofoam to let dry and harden.

7) Pour yourself a glass of milk and watch them disappear.

8) Go to department store and purchase a new pair of jeans in the next size up, now that you have discovered cake balls!

I found an idea for cake pop carrots! They are awaiting me in the fridge - I'll let you know how mine turn out - great idea!!

Thanks for visiting! And, in case you haven't noticed...after not blogging for 2 months, I have now gone a full 7 days of posting! Yeah me!!

Now, let me know what lovely delight you are obsessed with!

Running with 3 things!

2011-04-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to institute my own little version of "3-thing Thursday"! I want to share 3 tv programs that I can't live without these days!

1. Top Shot - I'm not a gun owner, nor have I ever fired a gun, but this show is very entertaining! Every week the contestants learn about and use some kind of weapon. Of course, they have pistols and shot guns and military rifles, but they have also used blow guns, tomahawks, and bowie knives! It's very cool to learn the history of all these weapons and see how an expert pistol shooter suddenly performs when they have to deal with popping balloons with a dart gun! And yes, that's Colby from Survivor! He's the host. I liked him on Survivor, but he can be incredibly irritating on Top Shot. He narrates the contests each week. Something like, "Sam misses his first shot. Sam hits his next shot. Oh, Sam missed his third shot. Sam hits the fourth shot." You just know that at some point during the season, someone is going to think about shooting him, just to put the viewers out of the misery of listening to him! (not really - hope it never happens)

2. Justified - Oh, my. This show is really, really good! U.S. Deputy Marshal Raylon Givens is the main character - a man who straddles the line between right and wrong. He's very sexy, and cool, and...well you get my meaning. The actor has been in a bunch of other shows and movies - Die Hard (the last one), Deadwood (HBO), Hitman (movie). He's really good on this show!

But, the character of Boyd Crowder is so good too! He's a criminal, torn between Jesus and crime! But he is just hilarious at times with his twang and reasoning behind everything he does. The actor is really good! Last season he preached in a little "backwoods" church - just fabulous! You've got to rent last season's episodes - I think last season was better than this season.

3) Modern Family - hysterical, hilarious, pee-inducing funny! (Almost always!) I love every character on this show. I think I've seen myself in every single one of the characters! Yes, even the gay couple! I love Gloria's character, but sometimes she borders on shrill and stereo-typed. I hope the writers don't go there very often!

I'd love to hear what shows you've been watching lately!

Thanks for stopping by today! (Do you realize that this is the 6th day in a row for my blogging? I'm so excited! One-more-day! I-can-do-it!)