Traditions

When I was a child, my mother would prepare the top of her china cupboard on Christmas Eve with chocolate and candy. Thus, I do the same. Funny enough, after eights and toffeife I seem to recall always being there. Oh and I just really really like walkers shortbread, I could make my own but well..

Cards

For those of you not on Facebook, or have deleted me from facebook.
And/or
looking for a Christmas card from me/us.

Can't do it this year. Perhaps next year.


Just too much heart brokenness and sadness.
Wanted to reach out to you. Can't handle anymore rejection.

Can't get rid of it.

Maya's new school does a twoonie sale. Parents donate junk they don't want anymore, children come along with their parents money and buy each of them a present. Then the item is lovingly wrapped with paper lovingly donated by their parents.
All very lovely.

Except the present Maya has come home with for me looks strangely under all the paper like an item I donated. It isn't like there wasn't a ton of stuff to choose from, I found some junk in the middle of the sale and took it over to the school and  the gym was just like a Salvation Army, full full full.

 For the record I use a bar of soap and shampoo. It is a rare event that I moisturize.
I didn't want the goats milk bath set then, nor now. Sorry random person who gave it to me, next time just get me a lump of coal.

Dinner

You know you don't often eat meat when...

I have a recipe for creamed cabbage that I have been wanting to make since we got it with our CSA last week. I have been mulling over what to go with it. I am against grains and rice alot cause I think they make us fat, and not another salad..
Today it hit me... meat. But i am going through a non meat phase right now so of course, dead fish!!!

Thoughts of the Day

 

1. I am already missing the summer.  Race in a sunny location  may be happening.
2. I don't know if I have the mental energy to do Christmas cards this year. I don't know if I can handle the disappointment anymore. Edit- Luke just opened a card from my aunt and uncle which is the second best thing which happened to me today.
3.Dreaming about winning the lottery can not happen if I never actually buy a ticket.
4. I will run up more hills.
5. Wondering how the DJs who made that prank call to the hospital where Kate Middleton was hospitalized will ever go on with their lives after that nurse completed suicide.

Best Ever

Coleslaw!!!

I love coleslaw. Usually the vinegar type, very tangy with an explosion of taste and onions. No dish is complete without onions I say.

This week we received in out newsletter from the CSA, a delightful new recipe for coleslaw. I just ate three servings with the pictured avocado. Last night it went quite well with latkes. The addition of the lime makes it fantastic. Listed below is how I made it- not how it appeared in the newsletter. Made some minor adjustments based on what I had on hand and what I forgot to put in- opps.

 

1/2 cabbage sliced thinly

2 carrots grated

1 watermelon radishes shredded ( Or a several regular ones that can be found at the grocery would do)

1/2 red onion

 

Toss together in bowl

 

1 lime grated, then

1 lime juiced

1/2c mayonnaise

1/2c plain Greek yogurt

1t paprika

few twists of salt and pepper mills

1t cumin

 

Mix all up and then mix with the veggies.

 

Yummy yummy in my tummy.

 

 







Skinny Turkey Half

No holiday is complete without the opportunity to race I say, thus Skinny Turkey Half Marathon.
Kathie found the race and promptly signed up, despite never disclosing the fact she had in fact ran previous half marathons. I thought she was kinda doing it on a whim. Secretive non disclosing anything girl that Kathie.

Got to the race in time to enjoy the heated bathrooms inside the high school the race was being staged from. Was not willing to wait in line, I feel my basic human rights are violated when I have to wait in line to defecate.Thus leaded a revolt of the bathroom and led out an expedition to locate another bathroom. 
Warm enough for shorts,  t-shirt, and arm warmers. Mostly. The wait at the start line was not something I was used to. There were 629 people in the race, so I lined up accordingly with the normal amount of time to wait. I was not expecting a word from the charity partner, nor a moment of silence, nor the American anthem, nor a dance troop performing a routine that only the front runners could see. In Canada they just say go. By the end of all that I had been standing in the cold for 10minites and my teeth were chattering.

The course was two out and backs, the hilliest half course I have ever done. By fair. Never ending. Started slightly ahead of the 1:40pace bunny. Stayed on pace until about 12k, right around the one kilometre long hill. Then i just was done. Started walking up some hills. Which actually was was alot of walking as the course was all hills. In the end was 1:45, which is a new personal worst. Considering my level of fitness presently I should be ok, but i am not. Course was reasonably nice, would have been nicer if it wasn't on pavement. Seriously, I was sore for two day post. Ridiculous!

