Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sucking The Fun Out of Life!

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately. So as you know I've been experiencing some abdominal pain. Had a bunch of tests and am now waiting for some news from my doctor.

Though the meds are helping the burn I still feel pain and have had to watch what I'm eating and drinking in a fashion that it makes food blogging a real stink.

I no longer desire to take pictures of my dishes. I feel like I'm living on pablum. I can only stomach half a cup of coffee in the morning and I'm down to maybe one or two cups of tea a day.

So besides just trying to work on the leg injury by going to the gym on a steady basis and trying to keep my spirits up there hasn't been a whole lot shaking here. It just seems as if I've gone one mile past my warranty and now everything is breaking down. Damn, I'm not even making it to my 40th birthday before the repairs are necessary *snort*

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Oh Crap!

So about two weeks ago I started noticing a burning in my stomach that radiated out over the top of my abdomen. I'm no stranger to reflux and heartburn either. Zantac didn't work on it. Eating Tums/Rolaids was tantamount to trying to spit out a forest fire out.

Refraining from drinking "extra" coffee has been implemented. Scaled back on my tea too which I thought was impossible. I am on a different type of antacid and the burn is gone but the bloat and cramps are still present. I'm assuming it's an ulcer. Crap crap crap crap. That's an old person problem *giggle*. Though if it's possible it seems to run in our family.

Been poked and prodded and now am waiting for the doctor's best guess. Of course, what are the things I'm craving most. Yep, you've got it. Beer, coffee, tea, lemon, oranges, pineapple, tomato sauce, Mexican foods! Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I can't run and now I can't eat. Please just shoot me and get me out of my misery already!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Experiments.....

Nice morning. Did something different for a change. Decided to eat breakfast before I even allowed myself a sip of coffee. Seems that I've been having a bit of a problem what with all the coffee drinking lately. That burning nauseous sensation is gastritis. If I'm not careful I'll wind up like my father (not that I'll have a deep hate for all things Mexican) but rather I'll wind up with ulcers and chronic heartburn/reflux. Ha ok, I'm not too bitter *gahhh*

So with that I decided that perhaps a little healthy yogurt might help reset the balance. I'll pick something else up during the week from Feel Good Naturals but for today it helped. I ate it all and it wasn't even difficult. Normally, I'm not a breakfast person but this was pretty good. Will stick with this for a bit.
Half cup plain organic yogurt with a mixture of granola and Kashi and hemp hearts. Blackberries and strawberries and a teaspoon of honey. Slurped my coffee with some trepidation. Then after I had procrastinated for about 40 minutes I got up and started getting us ready for the gym.

It was time that I try my hand at the stationary bike. I chose the recumbent one just to make sure that I wouldn't be putting pressure on a spot that would be tender. My injury had been bugging me through the weekend, though I'm not sure what caused that. But then I have no idea what caused it in the first place.

The gym wasn't terribly busy when I got there. I guess many of the newbies have given up. It's nice I like this time of year for the gym. No waiting for a machine. I get my favourite locker and the pool is empty.

I did 30 minutes on the bike doing random hills at a level 8. I chose that one because it was the right amount of resistance so that I wasn't peddling like a mad woman and I wasn't struggling to push the pedals down, ok until the tallest hill came up on the program. I told myself that it was OK because if I felt any twinge I'd dial down the resistance. Never felt the twinge. My one cheek though got an excellent workout. You can tell that my right side is weaker than my left. I spent the better part of that workout with my eyes closed doing some visualizations to keep me from going nuts with boredom. Seems that running has ruined me for cardio machines.

Once my fifteen minutes of pool running was up I changed and rounded up the guys who appeared to be having a pretty good time in the daycare. But it was lunch time so they were as eager to get home and get some lunch as I was. I forgot that today was meatless Monday. Oh well. Next week I hope to remember.

Ham on my multigrain with half fat mayo, tomatoes and broccoli sprouts. A pear which got shared with L. and a banana. I say I shared it but really I got one big bite then he absconded it. Little creep *giggle*

I spent part of the afternoon brainstorming what to make for Sick Kid's bake sale. Thought that perhaps I'd make some oatmeal raisin cookies and start the beginnings of a new recipe for multigrain bread, that wouldn't be taken to work to be sold. I've been sprouting quinoa but there is no way I'm going to be able to sell that to hubby as a food stuff so I thought that I'd make some bread with it. I am now told that he was mistaken about the date for the sale and that he would have needed to take the cookies to work with him tomorrow so I guess he will be showing up empty handed because he had originally told me he needed them for Wednesday Morning. Oh well. Maybe I'll make them for us anyway.

