Minutes ... not miles! Mina and I did another 25 minute run today on the Rec Path. This time we ran down Fishermans Wharf and Cannery Row. It was a great run. I thought we were going at a pretty good clip during the run.
She is nervous about being able to do this run by herself for the next week and a half. I think she'll do fine. It will be much more challenging. It is definitely easier to run with someone. It makes the time go faster. I'm sure she'll be fine.
We walked and ran 2.79 miles in 35:00.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday LSD
We did a nice long run Sunday. We ran from the house out to Pacific Grove Lover's Point and back again, a little more than 10 miles. It was a really good run, although I was a bit tired. We tried running with the running water bottle. It wasn't bad. The strap was much better than just running with a bottle.
Bill's ankle started bothering him around mile 7.5, even though he didn't say anything until we got home. We are rethinking our decision to do the Wine Vine Run in Paso Robles the weekend before the Big Sur Half. I really hope it isn't a serious injury.
We ran 10.05 miles in 1:49:00 for an average pace of 10:50. Bill's Garmin was tracking along with my Runkeeper for most of the run.
Bill's ankle started bothering him around mile 7.5, even though he didn't say anything until we got home. We are rethinking our decision to do the Wine Vine Run in Paso Robles the weekend before the Big Sur Half. I really hope it isn't a serious injury.
We ran 10.05 miles in 1:49:00 for an average pace of 10:50. Bill's Garmin was tracking along with my Runkeeper for most of the run.
Friday, October 28, 2011
I've created a monster
Crazy! Today's run was supposed to be an 8 run, 3 walk, 5 run, 3 walk, 8 run. Mina said that 8 minutes is "too short" (!) and wanted to do more. She said maybe the 10/3/10 would be better. Then she scanned ahead in the program and decided to try 25 minutes. I told her that if she had to take a walk break that it would be fine. We would go at her pace. Of course, she rocked it! No problem. The end was downhill, so I asked if she wanted to sprint for the last 30 seconds. I let her set the pace. Then the program dinged that the 25 minutes was up and she said, "We're done? That's it? That wasn't too bad!" AWESOME! I'm so proud of her.
We walked and ran 2.73 miles in 35 minutes for an average pace of 12:49. I think the run was in the 10 to 11 minute pace. Great!
We walked and ran 2.73 miles in 35 minutes for an average pace of 12:49. I think the run was in the 10 to 11 minute pace. Great!
The moon and stars are aligning
I went for my interview at Fleet Feet yesterday and got the job! Two days a week, which is perfect! In other news, the guy at the car stereo place is going to buy the truck. So things are happening. Good things, that is.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Twenty minutes straight!
I remember when I was there back in May 2010. I was really nervous about running 20 minutes straight, especially since the most I had done in the program was 8 minutes. This day (W5D3) is the mental day. Once you cross this hump, you can do anything! Well, Mina rocked this run! She ran it with no trouble and no walk breaks. When we started I told her that if she needed to stop it was OK. I am so proud of her!
Next time we go back and do shorter runs with a walk break. I think she is going to want to run long instead. We did 2.21 miles in 30:00 for an average pace of 13:34.
Next time we go back and do shorter runs with a walk break. I think she is going to want to run long instead. We did 2.21 miles in 30:00 for an average pace of 13:34.
I knocked their socks off
I went for an interview at Monarch Knitting and Quilting and I think I blew them away. I got the job! I'll be working one day a week, which is perfect. They are going to decide how to work it so I can teach, which would be great. They don't let you teach classes during your work time (you get paid hourly to work the floor) so they are trying to figure it out. They won't do any classes until after the holidays, so there should be enough time to plan. I'm pretty excited! Of course, I forgot to tell them that I'm going to Portland next week, and Bill and I need to set up the Non Temporary Storage shipment for when I get back. It will be great to have that gorilla in the room taken care of.
So I'm pretty excited. I have an interview at Fleet Feet tomorrow morning, which I suspect is more of a formality than anything else. I'm pretty excited! Did I mention that I'm pretty excited about this?
So I'm pretty excited. I have an interview at Fleet Feet tomorrow morning, which I suspect is more of a formality than anything else. I'm pretty excited! Did I mention that I'm pretty excited about this?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Fab Five
It was a really good run for me this morning. I felt like I was flying. I used RunKeeper (an iPhone app) for the first time today. The phone was on my arm so it was not convenient to monitor it, so I just ran. I ran at a pace that I thought was pushing it some, but still comfortable. It turns out that I was going a little slower than my planned half marathon pace. That is great! Now I know what that pace feels like and it is comfortable.
I ran 5.05 miles in 50:34 for an average pace of 10:00. Splits: 10:17, 10:00, 9:52, 10:03, 9:59. The final 0.05 was at a 7:28 pace. It is great to end on a downhill!
I ran 5.05 miles in 50:34 for an average pace of 10:00. Splits: 10:17, 10:00, 9:52, 10:03, 9:59. The final 0.05 was at a 7:28 pace. It is great to end on a downhill!
Saturday run
I forgot to note that Bill and I went running Saturday morning. I had already packaged up the Garmin to send out and we can't find his, so we didn't know how far or how fast we were going. It felt nice. This was Bill's first run in his new Brooks and the first since he took a week and a half off to heal his ankle. I think it went well for him. He didn't seem to have any trouble.
We ran around 3 miles in 30:00.
We ran around 3 miles in 30:00.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Anything can happen ... it's a new week
It has been a long week, and I am sure you're all wondering if all I did was a few runs. There has been a lot going on. Last Monday as I was going through the boxes in the garage, I found our truck brochure. Just to confirm what we had been thinking, I looked at the towing capacity of the truck and discovered that we will not be able to tow our new 5th wheel with our current truck. The dry (unloaded, fresh from the factory) weight of the coach is around 12,000#. The loaded limit of the coach is 15,500#. Our truck's max 5th wheel towing capacity is 13,200#. Hmm.
There is a law in California that we were informed of, and had to sign a paper stating that we had been informed of this law, that there is no cooling-off period on the purchase of a new vehicle. In other words, we were completely 100% obligated to buy that vehicle as soon as the ink of our signatures had dried. That puts us in a tight spot. Over the last week, we have gone truck shopping.
What we found was quite surprising. The smallest crew-cab 4x4 truck capable of towing our new coach is a Chevy Silverado 2500HD with a 16,200# capacity. Neither Ford's F-250 nor Dodge's 2500 Ram could tow more than 15,000#. Their answer was either a F-350 Dooley long bed or a 3500 Ram dooley long bed. Granted, we could tow over 21,000# with them, but that is way too much truck for ordinary living. We did discuss getting a Chevy 3500HD dooley. Maybe when we're pulling full time we'll regret the decision not to, but that is one big, honkin' truck. Way more than is necessary as a second vehicle. We're going to be living in the coach full time, but we're not going to be pulling it full time, at least not for the next two years. After that, it is anyone's guess. So we were able to locate a 2011 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 2500HD 4x4 that meets our needs. We should get it later this week. The funny thing is, it is the same color inside and out as our current truck. Once we remove the bed liner, tonneau cover, and step bars and install them on the new truck, no one will know it is a new truck!
We think we got a pretty good deal on both the price of the vehicle and the trade in. Many thanks are due to my friend from high school, Craig, who works at a dealership and was able to look at some auction sites to verify the trade in offer. The new truck is actually costing us less than the one we have cost us five years ago. It is still a kick in the wallet, and a completely unanticipated wallop, but this is what we want to do, so we're going to do it. This truck should meet all our needs, so please shoot me if I come back in less than a decade and say we are buying another truck!
