Welcome, Spring!

Say hello to our newest family member, christened Eugene by Daughter #2.  Mr. Fix built him out of scraps in the classroom/shop and brought him home just in time for the long holiday weekend.  Close up? Sure:

I think he needs a propeller on top of his hat, and perhaps even a bowl filled with birdseed on his tray.  Mr. Fix isn't keen on that, as he thinks the birdseed would spray all over the actual garden and sprout unwanted plants.  I think we'll add the propeller, at least.

May is almost over, and somehow I got talked into running another marathon- Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN.  I've run it once before, and I remember it was hot and humid, and I had to endure a tour of an ore boat in Duluth's harbor with my family.  I hate boats.  

Yesterday, however, brought another sure sign of Spring in these parts:  my Run & Brunch event.  Me and my running pals ran a local 5K/10K race (PR day for me- 26:21! Woo hoo!), then headed over to my home for a delicious (if I do say so myself) spread that included Mom's Famous Italian Beef, Jet Potatoes, and a Sausage & Apple Frittata.  It was really a lovely way to kick off a holiday weekend. I have the coolest friends.

And so, in the spirit of generosity, I will post the recipe for Mom's Famous Italian Beef.  Enjoy!

Mom's Famous Italian Beef

You need a crock pot that can hold a rolled beef roast, about 4-5 pounds.  I used a roast plus some boneless "country style" beef ribs.  Put the meat in the crock pot.  Add to this:  1-1/2 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. basil, about 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, some fresh ground black pepper (maybe 1 tsp. or so), 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 package Italian Dressing Mix (the dry stuff), 1 package onion soup mix (again, the dry stuff), 1/4 c. vinegar, and 3/4 c. water.  I also added a package of fresh sliced mushrooms, just to be different.  Put the crock pot on "high" and leave it alone for 6 hours.  Turn it to "low" and leave it alone for another 2 hours.  Take the roast out of the crock pot and shred it up with a fork.  This will be supremely easy to do, as the meat will literally fall apart as you try to take it out of the pot.  Put the shredded meat back in the crock pot with the juicy goodness and serve warm on rolls (I used mini kaiser rolls) with an assortment of condiments, like dijon mustard, horseradish, and good ol' ketchup.

Yes, you only add one cup of liquid total.  Trust me, it works.  Have a great weekend!

Another Medal for the Collection

Now, that's what I call room service!  That's the stash of food stuffs we had in our hotel room last weekend in Cincinnati.  Ah, yes, the Flying Pig Marathon 2009 edition is now history.  It was incredibly challenging and not at all for beginners.  I was slowed by about one minute per mile, finishing in 4:52 (11:10/mile).  I trained for 10 min./mile.  Did you know about all the hills in southern Ohio? Me, neither.  

When stuff like this happens- when I'm prepared for things to go one way, and they end up going another- I try to focus on the positive.  Its difficult sometimes, especially when so much work has been invested.  So my goal is always to remember that you cannot change the past; you cannot change what has already happened.  All you can do is learn something from it, and move on.  Evolve.  

Mantra:  Any day I can run 26.2 miles is a Good Day.

Mantra:  This is what we do.

Mantra:  It can't be changed; move on.

I guess these mantras are my own little prayers, in a way.  Meditations, affirmations, whatever.  They make me regain my focus and answer the questions:  What do I want? How will I get it? Who else is involved? They work for me.  

This past week has been one of not running (weird), but running assessments of elementary students at work.  May is such a jam-packed month in the education world, and seeing how I'm in that world (and my husband, too), May is one of my least favorite months.  I really cannot wait until its over.  Three weeks until school is done ( but my daughters are in until the second week of June), and then about a one-week reprieve until my summer programming begins.  Ah, summer! Maybe we'll see warm temperatures soon?  I can only hope.

One last mantra:  The miracle isn't that I finished; the miracle is that I had the courage to start. (John "The Penguin" Bingham)

Have a great week!

Wait a Second...

...are those different flavors of Razzles? The delicious treat that is first a candy, then a gum? Yes, it is.  From the top:  a cute card from Katie, Original Razzles, Tropical Razzles, and Sour Razzles.

