Hotdish is going extinct.
Hotdish (and its close cousin, casseroles) were staples of my childhood. There was the tuna noodle kind, the despised hamburger hotdish, and my favorite, one made with wagon wheel pasta. Several times a week their steaming dishes graced the dinner table.
And now, except for holidays, (where Green Bean Casserole and Carrot Casserole, a tasty concoction of carrots, cheese, and croutons, frequently make an appearance) I haven't seen one for years.
It's a dying culture, an essential craft handed down for generations, a language that is being lost. It was a vital part of my childhood, but will I serve them to my children? Not likely. All jokes aside, that my children will not know hotdish makes me truly sad.
So I decided to bring hotdish back. From now on, anything serving in a large baking dish is a hotdish in my house, whether or (most likely) not it contains Cream of Mushroom soup or a crunchy fried topping. The dish Husband and I now know as Enchilada Bake? It's Enchilada Hotdish. Pasta bake has become Pasta Hotdish. And the brown rice that I threw together with tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, cheese, and adobo earlier this week? Late Summer Harvest Hotdish.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Year 3
Our 5-year plan for having kids has become quite a joke, as we keep starting over on year 4 (a la Groundhog's Day). So far we have:
1. Read books about having kids (Husband just finished Neal Pollock's Alternadad).
2. Watched friends and family have kids
3. Been guilted into taking a daily vitamin by doctor, just in case
4. Had initial discussions about child care, finances, etc.
5. Collected all stuff that might apply to a child (stuffed animals we've received from various places, adorable vintage alphabet placards I found at a garage sale) into a storage bin.
6. Thought a lot about where baby might sleep in our house, and how that would work
But one of the things that has been most helpful is reading mommy blogs--the firsthand accounts of having kids that don't pull punches and pretend its all moons and stars.
Dooce has an amazing post today about motherhood that transcends motherhood in its brilliance. I'm going to print it out and put it in my file. What file? That would be:
7. Made a file for baby tips, gear recommendations, parenting advice, etc.
Maybe we're ready to upgrade to year 3.
1. Read books about having kids (Husband just finished Neal Pollock's Alternadad).
2. Watched friends and family have kids
3. Been guilted into taking a daily vitamin by doctor, just in case
4. Had initial discussions about child care, finances, etc.
5. Collected all stuff that might apply to a child (stuffed animals we've received from various places, adorable vintage alphabet placards I found at a garage sale) into a storage bin.
6. Thought a lot about where baby might sleep in our house, and how that would work
But one of the things that has been most helpful is reading mommy blogs--the firsthand accounts of having kids that don't pull punches and pretend its all moons and stars.
Dooce has an amazing post today about motherhood that transcends motherhood in its brilliance. I'm going to print it out and put it in my file. What file? That would be:
7. Made a file for baby tips, gear recommendations, parenting advice, etc.
Maybe we're ready to upgrade to year 3.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Advice
I ran across this piece of advice on Mighty Girl, one of my regular reads:
To choose a spouse, find someone who is flawlessly kind but has an incredibly strong backbone. See also: Marry him only if you will be proud when your child turns out just like him.
I was first struck by it because it's an apt description of Husband, so I patted myself on the back. But then I thought of other husbands I know--of family friends and run club buddies--and realized that it held true for others as well. I tested the theory further by seeing if it applied to me and those friends' corresponding wives, and while we are definitely kind and have backbone, I don't think those are our most distinguishing characteristics.
To choose a spouse, find someone who is flawlessly kind but has an incredibly strong backbone. See also: Marry him only if you will be proud when your child turns out just like him.
I was first struck by it because it's an apt description of Husband, so I patted myself on the back. But then I thought of other husbands I know--of family friends and run club buddies--and realized that it held true for others as well. I tested the theory further by seeing if it applied to me and those friends' corresponding wives, and while we are definitely kind and have backbone, I don't think those are our most distinguishing characteristics.
So what kind of wife should a husband choose?
Other Mighty Girl advice from that post:
Don’t make assumptions, and don’t take things personally.
What you give is what you get. When you predict that negative things will happen, they do. The opposite is also true.
Plan less, do more.
Always have a valid passport.
Stop picking at that.