Dinner was a new recipe. I'm not entirely sold on it. I've been trying to move us toward eating less and less meat so I'm not surprised that this migration wouldn't require us to "get used to it".
I didn't follow her recipe very faithfully but this is where I got the idea and ok I swiped the picture. source

The review: it tasted every bit like the usual meat sauce that I make except with a lot less turkey sausage and a grittiness from the lentils. Am I a fan. No but I can see this sauce having its uses. I froze the leftovers and will make some lasagna with it once I add in more marinara sauce. It was very thick. L. loved it. He ate almost everything on his plate and I had over filled his plate a little. What can I say, he's a good eater. No worries about that one.

Oh and...I am officially in search of a new bathing suit. I was looking at some pictures of me and the kids and found one of me in the swim suit I'm currently using for the gym. So ok, its my only bathing suit. Wow, no wonder that stupid thing is falling off of me. When I do my pool running the tankini portion of it floats up and it winds up being a bikini. Um not cool. The top is too loose and I'm always making sure that it's still in place before I get out of the pool. So this weekend I'll be scouting for a new one. OH JOY. This process still will not be fun but it's a little less painful than it was when I had to try that one on two years ago.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

So Tired. zzzzzz

Oh man, I have been so tired all day. Admittedly, I was up reading until around 12:30 last night. I've been trying to finish "Late Nights On The Air". It has been taking me weeks to read this book. Not because it isn't a good book. It is. It's just that I've been going to bed too late to really dig in and read enough to get through it.

It also didn't help that L. was up too early. It used to be that he'd play in his room (not always quietly) until I came to get him. Now he opens his door and shouts at us until we are up or he comes into our room and either jumps on the bed or stands at the head of the bed and shouts until I wake up. The worst part was that I had promised to make pancakes today but just couldn't get my eyes opened. I finally came downstairs at 8:30 but still dragging my butt.

It's really as if someone had taken a cork out of my heel and all the energy just leaked out. I didn't even have the motivation to make breakfast until I had finished my cup of coffee and my stomach started burning. I've been having stomach trouble for the last week. This burning, nauseous feeling. So no more coffee first in the morning. From now on I eat first then have some coffee. This was my meal today. I didn't really finish the fruit salad as the citrus seemed like a great idea before the burn. L. helped me with the oranges. A slice of my multigrain bread toasted with almond butter. Strawberries, red grapefruit and oranges. Once breakfast was finished (and I really didn't even finish the toast) I got dressed and rounded up the kids and took them to the store to finish off the grocery shopping.

They were actually pretty good for me while I was there. Sure they were noisy but they seemed to be entertaining themselves. Pushing them and the nearly full cart really is a workout. Once I got us and the groceries home and put away I made some lunch. I was so hungry and the Zantac that I took before I left the house had started to work so I snooped around for a fast easy lunch. I found one of my mushroom, brown rice, kale burgers and placed it on a whole wheat flat bun with swiss cheese, mustard, pickles and sunflower sprouts. Some strawberries and a delicious Fuji apple.I got nothing done after I had lunch. I put my feet up and pulled on my lap blanket and tried to shut my eyes but the boys were too wound up and were refusing to go into the backyard to play. After a period of hubby and I trying to snooze we gave up and he took them to the park. He's my hero. During that time I planned dinner and got some of the prep done while I drank a cup of Sencha.Dinner was smothered chicken in a lemon, olive rosemary sauce with carrots, onions and roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes. I still have yet to finish the clean up in the kitchen and once the dishwasher is done the dry cycle I'll go in and tackle the mess. Then I'll retreat upstairs with a cup of tea and finish the last chapter of that book. Once done it's lights out.

I've got a busy week ahead of me. Night all. Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Food Catch up

This is going to be a pretty long blog...sorry. I've got a lot of food blogging to catch up on.

So today was the day. Got up and got myself ready to go. I only had a chance to down a cup of coffee before we headed out so we hit Tim Hortons for another coffee and something to eat on our way into the Big Smoke. I got a plain bagel with cream cheese and ate half. Their bagels are way too big.