For those of you not in the know, I am a Connoisseur of all things Candy.  I'm not talking chocolate here (ick, no!); I'm talking sugary, childish goodness.  Blow Pops.  Lick-A-Stick.  Bottle Caps.  Chewy Runts.  Skittles (side note:  I have tried every flavor of Skittle out there, from spearmint & peppermint, to smoothie, to the "Carnival" variety).  The quintessential "kid in the candy store?"  Its me.

I've always loved candy, and I have a mouth full of expensive dental work to prove it.  I had the opportunity to meet up with an old friend this week while I was in Chicago, and our conversation turned to the horrible things we eat and then shrug off because of our exercise habits (he, too, is a marathoner/triathlete).  We should really stop eating things just because their ingestion can be justified by what others deem "unnecessarily extreme" exercise routines.  Or should we?  

99% of the time, I am a wonderfully healthy eater.  No meat, no poultry.  Whole grains.  Tons of fresh fruit & veggies.  Low dairy intake.  Occasional alcohol, occasional soda.  And then someone will throw me a wrench, like...Christmas Eve, when I'm obligated to make Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Who in their right mind would NOT eat this? "I'll get up and run tomorrow...maybe 5 miles..." and down the hatch it goes.

Is this a type of eating disorder? Dunno.  But I do know that if I didn't know my body needed food to function properly, I wouldn't eat half as much as I do.  I've never been a big eater, and really, I can't be bothered so much to stop and nourish myself.  I'm one of those people who is just waiting for the day when all of our daily nutrients can be ingested in pill form, or better yet, in a stick of gum, Willy Wonka-style:  roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy...and blueberry cobbler! Just call me Violet Beauregard!

Other news? T-11 days and counting until race day in Cincinnati.  Just got back from a great conference in Chicago with my Summer staff, and totally enjoyed the city.  I miss Chicago so much, especially when the weather is so fantastic (74 degrees when we left on Friday!).  Plus, I got to reconnect with some high school friends- such fun!  20 year reunion coming up in July (!!!), so I'll definitely have more to write about.  In the mean time, have a great week!

Renovation Update: The Kitchen Years

Yes, a renovation update, but first a distraction:  how many pieces of chocolate do you think are in this container? This was the "Guess How Many?" prize for my work's Easter (f$31**#) Potluck- an event I both love and loathe.  Guess the amount correctly and you get the bucket o' candy (not really YOU, but someone at the Potluck).  

Below you will see the rough version of my new island as you look out the back door.  That is a prep sink on the near end (no faucet yet), and my collection of cookie cutters on the far end (they still haven't found a home in the new cabinets...).  Under the sink on the right side will be an access door for the plumbing.  On the left side of the island will be two pull-out door/drawers for garbage/recycling and compost (or bins for things like potatoes and rice, which we buy in bulk).  The counter top will again be the fantastic concrete we have on the other bank of cabinets.

In this next pic you can see almost the entire kitchen from the view point of the front room of the house.  The last of the old cabinets were demolished this weekend by Mr. Fix and myself, and then Mr. Fix took them and released the toxicity of cheap old cabinets into the ozone with a burn pile.  OSB and other pressed "wood" products burn fast and hot, I'm told.

Its going to be the one year anniversary of our kitchen renovation soon; it seems waaaayyy longer than that! Our last bits to get done are: 1) faucet and counter top for the island; 2) install light fixture above the island; 3) crown molding on tall bank of cabinets; 4) tile back splash.  

It is this last item we're waffling on a bit.  Our original thought was "white ceramic subway tiles."  Then I fell IN LOVE with some white glass subway tiles.  Swanky, right? And just plain beautiful.  Now, we're wondering if our first choice was better? More economical, for sure, but what about longevity? Will the glass make our kitchen look dated in 10 years?

