$125/week Grocery Challenge Wrap Up

The past week has been a B.C.W. (Big Crazy Week) around the mapphouse, so I'm getting this posted a bit later than planned. More on all that later...

The $125/week Grocery Challenge* is done.
Week 1: $103.97
Week 2: $124.65
Week 3: $120.97
Week 4: $110. 98
Average weekly grocery bill: $115.14

After the first couple of weeks, I stopped posting meals. (Week 1 - Week 2) There were alot of repeats, along with a few evenings where I fixed favorites from Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1.

We really didn't miss out on anything. I baked desserts and snacks, we ate our brown rice pasta with homemade sauces. During dinners, I mixed proteins from other sources in with the normal (small) portions of meat & poultry. Pretty standard. I used mostly evaporated milk instead of heavy cream in making cream/cheese sauces, but still finished with a splash of cream. This is something which I'll probably continue, unless it's a sauce where reducing the cream is the only way to get the right flavor. For most pasta & veggie dishes, it doesn't make enough of a difference to miss the opportunity to save a bit in both fat intake and money.

I made it, but think I could have done even better, without sacrificing anything. The rules actually kept me from doing my regular bulk buying of some items. I was paying regular price for smaller packs of chicken, rather than picking up the 3-4 week supply of fresh breasts at Costco, which I then freeze and use as needed. Same applies to ground turkey, lunchbox staples, etc. Switching back to baking all of the bread used in making sandwiches would shave off more. (Time has been in short supply lately.)

I could have used something along the lines of The Grocery Game (paid service), or spent the time gathering coupons to match up with store sales for some additional savings. I don't think the items I'd have been stockpiling in my pantry would have lived up to my own standards of what we should be eating, so that's not happening. Wenchypoo posted a review of the grocery game recently, if you aren't familiar with the service.

In averaging my receipts from the couple months prior to the challenge, I generally have a week of 25-30% higher than average, followed by a few weeks of 10-15% below. If I continue planning out a few days in advance, and timing my bulk buys, I should easily be able to keep my average at $115/week. Might even be able to lower it. Don't know if I can keep it below $100/week, but I may give it a shot.

*My challenge was based on MSN Money writer Melinda Fulmer "Can a family eat on $100 a week? Hers is a family of four, so making the amount for my five $125 seemed about right.

$125/week Grocery Challenge: Week 4

I finished up my tally for week four of my version of MSN Money writer Melinda Fulmer's "Can a family eat on $100 a week? (Brought to my attention by Wenchypoo.) The goal was to feed her family of four healthy food for $100, or less. Seeing as how my family is a little larger, I went with $25/person, for a total of $125 per week.

I need a couple days to write my wrap up for the challenge. Until then, here's the list from last week:



Following the rules I used through, here's the breakdown:
Trip 1: $37.27
Trip 2: $29.54
Trip 3: $44.17
Week 4 Total: $110.98



Week 1 List
Week 1 Meals
Week 2 List
Week 2 Meals
Week 3 List

Half Training, Week 7

Week 7 (8/18-8/24):
Monday: 4.5 miles, trail run
Tuesday: 4 miles, bike
Wednesday: 3.4 miles, easy
Thursday: 40.2 miles, bike
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 5-6 miles, walking (splitting difference @ 5.5)
Sunday: 6 miles, long/hill

Total: Run - 13.9 miles; Bike - 44.2 miles

Back on track with the running. Will be slowly adding on the miles over the next month. This coming weekend will be a bit out of whack, with Midnight Flight 10k on Friday. I'll swap out my weekend ride for Sunday, and sleep in as late as possible Saturday morning.

Fat & Happy?

Yesterday was B2's ninth birthday. Each year, the children have the choice of either a trip or a party. We've gone through the Louisiana swamps to see alligators, horseback riding on mountain trails... trips which are about the journey, instead of the destination.

This year was all about the destination. Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina. There's a Six Flags 30 minutes from home, but Carowinds has a Nickelodeon theme, so Carowinds it had to be.

The kids had a great time. We were soaked, sunburned, and generally worn out on the way home. B2 and DD are tall enough now for a few of the big kid rides, so they were able to do more with B1. And B1 was thrilled his little sister no longer insisted on dragging him onto the Dora the Explorer Train, and was instead going for the medium roller coasters.

