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Gravity’s Bitch….again

Hi! I am still here.

May 28th, 2009
by gazelle.
4 comments

This week has been busy! Between not getting enough sleep, having only three days to do five days of work (usually I have four days to get my five days in), having two big projects due this week at work, and having all these social engagements, this week has been craZy (with a capital Z)!

Tuesday evening, I totally bailed on my kick-ass new neighbors and our planned taco night. The architect made me dinner, and I was in bed by 8, asleep by 9.

I chose to skip the pool Wednesday morning in lieu of an extra 2 hours of sleep (and that was definitely the right choice). It was only later that day that I remembered that in our party-minds Monday evening, we’d decided to have a cheese party Wednesday evening (the 2nd set of kick-ass neighbors have Wednesdays & Thursdays off, so it seemed a good time to schedule that – at the time).

So – I decided that I would get my swim in Thursday morning. I worked hard all day yesterday, hoping to get home in time for either a run or bike ride before the cheese party. Shortly after 5 PM, I closed up shop, walked out of my office, locked & closed the door. And then, not 5 seconds later, I said, “Fuck.”

Do you know what was in the office? My keys. Car keys. House keys. Office keys. There was no one in the office, and I didn’t have the information I needed to contact people who would let me back in. So I called the architect, and he came & got me. Of course, by the time I got home (with a stop to get cheese & wine), there was no time to exercise pre-cheese. And if you know me, you know that I am never late for a cheese event.

I made a rhubarb crisp, and then there was cheese! And wine! But only a little wine. I had one glass & had just refilled when my neighbor (from kick-ass set #2) requested a garden tour. And since I could talk about nothing but my garden for days on end, I, of course, obliged.

I told everyone all about the evil mole that I will slaughter with my bare hands (if I ever catch it), all the different produce that we have, the problem with slugs, and this weird creeping disease that’s plaguing some of our greens. I was in the raised bed gardens talking, and decided that instead of turning around & walking out like a normal person, I would continue to talk and back out like a graceful person. There is one problem though – I am not a graceful person.

I tripped over the side of the raised bed & went ass over teakettle. I did not, however, drop my glass of wine – and only spilled about half of it. I would’ve felt ever so much better if I’d actually had more than 1 glass of wine pre-fall – because falling while drunk is funny. Falling due to stupidity/clumsiness is just pathetic. *sigh*

So, I have a pretty bruise on the back of my right heel (where I hit it on the side of the garden) and general soreness. And now this overwhelming fear that my kick-ass new neighbors are going to start avoiding me since every time we hang out, I fall down.

Today, the architect drove me to work, so no morning workout today, either! However, I will yoga tonight, and will run/swim tomorrow. I’ll probably bike on Saturday & then I’m doing a trail run with a kick-ass person who is not my neighbor on Sunday, so although I’m not hitting all my workouts, I should get most of them. And, I really was treating this as my last week of ease before marathon training starts June 1 (holy crap).

I didn’t measure or take corn pics last night (due to the fact that I was falling out of my garden), but rest assured, most of the little corns are doing well. There are a few scrawny stragglers (I’m looking at you, James Corn), but Carrie Corn is pretty much the queen of the corn field!

Happy Thursday, peeps!

And good luck all you crazy marathoners in San Diego this weekend! The Ambitious One & Mr. Pi, Aron, Tara, Maritza, Danica, Julianne, Amanda, Kristen, Maddy, Shelly, and anyone else I may have inadvertantly left off the list. I’m sad I’m not there to see everyone’s San Diego abs, but I know you’re all going to ROCK this thing! Have fun & run strong!

This week = FAIL!

May 6th, 2009
by gazelle.
8 comments

I think I will move porn to Fridays – less mid-week pressure, and plus how better to spend my days off than looking at shoes!

So, now we need a new Wednesday theme. How about ‘excuses for why Amy isn’t exercising this week?’ Good, no?