I've also been contemplating that simple mantra, "Do no harm," after reading about it in a book recently.Sunday, September 02, 2007
You'll be a real good listener
There is this Rilo Kiley song I really like, and while it's about depression and most of that is outside of my experience, I like to take that part not so literally and enjoy the lyrics for how they appeal to me.
Because this part is 100% me, at least how I feel I should be most of the time:
"And you’ll be better
And you’ll be smarter
And more grown up and a better daughter or son
And a real good friend..."
For better or worse, I'm constantly conceiving of or embarking on some sort of improvement plan to be a better wife/friend/daughter/sister/relative/worker/neighbor, not to mention listener/talker/thinker/athlete/artist... and I can't really turn that instinct off.
There's always that carrot out there, that it's possible to be a real good friend, and I'm always chasing it, although I should be pulling out a stick to beat that impulse back, because I'll never feel that I've achieved it.
Because this part is 100% me, at least how I feel I should be most of the time:
"And you’ll be better
And you’ll be smarter
And more grown up and a better daughter or son
And a real good friend..."
For better or worse, I'm constantly conceiving of or embarking on some sort of improvement plan to be a better wife/friend/daughter/sister/relative/worker/neighbor, not to mention listener/talker/thinker/athlete/artist... and I can't really turn that instinct off.
There's always that carrot out there, that it's possible to be a real good friend, and I'm always chasing it, although I should be pulling out a stick to beat that impulse back, because I'll never feel that I've achieved it.
A battle of socks
My friend KC has the whitest socks.
My socks are always dingy, thanks to softball and trail running and my red and before than, blue, insoles. But this time I'd had enough, and decided to pull out all my tricks.
First, the dishwashing powder + bleach + hot water soak that brightened up many a t-shirt. No dice.
Second, a paste of borax and washing soda, left on a long time. A bit brighter, but still grayish.
Here they are after step two, with KC's gleaming socks for comparison.
(If you are wondering how I ended up in possession of a pair of her socks, no, I did not steal them. I did rummage around in her bag and help myself when I found myself without, but that's what we do. She'd borrowed a sports bra of mine earlier in the week. And maybe on some unknown blog she's posting a picture of it and writing about its relative cleanliness RIGHT NOW).
Third and last, I tried a new technique: boiling with lemon.
I'm sorry to report that this story does not have a happy ending. After I'd forgot about the boiling pot and my socks were more than al dente, I spooned them up and realized that while the white parts were whiter, the gray/red parts were still gray/red.
And peeking at the unappetizing gray brew, I concluded:
1. The strong products I've used over the past months have undoubtedly leached the black writing on the cuffs, thus soaking them in a pale gray dye, and
2. My socks have been gray for a long time, and old stains aren't easy to get out.
So I will either just not care or buy some new damn socks.
The end.
My socks are always dingy, thanks to softball and trail running and my red and before than, blue, insoles. But this time I'd had enough, and decided to pull out all my tricks.
First, the dishwashing powder + bleach + hot water soak that brightened up many a t-shirt. No dice.
Second, a paste of borax and washing soda, left on a long time. A bit brighter, but still grayish.
Here they are after step two, with KC's gleaming socks for comparison.
(If you are wondering how I ended up in possession of a pair of her socks, no, I did not steal them. I did rummage around in her bag and help myself when I found myself without, but that's what we do. She'd borrowed a sports bra of mine earlier in the week. And maybe on some unknown blog she's posting a picture of it and writing about its relative cleanliness RIGHT NOW).
Third and last, I tried a new technique: boiling with lemon.
I'm sorry to report that this story does not have a happy ending. After I'd forgot about the boiling pot and my socks were more than al dente, I spooned them up and realized that while the white parts were whiter, the gray/red parts were still gray/red.
And peeking at the unappetizing gray brew, I concluded:
1. The strong products I've used over the past months have undoubtedly leached the black writing on the cuffs, thus soaking them in a pale gray dye, and
2. My socks have been gray for a long time, and old stains aren't easy to get out.
So I will either just not care or buy some new damn socks.
The end.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monthly book post: August
I decided that I'm reading too many good books not to comment on them. If you don't like to read or don't like to read about what I read, then skip these posts.
August list:
Frenemies - Megan Crane
I felt kind of bad about this book because it looks like silly chick-lit, but damn, Crane really gets the silly games that women play, and I found myself recounting bits to Husband about how astute the book was. Not your average chick lit.