So other happenings from last week. Bill went to Fleet Feet and tried on some new running shoes. While we were there I got the crazy idea to wonder if they were hiring. I think I would have a blast working there a few days a week. I could try out all the latest gear and learn more about the sport, and maybe even lead a few training runs. I mentioned it to Bill as we were walking to the car and he said I should go back and ask. They had already closed the door but opened it for me. The owner said that they were hiring and she'd get me the information the next day.
I have been filling out the application and questionnaire and it does feel a little odd. It has been a long time since I have applied for a non-professional job. It almost feels awkward. But I think I will bring a lot of skills to the position that most of their employees don't, and I am doing this not for the money, but for the experience. By experience, I mean being exposed to something I have developed a passion for. I sent in the paperwork today and am eagerly awaiting the call for an interview. I hope they won't think I am overqualified and not hire me!
On Friday, Doogie came up for a visit. He and I worked together in Fallon, and he is a great person. He lives down in Ventura County and will be deploying in a few weeks. It was a lot of fun to have him around. That evening we sat around and drank wine and caught up on the last few years. Saturday we went to the Monterey Aquarium, which was pretty spectacular. I am not an aquarium person, but this one was impressive. We ate lunch at the Cannery Row Brewing Company before going in. I thought the lunch was good, but it was not good to me. It really upset my stomach. I think the Gardenburger, that they assured me was a true Gardenburger, was just a veggie patty with some kind of paprika or something in it. I had a rough afternoon. The ice cream didn't help. The beer, however, was great!
That night we lit the inaugural fire in our new fire pit and sat around and drank wine and had dinner. It was great. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to doing more of these fires. Sunday we decided not to run. We got up, showered, and then did brunch at the Mission Ranch in Carmel (owned by Clint Eastwood). The brunch was phenomenal and the views were outstanding. I give that place two thumbs up. I ate my entire omelet, something I usually don't do. The guy made it just right! Then we drove through Carmel-by-the-Sea and then back to the house. Doogie packed his bags and hit the road. He wanted to take the scenic route back home, stopping at some waterfalls along the way. He took some great photos. I want to go see that waterfall! It is in Big Sur, less than an hour away. If I had known about it last weekend, we would have stopped to see it. I really enjoyed Doog's visit. I hope we'll get to see him again after his deployment and before his move to the next duty station.
Today I met with CAPT Poindexter, the Dean of Students at NPS, and get his endorsement to volunteer for the Panetta Institute's Monterey County Reads program. This is a volunteer opportunity to work with kindergarteners through second graders and help them develop their reading skills. Apparently the literacy rate here is very low and this program is to get kids up to grade level now so that when they are farther along in school, the focus will be on the information rather than the reading. I don't have to devote a lot of time to it, and since my schedule is flexible, it is a great opportunity to do some good in the community. I try to do that wherever we live. I usually go to the animal charities so this will be a change for me.
Today I also went to Monarch Knitting in Pacific Grove and spoke briefly with the owner. It was really busy in there so I just stated that I had inquired about working there last week and was told to come back and talk to her. I offered to leave my information for her so that she could call me back when things were less hectic. I could tell that she really appreciated that offer. As I was writing, she asked me a few questions and I mentioned that I had been a shop owner up until a few months ago and I think she wanted to hire me on the spot! I told her that I would put together my portfolio (even though I had my samples in the trunk) and that we'd talk when it was more convenient. She asked whether I would be free tomorrow, so I may have an interview there before too long. I'd like to work there a day or two a week, maybe even teach classes (which is what I really want). As I left there I felt on top of the world!
Then reality smacked me hard in the head. I was walking into the Monterey Sports Center to inquire about swim lessons. I was about a foot away from the door when I felt something land on my head. What was it? BIRD POOP! Can you believe it? I was shat upon! Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww!
Needless to say, I was not happy. Thankfully I had some tissues in my purse and I was able to clean up most of it. I got the information that I had wanted and headed home. But first I had to get a room for the knitting group. I volunteered to head up the Fiber Therapy Group for the Spouse Club. I've been meaning to book a room at the community center, but haven't. Turns out they are all full. There is one that is available over by the housing office, so I went to look at that and I think it will work well, at least initially. So we are going to have our first get-together this Wednesday. There's a day group and a night group. There is the monthly social tonight so I plan to get the announcement out there too. I think it will be a lot of fun. It has been months since I've been to a knitting circle and I must say that I miss it.
So I came home and wanted to jump right in the shower. The dogs did not come greet me right away so I knew something was amiss. Karma apparently didn't feel like the bird poop was enough of a spirit crusher. The dogs took two Halloween decorations off the dining room hutch (where they have been for almost two weeks) and shredded them. Ordinarily this would make me irate and I'd yell at them. This time it's personal. Those decorations were hand made by my sister and were two needle felted ears of indian corn. WTF, dog?!? Thankfully they left the pumpkin alone and I still have that. I cleaned up the mess and took a shower. No, I haven't killed the dogs yet.
So it has been quite a week, with a lot going on.
There is a law in California that we were informed of, and had to sign a paper stating that we had been informed of this law, that there is no cooling-off period on the purchase of a new vehicle. In other words, we were completely 100% obligated to buy that vehicle as soon as the ink of our signatures had dried. That puts us in a tight spot. Over the last week, we have gone truck shopping.
What we found was quite surprising. The smallest crew-cab 4x4 truck capable of towing our new coach is a Chevy Silverado 2500HD with a 16,200# capacity. Neither Ford's F-250 nor Dodge's 2500 Ram could tow more than 15,000#. Their answer was either a F-350 Dooley long bed or a 3500 Ram dooley long bed. Granted, we could tow over 21,000# with them, but that is way too much truck for ordinary living. We did discuss getting a Chevy 3500HD dooley. Maybe when we're pulling full time we'll regret the decision not to, but that is one big, honkin' truck. Way more than is necessary as a second vehicle. We're going to be living in the coach full time, but we're not going to be pulling it full time, at least not for the next two years. After that, it is anyone's guess. So we were able to locate a 2011 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 2500HD 4x4 that meets our needs. We should get it later this week. The funny thing is, it is the same color inside and out as our current truck. Once we remove the bed liner, tonneau cover, and step bars and install them on the new truck, no one will know it is a new truck!
We think we got a pretty good deal on both the price of the vehicle and the trade in. Many thanks are due to my friend from high school, Craig, who works at a dealership and was able to look at some auction sites to verify the trade in offer. The new truck is actually costing us less than the one we have cost us five years ago. It is still a kick in the wallet, and a completely unanticipated wallop, but this is what we want to do, so we're going to do it. This truck should meet all our needs, so please shoot me if I come back in less than a decade and say we are buying another truck!
So other happenings from last week. Bill went to Fleet Feet and tried on some new running shoes. While we were there I got the crazy idea to wonder if they were hiring. I think I would have a blast working there a few days a week. I could try out all the latest gear and learn more about the sport, and maybe even lead a few training runs. I mentioned it to Bill as we were walking to the car and he said I should go back and ask. They had already closed the door but opened it for me. The owner said that they were hiring and she'd get me the information the next day.