I enjoy amusement parks for my own reasons. Sure, I like the rides, and having thrill-a-minute fun with the kids. Amusement parks are also fantastic for people watching. And people watching is what I did.

I could go into all the lurid details of the number of faux-hawks I counted, the church group made up of overweight teens, many of which were sporting t-shirts which stated "it's about something bigger than me". The women pushing children older than my daughter (7) around the park in strollers. The smoking pregnant woman, with a sleeping toddler on her hip....

What stuck with me throughout the day was the idea of "fat and happy." This led me to thinking about all that is right - and wrong - with this statement.

Fat and happy is good, right? It's how we describe babies who are healthy, alert, thriving. It's the evidence that all the basic needs are being met, and then some.

In Learning Economics, Arnold Kling has a section "Growth, Technological Progress, and Decentralized Innovation." Kling opens the section with this quote from Brad DeLong

The 7,500 calories in today's bag of flour would equal the diet of a four-person peasant family for a whole day; the difference is that it would take three days of medieval work to afford.

...By the bags-of-flour standard, we are some 430 times wealthier than our typical rural ancestors of half a millennium ago.

Three days of work, just to survive 500 years ago. And now? For far less than three days worth of work, the families at the park were able to pick up those same 7,500 calories, and more, in all manner of batter dipped, deep fried, sugary goodness, in between hurtling around corkscrew roller coasters and getting soaked on the log flume. Those people weren't just "getting by." They were celebrating, relaxing, bonding with friends and family. Sounds great, doesn't it?

I know there's an argument to be made here about the numbers who were paying with money they don't have, for things they don't need. That, and the over consumption of calories are the dark side of my fat and happy thoughts.

Eating lunch from concessions was a bit tough. It's also a testament to how ingrained my diet changes have become. The portions were huge, the vegetables almost non-existant. I ended up splitting a corn dog (foot long-ugh!) with DD, and sharing a few chili cheese fries. She wanted a soda, so we split a 20 oz. (Rest of day was water for both of us.) I couldn't finish my food. The heavy batter and oil content, along with processed meat sat in my stomach like a lump. Other than my teenager, I don't think anyone finished a full lunch.

Looking around at other tables, I think we were one of a handful of families with that sort of trouble. Most of the burger, corndog, pizza, etc. wrappers being tossed were empty, and the cups were not of the 20 oz variety. They were 32 oz. and up.

During the afternoon snack rush, the ice cream, funnel cake and candy stands were packed. (The line for frozen lemonade was short, which suited us just fine.)

Some of the families lined up for snacks were looking fit and healthy. Most were on the heavyset to overweight side, many well on the way to morbidly obese. I understand the biological imperative we have stored away in our genetic programming. Eat. Save up the fat stores you need for the when there isn't enough, for the lean times.

Given the abundance of cheap calories available, how big a fat store does the average American really need? With the rise of obesity-related health issues and all the money being made in the weight loss industry, "fat and happy" isn't all that happy anymore.

Liquid Diet

This photo was taken a couple weeks after my braces were removed, two years ago. I wiped the board clean and added snarky messages about, well, anything really, to email friends and family. I resurrected it today, in honor of my first full day with my lower teeth back in traction.* Ugh. (Wear your retainers, kids.)

My pre ride (40-mile) food? Oatmeal. My post ride recovery? Latte.
My lunch? Soup. Biting the potato chunks in the delicious Curry Corn Chowder hurt.

I give up. I'm embracing the martini. With cheese stuffed olives, to cover my vegetable & protein needs. I won't actually be eating the olives, as the act of biting through them will drive me to tears.

*The sentiment expressed on the board above could also apply to my opinion of the bills for B1's braces, and the upcoming round of bills for B2's adorable little buck-toothed smile.

Running with Peter T. Dog

I picked up a Ruff Wear leash at Big Peach Running a while back. Between this and the bag/clip, running with Pete is a breeze. (Getting him to look at the camera? Not so breezy.) I snap him around my waist, and my hands are free to carry water, swat mosquitoes, change songs on the iPod, etc.