August list:
Frenemies - Megan Crane
I felt kind of bad about this book because it looks like silly chick-lit, but damn, Crane really gets the silly games that women play, and I found myself recounting bits to Husband about how astute the book was. Not your average chick lit.
Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell.
If you haven't read anything of Vowell's and like, say, NPR, then get thee to the library because Vowell is hilarious and brilliant. She also has a love-it-or-hate-it voice (she is the voice of The Incredibles' Violet), which might tempt or dissuade you from the audio book version, which is how I read (listened to) the book.
Austenland - Shannon HaleIf you haven't read anything of Vowell's and like, say, NPR, then get thee to the library because Vowell is hilarious and brilliant. She also has a love-it-or-hate-it voice (she is the voice of The Incredibles' Violet), which might tempt or dissuade you from the audio book version, which is how I read (listened to) the book.
Like Jane Austen and want a quick, fun read? Read Hale's story about a woman who receives an all-expenses paid trip to a Jane Austen fantasy camp, and who struggles to find herself and possibly true love amidst the false trappings of recreated Regency England.
Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant - Daniel Tammet.
Tammet goes from a boy obsessively collecting chestnuts to a man who manages to have an adult, loving relationship with another person. Along the way he succeeds in reciting 22,514 digits of pi in just over five hours, is the subject of an international documentary, and shares his amazing language ability, evidenced by his learning conversational Icelandic in one week. Also read in audiobook.
The Sweet Edge by Alison Pick.
This novel just begs to be discussed. Adam and Ellen are a young Toronto couple on the cusp of either marriage or disaster. A one night's mistake upsets Adam's world, sending him on a two-month canoe trip in the wilds of Canada, leaving Ellen, abandoned, for a summer at her art gallery job. Any book featuring wild rivers is always a hit with me, and Adam's
swift mental and physical descent into danger kept me reading long past bed time.
To maintain my credibility as a writer (i.e. to not bore you to death), I'm not going to comment on the books that I read that I don't feel have a somewhat mass appeal. However, I'll duly warn you away from anything I read that is not recommended. Here's the rest that was just fine but didn't warrant commentary:
Without a Map - Meredith Hall
Tammet goes from a boy obsessively collecting chestnuts to a man who manages to have an adult, loving relationship with another person. Along the way he succeeds in reciting 22,514 digits of pi in just over five hours, is the subject of an international documentary, and shares his amazing language ability, evidenced by his learning conversational Icelandic in one week. Also read in audiobook.
The Sweet Edge by Alison Pick.
This novel just begs to be discussed. Adam and Ellen are a young Toronto couple on the cusp of either marriage or disaster. A one night's mistake upsets Adam's world, sending him on a two-month canoe trip in the wilds of Canada, leaving Ellen, abandoned, for a summer at her art gallery job. Any book featuring wild rivers is always a hit with me, and Adam's
swift mental and physical descent into danger kept me reading long past bed time.
To maintain my credibility as a writer (i.e. to not bore you to death), I'm not going to comment on the books that I read that I don't feel have a somewhat mass appeal. However, I'll duly warn you away from anything I read that is not recommended. Here's the rest that was just fine but didn't warrant commentary:
Without a Map - Meredith Hall
Two-part invention: The story of a marriage - Madeline L'Engle
Second Opinions: Stories of intuition and choice in a changing world of medicine - Jerome GroopmanSwapping Lives - Jane Green
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Me + fall = true love
It's back. That time of the training cycle when I reek like IcyHot, am constantly covered in frozen vegetables, and absentmindedly massage my joints in polite company. I had done well, nary indulging in even the BioFreeze, until the combo of hill repeats and speed work and 18 and 20 mileage conspired to make all sorts of things hurt in a worrying way. But it's also that time in the training when I start to feel sad, ("We're already 2/5 of the way through our longest runs?!"). But this time I think I can handle the post-marathon life, running with friends or the club and maintaining a half marathon level throughout the winter without having a breakdown or existential crisis.
It is also the time of year when Husband returns to a rehearsal schedule, and is no longer around evenings. (Soon to be followed by his production schedule, where he is no longer around on the weekends). Like all things there are the parts I don't like (cooking dinner for myself every night) and the parts that I like (getting lots of house projects done, seeing friends more).