I have been filling out the application and questionnaire and it does feel a little odd. It has been a long time since I have applied for a non-professional job. It almost feels awkward. But I think I will bring a lot of skills to the position that most of their employees don't, and I am doing this not for the money, but for the experience. By experience, I mean being exposed to something I have developed a passion for. I sent in the paperwork today and am eagerly awaiting the call for an interview. I hope they won't think I am overqualified and not hire me!
On Friday, Doogie came up for a visit. He and I worked together in Fallon, and he is a great person. He lives down in Ventura County and will be deploying in a few weeks. It was a lot of fun to have him around. That evening we sat around and drank wine and caught up on the last few years. Saturday we went to the Monterey Aquarium, which was pretty spectacular. I am not an aquarium person, but this one was impressive. We ate lunch at the Cannery Row Brewing Company before going in. I thought the lunch was good, but it was not good to me. It really upset my stomach. I think the Gardenburger, that they assured me was a true Gardenburger, was just a veggie patty with some kind of paprika or something in it. I had a rough afternoon. The ice cream didn't help. The beer, however, was great!
That night we lit the inaugural fire in our new fire pit and sat around and drank wine and had dinner. It was great. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to doing more of these fires. Sunday we decided not to run. We got up, showered, and then did brunch at the Mission Ranch in Carmel (owned by Clint Eastwood). The brunch was phenomenal and the views were outstanding. I give that place two thumbs up. I ate my entire omelet, something I usually don't do. The guy made it just right! Then we drove through Carmel-by-the-Sea and then back to the house. Doogie packed his bags and hit the road. He wanted to take the scenic route back home, stopping at some waterfalls along the way. He took some great photos. I want to go see that waterfall! It is in Big Sur, less than an hour away. If I had known about it last weekend, we would have stopped to see it. I really enjoyed Doog's visit. I hope we'll get to see him again after his deployment and before his move to the next duty station.
Today I met with CAPT Poindexter, the Dean of Students at NPS, and get his endorsement to volunteer for the Panetta Institute's Monterey County Reads program. This is a volunteer opportunity to work with kindergarteners through second graders and help them develop their reading skills. Apparently the literacy rate here is very low and this program is to get kids up to grade level now so that when they are farther along in school, the focus will be on the information rather than the reading. I don't have to devote a lot of time to it, and since my schedule is flexible, it is a great opportunity to do some good in the community. I try to do that wherever we live. I usually go to the animal charities so this will be a change for me.
Today I also went to Monarch Knitting in Pacific Grove and spoke briefly with the owner. It was really busy in there so I just stated that I had inquired about working there last week and was told to come back and talk to her. I offered to leave my information for her so that she could call me back when things were less hectic. I could tell that she really appreciated that offer. As I was writing, she asked me a few questions and I mentioned that I had been a shop owner up until a few months ago and I think she wanted to hire me on the spot! I told her that I would put together my portfolio (even though I had my samples in the trunk) and that we'd talk when it was more convenient. She asked whether I would be free tomorrow, so I may have an interview there before too long. I'd like to work there a day or two a week, maybe even teach classes (which is what I really want). As I left there I felt on top of the world!
Then reality smacked me hard in the head. I was walking into the Monterey Sports Center to inquire about swim lessons. I was about a foot away from the door when I felt something land on my head. What was it? BIRD POOP! Can you believe it? I was shat upon! Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww!
Needless to say, I was not happy. Thankfully I had some tissues in my purse and I was able to clean up most of it. I got the information that I had wanted and headed home. But first I had to get a room for the knitting group. I volunteered to head up the Fiber Therapy Group for the Spouse Club. I've been meaning to book a room at the community center, but haven't. Turns out they are all full. There is one that is available over by the housing office, so I went to look at that and I think it will work well, at least initially. So we are going to have our first get-together this Wednesday. There's a day group and a night group. There is the monthly social tonight so I plan to get the announcement out there too. I think it will be a lot of fun. It has been months since I've been to a knitting circle and I must say that I miss it.
So I came home and wanted to jump right in the shower. The dogs did not come greet me right away so I knew something was amiss. Karma apparently didn't feel like the bird poop was enough of a spirit crusher. The dogs took two Halloween decorations off the dining room hutch (where they have been for almost two weeks) and shredded them. Ordinarily this would make me irate and I'd yell at them. This time it's personal. Those decorations were hand made by my sister and were two needle felted ears of indian corn. WTF, dog?!? Thankfully they left the pumpkin alone and I still have that. I cleaned up the mess and took a shower. No, I haven't killed the dogs yet.
So it has been quite a week, with a lot going on.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Great run with the ladies
All three of them!
I did Week 5, Day 2 with Mina today. We went to the part of the trail along the water. Unfortunately I forgot the long stretch that wasn't along the water was right there. Oh well. We had a great run. It was two 8 minute runs separated by a 5 minute walk. She did great! She is really worried about the 20 minute run next time, but I know it is only because of fear of the unknown. She's never run that far before. I've been there. I'm confident she can do it!
We ran/walked 2.44 mi in 36:25 for an average pace of 14.55. We didn't turn around at halfway, so we walked a little farther to get to the end.
When I got home I grabbed Rava and Tawny and we went out for a "fast lap", a short loop around the 'hood. We ran 1.1 miles in 11:12 for an average pace of 10:10.
I have been having more issues with the Gremlin, err, Garmin. I just got off the phone with tech support and have an RMA number to send it back. I sure hope the replacement doesn't give me any issues!
I did Week 5, Day 2 with Mina today. We went to the part of the trail along the water. Unfortunately I forgot the long stretch that wasn't along the water was right there. Oh well. We had a great run. It was two 8 minute runs separated by a 5 minute walk. She did great! She is really worried about the 20 minute run next time, but I know it is only because of fear of the unknown. She's never run that far before. I've been there. I'm confident she can do it!
We ran/walked 2.44 mi in 36:25 for an average pace of 14.55. We didn't turn around at halfway, so we walked a little farther to get to the end.
When I got home I grabbed Rava and Tawny and we went out for a "fast lap", a short loop around the 'hood. We ran 1.1 miles in 11:12 for an average pace of 10:10.
I have been having more issues with the Gremlin, err, Garmin. I just got off the phone with tech support and have an RMA number to send it back. I sure hope the replacement doesn't give me any issues!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A split 5k
This morning I ran Week 5 Day 1 with Mina. It consisted of three five-minute runs separated by three-minute walks. She did really, really well. The runs today were a little slower than usual but still at a good pace.
We ran/walked 2.02 miles in 31:00 for an average pace of 15:30.
When we got back, I grabbed the dogs and went out for a short run. This was the first run for Tawny in weeks. She got her stitches out on Monday and the vet cleared her to return to exercise and play. I think they really appreciated getting back out there.
We ran 1.1 miles in 11:33 for an average pace of 10:31.
It was a good run. Yesterday was a better day than Monday, and my mood has improved considerably.
We ran/walked 2.02 miles in 31:00 for an average pace of 15:30.
When we got back, I grabbed the dogs and went out for a short run. This was the first run for Tawny in weeks. She got her stitches out on Monday and the vet cleared her to return to exercise and play. I think they really appreciated getting back out there.
We ran 1.1 miles in 11:33 for an average pace of 10:31.
It was a good run. Yesterday was a better day than Monday, and my mood has improved considerably.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Mini tempo run
I set out this morning thinking I would do one warm up, two tempo miles, and one cool down. As I did my warm up mile I realized that my heart and my head were not in the game. I shortened it and did a mini tempo run: 1 mile warm up @ 10:57, 1 mile @ 9:05, 1/2 mile cool down @ 10:47.
