Wednesday, October 27, 2010
apple picking
A few weekends ago, we got in the fall spirit...
We held ourselves to two buckets of apples...it only made filling for 2-3 pies, and a few jars of apple sauce. Now we know, think big next year!
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| seeing organic fruit makes me anxious when I next go to the supermarket where everything is giant. |
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| they had pumpkins too!! |
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| Munchkins! |
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| and pancakes. breakfast galore. |
We held ourselves to two buckets of apples...it only made filling for 2-3 pies, and a few jars of apple sauce. Now we know, think big next year!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
things that are weird
a) owning a sharps container (when you're not an insulin dependent diabetic)
b) giving yourself an injection
Chris has given herself at least half a dozen and is somewhat less phased by the whole experience than me, but it is very odd. On the upside, kudos to the guy who invented the needle so sharp it goes through the skin with pretty much no pressure. While I was assured this was the case, I was clearly quite nervous about the whole thing since our dog basically freaked out as soon as I opened the package (and he never cared when Chris did it!).
b) giving yourself an injection
Chris has given herself at least half a dozen and is somewhat less phased by the whole experience than me, but it is very odd. On the upside, kudos to the guy who invented the needle so sharp it goes through the skin with pretty much no pressure. While I was assured this was the case, I was clearly quite nervous about the whole thing since our dog basically freaked out as soon as I opened the package (and he never cared when Chris did it!).
Monday, October 11, 2010
5k training
So...I'm entering week 3 of training.
Week 1 was ok. Did 3 3 milers and a 5 miler. Missed the 5x400 (but I played an 80 min rugby game that week, so I think it evens out).
Week 2 was less ok. I did 4 3 milers, missing the 5 miler. I mean to do it Sunday and miss a 3 miler (no excuse this week, and my attendance at 2 low contact practices doesn't really make up for it). I was sore though (ok, excuse?). My Fri & Sat 3 milers were both at a 9 min pace, the fastest I've run in MONTHS. Months I tell you (once upon a time, 30 mo or so ago, I was running entire half marathons faster than that pace). Anyway, I just couldn't stick it out.
So enter week 3. I'm going to rugby playoffs this weekend, and have no idea if I'll play there or not (up to the rostering Gods, and my own performance I suppose), so I'd like to get at least 4 runs in this week. Plan is 2 3s, 1 4 (scrapable), 1 6, and 6x400. I did get the 6x400 in already - I made my college kids do 2x400 3 times through with me (well, they ran for the time it took me to run 400, so less or more depending...).
My times...even with a little chatter...1:46, 2:00, 1:54, 1:44, 1:49, 1:45. All solidly below (or just at) an 8 min pace and mostly closer to a 7 minute pace. Now granted, I had some rest (probably 10 minutes) between each set, but clearly I need to do speedwork on totally flat surfaces more, and run with people more. No one wants to be outrun by kids you're coaching (even if they are 10 years younger and 40 lbs lighter).
Week 1 was ok. Did 3 3 milers and a 5 miler. Missed the 5x400 (but I played an 80 min rugby game that week, so I think it evens out).
Week 2 was less ok. I did 4 3 milers, missing the 5 miler. I mean to do it Sunday and miss a 3 miler (no excuse this week, and my attendance at 2 low contact practices doesn't really make up for it). I was sore though (ok, excuse?). My Fri & Sat 3 milers were both at a 9 min pace, the fastest I've run in MONTHS. Months I tell you (once upon a time, 30 mo or so ago, I was running entire half marathons faster than that pace). Anyway, I just couldn't stick it out.
So enter week 3. I'm going to rugby playoffs this weekend, and have no idea if I'll play there or not (up to the rostering Gods, and my own performance I suppose), so I'd like to get at least 4 runs in this week. Plan is 2 3s, 1 4 (scrapable), 1 6, and 6x400. I did get the 6x400 in already - I made my college kids do 2x400 3 times through with me (well, they ran for the time it took me to run 400, so less or more depending...).
My times...even with a little chatter...1:46, 2:00, 1:54, 1:44, 1:49, 1:45. All solidly below (or just at) an 8 min pace and mostly closer to a 7 minute pace. Now granted, I had some rest (probably 10 minutes) between each set, but clearly I need to do speedwork on totally flat surfaces more, and run with people more. No one wants to be outrun by kids you're coaching (even if they are 10 years younger and 40 lbs lighter).
