So, May 2nd, my friend CP and I ran the Alexandria Running Festival (ARF) ½ Marathon. It was comical on the course because they had chalked ARF along the way and it took us a while to figure out what that stood for. We thought it was some sort of canine-esque good luck note.
We had strategically placed (well, it was actually just luck where they happened to stand) cheering sections which were very motivating. B and I (CP’s crew) bravo’d us at one end and my posse was at the other end. Seriously, it was motivating.
We trained for weeks using a free training guide I found online. Our shorter weekday runs usually took place at the park by our school and our long weekend runs at Burke Lake Park or along hte Mount Vernon Trail. CP taught me so much about hydration (NUUN), energy (GooChomps) and just about running in general. I’m so thankful. I also found this website www.nomeatathlete.com that I rocked out the week before the race. C got pretty tired of the vegetarian meals but it was mega yum to me.
We finished in 2:15 and I feel proud of that time. We got a sturdy medal.
My hihlight of the whole thing I believe was at the prerace pasta dinner. It was hepl at AlaLuccia in Old Town and we met a couple of other really nice runners and their families. Food was delicious. Best of all, I got to meet one of my major sources of inspiration, Dana Casanave. So fun.
Awesome experience. Haven’t made any plans to do it again, but I’m not ruling it out either. :)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Twitch, Twitch
Let me tell you I have not been my best self this week. I have been in ultimate stress mode. As I write this, my left eye is twitching sporadically, but often. It has been doing this for going on a week now. At first I thought I just needed some potassium - but many a banana and sweet potato later - we're still twitching away.
My stressors are:
1) SOL Week at School
2) Wedding
I don't mean to compain about either. I love my job. And, I'm so excited to marry C. But, I'm beginning to have a little empathy for the infamous term "bridezilla". While vainly, I still feel I'm far from a bridezilla, I just understand how someone could get like that.
So (1) In grades 3 - 6 most students have to take three or four standardized tests at the end of the school year in reading, math, writing or content. Somehow, this year, I got signed up to proctor all but 1 of these tests. While this is a small blessing in the area of planning (more time testing = less time teaching and therefore less time planning) it also means I have to attend the truly painful, daily testing meeting. I know it's necessary, but it makes me want to pluck mu hair out strand by stand listening to the same schpiel everyday. Or, spike my morning coffee. It also is a 20 minute meeting that could be done in 5. But, this marks one week down, two to go. Yay!
(2) I never thought I would have wedding stress but I do, to the max. I can't go into detail on the world wide web but I will say - we're hiring undercover security. No joke. Woah.
So, thanks for listening kiddos.
My stressors are:
1) SOL Week at School
2) Wedding
I don't mean to compain about either. I love my job. And, I'm so excited to marry C. But, I'm beginning to have a little empathy for the infamous term "bridezilla". While vainly, I still feel I'm far from a bridezilla, I just understand how someone could get like that.
So (1) In grades 3 - 6 most students have to take three or four standardized tests at the end of the school year in reading, math, writing or content. Somehow, this year, I got signed up to proctor all but 1 of these tests. While this is a small blessing in the area of planning (more time testing = less time teaching and therefore less time planning) it also means I have to attend the truly painful, daily testing meeting. I know it's necessary, but it makes me want to pluck mu hair out strand by stand listening to the same schpiel everyday. Or, spike my morning coffee. It also is a 20 minute meeting that could be done in 5. But, this marks one week down, two to go. Yay!
(2) I never thought I would have wedding stress but I do, to the max. I can't go into detail on the world wide web but I will say - we're hiring undercover security. No joke. Woah.
So, thanks for listening kiddos.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Garden
Garden
So, this year we put new dirt in the garden! While this may not sound like an exciting event initially, let me tell you it was. When C bought the house the yard was at such a slant that it needed to be elevated in some parts. Free dirt was located and transferred. Score. There were no problems until three years later, when we attempted to grow nourishment in the aforementioned dirt. We ot some potatoes, onions and basil and cilantro that year. Carrots and green beans were a fail. Well, that’s a lie. We got one carrot. Because the dirt was so rocky and sandy, it was a fat, short carrot – it couldn’t grow down into the soil. The potatoes suffered similar hardships.
The next year, with the purchase of a tiller and the addition of some manure and fertilizer, we were a tad more successful – tomatoes, mint, Brussels sprouts, jalapeños, green peppers were added to the repertoire. But, the soil was still incredibly rocky. A couple of time I attempted picking out the rocks and tossing them into the forest but it could be likened to trying to throw all the grains of sand on a beach back into the ocean. I gave up.
