Can a family eat on $100 a week?

If I take a look at the grocery budget from a couple years ago, I'd say yes. Not so sure now. My grocery list has simplified over the last two years, yet the amount spent has gone up by about 20-25%. I've even eliminated some convenience foods, and have cut my coffee consumption down considerable and the daily energy drinks are gone.

Growing kids have changed the quantities of many items, but the other changes really should have offset any increase. Carrots, apples, grapes and bulk cashews and sunflower seeds go quite a bit further, for less, than yogurt covered raisins, potato chips and prepackaged individual sized trail mix. Not seeing a big savings though.

Inflation. Ouch.

Wenchypoo has a link to the MSN article Can a family eat on $100 a week? by Melinda Fulmer. The article details the budgeting and dietary issues of the author's challenge to feed her family of four on $100/week. She almost made it, but considers it a win at $105.03.

From Wenchypoo:

We could probably do it if FOOD was the only thing counted--no sundries at all--eating organically. In fact, I'll try it next week, since this week's organic order has already been placed.

I wonder if the article means $100/week in PRICE or COST PER SERVING? All they say is "no coupons, gardens, free food, etc."--all must come from a grocery store of some sort.

I've written the author for clarification, and told her of my intentions to take her up on this challenge using organic food. Right away I have the advantage by not having kids to feed, and multiple food allergies to deal with.

I'm curious about the answers. I think I might just try $125/week, for my family of five, during the month of August. It's back to school time, so I'll already be working on stricter meal plans, with early morning breakfasts and packed lunches. Working out dinner menus for the week at the same time isn't too much of a stretch.

It's easier if all the household, health/bath, and dog items are not included in the weekly total. If they are, I'll just need to be a bit more diligent in preparing oat/flax muffins and waffles in advance for breakfasts. And keeping baked goods going for lunches/snacks. There will not be much room for prepackaged items.

I'll try two weeks with just grocery chains (Kroger, Publix, Whole Foods, Trader Joes), then two weeks with my favorite asian & farmers' market back on the list. I know right now which weeks will have the greater variety of produce, and the lower cost. The two weeks of just grocery chains will have an offset in fuel cost, since I can ride my bike to the store and leave the gas guzzler at home. I'll be going every day, but I can burn extra calories while I do. The farmers and asian markets are across town, so they'll be a once a week thing those last two weeks.

The toughest thing for me will be figuring out alternatives to the food bars I take on rides and runs. Replacing those prepackaged sources of balanced carbs & proteins will take some experimenting. If I'm going to put the kids through this though, I need to be prepared to cut out my $2/bar convenience food.

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The sidebar at MSN contained a link to a similar challenge last November by MP Dunleavy. She attempted to cut the grocery bill for her family of three in half. It was an entertaining article, as she weighed the high value of her husband's helpful trip to the grocery store against the extra $33 he spent. They exceeded the slashed budget, but found several ways they could gradually cut back on costs for the future.

Random Goodness

Was decluttering my iPhoto massive Miscellaneous folder today, and came across this gem from three years (ish) ago:
It's marvelous. All three kids are looking in the general direction of the camera, and smiling. My daughter's eyes are closed, and mine too. That's okay though, because we were both laughing at a very silly joke at the time. Don't remember the exact topic, but I think it had something to do with Captain Underpants bedtime reading.

Biking in Traffic

I really enjoy riding my bike around for errands. Grocery stores, produce stand, bank, pharmacy, Target, running stores and coffee, all within 1-1.5 miles from the house. It's stress reducing, healthy, and quite often faster than going by car.

Today was an extra great day for bike errands. There was a crew working on something at the side of the road, so the traffic was funneled down to one lane. The bike lane was quite open, so I zipped past all those cranky-looking drivers. Felt quite chic with my little bike basket, too. White capris, blue canvas espadrilles, flowing blue top, sunglasses, ponytail streaming behind me in the breeze.

Unfortunately, Fleet Feet was out of the 10 ounce bottles for my fuel belt, so that's an errand for another day. Browsed a bit, and enjoyed the air conditioning for a few minutes before heading over to Trader Joes. Picked up my veggies, strawberries, tamari roasted almonds, lavender salt scrub and 12-pack of toilet paper, then headed home. Not by the same route. The bike lane would not have been open on the way back; that's where the utility truck was parked. So I needed to take my triangle running route, Roswell to Abernathy, home. I headed north on Roswell Road. This was BIG for me. I'm not a fan of Roswell Road traffic when in my big old truck, let alone my little hybrid bike.

Even during lunch hour traffic, it was not at all scary. As a bonus, it was downhill. Decided to treat myself. Pulled up to Starbucks' front door, popped in for an iced vanilla latte. Took a big sip, then popped it in the basket with the shopping bag. The Abernathy portion of the ride was a bit more nervous than the Roswell, seeing as how it's only a two lane road, without shoulders or bike lane. Traffic wasn't bad.

I think I'm just about ready to branch out for longer road trips on the bike. Not today, because I have a map of Statesville, NC to "pretty up" this afternoon, but soon. Watch out Borders, here I come.

Half Training, 1st 2 Weeks

I'm really glad I started a couple of weeks early on Hal Higdon's Half Training Plan. Sick kids, pop-up storms, poor air quality and a lovely new road rash on my right knee have made for some adjustments. Here's the rundown on my first two official weeks:

Week 1
Mon Rest Day
Tues 3 mile, Easy
Wed XT - Swim with kids
Thur 3 mile, Easy; Rowing (Strength)
Fri Rest Day
Sat XT - 40.2 mile ride (Silver Comet Trail)
Sun 4 mile, Long

Week 2
Mon Bikram Yoga (Stretch/Strength)
Tues 3 mile, Easy (if running w/3 kids and dog can be considered "easy")
Wed XT - 22.6 mile Ride (Group Road Ride)
Thur Off (Sick Kids)
Fri 3 mile, Easy
Sat XT - 20.5 mile ride (Silver Comet)
Sun 4 mile, Long (Trail run by river)

Wiped out while crossing an intersection during last Wednesday's group ride, so no Bikram for me this week. I can't stand having jeans over the giant strawberry on my right knee - there's no way I could manage the kneeling poses. I have to get better about the shoe/pedal combo at slow speeds.

It was a great weekend for hanging out with the kids. My ride and run were early, so the afternoons and evenings were spent swimming, watching movies and playing board games. Am keeping fingers crossed this week goes about the same as last, minus the sick kids part, of course.

Running Like a Girl

I wear running skirts to the gym and trail. I ride in a wrap cycling skirt by sugoi more days than I wear cycling shorts. I like the skirts. I suppose this makes me part of the Skirt Culture from the August issue of Runners World.

They have a pretty thorough line up of choices. Longer, shorter, looser, spankies, boy shorts. The reviews just weren't good enough. Each skirt had only positive comments. That doesn't help me, any more than only negative comments would. Is a pro & con for each skirt too much to ask?

A negative comment about a tight fit from a person with curvier hips would have tipped me off to a particular skirt being a good choice for my rectangular frame.

A mention of a fit being fantastic, but there being no pockets, would mean it's not a good choice for my longer runs over the next several months.

I'm left with the same problem I had before. I still have to track down each and every skirt for trying on. A few negative reviews could have narrowed my options to three or four. Ugh.

Since I already own and LOVE my cycling skirt from sugoi, I'm likely to add their running skirt to my wardrobe. (see above) It's a similar wrap style, has a floral embellishment, and has removable compression shorts, so I can switch out with padded cycling shorts. I like the multipurpose clothing!

