These are not resolutions...

While I said I didn't have any resolutions, I do have some stuff I'm working on these days.

Fitness:  I'm gearing up for the Ironman training season.  That training doesn't really start until late February which  means I've got about 7 weeks of "not-sure-what-I'm-supposed-to-be-doing-fitness-wise."   After the Las Vegas race in early December, I gave myself complete rest.  Complete. Rest. The couch is almost bolted to my butt.

Rest is boring. I've got 7 weeks to do something.  I decided on a mix of Insanity cardio workouts and heavy weights.  The best thing I can do to prep for Ironman training is to get my weight low (thx Insanity) and my strength rebuilt (weights).   My lower body is still strong but my upper body strength is nowhere near what it once was.

I hit the first Insanity workout yesterday and I was gasping for air.  Its a killer workout and I love it. Today I ordered myself some adjustable weights. Because our house is tiny, it drove Steve nuts  that I had a big bin of dumbbells cluttering the place. In the interest of home harmony, the big bin o'dumbbells is replaced with one set of adjustables.  And secretly I've wanted this set of adjustable weights for a long time.  I've looked at them longingly online and at sporting goods stores, but I didn't want to spend the money.

Nutrition:  Steve and I agreed to eat at home more this year.  Last year, especially when the job stress was huge, we just gave up on cooking.  Between travelling and working long hours there was no time to plan meals or purchase groceries.  Our fridge had condiments and fruit.  When we got home from work at 7 or 7:30, it was all we could do to pick a restaurant.   It was a big waste of money and time.  Plus, it's hard to make good nutritional choices in most restaurants.

This year, I'm trying to plan menus and shop once a week.  I love to cook; it's the menu planning that's such a nuisance.  I don't normally cook using a recipe, I'm more intuitive about how to combine flavors. It's hard to stand in the grocery store on Sunday and anticipate what I'll be inspired to cook on Thursday.

This week I tried one of the popular menu planning websites.  I purchased a membership and everything.  After two nights of awful dinners, I had to call and request a refund.  Monday night's dinner recipe was sort of bland, but okay.  Tuesday night's dinner was the worst thing I've ever cooked.  I ended up tossing most of the sauce and adding a lot of wine and garlic.  (Wine and garlic being the universal cure to bad entrées.)

So the fitness stuff is well underway, but it's back to the drawing board on menu planning.

Merry Christmas...or whatever holiday you celebrate

Here's to hoping your holidays are filled with all the things that make life special.

We spotted this last weekend when we picked up our Christmas tree. A fir tree trimmed to look like a palm tree. What can I say, only in San Diego.

No One Will Believe Us Now

Steve's bike crash left him with a nasty black eye and stitches.  I've taken a bit of teasing and so has he.  "What happened, did he forget to take out the trash?"  Domestic violence is no joke, but at some point you just go with it.  Now I say, "Yeah.  And that was just my left hand"

Today I stopped in to see my doctor for the routine prescription refills and asked her to look at this weird bump I have on my lip.  My dentist has been watching it for a few years, but at the last visit he said it had to be removed.  Nothing serious, but it's getting bigger and I bite on it occasionally.  Pack your bags, lip bump. Today my doctor it was just a mucocele (which is a scarred salivary gland).  She said she'd lance it and it would be gone.   She grabbed the lance, or more realistically a spear, and jammed it on in there.  Hmmm.  That thing did not budge so she referred me to surgeon who'll grab an even bigger spear and hopefully some local anesthesia.

When I got to the car, I caught my reflection in the rear view mirror.  The doctor's spear chucking left me with one huge fat lip.

Steve has a black eye.  I've got a fat lip.  No one is going to believe that there wasn't a brawl at our house.  Given the comparative bruises on the two of us - I totally dropped a beat down on him.  He'd better take out that trash.

Ouch

Running is a time specific workout.  Once I pick my training distance, I can accurately estimate my finish time. Cycling is totally different story. Steve can be delayed by a flat tire or a broken spoke. If any teammate has a mechanical problem or just a bad day, the whole team is delayed - maybe by a few hours. Every couple of months, Steve calls me to tell me that someone isn't able to finish the ride.  That's when I hop in the truck and pick them up.

When Steve called me last night from his regular Tuesday ride, I wasn't all that worried.  He said he'd taken a spill and that he had a cut on his forehead. Nope, he didn't need a ride home, but he'd be late. Then another friend called and said "We've got his bike and his stuff and they're loading him into the ambulance."  WTF!