Thursday, September 30, 2010
oh, New York!
I spent last Sunday in the city with an old friend. Good lunch, amazing 50% off tickets to American Idiot, and Crumbs Cupcakes!
And, well, its New York. I've yet to visit a city with this vibe.
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| what's not to love when the Subway AND Loft sparkle? |
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| Just FYI, the "ball" is totally unimpressive in real life. |
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
A Dog's Life, Cont.
So our dog is scared.
SCARED.
Of pretty much everything but food & people. Oh how he loves people. And running off leash. Though he doesn't like people and running off leash at the same time since he's pretty much impossible to catch and running off leash is never on purpose (for me) unless there's a 6 ft tall fence around us. But I digress.
He wasn't always scared of things. I'm not sure when he started disliking sewer grates, but I remember the morning when he first scaled a 10 foot snow bank to avoid walking over one (this went on for weeks, thanks Snowpoclyspe). I do know when he started fearing the stove & oven...two separate incidents involving two seperate cooks, one with bacon, one with dripping cheese, both with a smoke alarm and people unresponsive to the dog's pleas to BARKgetoutsideCIRCLEreallyBARKokfineyoudieatleastletmeoutHIDEUNDERBED. Apparently under the bed is the place to go if there is fire. Or, say, anyone is cooking. This perturbs me, since now if there ever is, heaven forbid, a fire, the dog will be under the bed :(
And...perhaps as a result of two years of July 4th Fireworks at my parent's boat, 200 yds or so from the fireworks barge, Bailey is also scared of thunder.
He hears storms coming long before the wind or rain starts, and ends up climbing on you, burrowing his little ostrich head into the pillows. Or he hides, under the bed.
This week though, I think he's been reading up on thunderstorm safety.
See, thunderstorms can bring tornados (theoretically even in Eastern PA, believable given what happened in Brooklyn this year!). In a tornado, you should go in the basement. If you can't do that, a room without windows will do. Or a bathrub, preferably with a mattress overhead.
He's all set (sans mattress).
SCARED.
Of pretty much everything but food & people. Oh how he loves people. And running off leash. Though he doesn't like people and running off leash at the same time since he's pretty much impossible to catch and running off leash is never on purpose (for me) unless there's a 6 ft tall fence around us. But I digress.
He wasn't always scared of things. I'm not sure when he started disliking sewer grates, but I remember the morning when he first scaled a 10 foot snow bank to avoid walking over one (this went on for weeks, thanks Snowpoclyspe). I do know when he started fearing the stove & oven...two separate incidents involving two seperate cooks, one with bacon, one with dripping cheese, both with a smoke alarm and people unresponsive to the dog's pleas to BARKgetoutsideCIRCLEreallyBARKokfineyoudieatleastletmeoutHIDEUNDERBED. Apparently under the bed is the place to go if there is fire. Or, say, anyone is cooking. This perturbs me, since now if there ever is, heaven forbid, a fire, the dog will be under the bed :(
And...perhaps as a result of two years of July 4th Fireworks at my parent's boat, 200 yds or so from the fireworks barge, Bailey is also scared of thunder.
He hears storms coming long before the wind or rain starts, and ends up climbing on you, burrowing his little ostrich head into the pillows. Or he hides, under the bed.
This week though, I think he's been reading up on thunderstorm safety.
See, thunderstorms can bring tornados (theoretically even in Eastern PA, believable given what happened in Brooklyn this year!). In a tornado, you should go in the basement. If you can't do that, a room without windows will do. Or a bathrub, preferably with a mattress overhead.
He's all set (sans mattress).
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| maybe he was just hot? I don't know. He stayed in there for an hour! |
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
gah!!
This is (well, was) outside my front door!
I SWEAR it was bigger than this photo looks - I couldn't get the camera to focus through the glass, and didn't really want to get up close and personal. When I left for work this morning, I saw the web....overnight this thing made a one foot diameter web, suspended from a bush to the eave, conveniently located so the door opening didn't disturb it.
Tonight, it was home.
And huge. At least half an inch long and FAT. The fattest spider I have ever seen. I should google Brown Recluse because it is the only spider that I'm aware lives here & is poisonous (thanks 4th grade!), but I don't want to know.
And it was eating (presumably) a lady bug! Gah!
In case you're wondering, the spider & its web are now residing in a bush in front of my house. With my broom. (I'll address how to get the broom inside spider free tomorrow morning...)
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