I ran 2.5 miles in 25:20 for an average pace of 10:09. Next time will be better.
I ran 2.5 miles in 25:20 for an average pace of 10:09. Next time will be better.
One of those days
Monday was a day of ups and downs. It started out great with a fantastic run. Then Mina and I went to Peet's for coffee. We had intended to do some knitting, but we got to talking and before we knew it, it was time to go. That was fun.
Then I went to the dermatologist and I felt like I didn't have to show up to the appointment; she knew what the problem was anyway. It didn't matter what I said, she didn't seem to listen. I never got an answer to my question (which I asked at least three times) as to whether this condition was reversible.
Her solution was to use bleaching cream on my face to lighten the dark spots and to use sunscreen every two hours. But it has to be something without fragrance like Neutrogena or Cetaphil. I went to the Presidio to fill the prescription for the bleaching cream, but they don't carry that, so I had to go to Walgreens. While there, I looked at the face lotion section. There are so many chemicals in those two brands. The only kinds I could find without fragrance have petrolatum in them. I don't want to put crude oil on my face! Yuck!
I didn't buy any, nor have I picked up the cream. I think my skin is in great shape, other than the odd discoloration. I do not want to put all these horrible things on my face (including a chemical peel, which was another suggestion from the dermatologist). So I may go for a second opinion, at the very least to try and find a dermatologist who will actually listen and answer my questions.
Later in the afternoon I opened a box in the garage that was marked "Books". There wasn't a single book in there. There were calculators, office supplies, pads of paper, pens, binder clips, paper clips, mugs, and the like just thrown in there. Nothing was wrapped. Un-freakin-believable. Thankfully nothing appears to be broken, but WTF? Can't you put the mug in some paper at least? Did you think the hole punch would protect it?
Grrrrrrrrr.
Then I went to the dermatologist and I felt like I didn't have to show up to the appointment; she knew what the problem was anyway. It didn't matter what I said, she didn't seem to listen. I never got an answer to my question (which I asked at least three times) as to whether this condition was reversible.
Her solution was to use bleaching cream on my face to lighten the dark spots and to use sunscreen every two hours. But it has to be something without fragrance like Neutrogena or Cetaphil. I went to the Presidio to fill the prescription for the bleaching cream, but they don't carry that, so I had to go to Walgreens. While there, I looked at the face lotion section. There are so many chemicals in those two brands. The only kinds I could find without fragrance have petrolatum in them. I don't want to put crude oil on my face! Yuck!
I didn't buy any, nor have I picked up the cream. I think my skin is in great shape, other than the odd discoloration. I do not want to put all these horrible things on my face (including a chemical peel, which was another suggestion from the dermatologist). So I may go for a second opinion, at the very least to try and find a dermatologist who will actually listen and answer my questions.
Later in the afternoon I opened a box in the garage that was marked "Books". There wasn't a single book in there. There were calculators, office supplies, pads of paper, pens, binder clips, paper clips, mugs, and the like just thrown in there. Nothing was wrapped. Un-freakin-believable. Thankfully nothing appears to be broken, but WTF? Can't you put the mug in some paper at least? Did you think the hole punch would protect it?
Grrrrrrrrr.
W4D2
Mina and I ran the Rec Trail Monday morning. She did so well. In fact, she wanted to do another run after! We did a 5:45 run after she completed the workout. She feels so confident that she is planning to skip Week 4 Day 3 and move into Week 5. I think I created a monster!
We ran/walked 2.67 miles in 39:54 for an average pace of 14:55.
We ran/walked 2.67 miles in 39:54 for an average pace of 14:55.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
My birthday weekend
It was fantastic! Bill and I left Friday afternoon after dropping the dogs off at the kennel. It took a lot longer than I thought it would to drive to Cambria, but the views were incredible! We drove down Highway 1, which was along the coast for most of the trip. The road was pretty twisty and turny, but beautiful. We checked in at the Sea Otter Inn on Moonstone Beach, dropped our stuff off, and then headed to Harmony. One of our favorite wineries is there, Harmony Cellars.
They have done a lot with the place since we were there last (at least four years ago). We did a tasting and then got a glass of Barbera to sit out on the patio with and listen to music. It was nice. Then we went back to the hotel, got a bottle of wine, the bread and cheese that I had brought, and some chairs and went and sat by the ocean. It was nice. Then we went in the room and I crashed hard.
The next morning I got up and ran, rather dehydrated. Yet I had a great run. Then I set up my new iPhone 4s and we headed to Paso Robles. First we had to get lunch, so we stopped at the West End Bar and Grill in Cambria. I enjoyed my veg sandwich and Bill liked his fish tacos.
First stop in Paso was Penman Springs Vineyards. Beth is the crazy lady who runs it and she has not changed a bit! She seemed happy to see us again, and I know she remembered us, but it took a while for her to put the pieces together. That was fun. Then we went down the road to Tobin James Cellars. We got to taste a few that weren't on the tasting list, and it was a fun time there too. You can go to Tobin without having fun. After that we went down the road to Eberle. That was a little disappointing. The guy at the tasting bar seemed very distracted and we didn't feel that the wines were as good as we remembered them.
Then it was back to Cambria to get ready for dinner. We made the mistake of laying down and not setting the alarm. We woke up at 5:35 and had reservations at 5:45! We hustled and made it there a few minutes late. We got the table by the fireplace (which was not on because it was too warm). Our waiter brought out a complimentary glass of champagne, the same kind I was thinking of ordering. He informed me that either of the salads would be fine and there was a special dinner prepared.
I had the fig and gorgonzola salad which was excellent. My special dinner was beet gnocchi with a tarragon cream sauce and heirloom carrots. I had contacted the restaurant as I made the reservation to let them know of my food allergies. I emailed back and forth with the chef about likes and dislikes, so I was pretty sure mu dinner was going to be delicious. It was out of this world! The waiter said that he was glad I was getting it because she (the chef) had made extra and would be serving it to the staff that night. I think they will enjoy it too. We split the salted caramel tart for dessert, without the chipotle sauce. As we were leaving, the chef came out to see that I was indeed still alive and that I had enjoyed my meal. She gave me a big hug, thanked me for coming in, and wished me a happy birthday. That was sweet.
We went back to the room and crashed hard. We woke up late this morning and headed out to find brunch. We found Linn's Restaurant. The food was good, and the service unremarkable. But we ate, and that was good. Then we started driving home. I turned off at a vista a few minutes north of Hearst Castle and we got to see Elephant Seals. We watched them for a few minutes and then continued our drive. We picked up the dogs, who seemed to enjoy their spa weekend and came home. The cats seemed happy to see us and the house wasn't destroyed, which is great.
All in all it was a fantastic weekend. Thanks, babe!
They have done a lot with the place since we were there last (at least four years ago). We did a tasting and then got a glass of Barbera to sit out on the patio with and listen to music. It was nice. Then we went back to the hotel, got a bottle of wine, the bread and cheese that I had brought, and some chairs and went and sat by the ocean. It was nice. Then we went in the room and I crashed hard.
The next morning I got up and ran, rather dehydrated. Yet I had a great run. Then I set up my new iPhone 4s and we headed to Paso Robles. First we had to get lunch, so we stopped at the West End Bar and Grill in Cambria. I enjoyed my veg sandwich and Bill liked his fish tacos.
