There is like no way to get to RA before coastwalker does!

I am happy to report that it looks as though I am back to running!  I am unhappy to report that it is totally freezing out!  What is up with that?  This is October!!!  At this rate all of the kids are going to have to go out as Eskimos for Halloween.

This past weekend I went on a tour of three Brooklyn based distilleries.  At one I picked up a bottle of beach plum gin.  Turns out there is something called a beach plum that only grows (get ready) along beaches!  But more to the point, north-east beaches.  I am looking cooking ideas to use it with.  I think it would work well as part of a marinade or in a pineapple bread.  Any other suggestions?

My DW said we can throw a Halloween party!  Yea!  If you are planning to be in the area of south-western Connecticut and want to come over for the party let me know and I will send you an invitation.

Jay and Holly are both a pain in the butt??      Butt you both seem so nice!

I'm still hobbling today - I think this is the most sore I've been after a race so far!  Holly and Mike - remember the morning after the VT50 I could do an unaided full squat?  I tried one yesterday morning and failed miserably!  I can do one today, but it hurts!  The 52 miles is approximate - my Garmin died at 50.6 miles and 13:18 on the clock.  Most folks thought the race was 52-53 miles.  There were two distance options - a 50k (34 miles) and a 50 mile.  There were three different loops; the 50k was the first two loops, and the 50 miler added the third loop.  50 milers were given the option to quit after the 2nd loop and get credit and a time for the 50k race (i.e., not a DNF).  I think a lot of people took this option, but I stubbornly headed out for the 3rd loop!

Here's a picture of my costume (I had a mouth full of tater tots!).

I didn't win the costume contest - that award went to my friend Steve, aka the Baconator!

Huh?  50K in costumes?

Our upcoming Carkeek 12-hour Fun Run on Halloween only requires two of the 1.93 mile laps around the park perimeter in costume, . . . . though, as usual, I’ll wear my Japanese Marathon Monk outfit and waraji straw sandals all the way. '

ps - I thought that's what the goddesses seem to be wearing all the time.
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Bike - after adding various zigs-and-zags to my 4.5 mile cycle commute, went around I-5 on the other (south) side through the Daejon Korean Pavillion Park for a perfect door-to-door 5.00 miles.  Sometimes I think the cyclometer is too accurate to the hundreths but I love the part about turning off when the wheels aren’t rolling.  Wish my watch would do the same for running.  Oh, I don't have a watch. .
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Reunion trivia - now to catch up on everything that was put on hold during the fun of last week’s four-day 50th college reunion extravaganza, . . . except for the quack-quack part on Saturday. . . but more than made up for by great-looking cheerleaders from the last 50 years honored during the traditional playing of “Louie-Louie” at halftime.   While the rest of us were saying “The Kingsmen” to the trivia on the song's debut, a classmate from Tacoma knew it was “The Wailers” from down there in our freshman year (1961).
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Erika - what’s going on so warm up there?
What’s the coldest so far this year?
What’s the average and historical low for this time of year?
It's already warm but Seattle's supposed to have an even warmer winter too.

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Amy - I guess go ahead let her run
but tell her you’d like to celebrate
no. 2 by running with her.
Then, she’ll know. .

One more great costume picture (taken by Kurt Hardester):

I just caught up with the weekend RA happenings - can't recap everything as well as Jay, but some impressive running by Wild, and great 1st place win in your running series Erika!  Good to hear Twocat is running again, and that Mike made someone cry.

I watched our high school football team lose Friday night, and then the Seahawks the same on Sunday.  Cringe!  I went for a lovely 61F and sunny 6.3 mile run on Saturday (first time in 2 weeks - my bad!) up to Green Lake and around and back to BE's place.  You know, he used to run recreationally for years - so he "gets it" and is a bit jealous when I run because he can't (some kind of knee surgery - maybe he should reconsider the no running thing).

My dining room light stopped working, and after some investigation, it was not the bulb, nor the dimmer switch (which I replaced) that is the issue.  I bought a new multimeter and it seems only a low voltage is coming from the leads to that switch now.  I'm scratching my head.  I also have a leaking wood stove pipe at the cabin I should deal with.  Fun, not, but I learn so much in the process.

Late  yesterday afternoon, we got back from our trip to the Keweenaw penninsula after being gone for five days without internet.  We had a great time with my wife's brother and his wife.  Here are a couple of fall foliage pictures.  The actual scenes were much better than the pictures.

I didn't run at all.

On our way home, we went through an area (near Munising) that had gotten enough snow to cover the ground.  In one place, it looked like a couple of inches.  I wouldn't be surprised, based on weagther reports, that Steve saw some snow.

This morning, it was in the mid to high 30s and it was a bit windy.  I got in 5 miles at an 11:09 pace.

A good day and good runs for all.

TomS

First a chainsaw and now a multimeter.  Swoon.

 

any other dim or extra bright lights in the house?  a lost neutral can cause some wide voltage swings and damage electronics and such.  anything else on that circuit?  Did you check voltage to from hot to ground and neutral to ground as well as hot to neutral?  Interesting to see if there's any differences there.

 

sorry to everyone else--random electrical geeking out.

This is even cuter than the jealous thing.

Well, Ribs wasn't reading to bust me on yesterday's post, but the butternut squash was not sainted or otherwise in any religious order; rather, I carmelized them.  Thank you "I think I'm so smart" iphone .

Still crawling out from under the cloud.  It's a beautiful day here--in the 70s all morning, just about (and I'm still slow...but running, not injured, as I remind myself.)

twocat, do you ever stew fruit?    I'm thinking figs, as in the recipe below, adding some of your brandy might make this breakfast dish a perfect brunch or dessert, with ice cream....   (don't you love the word "macerate?")

Green Figs Stewed In Honey

• Time 30 minutes
• Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 6-inch vanilla bean
• 2 or 3 strips of lemon zest
• 1 sprig of lemon thyme
• 8 ounces fresh Calimyrna or other green-skinned figs

How to make it

• Rinse the figs and pinch off the stems.
• Cut them in half and set aside.
• Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and cut each half into 2 or 3 pieces.
• In a small saucepan, combine the honey, water, vanilla bean and lemon zest over the lowest flame.
• Stir to dissolve the honey and turn off the heat.
• Add the figs, gently toss them in the honey mixture, and let them macerate, covered, for an hour.
• After an hour, add the lemon thyme.
• Turn the heat to very low and gently simmer the figs for 30 to 40 minutes, turning them carefully so that they don’t fall apart but are just cooked through.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let them cool to room temperature.
• You can eat the figs at once if you like, but they are even better if you leave them overnight to soak up the syrupy vanilla and lemon-infused juices they have exuded.
• To serve, divide the figs between two bowls and spoon their pale pink syrup over them.
• Serve with Greek yogurt, of course, and coffee. Very black.