The main section of the leash is elastic, so there's a warning before a complete stop, or squirrel-chasing dash, yanks me off my feet. And, there's a split closer to him, so I can grab Pete and reign him in when we're passing other dogs and people. (He's not at all unfriendly, just big. He makes some people and little dogs nervous.)

One note of caution about running with one of these leashes: if you open your mouth to laugh at your big dumb dog as he runs around you in a circle while you are running at 6+ mph, be careful. You will have left yourself vulnerable to the elusive Assassin Moth. This moth will fly past you at the moment you inhale, causing you to choke, gag, and trip over a rock or tree root. Hopefully, you'll be able to cough out this menace before he causes anything beyond damaged pride... or maybe you'll only cough up half, like I did. *shudder*

No walk breaks!

Am off to the dentist this morning, so I got up extra early to run. Stuck with the main roads for the street lights. I think I like this early morning thing. Almost a whole mile along a major street, and only one car passed me. Roswell & Abernathy were busier of course, but 6:00 a.m. busy is quite peaceful.

3.4 miles, 33:53, without a single walk break. That's a new record for me.

I'd throw a big celebration, by which I mean buy myself a giant latte, but will settle for loud music and an open sunroof on the way to the dentist. Old filling replacement, followed by a trip down the street to the Orthodontist for four months worth of torture devices for my lower jaw. (Invisalign)

Half Training, Week 6

Week 6 (8/11-8/17):
Monday: 27.3 miles, bike
Tuesday: 4.3 miles, easy run
Wednesday: 2 miles, easy run; flat tire
(no group ride while I was learning how to change tube)
Thursday: 2.74 miles, hill run; 6 miles, bike - commute
Friday: 17.6 miles, bike
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 30.2 miles, group ride - road

Total: Run - 9 miles; Bike - 81.1 miles

Eeek! This does not at all look like half marathon training. I'm working on getting more miles on my shoes this week, and a few less on my bike. It was just soooo pretty last week, and the kids were in school during the late mornings, and Bloo was looking all forlorn, in his spot by the window... I had to take him out for a spin.

$125/week Grocery Challenge: Week 3

I'm running a couple days behind this week, but here's the shopping list for Week Three.




Following the rules I used for the first two weeks, here's the breakdown:
Trip 1: $27.28
Trip 2: $56.03
Trip 3: $37.66
Week 3 Total: $120.97



Week 1 List
Week 1 Meals
Week 2 List
Week 2 Meals

Wake up call

A friend of DH had a heart attack recently. I say recently because the friend didn't even know he'd had a heart attack until well after the event. He was feeling off for a day or two, and went to the doctor to get checked out. A few tests later, he was sent off to the hospital. Mild heart attack, caused by two arteries with 90-95% blockage.

He is only in his mid thirties.

He's going to be fine. Stints were put in place. Medication, exercise, and better eating habits are being set up.

I look at this as a major wake up call for DH and his cronies. The guy with the heart attack was the youngest out of the gang. I'd think this would trigger alarm bells for others.

In talking with DH last night, he said "Nah, nothing to change. Nobody eats, drinks and lives like he does. I don't eat that much junk, I don't drink that much, and sure, I need more exercise, but I'm already working on that."

DH is almost 10 years older than his friend. He may live healthier now, but he hasn't always. I can count the number of doctor visits over the decade I've known him on one hand. The last visit was five years ago.

Healthier living now will help with the future, but what if there was already something wrong when we started making changes? What if he needs to do more?

He's not a kid. I can't take away video games or bribe him with ice cream to get him to the doctor for a long overdue physical.

Happy, Happy...

Have a group ride out in Cobb & Paulding tomorrow morning. Have my little bag (safety & snack) all packed. 30 miles of hopping on and off the Silver Comet Trail for forays into traffic.

This is something I need. Really have to build up my confidence in navigating streets. I do ride around on Roswell and Abernathy Roads here in Sandy Springs, but I try to go during off peak hours. Even when I can get close to my destination on the neighborhood streets, I still have to finish up the last bit of most trips somewhere along major streets.