And then there's the whole other saga of the bar stool I absolutely fell in love with from DWR .  Oh, the industrial beauties would be so super perfect for our space! Take a look for yourself here .  Yes, in the yellow. No, I can't afford them.  No, not even if they're on sale.  *sigh*

Other news?  Less than three weeks out from my Spring marathon .  I'm so ready for this one.  My training has been solid and I feel strong.  This week, though, I'll be in Chicago- Yay, Chicago!- for a conference on summer learning.  I know, the excitement never ends.  But this is a conference I've attended in the past, and it is fabulous and useful and not at all a chore to attend.  Plus, the Cubs are in town, so if I can't be found at one of my afternoon sessions, and return the next morning at breakfast whistling "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," well...

Have a great week! (PS- the correct number was 527.)

Bringing Spring Indoors

March 22nd- this is about two days after Mr. Fix brought the forsythia branches inside.

March 26th- yellow and green starting to open up.

March 31st- lovely yellow blooms to stare at while I sip my coffee.  

Close up of the blooms.  I figured I should bring that sunshine to myself, since it is evading this part of the country and really putting a damper on my overall mood.  I haven't even been wanting to run or go outside or anything.  This week is Spring Break for my husband and kids.  I still have to work, and let me tell you, the crappy weather is helping make going in to work tolerable.  

What else? Well, Mr. Fix just went to the lumber yard to pick up supplies for the island portion of the Never-Ending Kitchen Renovation.  Only 5 weeks until the marathon, and I'm dragging my feet on booking a flight.  So far the best price is $300 round trip, and I'm thinking that come payday, I'll have to cave and purchase before they're gone.  But seriously, how many people are really itching to go to Cincinnati? And will I ever be able to say/write/think about "Cincinnati" without singing the theme song to "WKRP in Cincinnati?"  Probably not.

Baby, you and me were never meant to be.  Just maybe think of me once in awhile.  I meant W-K-R-P in Cincin-aaaa-tiii.....

Cold No More

The photo above shows my windbreaker turned inside-out after my last long run before getting sick.  It is shiny and the wetness is my sweat, which froze & turned into ice & stayed trapped inside the jacket until I peeled it off.  Then it began to melt and drip all over the floor.  Kinda gross, I know, but it was only like 10 degrees outside that day and I was layered up beyond belief.  

Today was a different story.  I ran in capris with only a long sleeved technical tee and a vest.  It was sunny and warmer than it has been (about 39 degrees today), and I was able to use the entire running/biking path through the park now that the snow mountains are melting away.  It was lovely and energizing and all of the good things about running.  Plus, my run was fast today:  I was supposed to run at race pace (about 10 minutes/mile), but ended up running way faster than that- 9:15 min./mile.  Like I posted on facebook , "My training is paying dividends!"

Adding to my sense of accomplishment today? Daughter #1 asked when we could take the growing pile of stuff in the upstairs hallway to Goodwill.  I said I'd help her load it in the car & she could take it today.  Her willingness to help (and her shared affliction of Clean Disease) spurred me to further purge my closet, my husband's clothing, and my accessories collection.  Is there anything so satisfying as getting rid of clutter? I think not.

So, now that my computer is updated, my run is complete, my mother-in-law provided leftovers galore for dinner, and the last load of laundry is in the washing machine, it is time to enjoy the last few hours of the weekend.  Here's to a great week!

WTF?

A bit of a rant, so bear with me.

I'm frustrated once again (and always, it seems) with the behavior of men. Not men in general, but the men in my life, both intimately and peripherally. I am confused as to why they behave in a way that makes them seem like their personal growth stunted at age 15 or 16. Why the perpetual adolesence? Is it something done in response to something women do? Their parents? Their siblings, cousins, friends?

I want to believe that men are capable of rising above fart jokes and petty arguments in favor of intelligent conversation and responsible actions. I want to believe that when I say to them, "I need you to do X, Y, and Z" that they will actually do X, Y, and Z. I want to relate to someone- not a female friend- who knows me well enough to anticipate my wants and needs and act on those rather than looking past those in favor of...more fart jokes.

During my bartending years, a regular of mine told me that men don't grow up until they hit age 45 (and he knew what he was talking about, I'm pretty sure). Look, I'm 37, and I think waiting another 8 years is a ridiculous thing to ask of me.

So, thank you dear friends for bearing with me. A good rant is, as my Martha says, "a Good Thing." The weekend is only two days away...