A Friday Just For Me!

Oh, today is another day of vacation, and I had planned on working in the yard.  But I just don't feel like it, so I'm not going to.
Instead, I have a long list of things to do before C-Joy and I head off to Des Moines for the Half Marathon, some shopping, and a general good girl's weekend.  I can walk with a hangover :)


My hamstring continues to improve and I got the a-ok from my physical therapist to do the half-marathon.  I was going to do it anyway, but it's nice to have a confirmation.  I have to continue to build strength in my hamstring--according to him, it's been an issue with me for quite some time; the getting hurt was just the final straw.  So, I've been underutilizing my hamstring for probably a few years.  I'm amazed I didn't hurt myself sooner.  Of course, if I ran faster, it probably would have happened earlier this year.   After another session of hamstring separating (hurts like hell, let me tell you!), deep tissue massage (painful on the knot, too), and stretching out my hip,  my leg felt no pain and was warmed up and ready for my bike ride.  I hit the trail, and here are some scenes from my journey:

Me, my shadow, and the trail

An old Ford on a farm just off the trail 

The farmers have been working hard to get in the harvest

The day is gorgeous, and I was lucky to spend some time outside.  Now comes laundry, packing my bag, cleaning up the kitchen from the souffle incident last night, and finishing Wolf Hall.  By all that is holy, I will finish it before Tuesday's book club. It will not defeat me! Then I can read something else from my growing to be read pile.  Bud is busy tonight, but left me a song on my message machine to let me know he loves me!  We'll hopefully see each other again Sunday night.   I'm making a yummy chicken and spinach casserole with--it gets better--toasted bread croutons on top.  No cheese, tho.  Oh, I can't wait!  A movie tonight, a session of obsessing over what I may have forgotten to pack in my weekend bag, and then off to bed!  Have a great weekend everyone!  I'll have picts from the half-marathon after Sunday.

Weeds or wildflowers?  Who cares--they're pretty 

A Run, A Ride, and A Margarita

I had today off, and it was a perfect day.  I got up very early and ran 4 miles, went home and had my friend K come over to take some of my flowers from the "condemned" zone in my back yard.  

After getting cleaned up, I took Laura and Cole bike riding.  We rode on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail--five miles out, five miles back.  Ten  miles!  After a few miles, my legs were feeling it.  I told the  kids I would take them for ice cream if we did ten miles, so I kept my word and we hit Parlor City for sweet treats.  I sucked down a chocolate malt, thereby demolishing the calories I'd burned running and biking.  I asked the kids if they were up for 12 miles next week, and they just snorted and said they were done with biking for awhile.  Cole declared he was not going to do any more exercise today, since he had already done so much on the bike ride.  Poor peanut.   

So either I am getting so old I have to take restorative naps, or being out in the sun all day wore me out.  Either way, I went home and passed out on my bed for about an hour.  I simply couldn't wake up!  A quick call to Bud, a run to the grocery store, and we were set for a great night.

It was Mexican night tonight.  We had nachos, homemade guacamole (damn it was good!) and margaritas.  I have to say, they are simply the best margaritas I have ever had.  I'm not even tempted to have them at restaurants because I know we can make them at home at a fraction of the cost, and they taste  so much better.  Here's the recipe--it makes one drink, so I just double it for Bud and I:

2 Oz Tequila

1 Oz  Triple Sec

1 Oz Simple Syrup

1 Oz Key Lime Juice  (you can get this in the juice section of the grocery store next to the bottled lemon juice)

Dump it all in a shaker with ice, and shake shake shake!  I like mine on the rocks, so I just pour it over ice in a glass.  If you like them blended, well... put it in a blender with some ice and blend away!  

So, after nachos and a margarita, Bud and I both passed out on the couch, missing a chunk of the Alice in Wonderland movie.   I thought it was the tequila, but soon realized it was just a movie :)  Bud is still on the couch, sleeping off his supper.  I guess I made some pretty potent margaritas!  

Sorry, no picts of the drinks.   I didn't think of it in time, and they were gone too quick.  I'll post my guacamole recipe  in a future post.  Again, it pays to have a brother living in the Southwest!  He has all the best recipes!  

Have a great July 4th!  Get out and celebrate!