It's getting close to my couple of busy months of fall projects, mostly travel & tourism pieces. My two biggest clients are within 3-5 miles of the house. Would love to be able to stick proofs in my backpack and be my own bicycle courier without being paranoid about those 4-lane roads.

Commuter Miles

Only around six miles today on the bike, but they were risking-my-life-in-lunchtime-traffic miles. The temps were in the low 80s today, so I swapped out my loafers for SPDs and headed out for errands and meeting in street clothes. Rolled up my left pant leg, tossed my cardigan in the backpack with the items destined for UPS, and headed out.

I'm so used to making trips around Sandy Springs on my heavy, slow hybrid. It was really nice to take the hills on Bloo. (Blooregard Q. Kazoo, named by my children for Bloo of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.)

The drivers around me didn't give me quite the space they do on Patty (Peppermint Patty, also named by children.) I guess the lack of a front-mount basket helped me look a bit more... competent? Less accident prone? It's also possible I just looked like a serious commuter today, just a regular part of traffic.

My only complaint was the complete lack of bicycle racks. Or anything suitable for locking up Bloo. I don't mind using something other than a rack. But the 4-6' wide brick pillar is a bit beyond the stretch of my cable or chain. It wasn't all that bad; both the UPS Store and Starbucks (meeting location) were quite friendly when I wheeled my buddy through the door.

I attempted to catch a picture using the self-timer feature. It's not easy to get situated in 5 seconds when a bike's involved, so I'm not sure if any of the shots are useful. If I did get something decent, I'll post. Hopefully, I didn't cut myself in half while running across the carport each time.

Edit: this will have to do. I look like a complete dork, but at least I'm not sticking out my tongue, closing my eyes, or midway through swinging my leg over the seat. And, my goodness, the angle on the bike adds about 15 lbs. - I suddenly like all those horrible running photos from races a whole lot more.

And, I'm really glad I had the cardigan for the meeting. The air conditioning was extra chilly after the ride. (That, and I'm not one to run around in just a camisole top, generally speaking.)

First Flat

Almost 90 mins to fix my first flat, including a trip to the bike shop to find out why I was unable to get the tire bead over the rim. (Answer: I'm a wimp.)

AAAARRGGHH!

So much for tonight's 20 mile ride. Since today was an impromptu rest day, I'll be having a multi-sport day tomorrow.

On a good note, I think I can change a tire now. Hope so.

It's the little things

Just in case the weather doesn't cooperate with plans for a 20+ mile this evening, I took Peter T. Dog out this morning for a lope. It rained most of last night, and everything is cool, damp, and lush. The kudzu is in bloom, adding the exotic scent of grape kool-aid to the air.

It was our very own, not-so-tropical, rainforest run.

---

Picked this little gem up from Dr. J at Calorie Lab.

A former olympic athlete has been banned from a department store in the UK, for running up the down escalator. What makes this snippet a gem?

You see, Mr. Hildreth just celebrated his 80th birthday, and unlike his previousathletic accomplishments, his celebratory behavior was not looked at favorably! At least not by the owners of Elphicks department store in Farnham, Surrey, where he decided to run up the down escalator to celebrate the event!

“‘I did it to celebrate my 80th birthday and it took me about six weeks to crack it,” he said, quite satisfied with his run!

It all started this past summer when Peter was making his daily visit to Elphicks, and was going up the escalator to their coffee shop. “It reminded me of 50 years ago, when I used to run up the escalators in London for a bit of a lark,” he said.

When asked about his training, he said, “It’s best to begin in little bits, so you start by coming down — say about five or six steps — then turn around and sprint to the top. And then gradually increase it.

“The most difficult bit is getting on at the bottom, because the bottom steps are constantly moving towards you and disappearing.”

I'm inspired! But, I think I ought to keep my goal of getting in trouble for kid stunts in my senior years to myself. Not sure I should let my kids hear I'm planning to be a juvenile delinquent when I grow up.

$125/week Grocery Challenge: Week 2 Wrap Up

I'm running a couple of days behind, but here's what we ate during week 2 of the $125/week for a family of five challenge:

Breakfasts: homemade oatmeal muffins, pancakes, or cereal and fruit.