So far I have:

1. Monday I had to console the architect by taking him out for drinks & greasy bar food

2. Tuesday I woke up with a pain in the neck. I assumed it was just from sleeping weird & it would eventually go away. By Tuesday afternoon, I had pain radiating down my right shoulder area into my mid-back & up my neck into my head. Driving home (yay! driving! my new parking spot has cut my commute time from an average of 90 minutes in the morning & 2 hours in the evening to about 35-40 minutes door-to-door) was really hard, what with my desire to turn my head being thwarted by my inability to turn my head. So I did what any dedicated fitness buff in her first week of tri-athlon training and a half marathon on Saturday would do – I stopped on my way home & picked up a bottle of wine.

3. Wednesday morning I was still unable to turn my head comfortably, so I did not swim, since the only stroke I know is the freestyle & if I remember correctly (I haven’t been in the pool since FEBRUARY!) there was some head turning involved with that.

4. Wednesday afternoon is supposed to be my first bike ride of my tri- training. I think I can do this if I wear my regular shoes & pretend my bike has regular pedals. BUT, should I run instead? Should I do both? I am planning on running tomorrow before my yoga class – which I will not skip – it is already paid for. (Even if the instructor has not yet cashed my check almost THREE WEEKS LATER – does that drive anyone else crazy? just me?)

I have my first half of the season (and, to be honest, my second ever) on Saturday. I ran the same course last year & I really, really want to PR. A LOT. I will be running another half on 7/4 on a flat course, so this isn’t my last shot at a sub 2:15, but I really want it. What do I do? I am planning on calling the magic chiropractor tomorrow if it isn’t better, but I feel like I may have some kind of nerve pinching thing going on.

Advice?

The Suck

Apr 27th, 2009
by gazelle.
16 comments

After yesterday’s goodness (run, lunch) I wasn’t anticipating that it would all go down hill so quickly. I had to go to the market last night, so we could continue to eat food like we do, and I felt a bit….whiny. I tried to convince the architect to go (he was all, ‘but you’re so good at it! you get the best bargains! I’d spend so much more than you on less food!’), but he wasn’t having it. So, I went. And by the time I got home, I felt…not well.

Just fevery & achy & headachy & sore throaty & a LOT more whiny. The architect made me dinner. I drank some pomegranate/cranberry juice. After dinner, I decided that this standing up thing was so OVER, so I put on my pj’s and went to bed. It was about 7 PM when I slipped my legs between the sheets. Oh yeah, people, I am a party animal.

I didn’t actually fall asleep for a while – stayed up reading trashy books until close to 9, but I slept a good 10 hours.

I felt better this morning – just kinda foggy & still with a sore throat – so I headed off to work, where the crises live.

I was in the middle of crisis management, when I decided that instead of my lunch (leftover Moroccan Stew), I would just have a nice cup of chicken noodle soup. So I made one, as one does, with a soup envelope (left over from when our department had a budget for unnecessary items like SOUP and TEA) and the very hot water that comes out of a commercial coffee maker.

I took a sip & promptly burned all the skin off my tongue. Because that water? It is very hot.

So I did what I’m sure any of you would’ve done at that point – spilled the whole damn cup all over myself. And my keyboard (I am still unable to get all the noodles out from between the spacebar & the ‘alt’ key). And the floor. It was hot. I may have yelled (but, and I know you’ll all be surprised/proud, I did manage to avoid yelling any obscenities – go me).

I look awesome now – because nothing says business casual like a crusty white stain on the left leg of your pants.

And now – the debate? Do I run my 5 tonight (all symptoms are neck & above) or Wednesday? Tomorrow night is track workout, and I have to get 11.55 miles in sometime in the next three days, but do I wait & hope I get better? Or will a run make the whatever-it-is better? At this point, I’m not sure why I don’t feel well. My office mate (hi!) suggested swine flu, but I think that’s unlikely….opinions? advice? sympathy?

Adulthood – Am I There?

Nov 25th, 2008
by gazelle.
16 comments

There are many things that have made me feel like a grownup. I have a husband. And a mortgage. And a job.

