24Apr / 2013

My trip to SF

It’s only a few weeks late Keeping it short and simple…

Lots of moving, learning, and FOOD!

My favorite salad and the only thing I can eat on Boudin Sourdough’s menu. It’s ok because I LOVE it. I got another one on the way out to take home from the airport. And I got Dan 2 lbs of bread, which is now portion controlled for him in bags in our freezer

One of my favorite parts of the whole weekend is that they take GOOD care of all of the girls, especially when it comes to food. If you are gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, or all of the above, have no fear. I usually worry a bit when I travel, but at the hotel and at the Clif Co. dinner, I didn’t have to worry either year. It takes a HUGE load off of me. I will go hungry before I cave and eat gluten, ask Dan, he’s learned the hard way.

The food at Clif is excellent. This may be been the first plate of 2 (or 3)

That’s my team, putting Texas on the map at the Clif headquarters! LOVE my team and I am so proud of them.

The only thing I was really worried about was the run training. I had to quit running in January and had only started back about 1.5 weeks before I flew out to San Francisco. 3 months off of running is the longest i’d ever gone since starting. You also lose almost all of your fitness in anything over 6 weeks.

Our morning of run training was mostly a track workout, which was GREAT for me. The mile warmup at the time was the longest i’d run non-stop. I almost cried I was so happy. I was fine and didn’t really have anything to worry about. My team was really supportive and actually had to reign me in during the speedwork, because I was running my intervals at my old pace. I know too fast too soon is bad, but it felt AWESOME. I behaved and scaled back at the end. And there was yoga and lots of it, which I loved. Sadie, the Clif yogi taught the classes and I adored her!

We got a little silly on our final night of the conference. Had to get a pic on this round Hugh Hefner-esque couch!

The silly may have been the booze and the desserts. Ok for me, it was just desserts. My team devoured everything on the table. Yes, that’s a whole tray of gluten free! There were actually some tables who didn’t touch theirs. My team is obviously meant to be. We all love food.

We spent 2 extra nights, one on the front and one on the end for extra time.

The last day we had Mediterranean food at a cute little dive in a super fancy area. So random and so good! We were famished after we shopped at Athleta. The salmon kabobs really gave Zoe’s a run for their money. I will be back again!

The weekend ended way too soon. But once it was time to leave, boy were we ready to leave! It was a long day traveling home that Monday, lack of sleep, coffee, and own beds was wearing us down. It was an even longer day back at work on Tuesday!

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18Apr / 2013

Things I like Thursday: good time Saturday night

We had a few people over last weekend.

Ok like 16.

Dan and I hosted our very first party and first house concert, featuring Drew Kennedy. The concert was also used as a kick-start for his new album, which he played in it’s entirety. No, it’s not cheap, but it’s really a neat experience to go to. Small number of people and very intimate. This was the 3rd or 4th i’ve been to, but our first time hosting. It was hard, because we couldn’t invite everyone, in fact, I didn’t have anything to do with the logistics other than being there and getting the massive amount of groceries and helping food prep.

The food was awesome, or at least I thought so. I finally got to use my new Auburn serving platter! That’s homemade jalapeno summer sausage that my dad made.

Dan smoked a bunch of meat (bacon wrapped pork tenderloins, Canecuh sausages from Alabama, and a brisket), made his mom’s potato salad, beans, I made my mom’s famous 7 layer dip. We also had people bring oriental slaw, 7 layer greek dip, brownies, an awesome fruit bowl, and lots of drinks (our whole kitchen table was a bar).

During the first break at the concert, we sang Dan happy birthday

and they dug into his cookie cake (writing in Auburn orange of course!)

I think it’s safe to say, a good time was had by all. The evening ended with a 18 person slumber party! It’s a good thing we have room.

The next morning the yummy bbq was converted into breakfast tacos. I cropped this so you can’t see the disaster my house was on Sunday morning!

It got cleaned up for the most part, but then we all went to the softball benefit and I never finished the job. Not spotless, but it’ll do until the weekend.