The first cool winds of fall are also in the air, and I couldn't be more excited. I feel like I spent the whole summer in sweaty run clothes (pre, during, or post-run) and eating cereal for dinner because it's too hot to cook and there's no time anyway. I envision fall being a time of cool, invigorating runs, lots of laborious cooking and baking, and time to relax and get together with friends. Bring it on, fall.
It is also the time of year when Husband returns to a rehearsal schedule, and is no longer around evenings. (Soon to be followed by his production schedule, where he is no longer around on the weekends). Like all things there are the parts I don't like (cooking dinner for myself every night) and the parts that I like (getting lots of house projects done, seeing friends more).
The first cool winds of fall are also in the air, and I couldn't be more excited. I feel like I spent the whole summer in sweaty run clothes (pre, during, or post-run) and eating cereal for dinner because it's too hot to cook and there's no time anyway. I envision fall being a time of cool, invigorating runs, lots of laborious cooking and baking, and time to relax and get together with friends. Bring it on, fall.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sleeping Giant
Husband and I are easily amused. Our friends are on a trip to India for a duration best measured in months, and we spend 3 days in Canada and are tickled. We crossed the border* and spontaneously broke into "Oh Canada!" then stopped at the tourist station to ogle Canadian junk food ("All dressed" Lays! How cute!).
We are also easily amused by the novelty of camping with such luxuries as camp chairs, portable DVD players (for in-tent movie viewing), and drink makings.
We spent a lot of time sitting, reading, and sipping, admiring our view and appreciating our site, which was something that you'd hike four hours to get to instead of walking two minutes from the car.
We also hustled up the infamous Sleeping Giant (we technically mounted his head, and crossed over to his knees). Then we scurried down, trail ran out of there, stopped for a shower, and indulged in more relaxing.
I'd last climbed the Giant ten years ago, so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane, or spotty-memory lane, as it was. But it was a lovely way to celebrate our five-year anniversary. Five whole years! My goodness. Here's to many many more years!
*I realized that this was my second lame passport use, further proving the weakness of my "before I'm 30" resolution.
We are also easily amused by the novelty of camping with such luxuries as camp chairs, portable DVD players (for in-tent movie viewing), and drink makings.
We spent a lot of time sitting, reading, and sipping, admiring our view and appreciating our site, which was something that you'd hike four hours to get to instead of walking two minutes from the car.
We also hustled up the infamous Sleeping Giant (we technically mounted his head, and crossed over to his knees). Then we scurried down, trail ran out of there, stopped for a shower, and indulged in more relaxing.
I'd last climbed the Giant ten years ago, so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane, or spotty-memory lane, as it was. But it was a lovely way to celebrate our five-year anniversary. Five whole years! My goodness. Here's to many many more years!
*I realized that this was my second lame passport use, further proving the weakness of my "before I'm 30" resolution.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Roughing it
There is nothing like a trip to the Boundary Waters to help you appreciate pretty much everything. The luxury of just sitting and enjoying this view, for instance, is enough to sustain me for many weeks to come.
And there's something so satisfying about being able to carry everything you need on your back.
It'd be tough to choose what I like best: the physical challenge, the gorgeous scenery, or the companionship and time to really talk with friends.
Luckily, it's not an either/or.
And there's something so satisfying about being able to carry everything you need on your back.
It'd be tough to choose what I like best: the physical challenge, the gorgeous scenery, or the companionship and time to really talk with friends.
Luckily, it's not an either/or.
Apologies
Sorry for being a lame-o poster lately. I have about seven posts "in progress" but have been too busy with weekend trips (draft posts 1 and 2) and work lately to finish any of them.
My usually-out-by-4:30 p.m. job has transformed into a toting-work-home-every-night existence, and the cats are not supportive.
They do their best to make it impossible for me to work.
At least Cadbury isn't doing his favorite new trick--foaming at the mouth on command! He developed this fun talent in response to our efforts to give him his daily antibiotic pill, required after having teeth pulled last week. Can't wait until he goes back to the vet for teeth-pulling round 2!
My usually-out-by-4:30 p.m. job has transformed into a toting-work-home-every-night existence, and the cats are not supportive.
They do their best to make it impossible for me to work.