First stop in Paso was Penman Springs Vineyards. Beth is the crazy lady who runs it and she has not changed a bit! She seemed happy to see us again, and I know she remembered us, but it took a while for her to put the pieces together. That was fun. Then we went down the road to Tobin James Cellars. We got to taste a few that weren't on the tasting list, and it was a fun time there too. You can go to Tobin without having fun. After that we went down the road to Eberle. That was a little disappointing. The guy at the tasting bar seemed very distracted and we didn't feel that the wines were as good as we remembered them.
Then it was back to Cambria to get ready for dinner. We made the mistake of laying down and not setting the alarm. We woke up at 5:35 and had reservations at 5:45! We hustled and made it there a few minutes late. We got the table by the fireplace (which was not on because it was too warm). Our waiter brought out a complimentary glass of champagne, the same kind I was thinking of ordering. He informed me that either of the salads would be fine and there was a special dinner prepared.
I had the fig and gorgonzola salad which was excellent. My special dinner was beet gnocchi with a tarragon cream sauce and heirloom carrots. I had contacted the restaurant as I made the reservation to let them know of my food allergies. I emailed back and forth with the chef about likes and dislikes, so I was pretty sure mu dinner was going to be delicious. It was out of this world! The waiter said that he was glad I was getting it because she (the chef) had made extra and would be serving it to the staff that night. I think they will enjoy it too. We split the salted caramel tart for dessert, without the chipotle sauce. As we were leaving, the chef came out to see that I was indeed still alive and that I had enjoyed my meal. She gave me a big hug, thanked me for coming in, and wished me a happy birthday. That was sweet.
We went back to the room and crashed hard. We woke up late this morning and headed out to find brunch. We found Linn's Restaurant. The food was good, and the service unremarkable. But we ate, and that was good. Then we started driving home. I turned off at a vista a few minutes north of Hearst Castle and we got to see Elephant Seals. We watched them for a few minutes and then continued our drive. We picked up the dogs, who seemed to enjoy their spa weekend and came home. The cats seemed happy to see us and the house wasn't destroyed, which is great.
All in all it was a fantastic weekend. Thanks, babe!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Go Molly, it's your birthday!
Ran through Moonstone Beach and Cambria. Beautiful. I felt hungover and dehydrated, but you wouldn't know it from this run. Heart rate averaged 162 (158, 159, 164, 167, 165, 166). The new battery made a difference, I guess. Splits: 10:32, 10:26, 10:23, 10:33,10:29, 10:15, 3:17 (=10:36 pace).
I ran 6.31 miles in 1:05:55 for an average pace of 10:27.
I ran 6.31 miles in 1:05:55 for an average pace of 10:27.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Let's get this weekend started!
Mina and Ty brought some gifts with them this morning. I bottle of Cab Sav, homemade banana bread, and a beautiful handmade card. That was a great way to start the day. I plan to bring both the wine and the bread with us this afternoon.
I made Bill breakfast this morning. Not in bed, but that's OK. In fact it was probably the best omelet I've ever made! I think that started his day off right, too
After the run I went to get my Tdap shot and then took the dogs to the kennel. It will probably cost us more to board the dogs than for us to go to the hotel, but that's OK. I am sorry that I can't let them participate in group play, but until Tawny's stitches come out on Monday, she can't play with others.
After that I went to Whole Foods and got some crusty french bread and some cheese. I plan on having a picnic tonight! Thanks to the Nekos, we have some great wine to go along with that.
So today the FedEx guy is supposed to deliver my new iPhone. Unfortunately we may not be here for it and I'll have to get it Monday. Bummer. That would be a good birthday present. Oh, did I forget to mention that it is my birthday this weekend? Woo hoo! Let's celebrate!
I made Bill breakfast this morning. Not in bed, but that's OK. In fact it was probably the best omelet I've ever made! I think that started his day off right, too
After the run I went to get my Tdap shot and then took the dogs to the kennel. It will probably cost us more to board the dogs than for us to go to the hotel, but that's OK. I am sorry that I can't let them participate in group play, but until Tawny's stitches come out on Monday, she can't play with others.
After that I went to Whole Foods and got some crusty french bread and some cheese. I plan on having a picnic tonight! Thanks to the Nekos, we have some great wine to go along with that.
So today the FedEx guy is supposed to deliver my new iPhone. Unfortunately we may not be here for it and I'll have to get it Monday. Bummer. That would be a good birthday present. Oh, did I forget to mention that it is my birthday this weekend? Woo hoo! Let's celebrate!
Week 4 Day 1 and a swim
Thursday Bill and I went for a dip in the housing pool. I swam a few laps then decided I wanted to hang out underwater. We spent about 20 minutes in the pool, but it was enough for me. I did not have a good workout.
This morning Mina and I met for her Couch to 5k run. She wanted to jump ahead to Week 4 Day 1. Ty (her husband) ran with us. He wants to get back in running form before the physical fitness assessment next month. Mina set the pace and did really well. There were two sets of three and five minute runs. She didn't even look like she was breaking a sweat!
As we were on the cool down walk, she said that she thought she could complete the 5k in and hour and a half. Ha! You can crawl it in an hour and a half! We did 2.23 miles in 31:33 today. That's 70% of the distance! I'm betting she can do it in less than 40 minutes. I think I did my first on (after only completing week 7) in 35:25, so I think she'll be fine!
This morning Mina and I met for her Couch to 5k run. She wanted to jump ahead to Week 4 Day 1. Ty (her husband) ran with us. He wants to get back in running form before the physical fitness assessment next month. Mina set the pace and did really well. There were two sets of three and five minute runs. She didn't even look like she was breaking a sweat!
As we were on the cool down walk, she said that she thought she could complete the 5k in and hour and a half. Ha! You can crawl it in an hour and a half! We did 2.23 miles in 31:33 today. That's 70% of the distance! I'm betting she can do it in less than 40 minutes. I think I did my first on (after only completing week 7) in 35:25, so I think she'll be fine!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Week 3 Day 2
Mina came by this morning and we did the run. She said it was so easy! What great news! She said she can't believe how fast 30 minutes goes by and how much fun it is to exercise for those 30 minutes. I am really glad to hear that.
I messed up with the Garmin today. I hit the stop button for the first run rather than the lap button. Oops! Oh well. I estimated the distance. We ran/walked 1.9 miles in 28 minutes. Her run paces were in the high 11s, which is where I would expect them to be.
Since she had such a successful run yesterday and wasn't sore today, she wants to jump ahead to week 4. The first day is run 3/walk 1.5 then run 5/walk 2.5 then run 3/walk 1.5 then run 5. I think she is ready for that. I wouldn't go much more than that. She is concerned that she will have to walk some at the Turkey Trot. I told her not to worry and if she did have to walk that it was OK. No rule says you have to run the whole thing. The important part is that she is out there doing it. Her main motivation is to do a Race for the Cure. I don't think there is one until next year, but she will definitely be ready!
I messed up with the Garmin today. I hit the stop button for the first run rather than the lap button. Oops! Oh well. I estimated the distance. We ran/walked 1.9 miles in 28 minutes. Her run paces were in the high 11s, which is where I would expect them to be.
