first pots in the new studio

J finally after months and months of getting everything ready...was able to throw a couple pots today...at the moment the kiln in heating up for it's first test fire...and we are pretty sure all of the inspections from the city passed :) so we officially have a working studio space..

on another note...i survived my exams this week...and had a nice time relaxing last night...it felt great to be done with the week...had a nice but rather cold morning ride...battled the wind for most of it...average was low...but i got 24 miles in before 9.15am...j needed to get to the clay store (they close at noon on saturday) so i cut my ride short so he could get there while the last of the contractors was finishing up...

had a nice day here today just getting some work done...and not feeling too stressed about next week...not much happening...we are going to rebecca's wedding next friday so i'm happy to not be stressed before that happens...i hate traveling under stress...oh and i would love to have some suggestions for a few runs while in dc....one short one longer like 9 miles...let me know :D

aaaahhhhh!!!

thursday 8am quiz
chemistry lab
7-9pm o-chem exam
friday 9am ochem class
10am cellular and molecular nutrition exam
11am biology class
i will be very happy at noon on friday

bike ride

so i know i have been bad about posting...but i have been enjoying my break and i am a little sad that it is going to be ending tomorrow morning...ah it was good while it lasted...

saturday brought a beautiful day that was actually great for riding...that has not happened in a lot of weeks so i was very excited to get out on my bike in the real world and ride...since it has been so long i opted for the 30 mile route and decided that i would push myself...the route was hilly and i knew that the last time i rode it i averaged about 15mph...that is just riding along with no thought on pacing...

started from the elementary school...down south and went out south west parkway to 71 to bee caves road to 360 to mopac to southwest parkway to william cannon back through circle c...i really like this ride a lot...there are nice vistas and a wide shoulder...and i even kind of like riding on 71 when i am in a big pack of riders...i hit 40mph there at one point...fun!...the larger group of riders went out to do the dam loop...and a few of us hit bee caves...i pushed it...felt the burn in my legs on the hills...not something i normally try to do...and didn't shift as quickly as i normally would have...i'm trying to build strength on the bike...we will see how it goes...

the ride was awesome...i had a great time...smiling looking at all the bluebonnets....and riding hard...only had one issue on the ride...i was on 360 and barton creek (mall) and these two riders passed me without saying a word...i was about to move into their path to avoid some debris on the side of the road...and i was glad that i glanced over my shoulder before moving...a simple on your left would have been great...then that pack of bikers from that other bike shop did the same thing...guess the first two guys were from that group...tools...all a bunch of tools...but i didn't let them ruin my ride...

powered up the hill on southwest parkway and rode in strong...ended up averaging 18.1 on the ride...nice...i like that number...with the hills...makes me happy...a super great ride on a beautiful spring day.

hmm...well

i've been having a really good break...and am a little sad that it is wednesday...sigh not all that much time left...here is a quick run down of what's been happening

-saturday-crappy weather so we rode on trainers at the PTC chrissie led us in a 2h spin workout..i hopped off at 2h (some had 3) and ran my 5 miles that was on the schedule for sunday...boom great run...felt awesome first really good solid workout...my head was there and not in a book...knee still hurts...that makes me mad...cleaned the house...it really needed it...-night was the frog SXSW party...we started at jennifer's then went to the party...fun...too much wine...this is why i ran in the morning...

-sunday-stuff happened...mostly lazed about the house...thinking...plotting etc

-monday-am yoga, read some o-chem, biked thru the drive thru bank, ran some more errands, started reading my books that i got for my birthday...i love reading for fun...it's fun...made rugalech (those rolled cookies with all the yummy stuff on the inside)

-tuesday-am swim class...carrie gave me my new suit!! love it!!!...also she lent me this book that has been getting a lot of attention here in town...the engine 2 diet...i wanted to see what all the hype is about...i'm telling you i'm always curious about nutrition...and that makes me really happy that i finally know what i want to do...anyway...great swim...glad i got a t1 workout that only had a 400 pull...gah i suck! at pulling...had a good workout other than that...ran a bunch of errands that included buying a washer/dryer for a house i don't live in...maybe someday i will use it...weird...got some groceries...read a bunch of that book sitting on the porch in the sun...lovely...made the lasagna from the back for carrie...who doesn't cook that much...and is following the plan for a month...thought i would help out :)...then off to spin...what a class...it seemed everyone was in a good mood and that was great...had a great workout...it was nice to see everyone...then i tried to leave...and mo was trying to park the trailer...so he was totally blocking the 1 door out of the PTC...for what seemed like forever...but anyway finally got out and home...

