91 Days Without Running

Since it has been over a week since I last posted, I thought I better 'splain myself. First things first, during the destructive tornadoes my area saw on April 3rd, Tonya the Trainer's house flooded and was all-but-destroyed. So she cancelled our training sessions last week, understandably. I'll get the full scoop when I go in tomorrow.

Gordon from Louisiana ran his first half marathon! Go check it out!

My new favorite thing: a homemade smoothie for breakfast! (on ancient floor plans, no less)

So 91 days without running... gosh I'd like to run. I go to the doctor on Wednesday. I hope he says "No more boot, start running in the brace." Most likely, though, he'll say "Less and less boot, more and more brace, still no running for a while." Fine by me. I'll take what little I can get!

On Sunday I hosted a bridal shower for a dear friend. The prepwork began LONG before then. On Saturday, specifically, I had to go to a local Asian grocery for ingredients, as I was going to make fruit sushi. It was quite an experience! I couldn't read a single thing, so a nice lady helped me find my stuff (and told me what to buy instead, and she ought to know).

Sushi making supplies: bamboo rolling mat, sushi mold/press, special rice, and ingredients for my other dishes.

As my cooking began, Chasen tended to some outdoors things.

Chasen the monkey, who almost gave me a heart attack climbing up into this tree to trim it, even though he was only up about 4 feet.

I was not a sushi master at first, but boy did I learn quickly.

I chopped many, many types of fruit for the sushi. Here I am preparing a roll.

The bamboo rolling mat really, really helped.

After cooking (and standing on my feet) for 6 1/2 straight hours, Chasen and I headed to downtown Little Rock to volunteer for Camp Aldersgate, where Elijah has been a camper. My feet really, really hurt -- which brought to my attention how little I am usually on my feet, apparently. OUCH.

Mine and Chasen's job was to cut this beautiful cake.

Ah, shower day arrived. There was still much cooking to be done. I served three kinds of fruit sushi, Filipino chicken crostini, Jamaican jerk pork and creamy crab cakes. I did buy the cake, at Chasen's insistence. Thank heavens I didn't have that to bake, too!

I am holding my centerpiece while wearing a Starbucks apron -- don't ask.

Fruit sushi and pineapple centerpiece. Pretty, huh!?!

After a successful shower I was pooped! Now it's back to the quiet life of working at home. Ahhh!