The next hour was sort of a scramble of grabbing stuff for Steve (pajamas, food, eye glasses) and  heading to the hospital - the wrong hospital.  Then I got lost a second time by taking the wrong highway split.  Finally, I got to the correct ER. I must have had my "Don't mess with me" look on my face, because the ER nurse immediately walked me back to see Steve. If you work in the ER, let me give you a free tip.  Tell the family member what they're going to see.  I was visualizing a little knock on the head.  Not gushing blood, a swollen face and cervical collar.  How's about you give me a friggin' warning ER nurse?

Luckily, Steve is okay - no concussion.  (Thank you helmet!  A million thanks.)  He's got a wicked case of road rash on his face,  lots of stitches on his forehead and cheek and a shiner you wouldn't believe.  A little cosmetic damage and general soreness, but time, Neosporin, and Tegaderm will take care of that. 

If you'd have told me that one of us would have a bike accident this week, I wouldn't have guessed Steve.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

You might have heard we had a little earthquake on Easter Sunday.  Actually, it was a pretty good rumbler at 7.2.  Once again, I completely missed it.  I've felt exactly one earthquake in four years.  When that happened I was almost giddy, because I finally, finally felt one.

On Sunday, the earthquake happened while Steve was driving us home from LA.  As we rolling down the 405 freeway, Steve asked me if I thought we were getting a flat tire because he felt some vibration. Steve pulled over and yes, we were getting a flat.  If we felt the earthquake at all, it was mixed up in all the tire vibration. 

After a quick call to AAA for a tire change, we were on the way home. The funny thing is that I have AAA, because every Easter my parents give a membership to their children and grandchildren.  We always got Easter presents; I was shocked to learn other kids only got candy and not gifts..  Whatever you grow up with it what you think is normal.  The gifts weren't big things, but useful things - socks,  clothes, AAA memberships.  When Steve and I started dating, I got him a AAA membership for Easter...because that's what you do.

As we were waiting for the AAA guy, I told Steve my parents would be really happy about this turn of events.  I've never gotten to use my Easter present on Easter Sunday.  Thanks Mom and Dad.

Scrapbook

Here is a photo of my two nieces.  The "Little Sister" is the one who had open heart surgery just a few days after she was born.  We are so blessed that she had excellent doctors and nurses at a world class children's cardiac care facility. She's also got an older sister who adores her.

Bonus photo: Here's a photo of all of my little nieces and nephews.  This one was taken a few months ago.

It's so wonderful how close the kids are.  So many kids today grow up without an extended family.  These kids have cousins, aunts and grandparents who they see almost every day.  These are some lucky, healthy, beautiful kids.

Who Dat? (New Orleans Style)

Let's take care of important matters first. Who dat healthy baby? 
I'm incredibly happy to tell you that the baby is doing great.  We are blessed that many wonderful things happened in a difficult situation.  Thankfully, we she was born in close proximity to a world class neonatal cardiac hospital.  She's still in the hospital, but she's doing great.  Thanks for the comments, emails, kind thoughts and prayers.
  
On to the trivial. Who dat half marathon finisher? 
Me.  And I had my most fun run in ages. More on that later.

Good Vibes. Please Send.

Two days ago my newest niece, Natalya was born.  It feels as though we've been waiting forever for her to arrive. She was nearly a week past her due date.  Here she is with her older sister Mya.

This morning Steve and I hopped on a plane bound for New Orleans so I could run in the inaugural Rock N Roll Mardi Gras 1/2 Marathon.  When we landed in Louisianna and I received a call from my Mom.  There is a problem with the baby's heart.  Little Miss Natalya is having open heart surgery first thing in the morning. 
It always amazes me how quickly you fall in love with a new member of the family.  A few days ago she didn't even exist.  I haven't even met her, but I already love her.  Because there's nothing else I can do I've researched this to an almost pathologically intense degree.  The baby is in an exceptional children's hospital with a specialty in cardiac care. She has an excellent prognosis.  Her Mom and Dad are with her.  (Little Mya is staying with her grandmother.) 

Intellectually, I know this is going to be okay and I have absolute faith that she's going to be just fine. But if you have a minute send some good vibes to her and her family.

Who Needs A Hug and a Diet?

I'm just back from dropping my parents off at the airport. It was wonderful having them with me for a few weeks, but eventually they had to go back to their own lives. We did a ton of stuff while they were here, but mostly I just enjoyed having them with me.