We got into the city and picked up the boys' computer at husband's office. Then headed down to Greek Town. By some sort of miracle Hubby found a parking spot in their micro-parking lot. Paid the meter and walked into Mecca. This place is small but holy cow! Thankfully the carts are really small too or I would have gone completely bizerk and stuffed everything into it. I wandered up all the food aisles. I didn't get a chance to see the grooming products aisle or the house hold cleaning products aisle. I had to work fast or the kids would become a bit of an issue.

Got to the cash register in record time for a grocery shop and get this....they bagged everything for me! They almost seemed shocked when I had dug in and started bagging my stuff. I guess they've never seen the Superstore Fugitives before *snort*

Here is the bounty of this pilgrimage. I'll be going into the city more often. Not as often as I would like (I'd go nearly weekly but really the price of gas totally prohibits that). Wow, what didn't I get? I tried to keep it to produce as that's what I really have trouble finding. This picture is deceptive as I tried to get everything into the shot but there are things buried under other things. I guess my photography skills are dismal.


Someone thought it was quite funny to put a little storm trooper in the kale. I'll let you guess who that person might have been (hint: Think hubby *snicker*)

We had lunch at Wimpy's. Now I know this was a less than healthy choice but sometimes a girl has to live. I got a BLT on Rye with a bottle of water so it wasn't so tragic. I did however watch E. the non-eater polish off an order of pancakes then motor through his brother's grilled cheese sandwich. Talk about a mystifying meal!

Got home and unpacked the bounty and tried my best to fit it all into the fridge. I had taken some scallops out the night before but they were still frozen come dinner time (boo hoo hoo) so Hubby treated me to sushi (the steak bento at Villa Sushi is unreal but way too much food for one person!). So tonight those scallops needed to be made. I looked over what I had available and came up with this:Seared Scallops on a bed of living lettuce (oak leaf, deer tongue, baby romaine, Italian parsley, basil, sunflower sprouts, broccoli sprouts) with red grapefruit and roasted root vegetables (turnips, beets, carrots, potatoes) tossed with a citrus ginger dressing. Not too shabby. I even got hubby to eat a beet. Ok so he did protest after. Score one for him.

I'm afraid that I've managed to do something to tweek the injury. I've noticed today that I'm a little tender so I'm going to take it easy tonight. I had planned to do some yoga but it might aggravate it more. Stupid injury.

Ok so here are the meals that I haven't blogged this week. Not every meal got documented but these are some of the meals from Thursday through Friday.
Thursday's breakfast: oats with almond milk, dates, almonds, hemp hearts and honey. An orange and banana.
Chicken salad with pear and celery on my multigrain bread with an orange.
Seared steak on lemon, kale and mushroom brown rice risotto (with the ends of the kids' corn nibblets, didn't have the heart to waste them so I stuck them on my plate).Friday's breakfast was a slice of my multigrain bread with a tablespoon of almond butter with banana and strawberry slices (vat of coffee not shown)
Lunch was a slice of my multigrain bread with tuna salad (mayo, yogurt, hemp seed, celery and onion) with some light cheddar.
Afternoon snack of pineapple, strawberries and banana.

No picture of the Bento but trust me it was fabulous and way too much food. From now on we'll be splitting it and ordering a side of rolls.

Pheww...told you it would be a long blog. If anyone got to the end, thanks for hanging in there with me.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

A Hand Up

I have a friend that never fails to up lift me. For the last day or two I've been feeling like a dirt devil. Spinning in this big frenzy and throwing my energy in every direction and getting nothing accomplished. My nerves frayed and the chattering in my head at a deafening pitch. I decided I needed a Yoga class. If anything than to just get out of the house. Since my injury my social life has dried up and died. I've really missed my girlfriends.

I got to the studio early. Chatted with Frank about his running injuries. About our mutual sports doc. What sports we are playing with while on the road to recovery. How silly I look running the length of the pool for hours on end. Then like a breeze Sheree floats into the studio fresh from a trail run with the Brooklin Run Club looking every bit relaxed and energized. She always has this great Aura.

In the class we did some great twists and folds. Totally relaxed. I love that Sheree chats during her practice. I was heard to make snorting sounds a few times as I tried to cover up laughter or squelch a quip that was fighting to get out. There were other ladies in the room and since my sense of humor always gets me in trouble, it's best to just remain quiet (yes that is a struggle for me). I was so relaxed by the end of the hour that I was pretty sure I had actually drifted off.

