Trails are hard!
So I did, even though I did not make it up for my run this morning. Didn't sleep really well and when the alarm went off, I reset it to normal time. Of course, the fact that it was about 15° out had little to do with it.
Roch--glad to see you've got a family tradition back up and running. We're going to take ours out to LA--DW has a big box of cut out cookies to decorate with DD. Also have my DM's recipe for speculas (?) a dutch spice cookie that we (read DW) will try to make for ourselves for the first time since her passing.
Last day of work for the year for me (I hope). There is a small possiblity that I'll have to come back for a day when we get back, but will come in handy for time off for DW's next new knee.
Happy runs, shopping, and family gatherings to all.
Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.
Long day ahead for me! work all day, then a board meeting. Will probably get home just in time to crawl into bed and collapse.
but tomorrow is track day. yippee!!
Tammy
Thanks, Stumpy, I was just going to start one.
Aw, Roch, that is so sweet even though it took a while for DS to get involved in the tradition again. I took a big tin of cookies to DD2’s house on Friday (photos to follow). It worked best to use thinner frosting and dip and flip them, how creative. We had one sprinkle explosion, but it was fun.
Another new knee for Mrs Stumpy, hope it goes well. I hope it is in 2016 still to make use of the already paid deductible.
So glad that the butterfly lady got in 7 smile miles, love it! Erika, yeah, if your hands are warm that's half the battle. Nice sub-zero run. Aren't you glad that you don't much wind there? That is the worst for me.
I packed my gym bag and went to the YMCA after work yesterday. 20 minutes on the TM, 30 minutes of weights (light ones). If I only skip two days the rest of the month I will earn my $20 fitness rebate from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Spin class is tonight so will attend that. Since our family Christmas was last weekend, I really have no excuse not to workout, and even more reason to do so. We had 8 inches of snow while we were gone so that makes it less fun to run outside. Arctic air at -25° makes it even less fun. Today we will get up to 32° so maybe the trails will melt OK to run on. Sure hope the car wash opens for a couple of days too.
MrStarr sees his primary care doctor today and I am going to tag along. He has issues with anxiety/depression and haven’t seen a lot of improvement over the last few months. I want to find out about GeneSight testing (to determine the right medications) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression. Any thoughts, Henrun or anyone else?
Here are some cookie photos
I love you Grandma Starr!
“Courage is not defined by those who fought and did not fall, but by those who fought, fell, and rose again.” — Adrienne Rich
Beautiful granddaughter Starr!!
4.4 miles for me after it warmed up past 20 degrees!! Did 4 sets of .5 mile pickups x .25 mile recovery after a mile warm-up. I was really dragging my feet getting out there today, but so very glad I did - felt great!!
Now time to let my fabulous hairdresser work her magic on me and then dinner with 2 of my life-long friends. Feeling blessed!!
denise
Got up to do a software update at work at 5:30, then a trip to the gym for time in the ARC trainer and weights.
My mother made lots of cookies around Christmas and always made the cut-out kind which we would help decorate. I did that with my girls when they were young and also with my granddaughter when she lived with us. No one to make cookies with this year though. There are a few pictures and maybe videos with me pretty exasperated with the girls when we ended up with a large mess (flour everywhere). Of course, it's all funny now.
Just one more picture of 5 of the 6 grandkids. Still smiling before movie night started and the adults to play Shanghai Rummy. Guess their names and which ones are from the same family and I will send you all my leftover cookies!
Starr, your grandkids are adorable and your cookies look pretty much like ours. One interesting thing about the recipe we use: since it came from my dad's mother, we grew up calling them "Grandma Gordon cookies." Now, my DS calls them that, but he remembers them from my mother, and if he has kids (still a longshot, but you never know!), "Grandma Gordon cookies" will refer to my DW!
We had an early March trip all set up for St Augustine with the Road Scholar organization that we enjoy so much, but got a call last week that it had been cancelled due to lack of enrollment. Aargh! They'd of course have refunded our money, but instead we transferred to a trip to San Antonio at about the same time, and by flying on Southwest there are no penalties for changing our flights. We're also going to spend a few extra days afterward and head over to Big Bend N.P. for a couple days. Anyone ever been there?
Nice to see everyone (or at least those with an AK address) braving the cold, unlike many of us who would rather go and hide these days. Today I put in 1000 yards at the pool, gradually building up to where I left off last Spring.
Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI
"Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"
..Great pics starr......
......nice to hear from roch
=============
30's here,
and no, Mud Doesn't Evaporate, you just have to go REALLY slow
45-min HH On GreenWay
AND
45-min PoolRun, ris, paw
..................good work-outs to the rest of ya
..nothing takes the place of persistence.....
Hey folks - from the size of the dailies lately, it looks like everyone is in full Christmas panic mode
Great pictures Starr - your cookies are too pretty to eat, and your grandkids are adorable! I'm so sorry that Lon is still having issues with anxiety and depressions. And it seems like the holidays can really exaggerate these. Hang in there, and keep going to the Y. Great for YOUR mental health.
A nice, long extended work break for you Stumpy. Enjoy!