There are two things that I dread about my parents leaving. One is that we all gain weight during their visit. Plus my folks have been traveling for awhile before coming to see me - Las Vegas, New Orleans. Those are some eatin' towns. My parents have a talking scale at their house. Imagine hopping on the scale and having it say "Good Morning." Then having it announce your weight to the tri-state area because it's so loud. We were all taking playful guesses at what the scale would say if we hopped on it. I think if I hopped on it would say "One at a time." In the words of Doctor Beck, "Oh, well."

The other thing I dread is the ride home after I take my folks to the airport. It's sad and I know that they won't be out to see me for a long while. Which makes me a teary mess, but what can you do? As I was driving home, I passed the HugNation RV which is usually parked down the street from my house. It always makes me smile.

Back to gym after work. Back to running. Back to a saner eating plan. Back home for my parents.

Happy Father's Day

I was looking through some family photos for the perfect snapshot of my Dad for my Father's Day post. That's when I realized I don't have any photos of my Dad alone. He's always surrounded by his wife, daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters and great-grandson. (Yes, we finally got another boy in the family.) In all our photos he's making us laugh and you can see how much he loves us and we love him. That is just about perfect.

And then there's one photo where my Dad is inexplicably with Willie Nelson.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Here are Dad, me and Mom in Cabo San Lucas. We're sitting on sandbags in preparation for a hurricane.	Post hurricane. Still laughing.
Dad and I putting on our helmets at Nascar Driving School at Texas Motorspeedway. (His Father's Day present.)	Making me laugh at my Penn State graduation.
Dad goofing around with his granddaughters after one of our Monday night family dinners.	My Dad with my Mom, my sister and his granddaughters all grown into young women.
Mom, Dad and the first 2 great-grand kids. There are 2 more great-granddaughters now.	Dad and Willie Nelson. What can I say? Everyone loves my Dad.

Three Mammals Live In This House

Guess which one snores...



For now amuse yourself with Toby snoring and I'll be back with a real update soon. Life has been busy. The good news is I'm back to running with Team In Training first thing in the morning.

Merry Christmas

This is my Mom and I in front of the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Oh, and just for the record. I owned the hot pink coat, but my mom loaned me the hot pink hat. She also had a matching scarf. We are hot pink people.

The Prince and the Pea

I'm not saying my cat, Toby, is spoiled, but he's no longer content to merely sleep on the couch.

He now sleeps on the couch perched on multiple layers of pillows.

Hoppy Birdy Two Ewe

The guy I'm hugging in this photo has a birthday today. That makes him 3 years older than I am!

Happy Birthday Steve!

Updates

After a day of tests the pet emergency room vets were completely confounded by what was wrong with Toby. I took him home and he stumped us all by getting better on his own.

My bout with the croup is almost complete. Other than a lingering cough, I'm good. It's still a bummer since that cough/cold kept me pretty well out of cardio activities and I'm really worried about the half marathon this weekend. Ah, well. I guess I'll suffer on through it.

I did my first TNT Peak Performance Team workout last night. One hour - all core - all the time. That's a full hour of abdominals with only quick breaks for back. Yikes. My abadabas were screaming for mercy.

More Family Fun

I'm mostly better and now my beloved cat Toby is sick. I'm here the pet ER waiting for the blood work and x-rays.

The pet emergency room is one of the saddest, loneliest places.

Postcard from Pennsylvania

I've been in Pennsylvania for a few days visiting my family. Some notes, in no order:

• Phillies Phinally! After waiting 28 years, the Phillies deliver a World Series. It's pretty much Christmas x your birthday + 4th of July fireworks in all of Eastern Pennsylvania. A three day final game? Just a little more time to wait for the eventual win.
• My nieces and nephew have gotten so much bigger in the last10 months. There's a new baby too. They are adorable, sweet and perfect. Also, they are little germ factories and I'm sick.
• Living in California I've been insulated from the most hateful political ads since California is definitely Obama-land. Pennsylvania is a battleground state and the ads stink of desperation here.

Heading home to California tomorrow.

Oh Baby!

My newly arrived niece.

A big, healthy baby girl - 7 pounds 6 ounces, 20 1/2 inches.

Welcome to family little one.

I want!

Bella got one of the National Geographic Genographic kits for her Dad. It tells the story of your ancestors via your DNA.

It's so incredibly cool that I want one. I believe it will confirm my citizen of the world status. Or it may just show that I have a genetic predisposition to prefer Indian food over Thai food.

Happy Birthday Big Sister!

It's birthday central in my family. Happy Birthday Roseann! I love you.

These photos prove it - Mom dressed us funny.