Since she had such a successful run yesterday and wasn't sore today, she wants to jump ahead to week 4. The first day is run 3/walk 1.5 then run 5/walk 2.5 then run 3/walk 1.5 then run 5. I think she is ready for that. I wouldn't go much more than that. She is concerned that she will have to walk some at the Turkey Trot. I told her not to worry and if she did have to walk that it was OK. No rule says you have to run the whole thing. The important part is that she is out there doing it. Her main motivation is to do a Race for the Cure. I don't think there is one until next year, but she will definitely be ready!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Week 3 Day 1 ... Sorta
I asked Mina if she wanted to move up a week. I thought she was ready for more than 90 secs running, 60 secs walking. She was willing to try it, so today's workout was supposed to consist of two repeats of 3 mins running, 3 mins walking, 90 secs running, 90 secs walking. She didn't hear the bings from the app, and neither did I, so we ended up doing something completely different.
Time walking (w) or running (r): 5:00w, 2:56r, 2:59w, 6:01r, 2:59w, 3:03r, 5:56w, 3:43r. Mina did so well! She thought the run was a little long, and I sure wasn't paying attention. She was afraid to say anything. It sure was long -- six minutes! She did it! I am so proud of her!
We did 2.27 miles in 35:36 for an average pace of 15:42. All the runs, even the long one, were between 11:45 and 11:57 pace. Awesome!
Time walking (w) or running (r): 5:00w, 2:56r, 2:59w, 6:01r, 2:59w, 3:03r, 5:56w, 3:43r. Mina did so well! She thought the run was a little long, and I sure wasn't paying attention. She was afraid to say anything. It sure was long -- six minutes! She did it! I am so proud of her!
We did 2.27 miles in 35:36 for an average pace of 15:42. All the runs, even the long one, were between 11:45 and 11:57 pace. Awesome!
Tuesday Tempo
Awesome run this morning! I did a 1.1 mile warmup (10:56 pace), then a 1.8 mile tempo run (8:50 pace), and a 1.1 mile cool down (10:28 pace). I'm really happy that I could maintain a sub-9 pace even with hills!
I ran 4.01 miles in 39:30 for an average pace of 9:51. Nice!
I ran 4.01 miles in 39:30 for an average pace of 9:51. Nice!
Sunday, October 09, 2011
It is official
We made a major purchase Saturday. We picked out and signed on our new home! We are really excited about it! Now we need to continue trimming down our possessions, selling what we don't need, and prepping the rest for storage. I will miss a lot of things about a traditional house, but I am very excited about living a minimalist lifestyle, especially since this coach will have us in the lap of luxury! I could talk all day about what it looks like, but I won't. It is a 34 foot fifth wheel. The maker is Heartland and the type is Big Country. I was looking forward to getting the grey one, but then we found out they are not making the grey color for the 2012s, so ours will be gold. I'm OK with that, too. I just did not want white. Maybe the gold will hide the dirt a little better!
We have slideouts in this coach, something we don't have in our current coach. They add so much more room, it is unbelievable. We are going to have room to walk around our bed for once! We have a sofa that folds out into an air mattress bed, two rocker-recliners, a free standing dinette, a kitchen island with pendant lights, and a fireplace. Yup! We have a fireplace! That option was a big of a splurge, I admit, but I think it will add a nice feeling of "home" to the coach, as well as a practical source of heat. We are anticipating on taking delivery at the end of November or early December. That is right in line with our plan to participate in the garage sale on December 3, and moving out by the end of the year.
After that experience, we went to Ty and Mina's and had pizza and wine. I just love those two! They are so much fun! It was a great evening. Time always flies so fast when we have dinner with them. I will be bummed when we move to the RV park, because they won't be just down the road anymore. Well, I take that back. Instead of an easy 0.4 mile walk, we will be around 3 miles away. Still, that is not far at all.
Here's an update to my ongoing thumb issue. It happened today, the first time since seeing my doctor, so I started the log. The pain lasted for about 45 minutes. It was in the right thumb and a little in the left thumb. I was just sitting at the computer when it happened. I was not cold at the time, but my hands were. This is not the best photo, but it does show the bottom of the thumbnail turning blue.
We had the opportunity to Skype with my sister, her husband, and their daughter today. I can't believe how much Elinor has grown! She was crawling! She is such a cutie pie and I cannot wait to get up there and give her a big hug!
After that conversation Bill and I headed out in search of food. We were STARVING! We went to the Crossroads shopping center in Carmel and ended up at Bistro 211. I had the gnocchi with vegetables and Bill got the Calamari Taco Salad. I really enjoyed my lunch. The service was lacking, but it was tolerable. What really turned us off and made the experience less than stellar was this. The waitress came over to ask how we were doing. She noticed that we had not used the butter that was on our bread plates, but we had eaten the rolls. So she asked if we were going to use the butter. When we said no, she picked up the four pats of butter and took them back into the restaurant (we were seated outside). Eww! She very easily could have waited until we left, or until she cleared the plates to take the butters and we would not have been any the wiser. Even though the food was pretty good, I don't know that we'll go back. At least not in the near future.
We have slideouts in this coach, something we don't have in our current coach. They add so much more room, it is unbelievable. We are going to have room to walk around our bed for once! We have a sofa that folds out into an air mattress bed, two rocker-recliners, a free standing dinette, a kitchen island with pendant lights, and a fireplace. Yup! We have a fireplace! That option was a big of a splurge, I admit, but I think it will add a nice feeling of "home" to the coach, as well as a practical source of heat. We are anticipating on taking delivery at the end of November or early December. That is right in line with our plan to participate in the garage sale on December 3, and moving out by the end of the year.
After that experience, we went to Ty and Mina's and had pizza and wine. I just love those two! They are so much fun! It was a great evening. Time always flies so fast when we have dinner with them. I will be bummed when we move to the RV park, because they won't be just down the road anymore. Well, I take that back. Instead of an easy 0.4 mile walk, we will be around 3 miles away. Still, that is not far at all.
Here's an update to my ongoing thumb issue. It happened today, the first time since seeing my doctor, so I started the log. The pain lasted for about 45 minutes. It was in the right thumb and a little in the left thumb. I was just sitting at the computer when it happened. I was not cold at the time, but my hands were. This is not the best photo, but it does show the bottom of the thumbnail turning blue.
We had the opportunity to Skype with my sister, her husband, and their daughter today. I can't believe how much Elinor has grown! She was crawling! She is such a cutie pie and I cannot wait to get up there and give her a big hug!
After that conversation Bill and I headed out in search of food. We were STARVING! We went to the Crossroads shopping center in Carmel and ended up at Bistro 211. I had the gnocchi with vegetables and Bill got the Calamari Taco Salad. I really enjoyed my lunch. The service was lacking, but it was tolerable. What really turned us off and made the experience less than stellar was this. The waitress came over to ask how we were doing. She noticed that we had not used the butter that was on our bread plates, but we had eaten the rolls. So she asked if we were going to use the butter. When we said no, she picked up the four pats of butter and took them back into the restaurant (we were seated outside). Eww! She very easily could have waited until we left, or until she cleared the plates to take the butters and we would not have been any the wiser. Even though the food was pretty good, I don't know that we'll go back. At least not in the near future.
Running in God's Country
We are certainly blessed here with unbelievable training weather! Bill and I got somewhat of a late start this morning. We set out around 10. In Pensacola, it would already be too hot to run. Here it was still perfect. I think the temp was around 60 degrees.
We ran from the house out to the trail we usually do our long runs on and then west to Pacific Grove. We planned to go and do six miles out and turn around. The problem with this idea is the unbelievably steep hill at the entrance to the housing area. It was great to fly down it on the way out, but incredibly difficult to come back up it after having run 11-1/2 miles.