Anyway, I'm seriously considering the Footloose Dress, from SkirtSports. (I've also heard Asics may have one out soon.) I like the idea of not fidgeting with a waistband, especially once I hit the 90+ minute runs. I can toss a pair of compression shorts (with pockets) under it, or my bicycle shorts for cross training days.

If it ends up being my favorite running gear, I'll need to figure out a few add-ons for fall running. Don't know if the full hoodie would be needed.

Maybe a shrug? This one is from shelia moon (Team Estrogen), and though it's an armwarmer choice for cycling, might just be another great crossover piece.

First Half

I signed up for my first Half Marathon. The 8th Silver Comet Half Marathon, October 25.
I started my official training schedule on Monday, with a Rest/Easy Cross day.
Tuesday: 3-mile run. Ended up being my fastest 5k time to date, as I ran the (5k) park trail while watching lightning streaks and counting the seconds until hearing thunder.
Wednesday: stretching. The 2-mile easy run was dropped because of another late day storm.
Thursday: 3-mile, plus 10 mins of rowing. (Should be run & strength training)
Friday (today): Rest day.

The Rest Day is killing me. I woke up this morning, wanting to run. Not long, not even particularly fast or hilly. Just a run. But Saturday is a longish ride; Sunday a 4-mile run. In the interest of not overdoing it, I swam with the kids, and spent some time spinning the smaller ones like tops on their floats.

I'm working my way into Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training Plan. It's a 12-week plan, so I'm actually a couple of weeks early in starting. Between kids' back to school schedules next month, and pop-up thunderstorms over this month & next, I may need a few extra 'doh! days. You know - those days you slap yourself on the forehead because you totally forgot having scheduled a 7-year checkup at the pediatrician, a follow-up for the teenager at the orthodontist, and the dog's annual shots all on the same day.

Not that I ever do anything scatterbrained like that, though. I'd have scheduled at least two or three extra things, in a completely different part of town, thinking that XYZ day was sometime next week.

Sign Design Fail

From FAILblog. Seeing as how I spend my days making street maps, travel guides and custom maps, this is my favorite of the FAILs. (Hat tip to Cranky Fitness, for including this in a post about all the conflicting information we hear from the various research folks.)

Making Progress

I snapped this photo on the Silver Comet Trail. This little fellow was half way across the path, and I helped him out of traffic and over to the grass.

This being the last day of June, and the halfway point of the year, I decided to take a look at my mileage logs. First, the numbers:


June, 2008
Bike: 160.5 miles
Run: 44.4 miles

Year-to-date:
Bike: 566.2 miles
Run: 204.8 miles

I'm starting to rack up the miles now that summer is in full swing. 60-70 miles per week, once you figure the gaps for vacation and camp. The three times per week store commute still makes up the bulk of my trips; the weekly group and/or solo ride are now the bulk of the miles.

I'm still not fast. I'm still not up to the skill and endurance level where I'd like to be. I still need to learn how to fix a flat & do emergency repairs, which I want to accomplish before I bump up to 50+ mile rides. Just like my little turtle friend from the trail though, I'm getting there.

No rides today. Today, younger son (B2) and I are playing mechanic on B1's old bike. We'll be cleaning and oiling the chain, checking brakes and inflating tires. Then, we'll be heading over to Riverside park to practice riding without training wheels on the large grassy areas.

One good thing which came from my wipeout a couple weeks ago - B2 is ready to give it a shot. If mom can fall over and be okay, falling must not be that bad. B1 and G are off at sports/travel camps today, so he can be clumsy without being mocked by siblings. B2 is still worried about falling, but says he really wants to blow past the other two and call them the slowpokes. I'm more than glad to help.

Rethinking Necklines

Maybe I should have titled this "Up to my Neck". I'm fed up with my t-shirts. I have broad shoulders, which means the standard crewneck gives me the appearance of a linebacker with breasts. My solution has been scoopneck and tees with a wide V. This has worked well for me for years. Not anymore.

The last few times I've pulled on my basic scoopnecks (black, navy, brown) with skirts or slacks, I've felt overexposed. At first, I thought it was just mood-based. Leaning over to put on my shoes yesterday, I noticed a wide open space between my chest and my shirt.

Oh.

I've lost something. Two somethings, actually.

It's not weight loss. (You can relax, Mom.) All the running, cycling and other have changed my shape. The scoopneck sits almost an inch lower than it has in the past. I could go with the junior size versions of the top, but I'm not sure I want the tighter fit around my rib cage and belly.

So, it's back to the drawing board on my proportions. The crewnecks still won't work, but I may start trying out ballet- and boatneck tops. Rebecca has started many discussions on Space Between My Peers about necklines and proportion; it's time to get out the measuring tape and figure out where my new target range is. I'll also plug new numbers into MyShape, and see how that changes my recommendations.

For now, I'm going to be putting a layer under my scoopneck and wrap/cross tops... after I get a couple of size small tanks and camis.

1:05:26

Item number two of my health/fitness goals is checked off my 2008 list. I ran the my first 10k last Saturday. I've been running most weeks with the Atlanta Track Club Women on the Move Peachtree Training group. Wasn't sure I'd be up for the massive crush of the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th, so I signed up for the Possum Trot 10k at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

Race morning was slightly overcast, cool (for Georgia in June), and misty. The kids ran the 1-mile Fun Run with dad at 7:00 a.m., and I started the road race at 7:30. Middle of the pack, of course. First mile split, 11:21. After that, I was closer to 10:00, but was unable to keep up with times and do the necessary math as I reached miles five and six.

My time, 1:05:26, was faster than I'd hoped. With a 5k time of 31:48, a banged up knee and a massive achy bruise on my thigh, I was shooting for finishing in 70 minutes. Of the 65 minutes, I only walked about five. Three of those were through the water stops, which means I only hit the wall once, around 5-1/2 miles. The two minutes of walking to recover did the trick. I was able to kick back up to my turtle-speed run and make it over the mini hill on the way back to the finish line.

I'll probably run a couple of races over the next two months, but am looking ahead to August/September, when the half-marathon training group starts up. Item number three on my checklist is the Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon.

Now, back to my regular alternating days of running/cycling.

Crash and Burn

The crash was more of a fall; the burn was my deep blush of embarrassment. When I got my first set of SPD pedals & shoes, the salesman warned me I'd fall. He said it would happen at least once during the learning process. I should practice snapping in & out of the pedals in the doorway, but not to worry about falling with the bike... it would happen.

That was back in November. I practiced in the doorway. I rode on bicycle paths, to avoid the possibility of falling into traffic. Developed a nifty timing for unclipping both feet at the same time, so I didn't set myself off balance. No accidents. Not even any quick saves on the way down. I did keep the "...yet" at the end of any thought about pedal related accident thoughts.

Flash forward to June 18th. I'm on the ladies-only group ride on the Silver Comet Trail. New bike saddle, sitting slightly higher than I'm used to. Add to that the advice from my mechanic about the proper order for unclipping - left foot first, so if ya' fall, you're falling away from the cars. I've been trying to follow that order over the last couple of weeks, since I'm riding on the road more than usual.

The group slows down. I slow down.
The group continues to slow. I unsnap my left shoe.
The group leader stops. I squeeze the breaks, and twist my right shoe to unsnap.
My bike stops. My right shoe stays attached to pedal.
I fall to the right. Off the path.
It wasn't a smooth grassy shoulder at that point. It was just a mini-ditch, just a foot lower than the pavement. But it was rocky.

Cut my hand, scraped open my knee. Banged my shoulder, elbow and hip. Ouch.
Bloo is fine. Got back on the bike, and rode another 15+ miles.
Went back to unsnapping both feet. No more accidents.