Lunch: Grilled cheese or peanut butter & honey (or jelly) sandwiches, served with grapes, apples or carrots. One day, it was pure junk food. B2 had a cavity taken care of late last week, and really wanted ABCs & 123s w/meatballs for lunch. Since he couldn't feel one side of his mouth, I indulged the desire for comfort food.

Snacks: Nuts, cheese crackers, grapes at home - granola bars or peanut butter pretzels and apples at the pool.

Dinners: (Where two separate meals were fixed, I've specified the kid/adult version)

Burgers (Bean for me, Beef for everyone else), Roasted Potatoes, Salad

Baked Chicken, Broccoli, Cornbread (Kid)
Shakshuka, Cornbread (Adult)

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers, Rice, Green Beans; with Mango/Avocado Salad (Adult)

Brown Rice Penne with Zucchini, Vidalia, Spinach, Garlic, Grape Tomatoes and Turkey Sausage (made using gr. turkey not turned into burgers last week)

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Veggie Baked Beans, Apples (Kid)
Leftover Pasta and a Salad (Adult)

BBQ Chicken (Kids) Grilled Salmon (Adult), Couscous, Corn, Cucumber/Onion/Tomato Salad

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) w/ Garlic & Basil Meatballs (made a double batch - half the meatballs were popped in freezer for later), Salad

Week 2 Shopping Lists

Week 1 Shopping Lists
Week 1 Meals

Half Training, Week 5

Week 4 (8/4-8/10):
Monday: 3-miles, easy run
Tuesday: Rest (walking w/kids)
Wednesday: 12.5-miles, bike
Thursday: 4-miles, trail run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Dinosaur Dash 5k (31:17 - P.R.)
Sunday: 6-miles, tandem ride

Total: Run - 10.1 miles; Bike - 18.5 miles

Was finally over the head cold last week , but found my time and energy used up in the back-to-school chaos. This week, with all the dentist trips, school shopping and registration completed, my training schedule gets back up to the recommended times and distances on the chart.

Dinosaur Dash 5k & 1k

We got up in time! Mom & B1 ran the 5k; B2 & G (a.k.a. D) ran the 1k. Don't know exact times for anyone, since I was paying attention to where my little group members were wandering while crossing the finish.

I think I was under 31:30, which makes for a P.R. B1 was roughly 40 mins. He started out really fast. Too fast. I passed him not long after the first mile marker. It was his first race, and he didn't want to listen to any advice from his mom. Next time, I think he'll do better at pacing.

D. finished the 1k in 6:40, give or take a few seconds. B2 crossed the finish line about one minute later.

I'll have to take a look at the official times and race photos when they become available. Until then, this shot was taken after the races, and does almost as good a job at making us look cranky/crazy. (We're facing the sun.)

Update: $125/week Grocery Challenge

Done with the shopping for Week Two. Like last week , I'll be posting the shopping list and total today, and follow up with the basic menu tomorrow night. (Week 1 List, Week 1 Meals)

Following the rules I set up earlier, here's the breakdown:
Trip 1: $68.15
Trip 2: $19.57
Trip 3: $36.93
Week 1 Total: $124.65

Shopping Lists:

When I first looked over my receipts, I thought I'd failed this week. Was over by less than $1 - Aaack! While typing everything up this morning, my totals didn't match. I noticed I missed a pack of pencils when I was removing the non-grocery items. After making sure I'd pulled out all of the back-to-school supplies, I was back under. (And there was much celebrating.)

Little higher this week than last, but still under budget. Even managed to take care the special requests. The Organic Pink Lady Apples weren't available for my fans of New Zealand produce, but I did grab a couple of large Sonya apples from the far corner of the globe. If you see them in the store - get one - or a dozen. They are crisp and sweet, but not too sweet. The perfect apple for a hot day, or any day. Tonight we'll be having BBQ Salmon (kids are having chicken), which takes care of special request number two.

Half Training, Week 4

As mentioned in my earlier post, last week was not a great week. I'm really glad I built in the extra couple weeks over and above the 12 week plan. I did work out five days, just not as much as I'd like. Or in the way in which I planned. Grocery trips, tandem bike rides, and a couple of surprisingly hard, short, runs.

