March Running Log

Upping the miles this month ~ despite the COLD and SNOW and WIND and general lack of spring (whining...)
Starting March 21, Mike and I started our "Intermediate 10K training program" ~ which involves INTERVAL training ~ where you SPRINT a quarter mile then jog/WALK a recovery quarter ~ the first week we did 4 of those.  This week we did 5.  It progresses up to 8 of those.  Yep, that's 2 miles of sprints with 2 miles of recovery.  It may be the hardest thing I've every voluntarily done, physically and mentally.  I don't know if it's helping my speed since I'm still not 100% with my stupid ankle ~ and just this week I tweaked my knee (bet it's related to my stupid ankle, since it's the opposite knee).  It's hard for me to balance rest/healing with my desire to log the miles. 
But I have 72.75 miles for the month of March.  That brings my 2011 total up to 131.25 miles.  I'm pretty happy with those numbers.  I should continue to rack 'em up throughout April as we prepare for the May 15th 10K.  I'm hopeful for good outside running conditions coming soon.  Daylight savings has been a blessing ~ as it's still light after 7:00.

Be the Boss

E Street Radio (on Sirius XM) lets the average Joe take control of the airwaves to “Be the Boss” for a 30 minute time slot. My husband LOVES to listen to them because the “how I met Bruce” portion of the show has people telling some of the most outlandish tales ever heard. He makes fun of me, because I must not be a true fan since I’ve never had Bruce throw me a guitar and let me strum along with the band.

But if I WERE to be the Boss for the day, I’ve got my set list ready, because, contrary to Mike’s opinion, I am a true fan, and Bruce’s music has meant a lot to me throughout the years.

I’m a teacher ~ and my students know I’m a big Bruce fan. I had tickets to a concert one night and told my students. I had a girl (big N’Sync fan at the time) ask me if I was going to cry when I saw him come on stage. Never even occurred to me that it might happen ~ who cries at a concert? But she cried at an N’Sync concert when she was 12…so she thought it was what happened. I just laughed.


My first favorite song is one that I had never heard Bruce sing this live and, for some reason never really expected to. But one night, sitting at the convocation center on the CSU campus, with two of my dearest friends, I heard the opening chords to this one and did tear up. This song speaks to me about never letting our dreams die and living life, not letting it pass by.


Racing in the Streets


This next song reminds me of when my kids were babies. I would put it on in the kitchen and dance around with them in my arms. We’d spin and twirl and laugh and sing. My first baby is 6’2” and I don’t get to twirl him around much, but this song reminds me of that time.


Sherry Darling


This should be the part when I tell the most amazing “How I met Bruce” story. I’ve never met Bruce, but if I were so honored, I would just like to shake his hand and say thank you for sharing your music with me. Thank you for being a huge part of the fabric of my life.
Well I don’t have that, but I don’t need it, because I have MY song. When I need a lift, when I need to feel my strength as a woman, when I need to know Bruce loves me, I play the recording from Cleveland taped 11/10/2010 when I heard him sing it just for me.


Red Headed Woman


This song is my hymn. This song is my prayer. This song tells me it’s going to be alright.

Waiting on a Sunny Day


My most romantic husband sent me a text once that said: When I count my blessings and you're mine for always. We laughed beneath the covers and count the wrinkles and the grays
I knew it was from a song…but I couldn’t for the life of me place it. So, I had to ask (and he again laughed at my claim to be a true fan). And he said, this line is from the sequel to Thunder Road. It was happily ever after, just like us. That’s why I love him, and why I love Bruce.


Kingdom of Days


I’m from Cleveland and I spent some formative years listening to Kid Leo from 2 to 6 on WMMS, Cleveland’s Rock Station. Every Friday at 6 pm Kid Leo would help us all welcome the weekend. I especially remember summer evenings driving home from work ready to see my boyfriend, who is now my husband, and listening to Kid Leo start it off right. First was Bruce’s best song, then "Cleveland Rocks" by Ian Hunter and "Friday on My Mind." So Let me end this as Kid Leo would.


