Il fait beau aujourd'hui!

So I went for a run!

Yes, that's right. I put on my Nikes and headed out for my regular li'l loop around the park. The city had just mowed the grass along the path and it smelled spectacular! The sun was shining and it felt great just to be moving and outside. Yay, spring is here!!

The deets:
30:19
7:23 km/h
4.11 km
316 cal

And in other news, I have a hotel room the Saturday night before the marathon in Niagara Falls! Separate rooms for my friend, M., who is also running, and me, and my mom, who is fabulous race support. That means that no one's snoring shall interrupt anyone else's sleep the night before the race!

Off to run some errands before work.

Guess what I did yesterday?

Friday's class was also backbends so I've been a backbending goddess this weekend! My back body is feeling it, too.

Friday afternoon we took birthday cake to my Grandma's and celebrated 83 years. Afterwards, mom and I met up with my cousin and her hubby for an impromptu photo shoot (all those people on the street are wondering who I am) and a yummy Thai dinner at The King & I.

Saturday morning brought a quick grocery trip, another yoga class (see photo above) and then a potluck with Julie.

This morning dawned bright and early and I headed out to cheer on my friends running the Calgary Marathon (Carol) and Half Marathon (April and Kari). Good thing I went a little early or I would have missed April and Kari completely!

The rest of my day is going to be great: Farmer's Market (both of 'em), a visit to Grandma's and then a BBQ on my patio! There may even be some knitting thrown in for good luck.

Mouse is running in Ottawa this morning and I've been sending her speedy vibes! Go, Mouse, go!!

What's my next running goal: H-woman is now Registered
for Niagara Falls International Marathon.

Eeeek! Let the training begin...

May Long Weekend

AKA the start of summer in Canada!

Saturday was a glorious day: sunshine, good friends, good yoga and vino! Started the day on my local S'bucks rooftop patio with E. & C. Then I went to yoga--lots of twisting culminating in:

Parsva Bakasana (side crane)



Source

After yoga, C. picked me up and we headed over to E.'s house for some champagne (Congrats on the 30 year one-night stand!), food and girl talk.

On Sunday I got up and went for a quick run, just my Stanley Park loop (4.1 km). It was really humid, but felt good. Then I met some WW online girls downtown at Cora's for breakfast! They make a pretty good hashbrown (which is how a breakfast place is judged, remember). Then home and off to work.

Today Nerm and I have had a very quiet, relaxing day. We're still in our jammies at 2130h and have done not much more than the occasional yoga pose, knitting and catching up on Coronation Street. There may also have been a cuddlefest/nap, but I can't be certain. I seem to have lost about an hour and a half though....

It's been raining all day so it was a perfect day to decompress. I'm also excited for the week of rainy weather for a number of reasons:

1. These boots:



2. The various shades of green that pop out at this time of year. There probably won't be lilacs (my favourite flower, in case anyone ever asks) for the Lilac Festival next weekend, but for sure by the first of June! I'm excited for the first weekend of June because guess who's coming to town? This man: Noah Maze. And since my Barbados trip in November has been cancelled, I think I might take Immersion I with Noah in February...I'll check the vacation schedule tomorrow when I go to work!

3. To put out the wildfires in Alberta.

4. Knitting! I've made good progress today. And I got word from my friends in Oz that IT'S A GIRL!! Congrats to S. & D.! Now I'll need to find a quick baby project to whip up and send.

5. More cuddle time with Nerm. 'Cause there's nothing else like it. =)

OMIGOD, I can cook!

I came home from work and whipped up an AMAZING meal: Indian Dal and Rice (from The Best of the Chef at Home Essential Recipes for Today's Kitchen by Michael Smith). I added all the extras he suggested: cumin seeds and chopped tomato. I didn't have basmati rice though, so substituted jasmine (it was just fine). I had to add more salt when serving, too. YUM! Go buy this cookbook! It also has the best cream of mushroom soup I have ever tasted.

Super easy, relatively quick, cheap and tasty, tasty, tasty. I have to say, since I broke up with the boy last summer, my consumption of Indian food has decreased greatly (it's the only thing I miss about him, really). This dish more than made up for it. It could just be the perfect dal recipe!

I had a crazy busy morning: left at 0830h and got home from yoga and race package pickup at 1252. Left for work at 1340h. I'm kind of tired, now that I think of it! Yoga was awesome, as usual.

On the mat today: adho mukha vrkshasana (handstand). And we practiced hugging in to the midline (even using a block between our thighs to feel inner spiral). I may not be able to move tomorrow! But fun, fun, fun! Lots to play with in my personal practice, that's for sure.

Must get some sleep now, which could be interesting, as they've been cleaning my street for at least the last 2.5 hours that I've been home. =)

Breakfast Outside

It's finally getting nice enough to enjoy the other room in my house: the patio!



Very excited for Friday night, big grad party for my friend who's just graduated from medical school! Here's what I'm wearing:



My hair is getting did (I think in hot rollers) and I'll be wearing my favourite purple cat eye glasses, too.

African Stew

Yummy, yummy! And an excellent way to get your dark leafy greens in (along with PB, and c'mon, who doesn't like PB?!)

It's from the cookbook, Cooking Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina & Joseph Forest. My friend, Lisa Q., made this for me and I've been hooked ever since. I can't make it without thinking about her!

Makes 6 cups

4 c vegetable stock
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c peeled, diced yams
1 c cooked chickpeas
1/2 c brown rice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c peanut butter
2 c chopped kale
2 TB lemon juice
tamari or soy sauce (optional)
hot sauce

In large pot over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in 2TB stock until soft. Add remaining stock, yams, chickpeas, rice and salt; simmer covered for 45 minutes.

In small bowl, blend peanut butter and 1/2 c of liquid from stew to make smooth paste. Stir into stew along with kale and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tamari if using.

Serve with lemon wedge and hot sauce.

Wild Thing Part Deux

You kicked my ass!

But you still make my heart sing.

=)

Wild Thing

You make my heart sing!



Source

That is all. =)

Spring Run Off

Well, maybe just a run on a spring day. =)

30:40
7.6 km/h
3.88 km
293 cal

Not bad for a week post cold (although I really need to remember to bring my inhaler when I run) and not running in a month!

I wore my running skirt/capri combo I bought when I was in Hawaii. It kept falling down! I'm not sure if (a) it's too big or (b) it's because I have a flat ass or (c) a combination of a & b! Either way, not cool.

Bizarre though since I wore them for Around the Bay and had no such issues....

Busy Bee

My To-Do List for the day:

1. VOTE!  It was great to see so many people (all ages) out to exercise their right to vote. When people are literally dying in this world for the right to vote, we have no excuse not to!
2. Laundry  OK, the worst of the laundry is done. Clean sheet day chez moi aujourd’hui!
3. Groceries Yikes! I didn’t buy anything from the middle of the store and still over a hundred bucks…
4. Veggie Prep for the week
5. Cook Dinners for the week
1. African Stew
2. Quinoa Vegetable Soufflé
6. Teach Yoga
7. Enjoy the sunshine!

It’s a good day!

NSV

(non-scale victory--'cause it's not just about the scale)

Lost 2 inches from my waist & 1/2 inch from my arms since March!