The swag was interesting, as in alot. Metal, hat, arm warmer, socks, and long sleeve technical shirt.
Except, i have so many metals already, I don't wear hats and Luke says I look bad in them. If Luke says I look bad in something it must be bad cause he thinks I would look good in a potato sack. The arm warmers are oddly shaped and feel cheap. The socks have a odd texture, and I asked for a youth large which usually are quite nice but on this particular model the sleeves are too short.
Food post was bananas, oranges, water and pumpkin bread. I ate a few oranges slices and thought I would have some bread when Kathie was done, but it was all gone. At the three hour mark the race organizers gave away all the rest of the food so when a blogger I read finished around 3:30 there was nothing left. I feel bad for her even though I got a large bunch of bananas and a bag or oranges. Really I do.

The interesting part of this race was the front runners were all DQ. They were following a lead cyclist who missed a four kilometre section. As I am an idiot and always go out hard so I was quite close to the front and when I saw the front runners come back so soon, either they were off course or I was. There had to be something wrong. Reassurance from others on the course conformed I was on the right path, so I knew something was up. Feel bad for the runners but it is a participants responsibility to know the course prior to the race.

Thank you Maya

After I got dressed this morning in a new to me dress I asked Luke how it looked.
Maya piped up gushing, 'OH mommy you look just like a model!"
and then....
"You just need a new hair and face."

Punishments forcoming.

Ted Talks

I have heard about TED talks, but well, just wasn't ready to hear one more great and amazing thing that was going to change my life.
Twitter changed that, thanks to a link on my feed, and needing something to listen to while painting I listened to this talk.

And I feel better about myself. I think my inflated sense of self esteem just got bigger. And I am OK with that.

The Feed Zone

One of the blogs I stalk and have a minor girl crash on, errr follow mentioned a cookbook, and amazingly while making an amazon purchase to capitalize on a sale cause I am poor I remembered said cookbook and bought it. I have a minor cookbook addiction as well so it would have eventually made it into this house, most likely in 30 years from a garage sale.

The Feed Zone is mainly geared towards cyclists, but I wanted the fast healthy feature. As well I recently realised that I run really well long on power bar type things. BUT they get expensive at $2-3 ( Well the ones I like) In addiction, we are sick to death of feeding the kids lunches so here was hoping for ideas. As a side note, our kids are not those super picky eaters who come home having ate nothing. They eat.

Flipping through I see a ton of meat, which is minor issue as in,  I hate buying it. Where was the dead animal raised? What was it fed? How did it die,  where was it processed. I start feeling guilty for the cost to the world to produce meat etc. etc.
Also a lot of rice. Need a rice cooker, and a juicer. Not to make juice, but for the vegetable pulp.

Anyways made Cashew bacon bars. Very yummy. So yummy Luke fed them to the kids for dinner a night I was at work.

Which brings us to another issue. Allergies. I may ask my kids to be segregated, or at least eat their lunches at the curb. They can be the bad kids, not smoking,  but eating NUTS.

VB50k

Ran the race for the second year in a row. Last year I was super speedy and ran it in 2:09- the 25k. This time I was running double that on way less mileage. Good times.

I had gotten a letter in the mail in May promising a super amazing gift I registered before June first, and as my love language is things I didn't pay for even if it is junk, like a sucker I signed up. At the time of the sign up I do believe I was planning on a 50 miler and was feeling quite invincible. Then I had that bike accident. Then the summer became a roasting pan, and I have more excesses if you want.

So I went into this race with a long run at around 22k. Lots of bike mileage this summer, but nothing replaces time on your feet running so basically my plan was to wing it. I figured I am pretty strong mentally, and it is trail so really, I am young and why not?

My goals were simple, run a reasonable pace- not to fast but not too slow on the first of the 25k loop, and try to survive the second.
The first loop was great, met some people to talk to, listened to conversation around me, and just enjoyed being out on the trail. Remembered sections but do not recall that it was mostly made up single track so that was a bonus. First loop in 2:37.

Second loop was ran mostly on my own. I put on my ipod and basically bargained with myself. Run one song get to walk for a bit, that progressed to run two songs, and so on.
Around the 35k mark, I got a Tylenol from one of the aid station ladies. Around 40k the rain started, it was responsibly warm out so it was kind of refreshing. My hip which is always sore was sore, and as well my feet. I had worn brand new shoes for the occasion! Although it seems to me that I only get sore feet when I wear road shoes on trail. Trail shoes feel fine on trail. Road shoes feel fine on road. Interesting.  The finish line is on a hill, and it took all the strength I had left to make it up that hill without walking.

