Double Digits

In elementary school each year we had to complete the President's Fitness Test.  It was comprised of doing sit-ups, pull-ups, the sit and reach and a one mile run.  I didn't mind doing most of the tests -- except the run.  I hated running.  I was a chubby kid growing up and whenever I ran I was even more aware of how my weight made me different from other kids.  I simply couldn't run for long or at that fast of a pace.  I was always at the back of the pack.  Typically it'd take me between 14-15 minutes to get done with one mile.  

Flash forward to the current day and my running skills haven't improved that much.  I still can be found at the back of the pack.  I run at what some would call a snails pace.  But for me I can at least say that I can run a mile in a slightly faster time that I did in elementary.  I'm down to 12 minute miles.  Even though I've made some improvements I don't consider myself a runner.  I'm not sure when I will cross over that line.  I think I came a step closer to crossing over the line this weekend.  

On Saturday I did my first ever double digit run.  I logged 10 miles. I ran 9.6 of it and worked in a few short walking breaks equaling .4 miles.  At times during my two hour run I was cursing my decision to train for the Fargo Marathon.  However, once I was done with my miles I felt great.  Ok, thats a bit of a lie.  I did enjoy a "runners high" but my knees were definitely feeling some pain.

My training is on track for a good run in May.  Before that Fargo event I will be traveling to run a half marathon in Albany Georgia.  The half marathon is in two weeks time and it fits in perfectly with my training plan. The race also allows me a chance to meet up with Pat my neighbor from China.  He will be running the full marathon in Albany.  

My Mom’s Recipes

I’m sure many of you have family cookbooks. You know the type. The contain the tried and true family favorites. Perhaps the recipes are handwritten. Maybe some are typed. If you look at the pages I’m sure you can find a stain or two from a food splatter or spill. My family has one just like this. We simply call it the “Brown Cookbook” as the binder is brown in color it is not necessarily a truly original name.

Many of the recipes in the book bring back childhood memories. I can remember the endless line of casseroles that we had for dinner when I was in elementary school. There are the mint melt-a-ways, an extremely rich chocolate dessert. There are simple recipes for the many dips and spreads we used to have at family gatherings.

Over Christmas, I started typing all of these recipes up so that we could share a copy between our whole family. I’m still working on the project. Each time I open the book I see a mixture of typed and hand written pages.

The cursive writing seems to envelope me every time I look at it. I struggle at times to decipher the swirls and curves of my mother’s penmanship. As I work my way from one recipe to another I relish the images that come to mind. The memories seem to come out from the darkness, from the far recesses of my brain. I welcome them all as most include at least a brief glimpse of my mom. I treasure these memories because as each year passes I struggle more and more to recall what my mom looked like, what her voice sounded like.....

....1/2 the price

As I moved to ND I took some well intended razing from my friends and family.  They couldn't believe that I was having to move to such a small town.  They wondered how I'd adjust.  Well I am adjusting just fine in part because of the great economies I am recognizing.

For example.  

...I have an apartment twice the size of my condo at half the price

...My car insurance is half the price

...My gym membership is half the price

...Personal training sessions are more than half the price

So yes, I am living in a smaller town.  And yes I've heard the notorious ND/MN accent.  You Betcha!    But I think I will be able to adjust and find my place here in Fargo.

Favorite Things

Some of my favorite things include a clean desk top, an organized file drawer and new office supplies. Needless to say the last few weeks at work have been fun as I gather all of these things in my cubicle. This strange fetish extends to my personal life as well. I like being organized and trying to give every place a home.

On Tuesday I was excited as I would get the opportunity to organize more of my stuff in my apartment. Or so I thought.

An hour into a three hour delivery window HOM Furniture arrived to deliver a new bedroom set and dining room table. I opened the door for the first load of furniture and the first words I heard were “The dresser was damaged and has to be reordered.”

UGH! In the whole lot of furniture I was having delivered that is the piece I was most excited to get. I was excited as it’d allow me to organize all of my clothes. The fortress that has been built around my bedroom would have been dismantled. My demolition will have to wait until 1/24 when they will attempt again to deliver me a dresser.

p.s. For those of you wondering the kitchen table goes extremely well with my air mattress and Rubbermaid TV stand

B-L-I-Z-Z-A-R-D

This morning I woke up to the radio telling me Fargo was under a blizzard warning until 3:00pm.  The announcement was followed by a list of school closings.  I however had to make it to work.  Thankfully my new car handled the winds and the drifting snow exceptionally well.  

I have lived in "Snow States" for all of my life and I have to say I can not recall ever living through a blizzard warning before.... perhaps when I was a very little girl.  Hmmm, one for my memory book.

Home Sweet Air Mattress!

I made the move to Fargo this past weekend. I have a limited amount of stuff at my house and have tried to make do with what I have on hand. At times it has required me to get inventive. For example:

Used a noodle to light a candle –had to get rid of the new carpet smell
Taken a shower with no shower curtain ---required me to use all of the towels I brought with
Turned a rubber storage tote into a media center
Made a camp chair into an arm chair
Use Kleenex as my dinner napkins
Made a fortress like structure of my clothes – they are pilled strategically around my bedroom due to lacking dressers

At times I simply have broken down and bought a few items. For example:

Bedside lamp – trust me stumbling around in a new apartment in the dark is not fun
Ice cube trays
Tupperware

Best of all though I have been spending my nights curled up on a Coleman air mattress. It is my home sweet home. I have to say though it is a well dressed air mattress as I broke out my silk quilt from China.

Ahhhh, the holidays

Since returning from China I feel like my life has revolved around unpacking, packing, driving, eating and just when I thought I was done the cycle repeated itself.

It took me close to a week to get settled into my condo after returning from China. Unfortunately, as soon as I was settled it was off to MN for Christmas. Before getting to my sister’s house though Rick and I headed to North Dakota as I had to rent an apartment, get a new drivers license and buy a car. We fought some snow and wind during our drive but made it safely to ND. We only spent a day in ND which was fine by me as the temperature didn’t get above zero the whole time we were there.
Christmas was highlighted with a ton of traditional activities including: Christmas Eve service at Bethesda, swedish meatballs and sausage, Santa bringing gifts, white elephant gift exchange, spoiling my niece and nephew, etc...

During this time I was able to prove to my nephew that while I am a great lego builder (Thanks Tim for all the training!) I am a horrible video game player. Cooper received a Nintendo DS and repeatedly came to me saying “I’m stuck, how do I get through this door/wall/level/etc...” I’d try for a few minutes and then just give up.

I tried to explain to him that I was only good with video games prior to them becoming 3D. I mean who doesn’t like Pacman?! He didn’t quiet buy it though and usually opted to walk away from me and figure it out himself.

Another moment of Cooper being himself was when we were watching “Its A Wonderful Life.” Both Cooper and Cori weren’t paying much attention to it, but at times would stop and watch for a few minutes. Towards the end I could tell Cooper just wasn’t impressed with the show. This was confirmed when he leaned across my sisters lap and said “Mom, when can you get this grey and silver stuff off the TV -- I don’t like it!”

After 5 days in MN, I drove my new Ford Edge down to Chicago. I did stop in Madison for a belated Christmas lunch with Rick and his family.
Things didn’t settle down when I got to Chicago. I spent time meeting with realtors, moving stuff to storage, packing bags for my move to Fargo. See what I mean by the cycle repeating!