Hills are my friend?!

No, I never thought I would say that either. But after last night’s hill workout, my attitude towards hill has changed. Something happened when I ran up that first hill. Something strange and wonderful. Instead of feeling terrible and out of breath, I felt, well, not terrible. Possibly even good. I ran up a hill without feeling like collapsing at the top and somehow this gave me the confidence and energy to tackle the next seven hills.

I think that this is the first time that I have every really felt progress or improvement in running. When I got to the top of that first hill I actually thought to myself “Wow, maybe my strength has improved!” I slowly started to understand what runners mean when they say “hills are your friend.” They’re your friend because they make you a better and stronger runner. They’re not your best friend that you want to call up regularly for a coffee date. They’re more like your “tells it like it is” friend who is always honest with you, even when it’s not what you want to hear. Not to get carried away, I’m sure I’ll still dread the nine hills that are planned for next week as they approach. But I’ll also look forward to the benefits they bring.

Hungry Hungry Hippie

When we came back home from the Christmas holidays we were craving salad and vegetables. So, for the past week I've been making a lot of what we call "Hippie Salads". I think these taste even better knowing that you can create something at home that you'd pay $10 for at Whole Foods.



It's really just a "whatever's in the fridge" salad. Here's what mine included today:

mixed greens
steamed Chinese cabbage and broccoli
cherry tomatoes
a handful of raisins
1/4 of a yam cut into cubes
a few cubes of avocado
a sprinkling of goat cheese

For the dressing, I just mixed together some olive oil, red wine vinaigrette, and mango chutney.

Other versions have included steamed kale (which I prefer over the cabbage, but we're out of kale), lentils, and chickpeas.

All told, this made for a happy and colourful lunch!

Crafty To Do List

I like the idea of keeping a Crafty To Do List. I really just love list-making in general, so naturally I’m a fan of this idea. Here are some things I’m hoping to make in 2011:

1. Baby blanket quilt for E.
2. A larger quilt for our couch.
3. A drawstring pouch for my stethoscope.
4. A slouchy knit winter hat (for me).
5. An engagement sweater.*
6. A sweater for my Dad.

I’m sure I’ll come up with some more things to knit or sew for fun as well, but these should keep me going for the time being.

*I think that I’m finally ready to get over the Boyfriend Sweater Superstition.