All in all a good, really pretty trail. Great race. Fed well post. Got kinda a crappy massage. Most races near large urban centres offer massage post via students taking massage therapy. I have had actually good luck post race with massage, that day not so much.
Oh my finish time was 5:50- which is sup 6hours so all good to me!

5th

 

The boy child turned 5 on September 28th. When asked he actually does not know when his birthday is but if you prompt him with 'SSSSSS', he gets it. We know perhaps he will not be admitted to Harvard early admission. Perhaps regular is still a possibility at this point. 

As the second child has never had a party, it was high time we celebrated his day. Six little boys came for a early evening games and hamburger extravaganza. There was some discussion on serving sushi, but Ever conceded that perhaps it wasn't the best choice as not every five year old is adventurous in their eating as he his.

 

Every good mother makes their child a homemade cake. Seriously. I don't care if it from a mix. Make the effort. If you have a loving friend or close family member willing to make a fancy cake for your child, that is agreeable in the book of Anne but ONLY if it is done on a free basis. It must be done as a act of love, if any money changes hands then it is prohibited. Sorry, that is how it is written.

Back to the boy, Ever really likes snails, and spends a large amount of time hunting for them. We have several living in his room in an unofficial way. Thus,  a snail cake.

 

Ever's only present was a World Industries skate board. Only the best for my only boy. We have not had a visit to the ER as a result, which a victory.

 

 

Luke was not a good parent, and will be suitably judged as he did not loving craft a pinata for the party. One was shamefully purchased and most liked crafted in China by poor children being feasted upon by rats.

In any event the act of smashing the pinata was great fun. Somebody recently referred to Ever as one big muscle, and I would tend to agree.

Democracy

Maya informed us that she voted today.

She knew she was voting for treasurer, vice president, and social convener. She wasn't so sure of what, nor what those positioned entailed.

As for who she voted for, as in the basis of democracy, she didn't know who the candidates were or whom she voted for.
There was no posters, no printed candidate profiles, or even assemblies introducing the candidates to the children.

And this is why I think public schools are breeding grounds for the development of compliant, conformist sheep and not goats.  (Sorry J)

A tale of two cats

We got a cat yesterday. A smallish year old brown tabby. Quite quiet and timid, but it was very affectionate at the shelter, and Ever and I took a shinning to it and we decided to bring it home.

It is yet un-named.

Today, the door was open a fair bit and before dinner we could not find our new friend. After dinner, Luke went to look for the cat and found it down the street, and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

I went out for a short while and when I came home the cat came to see me in the kitchen and I made appropriate cooing and loving to it. Upstairs Maya heard me, and yelled down 'who are you talking to." The cat" I replied. She yells back, 'no the cat is up here'.

Yep we had two cats of similar appearance in the house.

We think we restored order and let the 'wrong' cat out the door.

We hope.

Clothes

 World war three broke out in this house tonight. Maya realised that not all the clothes that do not fit her anymore will be kept and cherished until she can lovingly dress her children in them.
One of her biggest arguments t in the dispute is that she will be able to save so much money by saving every scrap of clothing she has ever worn.

Of course the money savings on clothes will be offset by the rental fee of a storage space.

I can't get it out of my head and I can't stop listening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Centurion C50

As this summer has been far to hot for me top handle running without jumping into EVERY random water crossing (creeks, sprinklers, rivers, lakes, strangers pools) I have been doing a far amount of cycling. I even committed to cycling to work as often as possible. Unfortunately I had to give up that goal a month or two  as the roads department tar and bouldered with out my permission.

To top off this excessive cycling I signed up for the CF50 event with Centurion Cycling. It is a 50mile/80k ride/ race. The company that stages the events motto is 'Racers race, and Riders Ride". I did a bit of both.

In actual the ride is 87k as the timing mats are positioned for a riding start 5kish from the starting corrals. As the plan was to have a casual ride I joined the casual enthusiast corral. Which when you look at my time- yep I belong there.

Several members of the tri club were doing it, and thankfully we all found each other in the starting corral....and set off. I was really cold so wore a throw away sweater for awhile. There are three big climbs with many many others in between. The one hill I was rather concerned about was on country road 13 going up to Epping. ... and it wasn't that bad. I honestly just spinned and took my mind of it by talking to anybody I could. Just being really positive. One fellow of whom I admired his matte black cervelo, told me of how it was free as he is the shipping manager of the company. I tried to convince him that Hanover would be a great place to set up operations- no go. This is a totally draft legal event so it was my first opportunity to ride in a pelition. It is true, you are just sucked along. But as that was my first opportunity to ride in a large group like that I didn't last long without mentally feeling drained, and needed a break. Did see one person post crash. There were several people already stopped, so I didn't.