-wednesday...was supposed to get up for core this morning and turned my alarm off without ever waking up...slept in...oops...and it felt good...but doing core on my own is just not as fun...ok now to get off the couch and do it...more later i'm sure

spring break...day 1

gah...what a super break so far...

yesterday i just relaxed for the afternoon...went to whole foods, baked a coffee cake...i forgot to take a picture...but those who saw can vouch for the fact that it was a _very_ pretty bundt cake...and then last night j and i hung out at home and watched a movie...haven't done that in ages...ate miso undon noodles with seared scallops...warming and yummy...went to bed early feeling happy and un-stressed...

today was a trainer ride at the Training center since the weather was looking bad...cold and wet...really one of these days i will get out and ride in the real world but anyway had a great two hour workout on the trainer...coach chrissie led us on a 2 hour spin fest...it was great...usually i'm bored and distracted and ready to get off way before i hit my time but today was not that way...i was focused on my ride...and not distracted by all the studying i needed to get done later like usual...so i could just ride...and deal with how my body was feeling...i had been on for about 30 minutes before she started so after 2 hours i hopped off and did a 5 mile brick off the bike...the run felt AWESOME...

now that i think about it...this was my first brick since doing ironman...and i had none of the noodle leg issues that usually come from running off the bike...felt solid and strong the whole way...back to the training center just as the CdA peeps were getting off their bikes...stretched and chatted had some coffee and treats (thanks maggie and ETG and booher) then home...

i chowed on some of the left overs from last night...then got down to business...cleaning...the house has been on the bottom of my list these days...and was in need of some TLC...with all the construction dust...and cats shedding...yeah...spent about 3.5 hours on that...

picked up the farm share...and chowed an orange as soon as i walked in the door...SO good...we got our first lettuce mix of the season...yeah!...love spring farm share...just we lived in a place where we could get fava beans...maybe i will check the farmers market some time...

the only thing that would be better today was if j was home working on the studio...he's at SXSW interactive...he was on a panel today...and attending conference stuff...hope that he's having fun...the poor guy needs a weekend...where he is not at a conference...sheesh...

but tonight should be fun...Frog's SXSW party is tonight...last year it was a lot of fun...and this year is supposed to be even better...looking forward to it...and an off day tomorrow...nice...

stuff and things

had a great birthday weekend in spite of the fact that i had a test on friday and a test on monday...i did well friday night celebrating with some of the T3 gals that could make it...and then later some of the boys too...fun to run into people at a seemingly random spot in town...lots of fun...not so much the next day...but i have no regrets...i think

saturday i hit the trainer...by the time i was feeling ok to ride the wind had picked up significantly so i didn't go out into the world...so i busted out the biology notes and hit the trainer for a 95+ cadence ride for an hour...cleaned the house a bit...then needed to get my butt in study mode and i was too distracted to stay home...and was not in the mood for a coffee shop...so i hit the training center...just a few peeps about....but generally quite enough to study...hung out with ETG for a bit when she got back from her ride in bastrop...always a pleasure to chat...

farm share...the most exciting thing this week was an avocado...i don't know where it's from but i'm guessing the same place that they get citrus fruits from...it really was the best avocado i have had in a really long time...

sunday was a big 7 mile run on the trail...i was looking forward to seeing how i felt...felt pretty good....ran with ETG, liz, amy (who i met that day) and dave...some were doing ten...so me and amy split off at the 35 bridge...then she stopped to walk for a bit and i took off...ran all the way to the lamar bridge where i ran in to (i love litterally running in to people) mark and coach amy...got good sweaty hugs from them both....man was it humid....and we ran in to mopac together...yeah...love running with mark and coach amy...and it was good they had a seriously hard 23 miler the day before...which means i can actually keep up with them for once :D

groceries and homework the rest of sunday...and j got home in the early afternoon...dropped his bag at the door and bolted out to the studio to start tiling...so far he has painted walls and ceilings, trimmed the doors and windows, put in window sills, wood puttied the floor, painted the trim and is now doing tile...he's getting to be quite the handy bear...

