– If I sit in the kitchen, Birdy has to come to make sure I don’t eat anything that she might want once I’ve finished. In a move straight out of the cat behavior handbook, she ran in from the other room today and immediately threw herself on the floor and fell asleep. She was actually more soundly asleep right before I took the photo above, and it makes me think it must be exhausting to be a cat.
– A horrible, no good squirrel stole the last apple off my apple tree this morning. I saw him carrying it across the yard, so I ran outside, and he dropped the apple in order to run up the big ash tree. The only sensible things to do was to lob said apple at the squirrel, which I did, although I didn’t hit it. I’d like to think that the sight of the little apple sailing through the air and into the alley at least made the scene that much funnier. If I can’t have homegrown apples, comedy will have to suffice.
– After my half-marathon on the 4th, I was feeling a bit burnt out on running. So I took last week off and dove back in yesterday, feeling pretty renewed. I even registered for the Minneapolis Duathlon ‘Fun Course’, which is a 1.5-mile run, 11-mile bike, and another 1.5-mile run. It seems like just the thing to get a feel for a multi-sport event, and it sounds like it’s casual enough that I can ride Yellow Bike (a 1974 Schwinn 10-speed) without feeling like a chump. My main training focus, though, is for the Great River Ragnar Relay, which is about a month and a week away. Hills, speed-work, and multiple runs in a day. Fun, right?
– When I signed up for the duathlon, I decided I would make up the cost by spending less on groceries. There are some things I need to get on a regular basis (produce and dairy, namely), but I have a lot of redundant pantry and freezer items, so that’s where saving will come in. I like to have options and follow my whims when it comes to food, so I wind up buying new stuff (fake meat, bread, etc) before I’ve used up the old. I actually went through everything today and made a list of what I’ve got, so I’ll be able to look at the big picture and put together meals. And then, once something’s gone, I can cross it off the list. I like doing that.