Total: Run, 4.9 miles; Bike, 17 miles

I won't be completely back up to speed this week, but I'm getting there.

On a tandem tangent, the camera goofed up saving the picture of my daughter and me from Sunday. The jpeg was missing data, but the posterized effect was kinda fun.

Some days, you're the windshield...

I've been in a bit of an exercise funk for a week or so. Sick kids. Sinus trouble. Dropping tree limb. School registration (times three). I've been keeping track of my half hearted workouts , but haven't even been feeling inspired enough to plug them into my training log on the mac. I have been running, but not as much. Struggled to get under 12:00/mile. I'm never very fast, but YUCK. The stuffy head didn't allow for easy breathing in the almost 100 degree heat index, so I focused on small trips. Grocery rides, tandem rides with the kids. Not high mileage, but something.

I know. Whine, whine, whine.

This week, I'm on the upswing. Monday's run was okay. I'm a little faster than the last time I ran that particular route. About three minutes faster. Not bad.

Wednesday's bike ride was cut short by pop-up storm, not by exhaustion. The 12.5 miles I rode were at a 17+ mph pace. Even better.

It rained this afternoon, not long before my run. There were more storm cells on the horizon. I considered driving to the Y for a treadmill run. Rush hour traffic? Not high on my To Do list. As I started to tick off the reasons I couldn't/shouldn't climb in the car, something clicked. I switched to my older shoes, sprayed myself head to toe with bug repellent, and headed to the trails near my house. I took off at what felt like an easy pace. 8:00 running, 2:00 recovery.

Beep. Run. Beep. Walk.

No stress. No glancing at my HRM, looking for the next break. I negotiated tree roots, dangling briar and kudzu vines, leapt over muddy patches. Climbed through a couple of young trees which had partially fallen across the path. Kept going. The sound of my shoes hitting the graveled portions of the trail were in perfect time with the music. It was beautiful.

As I headed back for the car, I realized I could have managed an extra loop. Didn't want to push it. When I opened the truck door and reached for my water, I glanced at my HRM.

38:05

I had an average pace of 9:32, over four miles. Temps in the upper 80s, thick air, none of it mattered. It was a good day, a very good day. Today, I was not the bug.

I'm looking forward to more days like this.

$125/week Grocery Challenge: Week 1 Wrap Up

Yesterday, I posted the shopping list and total spent during the first week (Mon-Sun) of my 5-person version of Can a family of four eat for $100 a week? (My totaled receipts = $103.97) Today, I'm posting the basic weekly menu, along with my thoughts so far.

Breakfasts: homemade oatmeal muffins, or cereal and fruit.

Lunch: Grilled cheese or peanut butter & honey (or jelly) sandwiches, served with grapes, apples or carrots.

Snacks: Nuts, cheese crackers, grapes at home - granola bars or peanut butter pretzels on the trail

Dinners: (Where two separate meals were fixed, I've specified the kid/adult version)

Creamy/Cheese Pasta, Broccoli (Brown Rice Fusilli)

Turkey Burgers, Veggie Baked Beans, Sliced Apples (Kid)
Mango, Avacado & Celery Salad w/Cashews and Ginger Dressing (Adult)

Oven Roasted Chicken, Potatoes, Green Beans & Cornbread (Kid)
Vidalia French Onion Soup & Cheesy Cornbread (Adult)

Black Bean Salad w/Mango & Salsa, Cornbread

Chicken Fried Rice (w/leftover chicken), Broccoli

Chicken, Green Beans, Cheese Whole Wheat Biscuits (Kid)
Shakshuka and Cheese Biscuits (Adult)
(The recipe used when I started making Shakshuka is here. I've modified it over the last two years, of course. More garlic, and sweet onions)

Cheese Pizza and Vidalia French Onion Soup (Leftover)

Today was supposed to be burgers (black bean for me, beef for everyone else), with corn and salad. We ended up switching to cheese pizza, which worked out very well. Was able to finish off the leftover French Onion Soup on the side. And, I have a quick dinner already planned for the first day of Week 2. (Bonus!)