we had a nice sunday dinner...and recommitted to sitting at the table...the real table for dinner...and that is really nice...

got both my test grades back today...aced them both...woot...go me...and am just about counting the hours to spring break...

let it go...

this is something that i have been trying to let myself do and i'm having a hard time with it...but making tiny steps forward...a good thing...i think...it is hard for me not to do everything 100%...to not put my whole mind and body into something even the small things is not really a me thing to do...but this semester this is driving me to the point of tears...just because there is not enough time...i have learned that there are things i need to do first and get done and really put all of me in...and then there are things that don't really matter that much...like a 10 question bio homework that overall is worth less than a point...just wing it...i didn't do well...and ended up not caring...and for some reason that felt really good...i was able to laugh at myself...just because it's really ok not to take everything so seriously...so letting go of those little things...is ok...but still hard for me to do...

j is off to ASU today to a conference where he is speaking...so last night we went to aquarelle for a very lovely un-birthday dinner...we kept thinking if the chefs get tired of making the same thing over and over...i hope they change the menu often...just to retain their kitchen staff...anyway it was a very lovely dinner...i went for PEI muscles and sear scallops, j had butter lettuce salad (with bacon) and the tenderloin...the menu came with dessert as well...i went for the cream puff with chocolate sauce and strawberry...j with the coffee creme brulee...i ate the puff (not the cream...it would hurt me) it was tasty...nice strawberry and chocolate combo...but j's coffee creme brulee was tasty (i had to try)...neither of us had this before...and were a bit shocked by the cloying sweetness of the crispy sugar top...but minus that...the flavor underneath was fantastic...it was a fun dinner...

i have one test today (boo) then a Dr appointment, a massage then happy hour with a few of the girls...i'm not doing homework today...and i'm not going to worry about it...it's my present to myself...i'm allowed...right?!

looking good

so friday i was cleared to run 7 miles on saturday...this was very exciting news for me since my longest run since mid january had been 4 miles...it was very nice to be able to meet up with the group and stick with some people for at least one loop on the trail...ran with blythe, jim, laura, elizabeth and caught up with liz on the other side of ther trail...

the run went well but i knew that i was not going to go back out for another loop...i'm healing and i don't want to push too far and hit that pain point...i know when i do that i'm not making forward progress...

saturday night j and i went to see the aggro lights and flogging molly...great show...it was COLD! (outside at stubbs) but really great...got home around 11pm and the i was up early to ride..

i was prepared for it to be cold...but not THAT cold...my hands were totally numb...and it hurt to hold on, shift, steer and break...so i thought that rather than hurt my self i would go home and ride on the trainer...i was really disappointed...i really wanted to ride on the road...but i guess it's time to invest in some real winter gloves for cycling...since i seem to want to ride in the winter....anyway i tried...made it a mile and headed home...

had my meeting for vineman training...got our periodization and started on week one of pre-season yesterday...nice...i think i am going to try for the B plan this time around...and even with that i needed to cut back on my workouts or i would be over A hours for the week...so no run monday...just yoga in the morning...

hit up swim this morning...then to spin tonight (this is going to put me over on my cycling hours but i figured i would like one class and one road ride...it's only 25 miles this weekend)...i think i am going to try and get to track this week...just to test things out...and not do mile repeats...just get a little speed work going...to see how i feel...

both PT and the DR only want to see me once this week...so all in all things are looking good on the training front...this 4 weeks of pre-season are going to be just getting back into the game...i'm looking forward to it

just want to say...

happy birthday to my mother -in- law :) hope it's a great one...

cultural foods project

doing a presentation tomorrow in my nutritional assessment class about the food habits of other cultures...my group is native american...so i made navajo fry bread...