The Rain:
Monday: Gym was closed and I was still recovering from Saturday long run and two-hour Sunday spin. I was therefore not up for either, so I slept in. No workout. This meant I could skip no other workouts this week.
Tuesday: Rain. Did a 40-minute spin in studio.
Wednesday: Rain. Did a 45-minute spin in studio.
Wednesday Afternoon: Got email from university rec center informing me they would reopen at noon on Thursday. I work out in the mornings. Grrr. I made arrangements with my boss to work 7-4 on Thursday so I could go to the gym after work.
Thursday: Got out of the office at 4:15. Rain and thunder. Went home and changed into workout gear. More rain, more thunder. Rec center is half a mile away by shortest route and I don’t buy a parking tag any more. I picked a pair of shoes to sacrifice and put another pair in a plastic bag along with a pair of dry socks and walked to the gym. Arrived with very squishy shoes just as lightning began and rain turned into wind-whipped horizontal deluge. After 20 minutes on the elliptical, the rain was letting up. After 20 minutes running on the indoor track, it was raining again. Back into wet shoes for the walk home. Squish. Arrived home wet but triumphant.
The Rabbit:
Bunny decided to tip over the wastebasket and lie down in the trash. It was clean paper trash, but still…
After I cleaned up the mess and got back on the computer, he got quiet. Too quiet, like a little kid. I turned around and discovered he had found a way onto the day bed and was romping around. Dan came in and supervised until the bunny decided the bed wasn’t as interesting as it looked and jumped down.
Bunny decided he wanted some hay but the kind in his box wasn’t acceptable and the perfect piece of hay was, in fact, underneath his cage somewhere and he was going to dig for it until he got it. I went and got him some more of his favorite hay so I could read in peace.
Now he’s rummaging in the desk cubbyhole where I keep checks and envelopes. I have no idea what he intends to buy, but unless it’s new rain gear for me, I’m putting a stop to this nonsense.
I made more of those oatmeal cookies tonight. Comfort food.
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Cookie Monster
I made a batch of these oatmeal cookies last night. They are now nearly all gone.
I'm going to blame the rabbit. Who's with me?
I'm going to blame the rabbit. Who's with me?
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday Run Report
I decided to be adventurous today and run the Brays Bayou trail from my home to Hillcroft, which is 10.6 miles and roughly halfway to my parents’ house on the west side of town.
It was cool when I started out, but very humid. It’s a strange feeling to be covered in sweat yet not hot, but that’s Houston for you. Although most of the Brays Bayou trail is unshaded, this isn’t a problem in the early morning when the low angle of the sun and the fact that much of the trail in the Med Center is below street level work in one’s favor, creating shade. There were a lot of cyclists on the trail and a number of runners and dog-walkers in certain popular sections, so I felt safe even though once I was past Buffalo Speedway I was in unfamiliar territory and wasn’t sure how safe the trail would be to my turnaround point.
Some stretches of the trail have water fountains at well-spaced intervals, but there were places where you could easily run several miles without finding water, so it’s a good thing to always take some along. Here’s the most unusual water fountain I saw today.
By the time I reached my turnaround, the sun was fully out and I had begun to realize that running a straight out and back route of this length presented some psychological challenges. The route as a whole was no longer than most of my Saturday morning runs, but running looped routes close to home puts you in a very different mental space from being more than ten miles from home with only your own feet to get you back. And did I mention it was very hot out by now?
I spent much of the way back fighting my own brain, which was at least a distraction from the heat. Once I got to the Med Center I was in need of some cold water, not the outdoor water fountains which run cool at best and are often hot in the summer. I went up to street level and went into the nearest medical facility, figuring they’re in the business of caring for people so of course they’ll let me use a water fountain. Not only that, but the very kind folks at Texas Orthopedic offered me a cup of ice in their lunch room. Maybe I looked pathetic. I hope not.
Refreshed, I finished my run with no difficulties and was greeted by my lovely Tid when I got home. Sure, I was hot and stinky and my calves wanted to cramp up, but when someone like this runs out into the hall to say hello, you just have to take a minute for an ear rub, right?
I’m making carrot cookies tonight. Dan and I decided that we like the way they came out last weekend when I doubled the recipe and made it moister by adding applesauce. The end result is actually more like carrot blondies than carrot cookies, so maybe that’s what I should call them.
It was cool when I started out, but very humid. It’s a strange feeling to be covered in sweat yet not hot, but that’s Houston for you. Although most of the Brays Bayou trail is unshaded, this isn’t a problem in the early morning when the low angle of the sun and the fact that much of the trail in the Med Center is below street level work in one’s favor, creating shade. There were a lot of cyclists on the trail and a number of runners and dog-walkers in certain popular sections, so I felt safe even though once I was past Buffalo Speedway I was in unfamiliar territory and wasn’t sure how safe the trail would be to my turnaround point.
Some stretches of the trail have water fountains at well-spaced intervals, but there were places where you could easily run several miles without finding water, so it’s a good thing to always take some along. Here’s the most unusual water fountain I saw today.