It'll take me a couple of days to get the last of the debris out of my hand. I might need to replace the lovely green handlebar tape if the blood doesn't wipe off.

I have a goose egg on my thigh which is roughly the size of a fist. The kids are placing bets on how many colors of the rainbow it will turn during the healing process. My daughter wants to take a picture everyday, so she can make one of those cool time lapse images. I'm considering going along with it.

That's it. My pedal related accident is out of the way. Woo Hoo! No film of mine, so here's someone elses pedal related incident, caught on video.

Pooch Pouch Pickup

I have a big dumb dog. I love my big dumb dog, and I love taking him along on runs. I do not love carrying the big ol' bags of stuff he leaves along the way, especially in hot weather.


This. Is. Wonderful. The pooch pouch has a small roll of baggies, with space left for me to pop in a ziploc baggie of handwipes. (When I'm out of baggies, the regular old shopping bags will work just fine.) The outside has a handy dandy clip for hanging the bag, and a big old ring which allows me to attach it anywhere along the leash. I'm thinking closer to Petey is better in the summer.

Next doggie run purchase at Big Peach Running Co. will likely be one of the waistbelt leashes. Probably the kind with an elastic section, to reduce the shock of the sudden 85-lb anchor that is my dog in a sniffing mood.

Closet Cleaning

I love clearing out the kids' closets. It's so much easier than weeding through my grown up wardrobe. There are only two questions, with very simple answers.

Does it fit? Yes/No
Does it have holes or paint splotches? Yes/No

Keep, Give or Pitch. That's it.

This project is an easy "Win" for the week. Technically, we can count it as three "Wins", since there are three closets to clear. I'll have to figure out an exciting reward for after Friday's drop-off at Goodwill. A movie, I think. Definitely NOT a shopping trip.

What's wrong with this picture?

Click the photo. See the full-size $100,000 gold certificate.

First off - Why? Advertising is supposed to be the means for a business to promote its goods and services over that of the competition. The FDIC has no competition. It's a monopoly.

That's a gold certificate. A guarantee that there is gold stored in vaults of the federal treasury to cover that amount. How long has it been since banks handled gold & silver certificates? I'm pretty sure it's not even legal to own one. You darn sure couldn't walk in and exchange it for gold bullion. (Quick look at lewrockwell.com & wikipedia - private citizens are prohibited by law from owning gold certificates)

I know this is propaganda, designed to make us feel good about our financial institutions and markets, but... come on... without anyone losing a penny?! The penny isn't worth a penny these days, so I'm not sure that's going to inspire confidence. The dollar is weak. Inflation is rising, no matter how the Fed and Treasury try to juggle the numbers. At the rate we're going, I'm more likely to think about the $100,000 gold certificate and the penny as an example of exchange than to breathe a sigh of relief at how the government is protecting my savings.

Ouch!

Had a very active weekend. Three mile hill run Friday. 32-mile Silver Comet Ride Saturday. Trader Joes bicycle trip and swimming on Sunday. Felt great, and had my plan for alternating run/bike days all week this week.

Monday morning. Groin pull. Ugh.

I'd like to say it happened in some super cool, sporting accident. Trail running in a sudden downpour & slipping while leaping over a stream. Or wiping out on my bike while setting a new personal speed record. Even an incident involving blushing and snickering silence would make for a better story than what really happened.

Heavy basket of wet towels + Darting cat = OUCH! I turned too quickly on one foot, while standing on a spot of orange juice splashed by a child. (I don't want to know which one.)

Oh well. Gives me a chance to start on the next round of closet clearing. And to work on arms and shoulders while pulling myself through the water at the pool.

Shopping by Bike

I do more than half my grocery shopping by bike. I smile and wave at my neighbors as I go. On the way home, I just smile. The full basket requires a bit more concentration, especially in traffic.

I'm pretty sure some of the other moms in my neighborhood think I'm nuts. I've been asked a few questions:
How can you carry enough?
Aren't you worried about traffic?
I wish I had the time to do something like that. (Technically, not a question.)
How much stuff can you really carry?

I've talked about the time issue before. It really takes me the exact amount of time it does to shop by car as by bike. Less, if the bike saves me time in a very crowded parking lot. Plus, I get to double up my normal errands with a bit of exercise and save even more time. Now that it's summer break, my 14 year old gets to rack up a little bit of babysitting earnings, and I get 30 minutes to maintain (or restore) my sanity.

As for how much I can carry, here's Tuesday's groceries. We'd just arrived home from vacation, so I was picking up only a few essentials. Just the one bag, in my basket. The Trader Joe's bag wasn't even completely full.
Dozen eggs, quart of milk, 6-pack of yogurt, sliced apples, strawberries, sugar snap peas, bananas, basmati rice, loaf of whole wheat bread, canister of coffee beans, protein shake (for saturday ride), lavender shampoo, and a bag of frozen corn.


Today, I needed my backpack to hold a few things, in addition to the bag, but here's the haul:

TJ Bag (in bike basket):
Vanilla ice cream, 4-pack ice cream sandwiches, frozen peas, panko breaded chicken, half gallon milk, baby carrots, fresh cilantro, sliced apples, peanut butter filled pretzels, nut mix (pumpkin seed, almond & pine nut), whole grain rolls and a package of organic lollipops (sugar cane & fruit juice - no high fructose corn syrup)
In the Backpack:
2-pack celery hearts, 4-pack avacados, spring mix, and a 4-pack of white peaches. (Black bean & salsa salad with avacado & peaches tonight!)

I'm not likely to be braving Costco runs on my bike anytime soon, but I'm working my way up to shopping for everything except the bulk purchases this way.

What I'm Reading...

Received this little book for my birthday. I enjoy reading Arnold Kling's articles over at TCS Daily, so am really looking forward to starting on this book tonight.

There a couple of other books going at the same time, so I really need to update the sidebar. As part of an attempt to catch up on all the great literature I skipped in favor of Science Fiction and Fantasy over the years, I'm also reading Robinson Crusoe. It's my afternoon-at-the-pool book. I'll be recommending it to my older son when I finish. If he balks at reading a book he thinks of as a "school" book, I'm going to mention Crusoe was the original Survivorman.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: A Dog's Story

When he wasn't sleeping on the deck, or being harassed by children and yapping little dogs, this is how Peter T. Dog spent his vacation:

1. Watch children from riverbank. Jump in.

2. Come back when called, reluctantly.

3. Shake.

4. Repeat steps 1-3.

I don't have many photos of the mid river frolicking, seeing as how I was in the river with kids & dog at that point. But he really, really enjoyed that part.

Vacation: Unplugged

So. Was on vacation last week. Hiking, swimming, rafting, horseback riding and floating lazily downstream on the Broad River. Four generations in one house. Plus four dogs, two of which were puppies. Tons of grilling and sunshine.

No internet. Sporadic phone signal.

Was fantastic.

Not at first, as I reached for the computer every time I had a question about the weather, or wanted to look up the closest riding stable, or needed to know precise cooking instructions for dinner.

After a day or two, I didn't even think about it. The computer was turned on long enough to empty photos off the camera. I made a phone call to get directions to the stables, and wound up taking a longer, but more scenic route to get there. My folks became a resource for working a gas grill; and taught me how to BBQ instead of just grill. I can now manage the slow cooked, smoky BBQ chicken.

The kids accepted the television being permanently on either History or Discovery Channel for Grandpa, and started playing board & card games by the open window, while we listened to the sound of the river. Without the possibility of catching up on work or browsing the web, I read... a whole book. And slept for eight or more hours most nights.