I was so happy when Sheree suggested a coffee after the class. We sat and laughed and confessed for a few hours. There is something very therapeutic in these coffee dates what used to be our long runs. I always come away with a renewed excitement for the future.

I'm blessed with fabulous friends. I am a very grateful girl.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

The Good. The Disappointing and The Plan

OK, so this is the good news. The Good Doctor has told me today that next week I can start running again. Not anywhere to the extent that I used too but I can start back! I'm thrilled. I don't care if its only to the top of the street and back, I'll still be RUNNING!!

I got a compliment (I think it was a compliment). Dr. Poray said that he liked treating me because each time I come in I say or do something that makes him laugh. It could be because I was face down on the table and he was massaging my calves with the stuff that is the best shit in the world. Aspirin/Ben-Gay. I thought I was going to die. I was punching the head rest, gripping the side of the table with white knuckles and oscillating between fits of laughter and quiet screaming. Yeah I figure that makes me a fun patient *grin*

The disappointing thing that happened today is that I got my organics bin and I don't know what planet this person lives on. But that bin is not filled with $60 worth of produce. So I've written to the owner of the company and told her that she can come pick up her bin and reimburse me my deposit. The value simply is not there.

So on to the plan. I will now be driving in to Toronto every second Friday to pick hubby up and driving up two blocks to the only Whole Foods in the area. I'll get the staples of my produce there and hey if I can get dinner out of the deal than all the better!

I'm actually excited about this. I've been looking for certain products and produce items that simply cannot be found in the Durham Region. Kombu! I want Kombu! I've searched everywhere! I also wonder that the prices would ultimately be lower buying it there then around here. We're going to start this Friday. Sad though, I was really hoping that DO could turn it around.

Ok so here is the dish on what was consumed today: Breakfast was late. A bowl of puffins, banana and hemp hearts in 1% milk, with my usual vat of coffee. Lunch was a leftover venison burger on an Ezekiel Bun with low fat swiss cheese, dijon mustard and a handful of kettle brand yogurt-green onion chips. Lots of Sencha tea. I'm trying to get 5 cups in a day to get all the benefits. I spent a lot more effort on dinner.Steamed carrots, celery, yellow bell pepper and onion in ginger chicken broth with soba noodles and egg. Even the kids loved this dish. Odd, I thought that doing these noodles in a stir fry was their preferred way to eat them but I stand corrected. Good because I don't like them that way.

Ok I'm off to do some work, work that I've been putting off for a few days. I also want to get some Moon Salutations in. My calves need the stretching.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Weekend Recap

This is the food blog for the weekend. This lovely pic just says it all. I love this time of year. The farmer's markets are due to open come the end of this month. *bliss* I've started up with Durham Organics and although my first foray with their service left me a little speechless, I'm actually looking forward to giving it another try. This week I've been very busy trying to use up all the goodies that came in the bin. I love the mystery of it because I have very little control over what shows up on my doorstep.

This week I've been making some very inventive dishes and have a few more planned entrees up my sleeve for the week. Here are just a few of the dishes I made this week.Saturday's breakfast. Two perfectly soft poached eggs on a slice of my multigrain toast. A lovely organic red grapefruit. Chased it back with a gorgeous cup of coffee.I slaved in the kitchen for about 30 minutes with this lovely bowl of vegan organic sweet potato/Yukon potato soup. I sprinkled hot sauce and cilantro. Afternoon snack. Baby carrots, homemade spicy hummus and a beautiful organic red plum which my son bogarted. I didn't even get a bite.
Leftover homemade pizza with the other half of a organic red pear that I had set aside for myself. Man L. has a hollow leg. Not that I mind at all. I'm happy at least one of my kids likes to eat and eats well.
This was my breakfast this morning. With another lovely cup of coffee. My day started on the right foot but deteriorated once I got to the movie theater and helped E. eat a large bag of popcorn (sans that grease they pass off as butter). A few peanut M&Ms and part of a diet coke. Then I ate a small bag of McD's french fries that the boys didn't want. Then I ate nothing until dinner time.Dinner was a Venison burger on an Ezekiel bun. Sooo good. After eating very little meat this weekend it was nice to sink my fangs into bambi. Zucchini fries. I had to make use of the last two organic zucchinis in the fridge. Now I'm not a fan of zucchini but this was a pretty good way to use them up. I warmed up a little marinara sauce and some ranch dressing. Even hubby ate a good portion of them. AMAZING I KNOW!

