Beating the Heat

Record breaking heat today, tomorrow, and Sunday, then a "cold front" coming
with temps only in the high 80s!

The huge storm that hit here a week ago took out many trees, including this grand
old specimin that we guess was 300 years old and maybe 10-12 feet in diameter.

The storm hit here around 11 last Friday night.  Immediately knocked out power (and AC).  Laura had just flown in from Seattle to spend the weekend before flying home with Rose on Monday.  We decided to leave the house in favor

of an air-conditioned nice hotel with a pool to enjoy the weekend together.  We headed north and, despite many inquries, didn't find a hotel with rooms and power until we got to Wilmington, Delaware (about 2+ hours north of here).  There was visible storm damage (downed trees all along I95) until well north of Baltimore.  Many hotels that 

we tried did not have power.  Our own power didn't come back until Sunday and we were without Cox service (phone, Internet, TV) until Monday night.  There are people we know who are still without power.  We want underground wires if and when we buy another house!  We were very lucky.  Just branches blown from neighboring trees in our yard.  

Johnny and Jack fill the bird feeders, staying in the shade of the umbrella and the crape myrtle.

Laura models star bubble blowing techniques.

It's so hot and humid out during the day that our outside playtime (bubble-blowing and playing on the slip and slide) usually takes place before 10.  We tried the playground one morning, but despite the shade, the swings and slides were much to hot for comfort.

Rose must take after her mom, some pretty good bubble production going on.

The house seems empty without Rose's cheery presence.  Ella and Jack miss her a lot, too.  They were always "up" for any game or activity she suggested and she did a great job a big-sister.  A nice change for Rose, the youngest of 3 in her family.  Rose got better and better on the bike when she was here.  We stayed a while Saturday morning after the storm, hoping that the power might come back on, and went on a 13 mile ride through the neighborhoods.  She was a trooper, never complained and was as interested in seeing the storm damage as we were.  We did have to maneuver around downed power lines and walk our bikes around big downed trees, but we had a good ride.

Jack and Ella were more interested in catching bubbles on their bubble wands.

One of the many trees down across my running path.  I run very early in the morning.
Notice the very long shadows and the pinkish-hue of the sunshine--there was an old poem that my mother shared with me once that mentioned "rosy-fingered dawn." She was buried at Arlington 19 years ago, today.

I've kept up with the running and biking, despite the weather.  I get out to run by 6.  It was 84 degrees at six this morning!  DH and I went for a nice bike ride on Independance Day, mid-morning to noon.  It's a little cooler biking because we use mostly shaded paths and the bike generates a little "personal-breeze."  We also take two large bottles of ice water and stop to drink it half way through.  We don't need to stop, but the water break is good.  And yes, Mom, I always slather on lots of sunblock.  Funny to think that when I was growing up people used sun-tan lotion to get a tan!

The Slip and Slide got a good workout.  I love Jack's expression--he loves it, but it's
cold and the water is getting on his body.  The slip and slide left a 20X5 foot swath of
dead yellow grass after our 2 hour play session.  A knife to the heart of lawn-tender DH.

Anybody have any ideas about how to prevent the yellow dead grass under the slip and slide?  It really is annoying, but the children love it so.  Our best slip and slide area (shaded and sloped) is smack dab in the middle of the back yard.

My brand new running shoes (Nike Vomero 7).  I love the color
and my first run in them, this morning, felt like I was running
on clouds.

Shelley wrote about her new running socks.  She said they'd make
her run faster.  Mine are a different brand, but it's true!  I thought
the pink color might deter any house-sharing sock snatchers!! (Hi
sweetheart, ti amo!)

I lost .4 at my WI last week.  WW was closed on the 4th, so I'll expect big things next Wednesday. 

My new-found refreshing summer drink.  Lemon Ginger Green Tea iced-tea.
I make a large pot of it in the morning and finish it by dinner time.

Stay cool!

Friday Fly By, Hot 100 Update

Where has this week gone?  And next week, by this time, Thanksgiving dinner will be a year off.  Amazing.