Was a fabulous week, and I'm glad to be back at home now with my three children and [only] one dog. And my bike. I did miss Bloo.

A Very Merry Unbirthday To Me

I turned 37 yesterday, and nobody remembered. Granted, we had just returned home from vacation. I don't mind that some of my family missed it. My granddad doesn't even remember I'm not my mom most days, so he thinks my birthday is in January. My mom is traveling back from NC, with a stop for an MRI and visit with her neurosurgeon on the way. But, what about the people who see me most often? I wasn't looking for a big stack of presents & a party. A handmade card and a 7-year-old's rendition of "Happy Birthday" on the piano would have sufficed. A single mention to the kids by their father would have sent them scurrying off to do their own special planning. He didn't have to do anything other than point it out.

I gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. But during the day, there were no secret whisperings. No request for picking up cake mix & muffin cups on my grocery trip. Nothing. Just laundry, breaking up fights, and the normal battle to get children to stick to chores & music practice.

At 5:30, while making dinner, I'd had enough. I made the following announcement: "I'm fixing dinner, then leaving for a run. It's my birthday, and I'm going to spend at least some of it doing something for me."

I came home to three homemade cards. The kids are wonderful. They were upset they'd missed it. I consider everyone forgiven, but it's going to be quite sometime before the person who dropped the ball is off my polite list. This wasn't the first time this has happened. Not even the second or third.

A small mention from me is all it took to get the kids are working on their Father's Day stuff this week. I can't help but be saddened by the lopsided message they're getting. It's important to remember Dad, but okay to forget Mom. I debated dropping out of all preparations, but it's not the fault of the kids.

On a happier note, the run worked. I came home too tired to be angry.

Wardrobe 911

I'm a less common body type (rectangle), so many of Teresa's posted outfits don't apply to me directly. Her posts give me great ideas though. If there's an outfit or color combo I like, I'll work on figuring out substitutes which work for me. In packing for our trip to the NC mountains, I was having a tough time figuring out what to take, and how much to take. By the time I organized & packed up the kids, my brain was dead.

Stumped. Wait! I've seen vacation wardrobes organized by type and by the day... at Wardrobe 911!

My trip is more of the Traveling with young kids than the What to wear on a week in New York, but perusing the two posts put me back in the right frame of mind to be a bit more organized about the process. I hate the haphazard packing I often do before heading out of town. It's usually the last thing I do, and I end up feeling rather "meh" about myself in the clothes I toss in my suitcase.

There's a washer & dryer in the house we've rented, so I'll be able to wash off the BBQ sauce and muddy hugs from river wading children and dog to reuse some of my favorites. And, since I'm starting more than two hours before departure time, I'm going to try & get a few photos organized by outfit or day. I'll still end up looking like a mom of young kids for the next week, but at least it'll be me playing the part.

Okay, enough of the love fest. I'm off to figure out my shoe needs for the next week. If there's room after shoes for hiking, running, climbing in a rocky river, horseback riding, dinners out and general flats, I'll start working out my wardrobe. It's okay to wear hiking boots and bright purple wicking socks with a sundress, right?

Note to Self...

Take water every time, at least for the next three months or so. Even if I think "3 miles - no big deal." TAKE WATER!

I went for a 30-min. run on Friday, late afternoon. Thought about taking water bottle with me, then didn't want to carry it. On an 88 degree day... BIG MISTAKE! I got home exhausted, where that route usually leaves me feeling like I've had a workout, but not wiped. Developed a mild headache over the evening, even while sipping several glasses of water.

Saturday morning, still had headache. Wasn't too bad, so I downed a couple of advil & grabbed a pack of the Sport Beans with caffeine for during my 40 mile ride. Ended up being only a 30 mile ride, during which I downed both of my water bottles. Headache was getting worse. Every single bump I hit caused jarring pains up my neck into the brain.

Showered, cooked dinner, downed two excedrin migraine. The excedrin made it possible for me to get through another hour or two. Went to bed early and passed out. Even laying down in a dark room, my head was throbbing.

Thanks to lots of water, cups of hot tea, and additional doses of Excedrin on Sunday, I'm almost a person again. A slightly wiser person. I'm pretty sure I've pinpointed the trigger of the horrid migraine from last July. Dehydration. (It was having only two bottles along on a four hour ride last summer.)

I'm going to type this one more time, see if I can make it stick in my addled brain... Take water, Every trip.

----

Now, to work on the laundry which piled up over the last two days, and start packing vacation wardrobes for four people. Canoes, hikes, and river access directly from the back door. I wonder if two outfits per day will be enough. Thankfully, the house has a washer and dryer.

The Croc, as in what a _____

I'm so glad The Manolo posted this. I'd like to think this would quiet my daughter's pleas for the pink crocs, but it would really just make her want to get a second pair for our cat.

Not only are the crocs dopey, they are just not good shoes. I know the kids love them, and that's fine. In most situations, they're okay. But I see kids running and biking in these things (not mine), with their feet flopping about in the crocs. That's if they can even keep them on their feet.

Two weeks ago, when my little ones were climbing Stone Mountain in appropriate sneakers and trail shoes, I saw a rotund couple chewing their child out for her repeated sliding on the descending side of the path. The girl was wearing a bright red pair of crocs, just like the ones sported by the cat above. Crocs! On a hike up a mountain. What a crock! She had no traction on the smooth rock surface, and could not stop her feet sliding out of the roomy chunks of plastic. (I won't even get into my surprise with the parents for fussing at her when there was little she could do about it. They didn't even take her hand to help steady her. Ack!)

You don't have to have a specific shoe for each and every sport, but for goodness' sake, don't wear crocs for anything where balance and tread is needed.

Two Rides

It's been a busy, busy week. The little bits are in sports camps (baseball/gymnastics) this week, so I'm hanging out with the big kid (B1). He sleeps until 10:30 or so, giving me plenty of time to work each morning. Tuesday, he went with me out the Silver Comet Trail for a 15 mile ride. That was the plan. At 7.5 miles, he asked if we could go just another mile or so. We ended up with a total of 17.5 before heading off to get him the massive amounts of food he needed to refuel.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have B1 as a riding buddy. It was so cute when he looked down at the computer & saw he'd been going 18.5 mph for a few minutes. (Wait. Not cute. I'm going to need to retool my language to talk about him, now that he's a teenager.) In a couple of weeks, we'll have another week where it's just the two of us. I think I'll take the opportunity to introduce him to riding in traffic. He doesn't grasp the difference between a ride in our neighborhood and a ride over to Roswell Road yet. Lunch at Steak & Shake one day, and maybe a ride to see a matinee of Indiana Jones ought to do the trick.

While we were riding Tuesday, I stopped by the Silver Comet Depot to check on the Wednesday group ride. It's a ride for women that heads out around 6:30 each week. They want people there at 6:00, just in case you need to inflate tires, buy drinks, etc. before the shop closes. They also keep the shop open a bit late to let ladies rent a bike for the ride. It's a great time to try out something different, if you're used to riding just cruisers or mountain bikes.

I made it out there last night for the ride. There were just three of us, all on road bikes. We kept about a 14-15mph pace, and went 30 miles. Since all my riding is either solo or with my family, this was a great new experience. Riding with the group made me more aware of my form. Since I was just tagging along, I kept a much steadier pace than I do on my own. I pushed myself in spots along the trail where I'm usually lazy, and took it a bit easier in areas where I normally push. At the end, I was beginning to tire, but in the good workout sort of way.

I can't quite take the time every week, but I am going to get out there for at least one of the group rides each month. Holly may be adding an extra ride day, which will probably mean I can make a couple of rides. I'm really looking forward to the next time I go.