I talked with everyone over lunch today. Nobody really noticed any difference. The kids thought I was just asking which dinners they wanted me to repeat this week. It's been a pretty good reminder for me as to why planning meals a few days in advance is a good idea. We didn't have to sacrifice much. Still had ice cream after dinner a few nights, and the beloved peanut butter filled pretzels to snack on during our weekend bike rides.

This week might be a little tougher. I noticed while working on dough earlier, I'm running low on a few baking supplies. I've also had a request for BBQ salmon, and for organic pink lady apples (from New Zealand - my kids think pink ladies from this part of the globe are not as good - yes, my kids are special), which I think I can work in with a bit more planning.

Update: $125/week Grocery Challenge

I'm done with the shopping for Week One. I'll add basic meal/menu information tomorrow, along with my thoughts, and any comments from family. I made a trip to Trader Joe's this morning to finish out the items I'll need for the next few days.

Following the rules I set up earlier, here's the breakdown:
Trip 1: $35.15
Trip 2: $41.32
Trip 3: $27.50
Week 1 Total: $103.97

Shopping Lists:

Dinosaur Dash - Midnight Flight

During my half-marathon training, I'm supposed to run a 5k and a 10k race as the weekly mileage builds. My 5k will be next weekend. The Dinosaur Dash 5k and 1k Fun Run at Perimeter Mall. The munchkins will be running the 1k; the teenager will be running the 5k with me. I've been telling my younger son the goal of the 1k is to outrun the dinosaurs, or be eaten. He isn't falling for it. (Sigh... they grow up so fast.)

I'm pretty excited about the 10k. I was looking for something the first two weeks of September. Trouble is, that's not exactly cool fall weather here in Atlanta. Then, through Run & See Georgia, I found the Midnight Flight Race in Anderson, SC.

The 10k race starts at 11:00 p.m.

This. Is. Awesome.

I don't have to get up early. I get to sleep in the next morning. And there's the whole not running in the glaring heat of the sun, too. I'll head up Friday afternoon to pick up my number and get checked into the hotel. Yep, hotel. Remember that "sleep in" benefit of the midnight race? Woo Hoo!

I'd like to finish the midnight race by 12:00, but will be quite happy with any time before 12:04, as this would best my Possum Trot 10k time by more than one minute.

Things I will not be hearing Saturday morning, after the race:

"Mom, can I play Halo?"

"What's for breakfast, Mom?"

"Mom, I don't want to play Halo - make him pick something else."

"I don't want cereal! Can't you make bacon and eggs... and pancakes?"

"No video games! I want SpongeBob.... MOM!"

"Can we have chocolate chip pancakes?"

$125/week Grocery Challenge

I decided to take up the challenge of MSN Money writer Melinda Fulmer "Can a family eat on $100 a week? The goal was to feed her family of four healthy food for $100, or less.

Wenchypoo made a few inquiries of Fulmer, to clarify some of the rules she used during the challenge week. I don't think she's received answers yet. She decided to work up an organic shopping list for herself & Mr. Wenchypoo, while including the special dietary requirements of the Wenchkitties (Kittywenchlets?). The shopping list is here.

Since my family is larger than Fulmer's, I'm going with a $125/week budget. This will be just food. Health items and household/cleaning products will be kept separate from the list.

I'm not sure how Fulmer balanced the contents of her pantry against the shopping lists, so I'm adjusting for that as well. I have several items stocked up in my pantry and freezer - chicken breasts, oatmeal, coconut milk, my irish breakfast tea, etc. Most of these will need to be restocked over the next few weeks. Oatmeal is the exception. I buy 3-4 months worth at a time, for breakfast muffins and cookies. Less than $10 at Costco, so it's not exactly a budget buster.

I'll be doing the challenge for four consecutive weeks, to balance out the supplies I have on hand. Will be restocking as I go, so that will be part of the budget. In planning out the last two weeks of the challenge, I'll be packing school lunches for three children, five days per week. I'll be picking up a few items, such as juice boxes and granola bars, over these first two weeks, to minimize the big jump after school starts.

I do my shopping in smaller trips, since I often shop by bicycle. Haven't decided yet whether I'll update for each trip, or just give an end of week list and total.