I did my strength work out last night, so this morning was a cardio morning.  It was beautiful out so I went for a run on the river trail.  For a change, I set off the opposite direction.  I did a combination of walking and running for a total of about 3.9 miles.  My little Nike+ girl is happy with me again.  I only have about 45 miles left to run this year to reach my goal of 500 miles in the year.  I'll probably surpass 500 handily.

We celebrated son Johnny's birthday yesterday (34).  I made two cherry pies and cranberry bars during the day.  We had flank steak, roasted potatoes, and broccoli (all "plan-friendly") and I did have a small piece of birthday pie (because I knew it was 'special').  I was pretty good about staying away from the cranberry bars, too.  Jay helped, inadvertently.  I made a double batch because I wanted to give a tin to Johnny (he loves 'em) and also take some to my dad (who also loves them) and have some for numerous house guests next week and send a tin in with Jay on his birthday next week.  This morning when I was getting the milk for my cereal, I noticed that the big tin with the extra bars was not there.  I knew DH wouldn't have taken them, and finally guessed that Jay had misunderstood and thought he was to take the big tin in to work to share with his work team today.  That was what happened.  The tin re-appeared back in the kitchen, empty, when he got home from work.  Oh, well.  I do super well at avoiding temptation when the object of my temptation disappears!

The second cherry pie was for dessert tonight.  We had some friends from our time in Rome to dinner tonight.  They're moving back to Virginia after having lived in Rome for 20 years.  They're missing good Italian food and cappucini, but are enjoying all the ethnic restaurants.  I made steak, whole wheat orzo with spinach and tomatoes, and sauteed zucchini with mushrooms for dinner.  I confess to another small-ish piece of pie.  We're sending the leftovers over to Johnny's house tomorrow morning and planning austere eating until the first house guests start arriving on Tuesday.

Hot 100 Update:
1.  I gained weight at my WI this week.  I am having a hard time getting back in that good mind-set.  I'm not giving up and I still hope to make progress toward my goal, but this week's grade for making progress is a fail.  Semper Speranza.
2.  Yes to the exercise.  6 out of 7 exercise days this week.  Good cardio, good strength workouts and I enjoyed the exercise.  I helps me feel better about myself to have succeeded in this goal and thank God it helps with the calorie war, too!
3.  Chocolate did not stay at 1 oz/day allotment this week.  Hmm.  Perhaps there is a correlation between goal #3 and goal #1.  

I've been tagged with some interesting questions.  I'll try to get to those tomorrow.

Be strong.

To See or Not to See

With apologies to Hamlet (and Shakespeare). I knew when I stepped on the scale first thing this morning that it would not be a good WI today.  I had my breakfast, did my last chance workout (on our exercise bike), went to my BSF, and then to my WI.  I got there fairly late and went directly into the meeting and weighed on my way out.  I predicted to the WI lady that I would have a gain and she said, yes, just a bit.  I didn't look at the number and am not inclined to do so.  I'll just go through this week as well as I can and see what I can do by next week.

I'm disappointed in my results the past few weeks.  I need to cut out many insidious small variances from my plan and get back to my good zone.  I love my new smaller clothes and would hate to have them get too small.  So here's to my trying to get back. Semper Speranza.

Tomorrow E (shown in her Minnie Mouse costume, above) and I will make cranberry bars for her Daddy's birthday dinner.  Her daddy, our son Johnny, turned 34 last weekend.  They're coming over tomorrow night for dinner.  He requested steak and cranberry bars.  The bars are so good that I can't have them in the house for a moment more than necessary, so we'll make them tomorrow afternoon, save out enough for dessert, and package the rest in a tin for him to enjoy.  Johnny is the cook in his family and quite enjoys having someone else do the cooking occasionally.

Johnny, 6 years old, with his first fish.

Have a good day

???

Look at my Halloween Treats!

The cutest little scarecrow I've ever seen.  AKA The Eyelash King.

There's no-one cuter Over the Rainbow.

E&J with their Daddy, our son Johnny.

Surely you didn't think I meant CANDY!   Not me!  These little treats are WAY better than candy.

I'll check in tomorrow.