At least Cadbury isn't doing his favorite new trick--foaming at the mouth on command! He developed this fun talent in response to our efforts to give him his daily antibiotic pill, required after having teeth pulled last week. Can't wait until he goes back to the vet for teeth-pulling round 2!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Veggie night
This has been one of the most scheduled summers I've had in a long time. Tuesday and Wednesday are running nights, Thursday was softball night, and Monday is veggie night--a mad dash to cook, preserve, and eat the weekly bounty of fresh organic vegetables from our CSA.
It's quite a challenge, but I love cooking and finding new ways to make good use out of things.
But with only few days at home this week (camping trip ho!), it was emergency time when I came home with this week's overflowing box.
So I dried:
Slawed:
Blanched and froze:
Pickled:
and Roasted:
All in about two hours. (I also made some mac 'n' cheese for the leftover broccoli.) I hope the Chinese eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green beans, and summer squash I didn't get to can make it until next week.
It's quite a challenge, but I love cooking and finding new ways to make good use out of things.
But with only few days at home this week (camping trip ho!), it was emergency time when I came home with this week's overflowing box.
So I dried:
Slawed:
Blanched and froze:
Pickled:
and Roasted:
All in about two hours. (I also made some mac 'n' cheese for the leftover broccoli.) I hope the Chinese eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green beans, and summer squash I didn't get to can make it until next week.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Books by category
This is how I categorize the books I've read in my head. I think it may be more helpful that than just a chronological list.
Updated January 2008
Australia (colonialism)
The Secret River - Kate Grenville
Boy books (books that are manly)
*An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
Love is a Mix Tape - Rob Sheffield
I love you Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle
Heat - Bill Buford
Cabin Pressure: One Man's Futile Attempt to Recapture His Youth as a Camp Counselor - Josh Wolk
*American Born Chinese - Gene Luen Yang
The Discomfort Zone - Jonathan Franzen
England
Black Swan Green - David Mitchell
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Austenland - Shannon Hale
Mary Reilly - Valerie Martin
*On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan
Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Novel by Leonie Swann
The Water's Lovely by Ruth Rendell
Faith
Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith - Anne Lamott
Friendships, relationships
Frenemies - Megan Crane
Austenland - Shannon Hale
The Sweet Edge by Alison Pick
Literacy and Longing in L.A. - Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
*Let the northern lights erase your name by Vendela Vida
Graphic novels
*American Born Chinese - Gene Luen Yang
Cancer Vixen - Marisa Acocella Marchetto
Girl Stories - Lauren Weinstein
The Plain Janes - Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Health issues (memoir)
*Poster Child: A Memoir - Emily Rapp
Waking: A memoir of trauma and transcendence - Matthew Sanford
Gaining: The truth about life after eating disorders - Aimee Liu
*Crashing Through: A True Story of Risk, Adventure, and the Man Who Dared to See - Robert Kurson
Cancer Vixen - Marisa Acocella Marchetto
Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant - Daniel Tammet
Second Opinions: Stories of intuition and choice in a changing world of medicine - Jerome Groopman
Warm Springs: Traces of a Childhood at FDR's Polio Haven by Susan Richards Shreve
Identical Strangers: A memoir of twins separated and reunited by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein
*An Encyclopedia of Ordinary Life - Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Impending Motherhood
*If you lived here - Diana Sachs
Great with child: Letters to a young mother - Beth Ann Fennelly
Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Romantic Night - Peggy Orenstein
Interesting jobs (memoir)
Heat - Bill Buford
Candy Girl: A year in the life of an unlikely stripper - Diablo Cody
*Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States - Pete Jordan
Cabin Pressure: One Man's Futile Attempt to Recapture His Youth as a Camp Counselor - Josh Wolk
The Best of Friends: Two women, two continents, and one enduring friendship - Sara James and Ginger Mauney
Here if you need me: A true story by Kate Braestrup
India
The Inheritance of Sorrow - Kiran Desai
Japan
The Doctor's Wife- Ariyoshi Sawako
Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Romantic Night - Peggy Orenstein
Bento Box in the Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America - Linda Furiya
Married life
*Two in a Bed - Paul Rosenblatt
Two-part invention: The story of a marriage - Madeline L'Engle
Minnesota interest
Boundary Waters: The Grace of the Wild - Paul Gruchow
*Poster Child: A Memoir - Emily Rapp