So I titled this post "Running in God's Country" not just because of the great weather. The scenery is to die for! Part of today's run took us on a narrow concrete path around 20 or 30 feet above the ocean. The views were simply stunning. How lucky we are to have this kind of beauty to enjoy!
Looking West:
Looking East (notice the stairs down to the water at the far right):
It is so wonderful to get out and see this!
We ran 12 miles in 2:10:50 for an average pace of 10:54. Splits: 9:55, 11:13, 10:36, 10:33, 10:38, 10:46, 11:22, 11:22, 11:19, 10:25, 10:57, 11:37. That was a really good run!
We ran from the house out to the trail we usually do our long runs on and then west to Pacific Grove. We planned to go and do six miles out and turn around. The problem with this idea is the unbelievably steep hill at the entrance to the housing area. It was great to fly down it on the way out, but incredibly difficult to come back up it after having run 11-1/2 miles.
So I titled this post "Running in God's Country" not just because of the great weather. The scenery is to die for! Part of today's run took us on a narrow concrete path around 20 or 30 feet above the ocean. The views were simply stunning. How lucky we are to have this kind of beauty to enjoy!
Looking West:
Looking East (notice the stairs down to the water at the far right):
It is so wonderful to get out and see this!
We ran 12 miles in 2:10:50 for an average pace of 10:54. Splits: 9:55, 11:13, 10:36, 10:33, 10:38, 10:46, 11:22, 11:22, 11:19, 10:25, 10:57, 11:37. That was a really good run!
Friday, October 07, 2011
Week one complete
Mina and I ran again this morning. We did two miles in her third workout of the C25k program. She has been great this week and I can tell she is ready to run farther. I am looking forward to week 2!
Thursday, October 06, 2011
In the kitchen
That's where I spent my day. It felt good. But before I get into that, here's an update. I went to the doctor again today, primarily for my "well woman" exam. She discussed the results of last week's blood tests and basically I'm normal. That is good news, but it does not explain the issue with my fingers. And now I can't blame an under-performing thyroid for my inability to lose more weight. The plan going forward is to keep a log of when the finger issue happens, document what I was doing, where, the temperature, and so on, and if possible to take a picture of my hands as it is happening. Once I have that information I'll go back to see her and then we can decide whether to see a rhumetologist, a vascular specialist, or an immunologist.
So back to the good stuff. I started out making soup. It was a simple soup in the crock pot. I didn't follow any recipe. I think I should have used a little less tomato puree, but I liked the thick broth. I had expected it to be a little waterier. Anyway, I put in red kidney beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, potatoes, frozen mixed veggies (green beans, corn, carrots), Italian seasoning, tomato puree, and vegetable broth. I think it turned out very well and it was a great dinner.
The other thing I did today was bake. I had the urge for a few days, so today was the day. I had picked up a few things at the store yesterday. My Pensacola running friend Jen A had mentioned this recipe to me and it sounded so perfect for a cold rainy fall day. The result?
PERFECT!
Four dozen soft, moist, chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmmmmm!
In other news, I booked my airfare to go see my sister, her husband, and my niece in Portland next month. I am really excited. One of the things we are going to do together is take a cooking class. It is how to make cheese and milk vegan style. I am really excited about it!
Next on my list? Pre-ordering the iPhone 4s. Results tomorrow...
So back to the good stuff. I started out making soup. It was a simple soup in the crock pot. I didn't follow any recipe. I think I should have used a little less tomato puree, but I liked the thick broth. I had expected it to be a little waterier. Anyway, I put in red kidney beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, potatoes, frozen mixed veggies (green beans, corn, carrots), Italian seasoning, tomato puree, and vegetable broth. I think it turned out very well and it was a great dinner.
The other thing I did today was bake. I had the urge for a few days, so today was the day. I had picked up a few things at the store yesterday. My Pensacola running friend Jen A had mentioned this recipe to me and it sounded so perfect for a cold rainy fall day. The result?
PERFECT!
Four dozen soft, moist, chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmmmmm!
In other news, I booked my airfare to go see my sister, her husband, and my niece in Portland next month. I am really excited. One of the things we are going to do together is take a cooking class. It is how to make cheese and milk vegan style. I am really excited about it!
Next on my list? Pre-ordering the iPhone 4s. Results tomorrow...
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
W1D2
Mina came over this morning and we did Week 1 Day 2 of the Couch to 5k. I think she is having as much fun as I am, which is AWESOME! I love to see people enjoying the run. We did 2 miles in the 30 minutes. It was a good time, with good conversation.
We got back to the house and she had a knitting question. She is doing really well on the dishcloth. After that, she left and I hit the street again. I felt the urge to just run.
So I did the same 2.0 mile route we had just done and did it in 19:26 for an average pace of 9:43. I felt really good. I sprinted a little towards the end and my last 0.2 was at an 8:55 pace. It felt good!
We got back to the house and she had a knitting question. She is doing really well on the dishcloth. After that, she left and I hit the street again. I felt the urge to just run.
So I did the same 2.0 mile route we had just done and did it in 19:26 for an average pace of 9:43. I felt really good. I sprinted a little towards the end and my last 0.2 was at an 8:55 pace. It felt good!
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Hair and yarn
Tuesday I went and got a haircut. At the Spouse Club meeting last week, one of the spouses dropped off her cards and so I decided to give her a try. She was very nice and I think she did an excellent job with my hair. I just wish it wasn't so stinking expensive! Even with the military spouse discount, I spent more than $50. Ugh. And I thought that $35 in Pensacola was expensive.
After that I decided to go to Carmel and visit the third local yarn shop, Knitting by the Sea. I really liked this shop and the owner. After one regular customer left, I talked to her about whether she needed/wanted help with the business or a teacher for classes. She does not at this time, but took my information and said she'd call if she found she did need something. I told her a little about myself, being a shop owner, and all that and I think that put her mind more at ease. As it turns out, she was a mechanical engineer before opening her shop. We had a good laugh over all the things we had in common. I enjoyed my visit there.
I have been working on Regina's sweater, but having gone so long without a finished project, I decided that I needed some instant gratification. Or maybe I was finding it too hard to resist the jonz to cast on the Thermis. I have wanted to do this project for months or longer!
I had the perfect yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in 173 Stonechat (towards the bottom under "variegated". I was a little hesitant, as my last experience with Malabrigo was less than satisfying on many levels. It made my hands dry and crackly and it pooled something fierce. This experience more than made up for it. I am really pleased with the final product, although I may change out the buttons.
If I do this again, I will likely not do the recommended sewn bind off, but rather a tubular bind off, or maybe Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off. The sewn bind off does give it a lot of stretch, but it makes it lose the tightness of the ribbing.
On Monday I had the pleasure of teaching Mina to knit after our run. She picked it up very quickly and I know she will become a great knitter, if her interest stays and if she finds the time to practice. I really enjoy seeing people learn to knit.
Having completed this little ego booster, I think I will be able to get back into Regina's sweater. I'll still mix in a few other projects to keep me from going crazy from the 1x1 ribbing. I still have the other Vaunt sock to finish as well as two shawls that are on the needles.