But one thing that always makes me feel even a little more grown-up? White Egyptian cotton towels. I love my towels.

Do you know how to ruin that feeling of maturity?

Cut yourself shaving. Not once, but twice. Different legs, same shaving session.

And then not really notice.

And then?

Dry your legs.

Now my pretty white towel has bloodstains all over it. Seriously – looks like someone may have hemmorhaged. Who knew the Achilles area could bleed so much?

Fortunately, Jesus is fixing it for me.

holy balls

Sep 15th, 2008
by gazelle.
12 comments

Today was hard! In keeping with my own personal preference, I will share the bad first, and then finish up with the good.

Today, we poured the concrete for our driveway.  Our driveway is VERY artistic – one of the side effects of marrying an architect.  The bonus?  It’s gonna look super awesome when it’s done. The concrete truck showed up a little before 10, and poured several wheelbarrow-fulls of concrete into our forms.  The architect & I levelled and smoothed the concrete as fast as we could – we only got the concrete truck for 15 minutes, after that, we were charged $1/minute. It was hard, hard work.

After we got enough concrete, the truck left, but our work had just begun.  We used the screed board  to level out the slabs – adding concrete where necessary. All was going well, until I turned to get a little concrete from one form to move to another.

You’ll never guess what happened next.

Go on – guess.

If you guessed “Amy fell down” you win the captain predictable sweepstakes!  Unfortunately, unlike my earlier contest (won by Christine – email me!), there is no fun prize – although feel free to pour yourself a martini right about now.  And then, come over and pour me one, too.

The problem with falling down in the middle of a construction site? I face-planted into one of the forms filled with rapidly hardening concrete.  I am scratched & bruised.  My pirate tattoo lost an eye (fortunately, it was the eye-patch eye, so he should be okay eventually). And my forehead?  Well, the architect said it looked “pretty.” And then he stopped talking.  Probably because he was laughing too hard to go on.

The architect was kind enough to not laugh until a couple of hours later. He even asked for permission to laugh AND share the story. I granted it, since I knew I was going to tell the internets.  Unfortunately, he did smooth out my faceprint, so you can’t come see my image immortalized in concrete.  Other than a few bruises and a relatively sore hip, I’m okay though – and honestly – I wish I could have seen the fall – I bet it was spectacular(ly funny).

BUT – the concrete looks fantastic – and the forms will be off in a couple of days.  Next step – paver bricks next weekend, then we’ll level the dirt & plan the grass, and by the weekend after next, I can park my car on my driveway!  (We are so fancy.)

So – the good:

I finished my garden digout.  Next weekend, we will add the compost & extra dirt, till it & put the garden wall up. I will plant the garlic this fall, and cover the whole thing with grass. Next year I will have 200 square feet of garden-y goodness.  I will also have separate spaces for: asparagus, cucumbers, rhubarb, squash (acorn & summer), strawberries, pumpkins & zucchini.  I also have blueberries, walnut trees, and an herb garden. I’m thinking of planting a couple fruit trees – right now I’m leaning towards apple & plums (eventually, I’d like pears, peaches, cherries & figs, too – but I’m willing to grow gradually).

Next year, I will be the queen of produce. And maybe someday, the architect will let me have a chicken and a goat.

OTHER, EVEN BETTER news.

Today, my physcial therapist gave me the go ahead to run 3x more this week, but instead of run 3, walk 1, I get to walk 2/run 2. I was supposed to run today, but my concrete faceplant, and the 900 degree weather, kinda negated that option. I’ll run tomorrow after work (likely in the gym).

AND she gave me permission to head back to my workout class in October.

AND she asked me to sign up for a 5K in October so we could start training for that!  So, I will be running the “Run Like Hell” 5K on October 19.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been nervous about running a 5K. I thought my next 5K would be trying to set a personal best, instead of, once again, just trying to finish, but at this point, I don’t care.

I get to RUN!  WOO-HOO!

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