31:48

That's my official time in the Save Our Skin 5k on Saturday morning. It's the first 5k I've run on my own, and I'm feeling pretty good about it. Don't get me wrong, I love running with my kidlets; but it felt great to be able to keep running past the 2 minute interval which works with them.

I didn't do the normal solo run thing where I start pretty strong, but am at 4:1 breaks after the first 10 minutes. I managed a 15+ minute run to the half-way point. Walked through the water station, taking a minute to sip my water all the way to last trash can, then ran the rest of the way to the finish. Running with the Women on the Move group from the Atlanta Track Club has really helped. As a newbie, pacing has been my biggest problem. They keep a very steady pace from the beginning of each run. I think it's finally starting to sink in.

I was hot & tired at the end, but a bottle of water and small latte later, was ready to change and head out to the Silver Comet with the kids for a 12-mile ride. A slowish ride, since I was pulling the little miss on the trail bike. She's not at all hesitant to ride on her own; I'm just not sure she's ready for anything over 10 miles by herself yet.

You Will Be Catalogued

I was listening to The Tin Dog Podcast episode on The Sontaran Stratagem & The Poison Sky this morning, when the host took a break from his discussion to play this song. I love it! The episode with the Judoon on the moon is one of my favorites. The little old lady with her blood sipping straw wasn't the best of the villians I've seen in my growing fascination with all things Doctor, but the rest of the story was pretty darn good.

This past Christmas, my younger son (B2) received a sonic screwdriver & psychic paper set from his grandfather, and old-school Doctor fan. The screwdriver has the blue light and makes the sound, and has an invisible ink pen nib which can be swapped out for the ball point end. B2 has, on more than one occasion, gone around the house, giving hugs or handshakes as part of a not-so-subtle plan to mark our hands or arms. This is followed by a later "sorting" of the family. The pets are marked by a post it note to the collar, which usually ends up stuck to the couch or nearest doorframe. I usually end up catalogued as "non-human". I think it's so I can be hit up for a snack, to bribe my captor into letting me sneak away.

If you haven't listened to the Tin Dog Podcast, it's pretty good. He reviews all the new shows, but also goes into the history of the Doctor, the various baddies and does a great job summarizing the adventures of the previous incarnations. Thanks to him, we've been enjoying the very first Doctor... which reminds me... it's about time to order the next set. We'll have these finished soon, now that summer's here. The later bedtime will mean we'll be watching two or three of the episodes at a time, instead of just one. Ack! I'll be ordering a set every 2-3 weeks. Maybe it's time to join Netflix?

iCing Transformation Challenge, Day 27

Gala Darling's iCing Transformation challenge is up. For the past 27 days, I've worked toward the goal of two days per week of raw food goodness, and exercising 20 minutes (or more) each day.

Of the 27 days, I've exercised 24. Took one day off after a twisted ankle, one day with a sick child, and one day where I was totally swamped with a project. It was a bit tough at times to break away, but the 20 minute bar I'd set made it easy to reach. Even on the busiest (or rainiest) days, I found myself cheerfully spinning or running past the 20 minute mark. I now look forward to exercising every day, which is nice. Granted, the beautiful May weather is helping.

The goal of eating fully raw two days each week wasn't quite met. I am managing one day completely, with the two days following being 2/3 raw. Lots of salads, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, and juices. I'll need to read up before I try to do more than I am. I learned the hard way I need a more substantial breakfast before heading out on a three hour ride. Berries and banana on a bowl of steel cut oats and soy milk gets me a lot further than berries and banana alone. So, not as raw as I'd hoped, but a darn sight healthier than I'd been before.

I may not have met my goals exactly as I set out, but this 27-day challenge has helped me form a couple of very healthy new patterns in my life. I'm taking the next four weeks to get them firmly established. I'm keeping the exercise mark exactly as it is, and will reward myself at the end of the 28 days with a lovely new running dress from SkirtSports. That's right, a running dress. If I'm going to run like a girl, I might as well flaunt it!

Thanks for the extra motivation and support, Gala. You were a big help on this.

Catching Up

Meant to post this a week ago, but lost track of the days. This was my view on the Silver Comet Trail last week, for approximately 8.5 miles. Streamers and pony tail fluttering in the breeze. No Trail-a-Bikes for DD any longer. She is officially on her own. She's been able to ride on her own for a year now; her bike was just too small to go much faster than, well... anything. This is an official big kid bike. Never had training wheels, never will.

One wipeout. She was distracted by a bicycle riding turtle pinwheel in a yard which borders the trail, and lost balance at the pavement's edge. A few minutes of recovery, a splash of water to brush dirt of scraped hands, and we pedaling off for the last couple of miles.

I'm so proud of her. We turned back after four miles. Didn't want her to burn out on the first big ride. She wants to do it again, and to go to our normal turn around spot next time around. That would be a 12 miler, and I'm thinking we might to add just one or two miles each of the next few trips. I foresee a summer of late morning picnics on the trail... assuming we can get her slightly bigger brother on his own bike.

Summer Activewear

I picked up this skort from REI last week. $29. Have worn it twice already, once with sleeveless polo, and once with a tee. It's very comfortable, lightweight, and absolutely perfect for kid friendly activities where a skirt just won't cut it. The wrap skirt allows for more freedom of movement than did the Columbia skort I tried. The length is just right, and the skirt portion doesn't fly away while I'm on my bike. The zipper back pocket is just the right size for phone or iPod and a couple of small essentials. I can attest to the stain-resistance; dumped a cup of cold coffee on myself in the kitchen Sunday afternoon, and it rolled right off.

In case you can't tell, I'm a fan. Might go get the darker version I saw at the store. Didn't see it available online. Just have to figure out what I'm replacing, since I'm going on a one item in, at least one item out policy.

Running Bunnies...

...I mean Buddies. 51:55 was our time at the Atlanta Susan G Koman Race for the Cure on Saturday. Not great, but also not bad, considering the 5k course was packed to the point where staying together while walking was a challenge, let alone finding enough space to run together for more than a minute at a time. We walked most of the course.

My oldest (B1) was away for the weekend, so he missed the thrill of traveling through Midtown with mom & siblings in bunny ears. B2 had a great time, but was happy to give the shirt to his sister, who is more than happy to have two oversized shirts with pink ribbons.

All in all, a great start to Mother's Day weekend.

It's the little things

This week has been tough. Crazy work schedule. Crazy kid schedule for the crazy kids who are almost finished with the school year. I've been giving up an hour or two of sleep most nights to work, just so I can get outside for a bit during the day. I'm not quite to the point of pulling out my hair and screaming, thanks in part to the brief moments of pure bliss which pop up when you least expect it.

First, a confession. I'm a peanut butter fiend. Not just your run of the mill fan, I'm partial to a particular moment in the life of a jar of peanut butter. I live for being the first person to scoop from the just-opened jar. I have been known to open a brand new jar when I need a fix, knowing there's a perfectly good open jar sitting right next to it in the pantry. I think, that's fine for the kids, but mine must be perfect. With apples, on toast, or just straight from the spoon... yum!

This morning, in the middle of fixing breakfast and packing apples, yogurt and pretzels into three lunch bags, I realized I was about to hit the jackpot. When it came time to make the sandwiches, I would be opening brand new jars of both crunchy and creamy peanut butter. Woo hoo! My whole day has brightened. I still have two site plans, a stack of change requests, errands to run, and two classes to read to later today. Right now though, I have two spoons of extra fresh peanut butter and a sliced granny smith.

Life is great!