After that I decided to go to Carmel and visit the third local yarn shop, Knitting by the Sea. I really liked this shop and the owner. After one regular customer left, I talked to her about whether she needed/wanted help with the business or a teacher for classes. She does not at this time, but took my information and said she'd call if she found she did need something. I told her a little about myself, being a shop owner, and all that and I think that put her mind more at ease. As it turns out, she was a mechanical engineer before opening her shop. We had a good laugh over all the things we had in common. I enjoyed my visit there.
I have been working on Regina's sweater, but having gone so long without a finished project, I decided that I needed some instant gratification. Or maybe I was finding it too hard to resist the jonz to cast on the Thermis. I have wanted to do this project for months or longer!
I had the perfect yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in 173 Stonechat (towards the bottom under "variegated". I was a little hesitant, as my last experience with Malabrigo was less than satisfying on many levels. It made my hands dry and crackly and it pooled something fierce. This experience more than made up for it. I am really pleased with the final product, although I may change out the buttons.
If I do this again, I will likely not do the recommended sewn bind off, but rather a tubular bind off, or maybe Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off. The sewn bind off does give it a lot of stretch, but it makes it lose the tightness of the ribbing.
On Monday I had the pleasure of teaching Mina to knit after our run. She picked it up very quickly and I know she will become a great knitter, if her interest stays and if she finds the time to practice. I really enjoy seeing people learn to knit.
Having completed this little ego booster, I think I will be able to get back into Regina's sweater. I'll still mix in a few other projects to keep me from going crazy from the 1x1 ribbing. I still have the other Vaunt sock to finish as well as two shawls that are on the needles.
Poor baby
On Monday Tawny went to the vet for dental surgery. During her routine exam a few weeks ago they found one tooth that looked really bad. It must have been a recent development, as her teeth were fine at her last checkup. The vet ended up extracting two of her molars and three lumps from her neck. We are waiting on the pathology report.
She has several shaved areas and is pretty lethargic. I feel really bad for her, as she just looks like she feels awful. I hope that we got the teeth out quickly enough and that no permanent damage or disease has occurred.
She has several shaved areas and is pretty lethargic. I feel really bad for her, as she just looks like she feels awful. I hope that we got the teeth out quickly enough and that no permanent damage or disease has occurred.
Couch to 5k
I love this program!
On Monday I had the honor of introducing my friend Mina to the fun world of running. I ran to her house (0.37 miles) and then we did the program (1.94 miles). She did really well. Her pace was in the 11s during the runs. She didn't complain that it was hard, and I let her set the pace. I think she will get into this a lot faster than I did. She is not going to have any trouble doing the Turkey Trot in November. I'm looking forward to running it with her.
On Monday I had the honor of introducing my friend Mina to the fun world of running. I ran to her house (0.37 miles) and then we did the program (1.94 miles). She did really well. Her pace was in the 11s during the runs. She didn't complain that it was hard, and I let her set the pace. I think she will get into this a lot faster than I did. She is not going to have any trouble doing the Turkey Trot in November. I'm looking forward to running it with her.
Sunday, October 02, 2011
It's canning time!
Yesterday Bill and I went to Serendipity Organic Farms to pick tomatoes and raspberries. We got enough raspberries to make jam, which is on my agenda for today. We would like to can some tomato sauce, but the recipe for 14 pints calls for 45 pounds of tomatoes. FORTY FIVE POUNDS!!! I certainly don't have a pot to cook that in! We picked 2 pounds of ready to do something with tomatoes and a few pounds of heirloom tomatoes that won't be good for a few days. I figure I'll make sauce and can however much we can get out of these ripe tomatoes.
Here is a raspberry bush:
After the run today we tried out a new restaurant for the post-run brunch. We went to Rosine's Restaurant in downtown Monterey. There was a line outside, but I didn't have much of a wait. I was seated and had coffee before Bill got back from parking the car. The food was outstanding! I had a mushroom and cheese omelet with (specially unseasoned) potatoes and rye toast and we split a fruit bowl. Mmmmmmm! They did not skimp on the mushrooms. There were so many on the plate!
From where I was seated I could see the dessert case. Oh em gee! I needed an extra napkin because of all the drool. We decided to get two desserts to go. These are about three portions a piece! I run so I can eat, but even 10 miles won't burn these babies!
I selected the chocolate/peanut butter cake and Bill chose the chocolate/peanut butter pie. There were many options, including cookies and cream cake, Kit Kat wafer cake, white cake with sprinkles, German chocolate cake, cookie dough cheesecake, and so on.
Can you see why I was drooling?!
We are saving them for after dinner, but it is possible we'll have them as a mid-afternoon snack, depending on how the canning is going. I am sure that they will assist in the mid-afternoon nap, too!
I'll leave you with a little cuteness (sorry it is blurry).
Obviously the cats love fresh laundry, and Abby likes giving me "the raspberry"!
Here is a raspberry bush:
After the run today we tried out a new restaurant for the post-run brunch. We went to Rosine's Restaurant in downtown Monterey. There was a line outside, but I didn't have much of a wait. I was seated and had coffee before Bill got back from parking the car. The food was outstanding! I had a mushroom and cheese omelet with (specially unseasoned) potatoes and rye toast and we split a fruit bowl. Mmmmmmm! They did not skimp on the mushrooms. There were so many on the plate!
From where I was seated I could see the dessert case. Oh em gee! I needed an extra napkin because of all the drool. We decided to get two desserts to go. These are about three portions a piece! I run so I can eat, but even 10 miles won't burn these babies!
I selected the chocolate/peanut butter cake and Bill chose the chocolate/peanut butter pie. There were many options, including cookies and cream cake, Kit Kat wafer cake, white cake with sprinkles, German chocolate cake, cookie dough cheesecake, and so on.
Can you see why I was drooling?!
We are saving them for after dinner, but it is possible we'll have them as a mid-afternoon snack, depending on how the canning is going. I am sure that they will assist in the mid-afternoon nap, too!
I'll leave you with a little cuteness (sorry it is blurry).
Obviously the cats love fresh laundry, and Abby likes giving me "the raspberry"!
Ten on the ocean
Awesome run today!
We did 10 instead of the 9 on the schedule. Partly because we wanted to. We drove to behind the OSH and then jumped on the trail from there. The weather was perfect. Foggy and in the 50s. The path was pretty hilly, so that was a good workout.
I suggested mixing up the run a little and doing a few random miles at race pace. I want to take some time off my half marathon time next month. My PR is 2:13:11, which equals about a 10:10 pace. If I do exactly a 10:00 pace, it will take me 2:11:00. I'd like to break the 2:10 mark, so I need to step it up. I'd like my race pace to be 9:50 or better. That was today's challenge. I believe I succeeded!
Splits: 10:49, 11:02, 11:34, 9:45, 10:36, 10:38, 11:21, 9:50, 9:48, 10:51.
We did 10 instead of the 9 on the schedule. Partly because we wanted to. We drove to behind the OSH and then jumped on the trail from there. The weather was perfect. Foggy and in the 50s. The path was pretty hilly, so that was a good workout.
I suggested mixing up the run a little and doing a few random miles at race pace. I want to take some time off my half marathon time next month. My PR is 2:13:11, which equals about a 10:10 pace. If I do exactly a 10:00 pace, it will take me 2:11:00. I'd like to break the 2:10 mark, so I need to step it up. I'd like my race pace to be 9:50 or better. That was today's challenge. I believe I succeeded!
Splits: 10:49, 11:02, 11:34, 9:45, 10:36, 10:38, 11:21, 9:50, 9:48, 10:51.
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