Candy Girl: A year in the life of an unlikely stripper - Diablo Cody
Waking: A memoir of trauma and transcendence - Matthew Sanford
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse - Louise Erdrich
Two in the Wild - Susan Fox Rogers
Boundary Waters: The Grace of the Wild - Paul Gruchow
*Deep survival : who lives, who dies, and why : true stories of miraculous endurance and sudden death by Laurence Gonzales
Montana/pioneers
Hattie Big Sky - Kirby Larson
Native Americans
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse - Louise Erdrich
Mystery/Crime/Suspense (in that they are these things, but they'd never be shelved as such)
Unseen - Mari Jungstedt
Snow Blind - P.J. Tracy
Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult
*The Spellman Files - Lisa Lutz
The Princess of Burundi - Kjell Ericksson
Mary Reilly - Valerie Martin
Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Novel by Leonie Swann
*The Water's Lovely by Ruth Rendell
Running
The looniness of the long distance runner - Russell Taylor
Scandinavia
Astrid and Veronika - Linda Olsson
Shyness and Dignity - Dag Solstad
Unseen - Mari Jungstedt
Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson
The Princess of Burundi - Kjell Ericksson
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Life as we knew it - Susan Beth Pfeffer
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
Social/political issues
The Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollan
*The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade - Ann Fessler
Without a Map - Meredith Hall
Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A year of food life, by Barbara Kingsolver
Gluten Free Girl by Shauna James Ahern
The simple home : the luxury of enough by Sarah Nettleton and Frank Edgerton Martin
Teen girls/Girls coming of age
The Boy Book- E. Lockhart
*Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl
Girl Stories - Lauren Weinstein
The Plain Janes - Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Dangerously Alice - Phyllis Naylor
Fourth Comings - Megan McCafferty
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume by Jennifer O'Connell, et al
WWII
Survival in Auschwitz - Primo Levi
Stones from the River - Ursula Hegi
Falling boy - Alison McGhee
I like you: Entertaining under the influence - Amy Sedaris
Girls - Frederick Busch
Pretty Little Mistakes - Heather McElhatton
Cancer Vixen - Marisa Acocella Marchetto
The Lost: The Search for Six of Six Million - Daniel Mendelsson
Swapping Lives - Jane Green
The Headmaster Ritual by Taylor Antrim
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
The last person in the world to sign up for Twin Cities
I said my legs needed a break. That I was excited to do more yoga. That I was tired of having my weekends filled up by long runs.
But I was fooling myself.
I lasted one week without run club. It sucked.
Because here's what has happened frequently during the last six months:
1. Come home from work a. tired or crabby or b. wearied by some life problem
2. Drag self to run club
3. Arrive home feeling happy and strong
And I was scared about not having steps 2 and 3 in my life anymore.
So I took a hard look at why I hadn't signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon in October, and discovered it was two things:
1. Not wanting to steal thunder from good friend and first time marathoner KC
2. Feeling like Grandma's was such a big deal for me and so many people graciously listened to me blabber on about it... and worrying that people would think I would demand the same amount of attention again.
But when I really thought about it, I knew #1 wasn't that big of deal, and #2, well, is pretty stupid, too.
So I really couldn't have procrastinated any longer. The race has been closed for over a month, but my run club gets a handful of guaranteed entries, and even then, I had waited until there were only two left.
This is not like me. I am a planner. I make lists.
So here I am, spending my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays at run club again. I even agreed to be a pace group leader.
How does this turn of events leave me feeling?
Happy. And strong.
Note: I wrote this post two weeks ago... please excuse the delay in posting.
But I was fooling myself.
I lasted one week without run club. It sucked.
Because here's what has happened frequently during the last six months:
1. Come home from work a. tired or crabby or b. wearied by some life problem
2. Drag self to run club
3. Arrive home feeling happy and strong
And I was scared about not having steps 2 and 3 in my life anymore.
So I took a hard look at why I hadn't signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon in October, and discovered it was two things:
1. Not wanting to steal thunder from good friend and first time marathoner KC
2. Feeling like Grandma's was such a big deal for me and so many people graciously listened to me blabber on about it... and worrying that people would think I would demand the same amount of attention again.
But when I really thought about it, I knew #1 wasn't that big of deal, and #2, well, is pretty stupid, too.