April Mileage

Run: 42 miles (approx 7-1/2 hours)
Bike: 133.7 miles (approx 10 hours)
Kid Walks: 5 miles (1-1/2 hrs)


Total mileage for April: 180.7.

With the warmer weather, racking up the miles has gotten much easier. For May, I think I'll add a time category. Goal is bumped to 125+ miles; and 24 hours.

Since I hit 19 hours in April, it should only take a few extra trips to store / bank / starbucks to make up the difference. I'll also be bumping my 25-30 mile long ride to 30-35 miles, which will help.

My Easy Run Is Getting Easier

I have a route through my hilly neighborhood which is my short / easy run for either a recovery day or a really busy day. When I was pretty evenly balanced between running and walking, it took 27-30 minutes. As my 2:2 became a 3:1, it got down to about 25 minutes. Still good, since 25 minutes, plus a bit of warm up and cool down stretching.

Today, I passed my driveway at 22:18. Had to keep going past four more houses and back to make my 25 minutes. I'm going to add an extra loop to my easy run, starting Thursday.

iCing Transformation Challenge

Gala's challenge:

I wanted to let you all know about something I’m planning to kick off soon. It’s called the iCiNG Transformation Challenge, it will run for a month & it revolves around us taking control of our lives & our bodies in a concentrated way! It’s like weekly resolutions but amped up in a way that would make even Victoria Beckham exclaim, “MAJOR!”.

The iCiNG Transformation Challenge (iTC) will run from the 21st of April to the 18th of May. It would probably make more sense for it to start at the beginning of a calendar month, but that’s so far away & I am impatient!

I recently decided I wanted to commit to a month of really looking after my body, to see what kind of results I could get. I often find it hard to stick to an exercise routine, just because it feels really aimless & sometimes the thought of exercising every couple of days until the end of my life freaks me out! By giving myself a task that lasts for a month, I find that much less of a mental hurdle & far easier for me to grasp. The idea is that I will realise how great I feel when I put effort into my physical well-being, & will want to keep it up.

The reason I’m announcing it is because I also thought that if we commit to this & do it as a group, we’ll all feel like we have lots of support & love helping us achieve our goals!

27 days. Less than one month. Heck, it's less than four weeks. I can stick with anything for 27 days. I signed on. She's put together a discussion thread for everyone to post their goals, progress, setbacks and encouragement. I've been reading a bit this week, but haven't posted my update yet. There's a great group of people there. I'll be joining the discussion today; it just took me a while to put my goals together. I started the challenge on Monday, but spent the first week honing in on what I was trying to accomplish.

I wanted to make sure they were reachable, while still being a stretch out of my comfort zone. These are all challenges I'd like to continue past the 27 days, so I want this iTC time to be used for the formation of new habits.

Here's my original personal challenges, along with the tweaks I've made throughout this week:

1 - Eat at least one balanced raw food meal each day. (Became 2 full days of raw food)
I already do meet my original goal most days, with either whole fruit and flax or a homemade smoothie for breakfast. I even eat raw for lunch several times a week. To take it to the next level, I'm now eating raw foods for the entire day, two days each week. This will help me learn to plan for my nutritional needs and to fit it into my daily schedule. I'm hoping to add an extra day in another month; this should make it a smoother transition.

So far, it's going really well. By spacing the two days, I was able to make sure I had everything I needed the day before. No panic at meal prep. Since I already had the ingredients in the house, I even had a mostly raw day the day after each of my official raw food day. I could get used to this.

2 - Exercise at least 20 minutes each day. (Became at least 20 minutes of cardio)
I've been an every other day fitness person. Or three days on, two days off. If I want to increase my speed and/or endurance, I need to be more consistent. I picked 20 minutes as my minimum to give myself a kick out the door. Twenty minutes is the time it takes to run to and from the bank, or to ride my bike to the store and back. Or the time it takes to walk the dog and kids around the park. At the very least, I can do one of my regular daily errands on foot or bike for a quick burst of cardio.

This minimum requirement is working great so far. I had a 25 mile ride on Saturday, cut short by the anticipated thunderstorms; and a multi sport day on Thursday where I rode 15 miles, followed by a two mile run. A couple days of 30-minute runs, and one day where I was pressed for time & took the dog on a quick 20-minute, two mile lope (his pace), then hopped on the bike for a quick grocery trip. One of the 30 minute runs was completed while I was waiting for my bike to be serviced at the Silver Comet Depot.

There have been so many great comments on the discussion threads over at iCing, and I'm really looking forward to adding mine while catching up on the last day or so from the other participants.

Two Tiny Changes

Following the lead of Steph (Back in Skinny Jeans), here's my two tiny changes for this week, along with a report on Tuesday, the first day of the changes.

1. Replace coffee with tea.

Used to drink coffee through the entire day. Was pretty close to two pots per day. Managed to cut down to less than one cup of coffee per week. Over the last two months, I'd returned to my old habits. Yesterday, I had three mugs of irish breakfast tea and one of jasmine oolong, spaced through the day instead of coffee. No caffeine headaches so far.

2. Make a To Do list each night for the next day.

This morning was pretty smooth. That's not necessarily a list benefit, as the early morning routine of lunch making and breakfast cooking was on par. I was more relaxed than normal though. Having the list means I don't have to worry about what I may be forgetting, even first thing in the morning. It's possible I start off stressed just because I'm churning the afternoon activities in my brain. Who needs to be picked up early? Today is ___, so that means it is which kids day for which activity?

I'll have to see if the calm carries over to the next few days. I'm not putting a lot of pressure on myself to get everything on the list completed every day. There are too many variable in a house with three children to expect everything to go perfectly to plan.

Next up on the list? Work on one section of a restaurant locator map, a cup of jasmine oolong (adagio), and a late morning run.

Setting Goals

Eat healthier.
Exercise more.
Get a handle on finances.
Be more organized.
Get rid of "stuff".

Everyone's big goals. When worded that way, there's no way to fail. Of course, there's also no way to succeed. Nothing to measure. No box for that little gold star.

Making a list of specifics is tough. It can be scary, too. As soon as you write it down, you're accountable.

I've been guilty of the vague goals for years. Not just in that New Year's Resolution sort of way, either. I'm not good with daily checklists. I make a mental list, and get much of it done each day. The kids get to school with packed lunches, I make progress on my mapping projects, and everyone has clean laundry to put away each evening after a home cooked supper. [Almost] Daily practice for weekly music lessons is done. (Drums, guitar and piano, all at once. Each from their own corner of the little house.) We make it to dentist and doctor appointments. My clients get their proofs on time... mostly.

Sounds okay, but it's stressful. I'm always reviewing that mental list, trying to remember if I'm thinking about the right day, and wondering what I forgot. And I do forget things. There are many nights I'm up until midnight, doing that last load of laundry so the red uniform shirt is clean for spirit day. Baking oatmeal muffins for breakfast because I failed to notice the batch of waffles I made over the weekend has run out. Or scrambling to put together the last few layers for a map due the next morning.

I read so much about the difference a list makes, yet I never quite get around to trying it myself. I know specific goals work. It is easier to get myself out the door on foot or bike knowing I have the Spring-5k / Summer-10k/Thanksgiving-half marathon goal. (Yes, I did run/walk a 5k in March. Am signing up for May's Race for the Cure, so I'll have two under my belt.)