Did I mention that I took E. to his very first movie today. We had been holding off on taking him because I never thought he'd sit still for a film much before this. Also he is pretty sensitive about certain things and I had heard this would be the perfect movie for the experiment. I did choose not to take him to the 3D version (fire flying out at a 5 year-old new to the experience might have been too much).

I was so proud of him. I'm so excited that I can take him to movies now. He really is blooming and it makes me giddy. We plan to take L. to the next Shrek movie. I hope that he sits as nicely as E. did. I do have to admit that I love movie popcorn!

All-in-all a most fabulous weekend. It was actually pretty damn perfect (ok would have rocked if I could be out running but that will come in time). I'd take this weekend any time!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Some days are just....

fabulous. Nothing much happened today but it was just a really nice day. I was coming back from getting some odds and ends of groceries and I was just feeling really happy. Just because and that's the best kind :)

That's all. I'm going to go and give myself a pedicure now. Hope all of you out there in cyber-land are feeling as cheerful as I am.

*bliss*

Friday, April 9, 2010

Friday not much different than Monday

Yep this kinda says it all. Another blah day and now not only is it cold but it's actually snowing. Blarg!

Another day of physio on the injury. It is starting to hurt less and less but then my muscles in my legs were still screaming at me for the pool workout. I'm not sure I could have processed more pain on top of that.

I didn't get the chance to have breakfast (yeah take one step ahead and then take another back :P) I did enjoy a large mid morning snack. Homemade spicy hummus with carrots. A beautiful red pear and a lovely orange. Of course Mr. L. helped me with some of those goodies. I also treated myself to a Tim's on the way home because I knew the coffee pot would be cold by the time we got home.Lunch was a bowl of the leftover pasta sans shrimp from last night. Even this got shared but that. A couple of cups of Sencha followed. It felt like the better part of the day was spent following after the boys, picking up after them. Man too many days without being able to escape outside gets these kids going like little tornadoes.I had a fun time making pizza for dinner. Again another day where I forgot to take something out of the freezer to grill. So staring into the fridge/pantry and cupboards. I had cheese, tomato sauce, turkey bacon and sundry vegetables. Working frantically through the recipe cards. Pizza!Oh I miss running. I've been reading about the club's trail running and got to see the pictures from the Philly's Fool Race (that I wouldn't have attended despite the injury because it fell on Easter Sunday...Religious Holidays are off limits for me) but seeing all this has made me so envious and frustrated. The good thing is that at least I'm channeling that into getting better rather duck-diving into the kid's chocolate stash.

Making a plan A.2 It's going to include more yoga, some modified workouts sans impact. I can do some light cycling...well with hardly any resistance but at least it would still get my heart rate up and I don't want to lose my cardio. More pool running and a lot more swimming laps. So that means going to the gym at least 4 times a week and doing some work here at home.

Eating as healthy as possible. Lots of Omegas and antioxidants. Then working on my spirit. To keep from feeling frustrated I'm going to journal more. Do more esteem exercises. Work on my accomplishments list (thanks Misty that was an awesome blog). Work on setting new goals, beyond running.

Always looking for the silver lining.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Go Away!

Ok so I'm not a fan of back-to-back rainy days. It's pretty hearing the rain when you can stay in your bed but having to get up and know that I'd be dealing with two bored restless boys didn't exactly motivate me.

Out of bed with the kids herded like cats downstairs I served up breakfast. This is the first day in about a year where I was actually hungry upon waking. I poured a bowl of puffins/kashi/hemp hearts mix for breakfast and gobbled it back before even sipping my coffee. I'm rather proud of myself.

Neither boy wanted to take a walk with me in the rain so I hauled out a stash of toys that would make TRU envious. Then rented the Ice Age movies. Yep all three of them! Don't ask me what they are about. I think I glazed over within the first ten minutes. Holy cow are rainy days boring! I guess I've gotten used to the park escapes.