So I really couldn't have procrastinated any longer. The race has been closed for over a month, but my run club gets a handful of guaranteed entries, and even then, I had waited until there were only two left.
This is not like me. I am a planner. I make lists.
So here I am, spending my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays at run club again. I even agreed to be a pace group leader.
How does this turn of events leave me feeling?
Happy. And strong.
Note: I wrote this post two weeks ago... please excuse the delay in posting.
Inner air conditioning
One and a half months of summer are officially gone, but lo! there is still time to take summer by the reins and keep it from galloping out of control into fall.
And what better way to celebrate it than with cold press coffee.
Cold press coffee "tastes like coffee smells like it will taste," as my mother-in-law so brilliantly put it. Without the bitter edge created by heat, you taste all of the caramel-y and fruity and mellow flavors in the coffee.
And it is insultingly easy to make that I can't even deign to call it a "recipe." Mix ground coffee (fill grinder to full) and water (4 cups). Let sit overnight. Strain and add 4 more cups water (or water and some milk). Drink all morning long because hey, it's meant to be cold.
There is still time for happy hours on bar patios and bike rides with ice cream stops. But hurry! August has the illusion of being summer, but with all of it's back-to-school urgency and busy-ness, it's not to be trusted.
And what better way to celebrate it than with cold press coffee.
Cold press coffee "tastes like coffee smells like it will taste," as my mother-in-law so brilliantly put it. Without the bitter edge created by heat, you taste all of the caramel-y and fruity and mellow flavors in the coffee.
And it is insultingly easy to make that I can't even deign to call it a "recipe." Mix ground coffee (fill grinder to full) and water (4 cups). Let sit overnight. Strain and add 4 more cups water (or water and some milk). Drink all morning long because hey, it's meant to be cold.
There is still time for happy hours on bar patios and bike rides with ice cream stops. But hurry! August has the illusion of being summer, but with all of it's back-to-school urgency and busy-ness, it's not to be trusted.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Making the Founding Fathers proud
It's National Patriotic Holiday again, and as usual we're cramming as many people into my cabin as possible. It used to be that to merit a bedroom you had to be part of a couple; now with all the kids (4 this year!) the ante is upped and Husband and I will soon find ourselves on the porch (or worse: in the garage) if we don't start reproducing.
With the 4th on a Wednesday (how unpatriotic!) and my brother in the BWCA (practically in Canada, traitor!), and with two infants, the weekend promises to be a bit different this year. It's only a hunch, but I'm guessing that less time will be spent
1. drinking
1. drinking
2. tubing
3. playing with fire
Which sounds pretty good to me. Relaxing sounds much more appealing than the usual game of Consume-All-the-Required-Drinks-While-Still-Remaining-Upright! (Having my brother off wandering through the woods helps, because his Bloody Marys and Pina Coladas are considered a must. And it's not like the rounds of shots are optional, either.)
So here's to hoping the weekend doesn't contain poison ivy and emergency room trips (like in '04) or speeding tickets (like in '05).
So here's to hoping the weekend doesn't contain poison ivy and emergency room trips (like in '04) or speeding tickets (like in '05).
Extra innings
I'm playing first base. The hit - it's a fly ball, coming to me! I back up, back up, back, back, back... stretch out my arm ... nearly there ... and ...
thunk!
My hand lands solidly on Husband's face.
Oh dear.
"Sorry!" I mumble sheepishly, before turning over and falling back asleep.
thunk!
My hand lands solidly on Husband's face.
Oh dear.
"Sorry!" I mumble sheepishly, before turning over and falling back asleep.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Vacation Diaries, Day 10: Marathon!
My last vacation day of the Vacation Diaries challenge was one that I had planned for a long time -- taking Friday off to go up to Duluth for Grandma's Marathon on Saturday.
Best thing about the race: The community support and that the race was extremely well organized. The people from Two Harbors to Duluth were awesome, and the city of Duluth really turns out and does an amazing job.
Favorite T-shirts slogans worn by fellow runners:
Lowest point: At mile 17, realizing that I was alone and would be running the next 9.2 miles by myself
Highest point: Seeing my family seven times, which is so AMAZING it deserves capital letters and a medal and finisher T-shirt of their own. Seeing friends KS, GR, and RL at Mile 25 (and nearly equally as great, distracting myself during Miles 19-25 by idly looking for them).