In conclusion, this year, 2010, is going to be the year of the garden I pray. With some help, okay, a lot of help, we emptied the contents of the garden into the forest. The plants (rosemary, mint and another herb whose name I cannot remember) that miraculously survived Snowmageddon lived in the wheelbarrow for a few days. New top soil was delivered and scooped into the garden (this part sucked & I got a tick!!) Immortal plants were replanted and Brussels sprouts were planted.
So, this year we put new dirt in the garden! While this may not sound like an exciting event initially, let me tell you it was. When C bought the house the yard was at such a slant that it needed to be elevated in some parts. Free dirt was located and transferred. Score. There were no problems until three years later, when we attempted to grow nourishment in the aforementioned dirt. We ot some potatoes, onions and basil and cilantro that year. Carrots and green beans were a fail. Well, that’s a lie. We got one carrot. Because the dirt was so rocky and sandy, it was a fat, short carrot – it couldn’t grow down into the soil. The potatoes suffered similar hardships.
The next year, with the purchase of a tiller and the addition of some manure and fertilizer, we were a tad more successful – tomatoes, mint, Brussels sprouts, jalapeños, green peppers were added to the repertoire. But, the soil was still incredibly rocky. A couple of time I attempted picking out the rocks and tossing them into the forest but it could be likened to trying to throw all the grains of sand on a beach back into the ocean. I gave up.
In conclusion, this year, 2010, is going to be the year of the garden I pray. With some help, okay, a lot of help, we emptied the contents of the garden into the forest. The plants (rosemary, mint and another herb whose name I cannot remember) that miraculously survived Snowmageddon lived in the wheelbarrow for a few days. New top soil was delivered and scooped into the garden (this part sucked & I got a tick!!) Immortal plants were replanted and Brussels sprouts were planted.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The Garden: Prequel Pt. 2
I'm using my kids [read:students].
Despite the hippie image I'd like to project, I'm actually not a huge fan of dirt. I appreciate dirtless fingernails.
C and I went to Home Depot and purchased tomato, zucchini, pumpkin and carrot seeds as well as some Jiffy 7 soil pellets. Once water is added to these babies - that's a lot of dirt. Enter: kids.
"Hey kids! Today we're going to make dirt and plant seeds!"
"Yay!" "Yes!" "Can we bring them home?"
"Well, no, but we're going to grow them here at school!"
Basically, sorry, you're growing them for my garden.
So, I'm kidding a little about the whole "using them" part. I think it was actually a really good couple of lessons. The first group are fourth graders from Honduras who have very little English ao we were really able to get into some vocab and plant life cycle etc. My other group is second graders so they just love hands on things anyway.
I highly recommend Jiffy 7 pellets for seed starting. Easy. Fun. Maybe I should try starting my previously failed green beans in there?
Despite the hippie image I'd like to project, I'm actually not a huge fan of dirt. I appreciate dirtless fingernails.
C and I went to Home Depot and purchased tomato, zucchini, pumpkin and carrot seeds as well as some Jiffy 7 soil pellets. Once water is added to these babies - that's a lot of dirt. Enter: kids.
"Hey kids! Today we're going to make dirt and plant seeds!"
"Yay!" "Yes!" "Can we bring them home?"
"Well, no, but we're going to grow them here at school!"
Basically, sorry, you're growing them for my garden.
So, I'm kidding a little about the whole "using them" part. I think it was actually a really good couple of lessons. The first group are fourth graders from Honduras who have very little English ao we were really able to get into some vocab and plant life cycle etc. My other group is second graders so they just love hands on things anyway.
I highly recommend Jiffy 7 pellets for seed starting. Easy. Fun. Maybe I should try starting my previously failed green beans in there?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Garden: The Prequel
I pretty much have a black thumb. I’m trying desperately to overcome it and I’m seeing some progress. I have hope.
I also have a black thumb for baking yeast breads (or maybe burnt thumb – not sure of that nomenclature) and despite NUMEROUS attempts to surmount it – I failed and gave up. I even failed with the assistance of a bread machine. No joke. Maybe I’ll try again someday. Maybe not. But, back to the garden.
I’m a fan of hanging baskets but, for the past two years the flowers I plants in them have died and drooped within days of implantation. However, in a moment of genius [read:sarcasm] it dawned on me. The soffet shades my flowers. Look for shade-loving plants DB! After some internet research and a trip to Home Depot, we were all set – and they’re doing beautifully. Begonias and unknown plant.
Success. More to come. Love always.
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