I'm going to try expanding the goal setting into my daily routines. Thanks to a few blogging ladies, I don't have to do it alone. I'm going to be reading these three for a bit of inspiration over the rest of April and May:
Gala's iCing Transformation Challenge (April 21-May 18th)
Steph's Two Tiny Changes, a weekly series at Back in Skinny Jeans
Daily Deliberate Changes from Tia at Living Deliberately

I came up with my personal goals for the transformation challenge and my two tiny changes this past weekend. Started on my written checklist yesterday. One of the things I'm working on is prioritizing. As such, it's time for me to start on two weeks' worth of paperwork, filing and invoicing.

Will post my goals and weekly changes this evening.

Flirting With Raw Foods

I've been a regular reader of Gala Darling's iCing blog for about a year now. I love her perspective. She is one of those people who take great joy in life. From her, I've been hooked into Etsy, the online community of artists and craftsman. It's a great place to find the perfect gift for... anyone.

A few months ago, she wrote about raw foods way of life, and linked to We Like it Raw. I read a bit of their website once or twice a week. Have tried a few of the recipes. I think 'yea!' and 'yummy!' about 3/4 of the time, and 'ugh' the other. I have learned honey, molasses and maple syrup are not the only alternatives to sugar; and how to make cashew milk. (Cashew milk would be one of the Yummy! items, in case you were wondering.)

For the last two months, I've been working on an entry into this way of eating. More veggies, less meat isn't a big change for me. I eat red meat less than once per week, with maybe one or two servings of chicken or fish. Veggie curries with brown rice and various combos of spinach/mushrooms/tomatoes/yellow squash/onions/broccoli with basil and olive oil are regular evening meals. I know those are better choices than burger and fries, but still not as good for me as it could be. Hence, the desire to eat more straight off the cutting board.

I started with breakfast. Sliced strawberries and bananas with a handful of blueberries and a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseed is what I eat most mornings. If I'm up early enough, I'll toss everything in the blender with soy milk and make a yummy smoothie.

Then, this way of eating spread to lunch. Sliced avacado and grape tomatoes (or mango) on mixed greens with sunflower seeds and cilantro, topped with fresh squeezed lemon juice and olive oil.

And now, I crave big bowls of veggies for dinner. Figured this out in front of the meat counter at Whole Foods last Wednesday. Headed back to produce to grab heirloom tomatoes, red bell peppers, cucumbers and extra avacados. Drained and rinsed black beans, did some chopping. Lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, sea salt and roasted garlic. Mixed it all together for dinner. (Photo stinks, but I'm working on that.)

It was delicious. I was completely satisfied, and didn't feel any of the normal hankering for munchies during my evening mapping. Even when I sat down for a bit of television time. No ice cream. No crackers. Just a cup of tea.

Next day, swapped out mango for the heirloom tomatoes, added cucumber, chickpeas and sunflower seeds.

I'm not comfortable trying out a major diet change for the kids. I can experiment on myself. If I get the protein and vitamins wrong on me, I can adjust. I won't risk their healthy development. Chicken, fish and beef are still going on their plates. What I have been doing though, is expand the side dishes at dinner to include sliced fresh fruit, and to pull vegetables out of the steamer a little earlier in the cooking process. They've always been resistant to some vegetables (zucchini and asparagus are great examples) but have been great about trying [barely] blanched yellow beans, orange cauliflower and broccoflower. The yellow beans and yellow carrots were harder to sell than I expected. I try to have something yummy for dessert in the wings for the nights they willingly try anything new, especially if contains leeks, mushrooms or lima beans.

So far, so good. There have been a couple of times the crunch green bean and baby carrot combo have received a positive reception. There are fewer requests for plain old peas or corn. The grocery helper for last week picked up the yellow carrots and vidalia onion for me to mash into the potatoes. And, I'm getting requests to pick up the purple cauliflower as soon as it's available in the store.

Mileage Update - Mid April

As of my 20 minute run this morning, I'm officially over 100 miles for April. 101.6, to be precise. Every mile from now until April 30 is gravy.

Playtime starts this afternoon, with another family ride on the Silver Comet Trail. Or maybe in 15 minutes, if I can't find the coffee and need to pick up a can at Trader Joes.

Now that Spring is finally here it's so much easier to stay outside.

I have a couple of posts I started earlier this week, which will be going up later today.

Spring Break

This past week was chock full of relaxing. Got in quite a bit of mileage. 10 miles on foot; 52.5 miles of cycling. That 62.5 miles - more than half my goal (100 miles) in one week!

Two of the rides this week were with the whole family. Started at the Silver Comet Depot so we could rent the Trail-a-bike. I couldn't snap a photo of Dottie's favorite part of the journeys. She loves to hold her hands out to the side and pretend she's flying behind me when we get up to wind-whistling-in-the-ears speed. I do have this photo from a water break:
I don't really want to add another set of wheels to the storage area (5 people, 6 bikes), but I'm starting to think seriously about purchasing one of these bike extensions. It's another couple of year before Dottie's ready for more than 3-4 miles on her own, no matter how much she swears she would make it on a longer ride. We have such a good time on our 10-12 mile treks; I think it's probably worth it. Time to start comparing brands. She'll still have chances to ride the shorter distances on her own when I'm taking the dog for a run by the river.

Also did a bit of slow running with kids a couple of days. Was more fun than I feared it would be. We ran for two mins., walk ed for two mins. for 30 minutes; and follow it up with plain old playtime on the playground. The kidlets get to take turns in charge of either the dog's leash or the stopwatch. Only complaints generally came from the kid who was not in charge of anything. I thought cycling the two jobs through the three kids would work out so someone always had a 'break'. Guess I need to come up with a third job.

Great week last week. Lots of outside time. Lots of video game battles and board games.

Today, I'm enjoying the quiet after everyone is off to school. It's time to get caught up on all the work which piled up while we were out playing.

Racing Butterflies

It's been a busy week. Managed to get in a couple of runs, some errands by bike, and one nice little ride. On Wednesday's run, spring was out in full force. Swatted my first mosquito for the season; crossed into a spider's drag line. Plus, just when I thought I was running at a nice pace, I was passed by a butterfly. Loved every bit of it. Sunshine & 65 degrees. Yea!

On the 12 mile ride, I learned something new. Must keep mouth closed while smiling up at falling cherry blossoms. Petal inhalation is not as pleasant as you might think.

Did a bit more bike commuting than usual. The truck was in for some brake & transmission 'stuff', so Thursday and Friday were two-wheeled days. It's only a few miles, so I made the trips in street clothes. I'm used to having motorists zipping by me without leaving much elbow room. Was amazed how much more clearance I was given in jeans and heels. Had my helmet on, so that wasn't what made the difference.

Two-wheeled Timesaver

I've been riding my hybrid (commuter) bike to and from Trader Joe's for smaller grocery trips for about a year now. The route I take is 2.5 miles, round trip. I have a basket mounted to the front post/handlebars which holds a TJ's shopping bag (reusable) snugly on the the ride home. It takes about 35 mins, including the shopping. When I'm on my road bike, groceries in backpack, about 30 mins.

I didn't think I could make a car trip much faster, so I've been testing. Using the slightly longer route I take in the car, I've been timing the last few trips. I limited myself to the one shopping bag of goods when in the truck, just so I didn't throw the time off by spending more time perusing the aisles of goodies. As of today's trip, I have three to five trips of each transport, so here's the round-up:

3 miles, 1 bag (or backpack) of groceries.
Hybrid: 33-37 mins.*
Road: 30-35 mins.
Truck: 35-42 mins.*
*Longest trip times were Saturdays, when traffic was great, but store/parking lot was packed.

That's right. Taking the truck is slower than bike. It's not the time on the road, since the car is faster than my pedaling. I don't do anything crazy at intersections, either. I wait at the red lights, just like everyone else.