My goal time was 3.5hours. My chip ended up being 3:13. My 80k split is 3:18. My gun doesn't matter. but I do not understand the results. In any event I have no clue why I am so slow on the bike. I mean I put a reasonable amount of time on it relative to my friends? I work hard, but that just is not reflected in my times. What am I doing wrong? My shifters were off- as in when I changed the back the front responded. That is the last time I go to that bike guy for a tune up! My descents were crap as I am terrified of bouncing off the pavement and come to a skidding halt, my skin marking the pavement so I didn't even hit 55k on the downhills.  It all comes down to what am I doing so wrong??

Great event, great time, great venue. Wonderful organization, friendly vibe. Crap food. Hamburger and mixed greens. No onions for the burgers and when I say mixed greens I mean JUST mixed greens. Cookies and bananas for desert. Poor.

Back to School

Maya and I have differing ideas as to what constitutes a special back to school meal. I won:)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mine over Matter

Second in the element racing off road triathlon series.... and is called MINE over Matter, not MIND. Actually only realised it yesterday after the race.
The mine comes from it held in a piece of land which once served the purpose of being a quarry for limestone- which is adjacent to the Kelso conservation area in Milton...which is far from home. So we hoteled it the night prior. Worth it, vs camping in a thunderstorm the night before a race.

Swim
1k- 22:31, 2:16 100 metre split.
Basically why do I bother swimming? I suck. Even when I think I am making progress i am still horrible.

Bike
17k-1:10, 14.5km/h*

*This result isn't actually what I rode.

Bike started out fine, got going really fast, for me, and hit a rut and fell into long grass. Pride was hurt and my chain came off, but that's not what I'm talking about.
Another rider fell in front of me,  an obvious deformity of the wrist occurring.  Went for help, stayed with her until trained personal arrived. At the same time was lapped by the winner. At that point was only a few kilometres actually into the course. Felt like pooh. Course was very doable from my perspective. Walked up the ski hill and another point where my tires were just slipping. Felt very dusty. Tried reasonably hard. Still kinda suck.

Run
8.5k- 43:16, 5:06ks
Finally something I am good at! Although at this point, it is blazing hot....and people are already coming into the finish line. That makes one feel really good about their performance up to this point.
Anyways my goal was to pass at five people on the run. Starts on double track up 1.5ish then glorious  single track for 3-4k. My impression of the trail is it is very well used. wide, non technical single. Then a out and back and down the hill back to the race site..which is where I thought the race ended. I knew we had only gone 5ish kilometres but I figured then the race was short, and not as long as limberlost. I was wrong, had to run around the lake. I was having a good run and actually didn't mind. Spent about 10seconds to long dumping water on myself at the aid station. The volunteers pointed out for me where the next woman was and I said it would be tough but I thought I could catch her.. and they laughed and said no way. I left and tried to prove them wrong. I was running 4:45ks and caught another guy and the gap i was making on the woman was narrowing but not as fast as I would have liked. I was going faster and faster but kinda resolved I wasn't going to make it but I was still gaining on her. In the finishing shoot I caught her but she pulled ahead very so slightly to beat me by one second.  Luke said he could see the entire lake run and had tremendous fun watching me make gains.

Over all I had fun. would be nicer to be a faster biker and swimmer, and I think my key to doing so  is to develop upper body strength. As in I have none. I need to work on that, and perhaps I will see some improvement. Really what do I have to lose?

The race is nice. The run could use a bit more single track and it quite flat. Very fast. Bike was very rideable except for one technical section and the ski hill. Luke liked the venue. Felt part of the race. Easy accessible. At Limberlost he felt transition cut off the spectators.
 Personally, I liked Limberlost better. It was harder and I was sure the race course on the bike would kill me. My arms were sore afterwards not from the swim but from pushing the bike up the hills. The food was great at both but Limberlosts meal also inculded salads and watermelon.  Even though it rainned, the expereince of camping on a race site was so much fun. I will be definitly doing both next year. Thanks Element racing!!!!

Things I know now that I wish I knew then

That chafing, quite similar to diaper rash really really hurts. No wonder babies cry.