Lunch was served picnic style along with a huge bowl of air popped popcorn for the kids to munch while they got their movie marathon. I whipped up the leftovers from last night's dinner. Salmon Croquettes, roasted lemon sweet pots/pots and green salad w/garlic yogurt dressing. I cleaned and hulled a pint of strawberries and had to arm wrestle a few away from L. What a monkey!Around 3 o'clock I absolutely had to brew up a pot of coffee. I really contemplated getting us all rounded up and in the car to pick up a coffee from Tims but decided it was a ridiculous notion to buy coffee when I could make it. I managed pretty well. It was palatable. Odd I can make a souffle with my eyes closed but making a pot of coffee is challenging. I can never remember the formula hubby uses.

Once husband was home from work he and the boys took off for Karate leaving me at home in peace for over an hour. During that time I got two loads of wash done, stared into the fridge for five minutes while thumbing through the mental recipe cards in my head trying to figure out the optimum use for all my new produce and pair it with a protein. This is what I came up with.
Kamut linguine with shrimp, kale, zucchini, mushrooms, onions and peppers in a white wine sauce. A total hit. I enjoyed being able to create this dish without having to pause to pour juice or help make a play doh character.

I need more ideas for zucchini. My bin had a few beautiful zucchinis in it and though I'm not a big fan of this Italian squash I am pushing myself to become better acquainted with it. Eating the rainbow...very important! I could hide them in muffins but I'd rather let them be the star rather than be cloaked. Hmmm thumbing through those recipe cards again. I think Ratatouille would be fabulous.

On another note. My calves have been screaming all day. I guess the pool workout was a total success. I'll pack up my gym bag tonight before bed and do that workout again after the physio appointment tomorrow morning.

Well...that's the way it was for this day, April 8th, 2010.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Same old....

Today is definitely one of those days that are "ho-hum". I think it has to do with the lack luster weather. Grey, wet, windy. Yuck.

Started the day off with a stellar cup of coffee (thanks hubby). Made one of the worst smoothies ever. Spinach, strawberries, blackberries, almond milk and Vega infusion. Holy cow was it bad. I suspect it's the infusion stuff. Normally you can't taste the spinach in the smoothies but this tasted more like "greens". So I dropped in some Almond butter and a shot of honey and more water to thin it. Down the hatch it went. I'll research a better smoothie recipe for the infusion stuff. Until then I'll just use my usual protein stuff.

Then after some laptop procrastination I set the PVR to catch my favourite P.T. chickie on TV. Rounded up the kidlets and my now loose fitting tankini and headed out to the gym. Ran the length of the pool for 30 minutes. It was awkward and tough. I bet I looked silly. Oh well, what had to be done, had to be done. Next time I'll pack water socks. My feet are sore from rubbing against the pool floor so much.Got a Tims on the way home and after the boys were set up with lunch I warmed up the last slice of the mushroom quiche. I had made this quiche on Monday night. It was a meal in a pinch given that I had forgotten to take something out of the freezer and didn't feel like resorting to pasta. I have been finishing it off as lunch yesterday and today. I paired it with a plum, orange, carrots and celery (which begged for homemade hummus). Talk about awesome! (this is a picture of it yesterday)Dinner was Salmon Croquettes on a bed of greens with lemon roasted sweet potatoes/Yukon potatoes. It was an exercise to see how many different veggies I can get into a salad.No plans for the night except laundry and work assignments. I'm going to try and squeeze in a gentle yoga workout tonight. My leg is nagging me now but the gentle stretching would go a long way to regaining some of the lost flexibility in the area.

Oh did I mention that the Good Doctor has given me a time-line. Six weeks until he feels I can rejoin the pack. I'm excited. A light at the end of the tunnel. He did caution me that I can expect a lot more pain and he requires me to do a lot of hard work in the pool to get me there. I'm up for the challenge. It will be too late for me to run the WIN but that is of little consequence now. I'll just ask Ian to hold over my registration for a different race this summer.

Ok got to get to the laundry *wince*

Monday, April 5, 2010

In the spirit...

of not wallowing.... Ok so I'm wallowing a little. It's beautiful outside. My kids are happy. My life productive. All-in-all I'd say things are good. That said there is still a bit of a storm cloud hanging over my head. Not turbulent like a funnel cloud. Just a drippy wet miserable grey cloud.