By the time I reached my turnaround, the sun was fully out and I had begun to realize that running a straight out and back route of this length presented some psychological challenges. The route as a whole was no longer than most of my Saturday morning runs, but running looped routes close to home puts you in a very different mental space from being more than ten miles from home with only your own feet to get you back. And did I mention it was very hot out by now?
I spent much of the way back fighting my own brain, which was at least a distraction from the heat. Once I got to the Med Center I was in need of some cold water, not the outdoor water fountains which run cool at best and are often hot in the summer. I went up to street level and went into the nearest medical facility, figuring they’re in the business of caring for people so of course they’ll let me use a water fountain. Not only that, but the very kind folks at Texas Orthopedic offered me a cup of ice in their lunch room. Maybe I looked pathetic. I hope not.
Refreshed, I finished my run with no difficulties and was greeted by my lovely Tid when I got home. Sure, I was hot and stinky and my calves wanted to cramp up, but when someone like this runs out into the hall to say hello, you just have to take a minute for an ear rub, right?
I’m making carrot cookies tonight. Dan and I decided that we like the way they came out last weekend when I doubled the recipe and made it moister by adding applesauce. The end result is actually more like carrot blondies than carrot cookies, so maybe that’s what I should call them.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Work, Running, and Cookies!
I’m enjoying the new job, although projects seem to be piling up at a rapid rate. I feel like I should be able to get through them faster, but I still spend a lot of time hunting around the computer files for the right templates, the right databases, the right reports, etc. It’s the sort of problem that will resolve itself in another few weeks, but in the meantime I keep having to remind myself that it’s okay to be slow. I’ve spent 2.5 of my first 10 days in training and conferences, so I need to back off some of my expectations for myself.
In general though, the work is pleasant and straightforward. I’m nobody’s boss, but I do make decisions and have a lot of autonomy. And I get to go home for lunch! I wouldn’t have thought it would be such a big factor in my personal happiness, but it is. I can eat, get caught up on housework, play around on the computer, or even take a nap. There's no putting a price tag on something like that.
I’m going to have to do some schedule-juggling with regard to my workouts, and I’m still debating the best way to do this. I might experiment with working 8:30-5:30 on some days so I can do a longer workout in the morning. One thing is for sure—I’m sleeping more and feel a lot more rested, now that I don’t spend most of my home time working, leaving me to cram all my “me” time into the hours after midnight. I’m getting too old for that!
Today’s long run was a fun one. I explored the Brays Bayou trail a little farther, enjoying the fish and waterfowl along the way and making mental notes about safety and the availability of water and restrooms. I feel pretty good about this new route and will go farther next week to see where it takes me. I had a strong run overall and felt pretty good, except for my hip bothering me in the last few miles. So annoying.
At Dan’s request, I baked some carrot cookies tonight. I’ve had problems with this recipe being dry in the past, but tonight I added applesauce at the end, blending it in until the cookie dough was no longer crumbly. Also, I doubled the recipe and cooked it in a 9 x 13 pan. The end result was a thicker cookie that held together much better, although I still could’ve made it a little more moist. I’ve got plenty of carrots, so I’ll try again soon.
Finally, Tidbit wishes good luck to all the racers at Ironman Coeur d’Alene tomorrow. You can do it!
Recent Workouts:
Monday: 30 minute elliptical
Tuesday: 4.5 mile run
Wednesday: 40 minute spin
Thursday: 30 minute elliptical
Friday: scheduled rest day
Saturday: 20 mile run
In general though, the work is pleasant and straightforward. I’m nobody’s boss, but I do make decisions and have a lot of autonomy. And I get to go home for lunch! I wouldn’t have thought it would be such a big factor in my personal happiness, but it is. I can eat, get caught up on housework, play around on the computer, or even take a nap. There's no putting a price tag on something like that.
I’m going to have to do some schedule-juggling with regard to my workouts, and I’m still debating the best way to do this. I might experiment with working 8:30-5:30 on some days so I can do a longer workout in the morning. One thing is for sure—I’m sleeping more and feel a lot more rested, now that I don’t spend most of my home time working, leaving me to cram all my “me” time into the hours after midnight. I’m getting too old for that!
Today’s long run was a fun one. I explored the Brays Bayou trail a little farther, enjoying the fish and waterfowl along the way and making mental notes about safety and the availability of water and restrooms. I feel pretty good about this new route and will go farther next week to see where it takes me. I had a strong run overall and felt pretty good, except for my hip bothering me in the last few miles. So annoying.
At Dan’s request, I baked some carrot cookies tonight. I’ve had problems with this recipe being dry in the past, but tonight I added applesauce at the end, blending it in until the cookie dough was no longer crumbly. Also, I doubled the recipe and cooked it in a 9 x 13 pan. The end result was a thicker cookie that held together much better, although I still could’ve made it a little more moist. I’ve got plenty of carrots, so I’ll try again soon.
Finally, Tidbit wishes good luck to all the racers at Ironman Coeur d’Alene tomorrow. You can do it!
Recent Workouts:
Monday: 30 minute elliptical
Tuesday: 4.5 mile run
Wednesday: 40 minute spin
Thursday: 30 minute elliptical
Friday: scheduled rest day
Saturday: 20 mile run
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