How about pictures of your new "do" Deez? Have fun with the ladies tonight.
Dave, I think you need some snow to get in the Christmas spirit. Can I send you some?
Thanks for the heads up on mud Tom. Hope you enjoyed your GreenWay time.
We got shoveled out from the snowstorm last weekend, and the bitter cold temps Starr mentioned passed through last night. It's pretty bad when it feels balmy outside and it's only 21° Gotta love Wisconsin people though. I saw at least 3 guys in shorts and sweatshirts at the grocery store this afternoon!
I took 3 dozen cut-out cookies to DS#1 and DIL's house last weekend, with an assortment of colored frostings and sprinkles and let the kids go crazy. They had so much fun! The youngest, who will be 4 next March, had so much sugar and decorations on his you couldn't even see the cookie! And Miles, their Beagle pup, was right under the table to catch all of the droppings!
6 miles on the treadmill this morning followed with 20 minutes of weights, and 8 - count 'em - 8 full body pull-ups using the overhead bar.
Hopefully everyone is easing into the holidays and will be able to spend time with family and friends!
Marathon Maniac #957
Howdy folks!
Starr - love the cookie and GC pics!
I have had little time this year for baking, which is just as well for my waistline, which is a constant battle, but I did make one batch of English Toffee and gave some care packages of it to our friends at a get-together recently.
As I have already mentioned, I am swamped at work. Our boss sets profit goals for the firm each year, and we are now at "crunch time" trying to meet the 2016 goals. My office manager told me that at yesterday's team meeting (which I missed because I was at a Medicaid hearing), they determined that it is pretty much up to me to bring in an additional $25,000 in cases before the end of the year so we can make our goal. Are they freaking nuts? I am crushed trying to get all my new cases eligible and filed (and us get paid) by the end of December as it is. Why on earth is a paralegal responsible for the firm's profitability? I just don't need the additional pressure. Plus, it seems like every day I have a new "must be done before the end of December" task added to my load. I am feeling overwhelmed.
4.4 miles for me on the TM today.
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."
Carolyn
Holly, that's so unfair that they try to put the profitability on your shoulders! If you got to keep a large percentage it might be more fair. I'm glad my part time work has slowed to a trickle, and I'm actually retiring at the end of this month!
It's in the 50s and sunny here in the SoCal desert- today I ran 5 miles around the campground while DH climbed with a friend. Now hanging out at a laundromat while DH does the grocery shopping. I love life on the road, but miss taking regular showers!
I have fond memories of decorating Christmas cookies with my siblings when I was growing up, and with my DD.
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
Holly, that's just criminal. I wish I could tell you to just ignore it, but I know you can't/won't. It's totally unfair that they pay you so little as it is for your workload and expertise, but to put this pressure on you is just wrong. Please focus on what you need to do and don't try to be a hero.
My mom used to make a Scandinavian spice cookie that we all loved. No frosting, but great flavor and they kept for a long time (which is good because one batch made hundreds of cookies). Some recipes call them Norwegian (like my mom) and some call them Swedish. I figure calling them Scandinavian covers it. http://www.simplysogood.com/2014/12/norwegian-pepperkaker.html
The picture on that site doesn't look like them, really. They should be darker. Cut into all sorts of shapes and excellent with coffee, not too sweet. Just yummy. But, alas, I hardly ever bake anymore so they're a distant memory.
Hey, starting after tomorrow we start gaining daylight again! Woot! Just 17 seconds more on Thursday, but it picks up speed and we'll be up to 3 minutes more a day by January. It's almost spring!
On that note... it's about -3 out there now and I'm going to go run a few miles in a bit. Looks like we might get more snow soon and -20 forecast for Thursday, so gotta get out there while I can! It'll be dark out, but I have my headlamp.
Holly S. in a case like that my first question is always, or what?
roachrunner very sweet story about the cookies. Very sweet cookies too I imagine!
No cookie stories for me. Or much in the way of Christmas panic. I only get something for my DW (flowers, long story but it is what she gets) and let her worry about presents for her family. My primary task will be to produce a menu and cook it. The main course will be lamb shanks. Maybe chestnut soup for the appetizer. Not sure about sides as yet. Tomorrow I have a 6:30am run scheduled with my training partner. The forecast is for temperatures in the mid-20s. The bigger problem will be spotting ice in the pre-dawn light when we start out.
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
Starr-I would suggest that your DH's primary refer him to a psychiatrist or psychologist. I've been out of the loop for awhile but I still try to keep up. Cognitive Therapy can be helpful and I've heard some good things about magnetic stimulation. Good luck.
Starr, another of many good wishes for your DH; I sure hope he can get some relief. And you too. And yes, our temps are air temps, we generally don't get wind in the winter (although it does happen). We usually just get wind when a new system is coming in, like a high pressure system bringing cold temps, or a low pressure system bringing warm temps and usually snow. Nothing like Minnesota and Wisconsin though. I spent three winters in Wisconsin and I swore I'd never do that again.
6.3 miles tonight, ended up being a progressive pace sort of run. The last mile I was really trying to hurry because it started snowing those little icy flakes that sting your eyes. Wanted to be done with it!