I had a somewhat disappointing visit over the Easter Holiday. It was nice to have my family here. It was a weekend filled with wonderful weather but it seemed the whole weekend was a focused effort to clean and prepare then it comes and goes in the matter of a few hours (and not all in a positive light) and I'm now left feeling a bit empty for the whole experience.

I know that I'm not in the best of moods but that experience did very little to make it better. I need a major positive distraction. After the park, this afternoon. I'm coming home and going to sit and do some serious brainstorming for projects and goals. I need to come up with some Plan B's and fast. It's no fun to sit and wallow. I don't like being negative, no one benefits from it.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!


Wow what a beautiful day. Got up painfully early. 6:21 a.m. my eyes popped open at the sounds of my dogs unleashing their fury on what was likely a cat sitting on the back fence. I doubt any one got to sleep in because of them.

Husband had gotten up because they were fussing and that was it. All of us were up minutes later. Then the hunt ensued. It didn't take them all that long. Five minutes tops. Then the contents of the eggs were dumped out for inspection. Chocolate eaten and then on to the toys.

I managed to get a couple of cups of coffee and a small breakfast in. Showered and cleaned up then on to making the bread that I had started the night before. With of course, the idea that my family would be arriving sometime later in the afternoon. No sooner than I was about to turn out the dough to be kneaded the door bell rang. My bread got largely abused through out the early to late afternoon. But was delicious upon slicing up for dinner. I'm happy that I took the effort though I must have come off as too much a Martha. Of course the fact that I was wearing a dress and pearls might have given them that impression too LOL. I don't care. Easter is a pearl necklace wearing occasion. (now I realize that if Laura or Christine are reading this blog, they've likely had a good laugh at my expense and if that's the case I say nuts to you Laura and Christine! ha!)

Dinner went off with a few hitches. The propane tanks which we assumed were full, were not. So our steak dinner was put off for a few minutes while hubby went in search of a filling station. But once the tank was hooked up and the BBQ hot everything else was smooth like a duck on the water.

The kids adored their Grandfather and Aunts attention and were spoiled with more chocolate and toys. Some interesting insights into my family history and odd-ball stories. Many laughs later. It was definitely a great visit and makes me really regret that there are so many miles between us.

I'm am officially pooped now that the kitchen is clean and the over-flow of chocolate bunnies has been stashed away in the basement freezer. I'm hoping to get more than a Eggie or potato chip into the boys tomorrow. If its gorgeous we are going to the park!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Boooo Bad News

What a pretty morning. Though I padded down to the kitchen kissing my children on the head along the way, I had no idea a bad bit on news was coming my way. Storm cloud looms in the distance.

At 9:3o I hopped in the car and headed over to the doctors to have my injury looked at. Now it is true that though I recover quicker from runs I'm also feeling the injury more and more intensely during each run. I had a sneaking suspicion that if I kept running that I would never give the injury a chance to fully heal.

Dr Poray was a pleasant enough fellow. He poked an prodded. Lifted and pushed and then pulled out this air ratchet gun. I bit back a stupid joke about having already had my tires rotated. Then he shot me in the back. A minor annoyance. Novel at best. Then he shot me in the leg and holy cow! Ouch! I sure hope no one was in his waiting room cause I'm sure they were becoming alarmed by my shrieks.

Once he was done with the gun he left me alone for what felt easily like 30 mins with some electrical current (ok so I did make the joke a la Green Mile. You know the "roll on one" when they start pulling levers to electrocute a death row prisoner? Yep that one...he didn't seem impressed *snort*). When he came back into the room he then gave me the bad news. Absolutely no running. Not on sidewalks, not on wooded paths, grass, road...etc. The only running I'm allowed to do now is in a swimming pool.

I paid the good doctor. Got another appointment for Tuesday and have been told that he is going to be very aggressive in treating my injury and I can bank on the next visit being very painful. *gulp* Oh no.....I'm scared. But I keep saying to myself if it gets me back to running quicker I'll face the pain. I will not complain. I just want to run again before the gorgeous weather goes bye-bye. *sniff*

So I've hung up my shoes and pulled out the bathing suit that I absolutely hate wearing. I'll be bringing to the boys to the gym twice a week so that I can run the lanes of the pool. I'm going to bed now. I want to have done with this day.

Tomorrow is going to be a great day and I promise not to feel too sorry for myself. I'm excited for the Easter Bunny's visit and the company that he's promised to bring.