Most frustrating point: That damn finish line! It's short sequences of two blocks, two blocks, two blocks, over and over, and each one does not yield the finish line.
Most proud: Of running the whole thing at a steady pace and feeling good the whole time.
Of course, I want to do it again, but I think I should probably take a break. I also realize that I was incredibly lucky -- with the heat you're just doing your best to guess how much water and gu you need. Next time it could easily be me puking on the side of the street or hobbling on cramped legs.
Worst thing about the race: The weather. It was already hot and humid when the race started at 7:30. By mile 2 I was covered in sweat. The sun was unrelenting, and there weren't any clouds or shade to offer reprieve.
Favorite T-shirts slogans worn by fellow runners:
I'm with stupid (arrows pointing in all directions)
I have to poop
Favorite cheers from the crowd:
Mile 16 - Don't feel bad about the heat, you'll do better next year!
Mile 18 - You're almost there!Lowest point: At mile 17, realizing that I was alone and would be running the next 9.2 miles by myself
Highest point: Seeing my family seven times, which is so AMAZING it deserves capital letters and a medal and finisher T-shirt of their own. Seeing friends KS, GR, and RL at Mile 25 (and nearly equally as great, distracting myself during Miles 19-25 by idly looking for them).
Most frustrating point: That damn finish line! It's short sequences of two blocks, two blocks, two blocks, over and over, and each one does not yield the finish line.
Final time — 4:22!
Most proud: Of running the whole thing at a steady pace and feeling good the whole time.
Of course, I want to do it again, but I think I should probably take a break. I also realize that I was incredibly lucky -- with the heat you're just doing your best to guess how much water and gu you need. Next time it could easily be me puking on the side of the street or hobbling on cramped legs.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Blood test #2
I haven't talked very much about volunteering to be a kidney donor for my aunt because it seemed like I should wait until it was official. But it's been on my mind a lot the past few months... and even for the past few years, as I first volunteered three or four years ago. (My uncle (her husband) and my grandma have also donated kidneys to her, but because of a strange blood clot issue, both kidneys died).
Test #2: Six vials of blood to test the antibody reaction
When you're young and healthy, it's hard to imagine failing any medical test, even ones that have nothing to do with your relative fitness. So I was surprised and disappointed to hear that I had failed. The antibodies in my aunt's blood reacted too strongly to my blood.
I didn't volunteer because I wanted to make some grand noble gesture, I did it because of logic. As someone young, healthy, and closely related but not too closely related, it seemed to me that I was the best option. And sure, I might get some nice presents afterward and get to lie around eating ice cream.
I had my first blood test a few weeks ago -- I passed, but not really because I was a stellar match, but mostly because modern technology could overcome the deficiencies.
I went in for my second blood test earlier this week. If I passed, the final step in the donor screening process would be a trip to Mayo for a lengthy examination.
I had my first blood test a few weeks ago -- I passed, but not really because I was a stellar match, but mostly because modern technology could overcome the deficiencies.
I went in for my second blood test earlier this week. If I passed, the final step in the donor screening process would be a trip to Mayo for a lengthy examination.
Test #2: Six vials of blood to test the antibody reaction
When you're young and healthy, it's hard to imagine failing any medical test, even ones that have nothing to do with your relative fitness. So I was surprised and disappointed to hear that I had failed. The antibodies in my aunt's blood reacted too strongly to my blood.
So after preparing myself for the scar, the surgery, the two weeks off from work, and the lifetime ban from playing football, I find myself with a free schedule, and the knowledge that I'll still be able to wear bikinis. (I was still going to, of course, because who cares, but now I won't have to think about).
It's not my fault that I didn't pass, but I still feel sad.
It's not my fault that I didn't pass, but I still feel sad.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Please tell me
Please tell me that I'm not the only woman to come home, kick off my heels, tear off my button-down blouse, and sink into a bath? Or collapse on the couch with a G&T? Or throw myself in a book with a martini and maybe some good cheese? Or dive into bed and hide under the covers with no drink but also no clothes?
How do women with children do it? After being Madam Boss and Ms. Project Leader and Chief Coordinator of Scary Projects all day, sometimes I need to come home and be 17.
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