The time saved is the time I do NOT spend engaged in the parking lot shuffle. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods both have the typical congestion you'd find at any strip mall. Especially around lunch. On the bike, straight down the aisle, hop off at the sidewalk, walk the bike over to the cart return and chain. Takes a minute or two.
Same thing when I'm on the way home.

I'm really glad to know this. No more excuses about not having time to exercise.

Wait. I just took away my last excuse.

Running Errands

Just ended a phone call with "I'll get back to you on this site plan later this morning; gotta run to the bank."

Funny thing is, I am running to the bank.

Wow. My life has changed.

Tax Season Woes

April 15th is less than a month away, and it's time for me to put my life on hold for a week or two. Time to wade through the annual sea of paperwork, just so the IRS can tell me to write them a check. ANOTHER check, really.

Kept all the receipts, everything filed by category. Plugging the information into TurboTax is the easy part. The killer is figuring out exactly which child a particular camp fee was for. If for the eldest, was it before or after his 13th birthday? Wait! What about the actual birthday week? Do I split that in half?

HSA distributions, deposits, insurance premiums... check, check and recheck. Ooh! Go back. Check again. Did the amount spent on dentists, orthodonists, annual checkups and prescriptions total up to 7.5% of AGI? Darn, we're 0.2% shy of the amount needed to deduct medical expenses. Except... where's the Rx receipts for June/July allergy and asthma meds? Who filed these in the Veterinary Bills folder?

This week, I have projects in the works for clients, books to read to 1st & 3rd graders at school, and two or three days with perfect riding weather. All of these things take a back seat to my preparations for that 1040 (and schedules). I know, an accountant could help. Might be worth it. Might not. An accountant would take care of the information which is input to TurboTax. Like I said earlier, that's the easy part. He/she would not be able to take care of the most time consuming, frustrating part of the process. The 12 months of record keeping, the gathering of the stacks of folders, the sorting.

There's too much time spent by too many people on this *$#!%@~! Something about the US tax system has to change. I'm not sure the "Fair Tax" is the answer. A flat tax seems the simpler option.

The president elected in November won't be able to do a thing to change the current mess. He/she may set the tone, but the actual laws are not made by the executive branch. That's the job of the House & Senate. The people we put into those seats make the real differences in our daily lives, and in the plans we make for our future. Question is, will enough people write/call/email their offices, or the campaigns of those running for office, to put real tax reform on the front burner. I plan to, as soon as I find that missing receipt.

Almost ready for my first 5k

The Atlanta Women's 5k is this Saturday, and I think I'm ready. Ran three times this week, 30-40 minutes each time. If I run at all tomorrow (Fri), will be a short run, without the hills. It's supposed to be absolutely gorgeous, so I'd like to get in a 10-15 mile ride, and take a rest from the running.

I'm going to be seriously cranky Saturday morning. I don't like getting up at 6:00 a.m. during the week, but I do it. I prefer sleeping in until 7:00 (or 8:00) weekends. This Saturday, I'll be up and on the road by 5:50. Yuck.

I suppose it's possible I'll run faster than usual, just to get back to my car for coffee... and back home for a nap.

Color Coordination

How silly is this? I am upgrading to an iPod Nano from the behemoth I've carried for four or so years, and my biggest consideration was not price. It was not size. It was color. Very soon, a lovely iPod like the one you see on right will be the finishing touch on my running & cycling gear. (The color in the photo is actually slightly more intense than the real thing.)

Why was the green important? Because it goes beautifully with my road bike. The minty green paint which accents my Bloo, along with the tape & saddle.

I feel like such a dork.

Anyway, the bright display will be delightful; no more squinting with the b/w contrast at full on my 2g. Lightweight, so I won't have to worry about the waistband on my running skirts slipping. Yea!

I did it!

I finally finished replacing the strings on my guitar! I only have about 30 mins to play when I pick up guitar before either being swarmed by little people, or having my 'to do' list chase me back to work. As a result, it has taken me a week's worth of play time to get the strings swapped out. I still have long bits of the strings sticking out from both ends, though it's not easy to see here with the scratches on the bench.*

Last night, I was able to start tuning. I say start tuning, because strings 6-3 were tuned when I put them on last week; they have since dropped in pitch BIG time. E-1 and B-2 are both tuned up - for now. Today, I'll work on the others. From what I've read online, I'll be tuning a lot more than usual for the next couple of weeks. Sometimes it'll even be in the middle of songs.

Once everything settles down with the strings, I can drop E-6 back down to D, and get back on In Sorrow's Wake. (No, I don't play it anything like that... and I probably never will. But I'm having a blast learning about harmonics.)

*Oh dear. I hadn't noticed how scratched up the piano bench is. Not bugged by it, as it's to be expected from 80+ years of rear ends sliding across it. Might be time for me to try out my novice sewing skills to make a cover for this.

A Tale of Two Skirts

The sun is shining, the temperature is in the high 60s, and my mind has turned to thoughts of... skirts. I'm shopping for something pretty and practical; but mostly pretty. My personal shop at MyShape (I'm an 'M') has been updated with many new options for spring/summer skirts. I narrowed it down to two, and here's the pros/cons:


Lilly Pulitzer's Private Party Pleated Skirt, in Navy.
Pros:
Cotton/silk blend, fully lined (no slip needed!),
and a delightful blue/white pattern
Cons:
Dry clean only (I can live with that), $248

I could do several combos, but I'm not sure I can justify the cost on a price per wear basis.


Charlotte Tarantolas Sloan Print Skirt.
Pros:
Fully Lined (yea!), slant pockets (double yea!). It's white with faded black, gray, pale yellow and a touch of rose. It's good for casual, paired with tees & tanks I already own; could be dressed up a bit with heels and a camisole/cardigan.
Cons:
At $72, it's still a bit on the pricier side for me. Will not likely have the staying power past a summer or two that the navy/white skirt would. I'll need to figure out how flexible the color combos will be, in order to figure out the PPW.

On a wardrobe staple note, there's this Tadashi silk chiffon skirt for sale ($99). This is separate from the spring skirts, but it fits in well with this shopping expedition.

I know I said $72 was pricey, but this is the type of skirt which I can wear for decades. My grandmother had a similar one which she was able to wear for 30+ years. It was her ultimate 'go-to' semi-formal base - paired with silk blouses, sleeveless satin or cashmere or angora twin sets, depending on the fashion of the time.

February Wrap Up

81 miles. Not the 100 hundred I'd hoped for, but better than 50 miles for January. The last week or so has been a bit hectic, both schedule and weather. Big storms and wild temperature swings, combined with finalizing a city map and school projects, meant shorter rides and runs. I still made it out most days. More than one planned 10-12 mile ride was shortened to a 2.5 mile trip to Trader Joes; a couple of five mile runs were cut to 30 minutes, so I'd have time to read to one of the classes, make a dentist appointment, or to pick up supplies at the fabric store.

Fabric store? Yes. One of the many school projects going this week was putting together a roman and/or greek costume for my 8-year-old's class musical "Dig It!". (Archaeology, with a catchy beat, and a bunch of 3rd graders in costume.) NO, I did not use a sheet to make his toga. I know it's the 'normal' way to do it; we're not normal though. So, four yards of 'really red' broadcloth, a few safety pins, and one silver buckle later:


Anyway, also have a history project in the works for one child, and baked goods for two.

I realized while running this morning, if this had not been February, I'd have made my goal. A run today, and a 90 minute ride tomorrow would have put me well over the 100-mile mark. Oh well. The 20-25 miles I rack up this gorgeous weekend will put me well on my way to hitting the mark for March.

Third time's the charm, right?