Born to Run



So, In case E Street Radio calls me up, I'm all ready.  Maybe I should actually enter my name through an email...but no, I think it was more fun to just make it up here!!

One Week

This is the view out my back door in the afternoon of Friday, March 11, 2011.  24 hours before this shot there was not a flake of snow to be seen.  It snowed and snowed and snowed ~ 18 inches or so in a very short period of time.  School was cancelled (for the 7th time).  Mike spent the day plowing snow and hating life.
Fast forward one week.

I came home from work on Friday, March 18, 2011 to this:

60° weather and sunshine and flowers in my garden.  Doesn't God give us just what we need, right when we need it? 

mushroom pie

When I was 7 we took a family vacation to Arizona in July to visit friends of my parents.  I remember a few things ~
~it was HOT
~i got so sunburned it hurt to lay down ~ and i couldn't sleep
~we went to a restaurant where, if you wore a tie, they cut it off (with scissors) and hung it from the rafters
~my brother bill was running away from my brother bob (probably because he had done something worthy of retaliation) and, thinking the sliding glass door was open, ran smack into the glass and fell down
~i tasted mushroom pie for the first time

Hoyt and Lydia (Hoyt is actually a fraternity brother of my dad) can cook.  Currently they are living in Colorado Springs and run a great little catering company ~ making excellent food.  Lydia made mushroom pie that summer evening in 1976 and presented me with my favorite food.  Mushrooms and Onions sauteed and mixed with Swiss cheese and baked into a pie.  Seriously ~ it's a mushroom burger without the bother of a burger.

I made it tonight and had two helpings!  AND since I made it as a side dish, there are leftovers.  That's how I roll.

Mushroom Pie ~ Lydia Eells
1½  pounds of fresh mushrooms sliced
3 Tablespoons butter
1 cup thin sliced onions
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¾ pounds shredded Swiss cheese
2 crust pie

Lightly brown onions in butter.  Add mushrooms, salt & pepper, w'sauce, and lemon juice ~ saute.  DRAIN and mix with cheese.  Put into pie shell ~ top with crust.  Brush top with mixture of egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon water.
Bake 375° for 35-40 minutes

welcome to your new favorite food

Last Bag

I have a Christmas weakness. 

Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses.  Only available at Christmas time.  I buy many a bag (too embarrassed to admit the actual amount) and am pretty good at "making them last"...until I open the bag.  That bag can sit in my cupboard for weeks and I won't have any.  Then I open it ~ and within a few days (hours maybe) they are gone.  I just can't stop myself.  They are white chocolate with red mint stripes and little pieces of candy cane.  Oh so creamy and smooth in my mouth.  So here's to the last of Christmas 2010 ~ Only 8 months or so until the stores start stocking there Christmas goodies...and I can buy more Kisses.

count your blessings

What should you do when it's just been a crummy day ~ started off with a random dog in the yard and mine not being too happy about it...talk about adreniline rush.  I had four kids (and one adult) yelling at three dogs to knock it off ~
On crummy days, you should count your blessings:

it's a blessing that Fonzi didn't run through the invisible fence even though his collar had come off in the melee
it's a blessing that Mike makes dinner when I'm off at the Y running
it's a blessing to have a friend like Amy who likes me even though I'm bossy
it's a blessing to have homemade soft serve ice cream ~ thanks to Patrick's bday present
it's a blessing to have a driver (Patrick) who can go pick up his little brother
it's a blessing to have fuzzy purple striped socks to wear when it's cold outside
it's a blessing to have a book that I look forward to reading tonight in bed (The Girl who Played with Fire)
it's a blessing that's it's Friday Eve :)

Fly Like An Eagle

Running makes me feel free ~ and when it's going really well, it feels like I'm flying.  I haven't felt that way in a while, since it's been actually painful to run...
but today, at 42º, running down Middle Ridge, waiting to see if my ankle would start hurting, I saw a Bald Eagle soaring above. 
A Bald Eagle in Madison, Ohio.  Representing freedom and strength and resurgence.  I'll take that metaphor.