Something in the Air

I have a whole new appreciation for Air Conditioning this week. After the night of breathing unfiltered, 80+ degree, soupy air, we're all stuffy and drippy. Benadryl and Claritin, all around. Nobody feels ill. It's just that same thickness of brain and body that comes with the height of pollen season, mid-spring. Guess there's something to those Air Quality Index number I hear on the radio each morning.

I'm headed off to the gym, to give the indoor (AC!) track a try. Might make it around more times than I care to count during a full hour, might only be 10 laps followed by a race to find kleenex.

On the bright side, this gives me the chance to spend the time running to think of fun things to say about "the family that runs together..." with runny noses in mind.

Spray Starch for the Soul

Yesterday was an odd day. Not enough sleep, in a bit of a funk, restless in both mind and spirit. Baking, laundry and ironing were my salvation. Nothing like the smell of oatmeal muffins coming from the kitchen and combining with spray starch on linens fresh from the dryer to soothe the soul.

At least, until the tree limb came down through the power lines.

No damage to house or property. Fell into the street. Didn't even take down the lines; just knocked out the power to the street. The Georgia Power crew had us up and running again in fairly short order, kind of. It did put a stop to the ironing, mid-basket.

Today's trip to the Atlanta Botanical Garden is on hold while we wait to hear about tree service. There are a few more branches in the overhanging sweetgum which should probably be trimmed before the next big storm moves through.

I'll be working on my $125/week grocery challenge update, and keeping the kids occupied with some chores around the house.

And, I'll get back to my ironing. A little more starch and steam ought to set me back to rights.

Walk/Bike Neighborhoods

I found a fun mapping site today. Picked up the link at Riding Pretty-Bicycle Chic. (A super fun site of biking goodness, by the way.) The site is Walk Score, and allows you to plug in your home address, a neighborhood in which you might be interested, your office, etc., and find out how high it scores for walkability.

I popped in the address of the park / arts center in my neighborhood, and....
My neighborhood scores a 43 - Car Dependent. There are a lot of stores and restaurants in the 1.5-2.5 mile range, which are outside the walking area, but which are quite reachable by bicycle.

I agree completely with the Car Dependent status though.

The bike lanes, where available, are neither wide enough, nor clearly marked. It's alright for me to ride out to the store, but there's no way I'm taking children out on that 24-inch ribbon at the side of the road. The elementary school is about 2 miles away, but down a narrow and winding 2-lane road, without sidewalks. The car is a safety necessity, even though we could easily walk that distance. In fact, the sidewalks are spotty along the sections of main road we could walk to reach a few restaurants and stores. Along Johnson Ferry, there are stretches with no sidewalks. The sidewalks which do exist are only on one side of the street; and not even on the same side of the street. To make the .8 mile walk to Roswell Road, we'd need to either cross back and forth to stay with available sidewalks and grassy curbs, or walk in the street along the areas without.

I'm not a supporter of government created and controlled roads; I think the private market, or combination public-private solutions would be far better and less expensive than the junk our tax money is purchasing now. But that's a completely different discussion. If the government is going to be in charge of our roads, the least they can do is work for safer transport for all commuters, and not just those in cars. After all, it's part of what we're paying all those fuel taxes, SPLOSTS, and property taxes for, isn't it?

Aside from my gripe about the roads, Walk Score is a pretty darn cool mapping tool. I will probably spend way too much time playing with it over the next couple of days.

Half Training, Week 3

Mon Stretch/Strength
Tues 3 mile, Easy; 3 mile bike (errands)
Wed XT - 6.5 mile tandem ride
Thur 5 mile, Easy
Fri Rest Day
Sat XT - 4.8 mile hill ride (Whole Foods - flour, milk, and other heavy stuff. Ugh!)
Sun 5.9 mile, Long

Total: Run, 15.2 miles; Bike, 14.3 miles

I was only supposed to increase the mileage by two this week. Ended up with a 5.2 mile increase. I know it was too much for one week, but it's offset by the drop in my bike mileage. This weeks' rides were all store trips or family rides. My daughter trailed behind my hybrid for six miles on the Riverside bike path in Roswell. Turns out, stabilizing both of us while hitched gave me quite the core workout for the day. We'll try it again one evening this week.

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.

--------

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.

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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.