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16Apr / 2013

Running Buddy

Read about my blog about my oldest running buddy HERE

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22Mar / 2013

Fun facts Friday

For fun facts Friday this week, I decided it’s just going to be a random assortment of stuff from the last week. Since i’ve been so busy, I haven’t had time to think, blog, or do much of anything.

Tuesday was the only SXSW I did this year. I was ok with that. I had an awesome time on Tuesday.
I helped Dan work on his jeep Saturday and Sunday. Can’t say I love it as much as he does. Seriously. His boss emailed me today to ask if he sleeps with it.
Thin Mint Sprint is tomorrow. Last year I vowed i’d come back and win it. Instead? I am cheering and hosting a LUNA Chix tent. I wish I was doing both. It’s been almost 3 months of no running. I MAY be able to try again next week.
I went home for less than 24 hours last week. In that 24 hours I drove 2 hours each way, saw my parents, saw baby Evan, planted garden with dad, had an excellent walk around the Ville, got my hair colored, and went to Trader Joe’s. Oh and I worked from mom and dad’s house for 4 hours which SUCKED.
Please let it rain and not be so hot this summer. For my sanity at work and for dad’s garden! Right now only collard greens and cabbage are producing. But I helped plant blackberries, grapes, tomatoes, jalapeno, and a few other things. I saved and dried some kabocha seeds, which I hope grow! Not sure he’s planted those yet. I roasted one for them Saturday for lunch and they loved it! Hoping he gets a yield, because I ate GOOD out of his garden last year. Tomatoes, squashes galore, greens, peppers, etc.

My “nephew” Evan. He’s my BFF’s son.

He was awake this time and much less fragile at 6 weeks than he was at 1. I wasn’t scared of holding him at all. And I got peed on. I say he was marking me as his favorite aunt Yeah, I didn’t even put forth the effort of makeup last Friday.

I wish I could say I had a lazy weekend planned, but I unfortunately have a ton of stuff to do. Going out of town tonight AND Sunday night. We’ll be burning up 35.

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09Mar / 2013

Forced rest for the weary

I had the perfect plan this week. Slow. Take it easy at work. Get extra sleep. Recover from my surgery. Go home to see baby Evan and my parents Friday afternoon after work.

NONE of that happened.

Although I was off all medication except surgery vitamins and antibiotic, I was a zombie on Monday at work. I told everyone I was just going to chill in my office and do my thing. I am glad i’d lowered my standing desk, because standing wasn’t in my best interest. Neither were the jeans I wore to work. Word to the wise, I don’t care what kind of surgery you have, the water retention all goes to your middle. I wore leggings the rest of the week. Also not flattering, but at least I wasn’t uncomfortable.

Monday was a long day. So long, that at the 2nd to last stop light of my ride home, I fell asleep sitting at the light. I was that jerk who didn’t move and got honked at. Not good. I had to go back to Austin for a LUNA photo that evening and I had Dan drive me back after I attempted a 30 minute nap.

The rest of the week was slightly better, but with this week being the last week of legislative filing for bills, work was FLOODING in. I worked long and non-stop all week. I was a bad girl and moved my desk back to standing. #1 I am not supposed to lift anything for 3 weeks and #2 standing probably not the best idea. But I honestly concentrate so much better standing, I had to.

I got home from work last night at 9 pm. By 9 pm last night i’d planned to be watching tv with my parents at their house and visiting with them. My dad had cataract surgery on Wednesday and i’d wanted to visit him. Plus baby Evan is over a month old now and I haven’t seen him in exactly a month It was only supposed to be a day trip, but that’s better than nothing. Talked to my mom when I got off of work and she begged me to just stay home this weekend and rest (she doesn’t know about the surgery, she just knows I’ve been working alot and she knows i’m supposed to be reducing stress).

Instead Friday night was a very late dinner (luckily I had leftovers from Duck Dynasty night at our house). Yes, I make cajun food every Wednesday for Duck Dynasty, I should start featuring what we have each week. I tried to make Dan wear camo, maybe next week I had made cajun rubbed pork roast that i’d pinned (got great reviews), but neither of us really liked it much, I think we like spice way too much and it needed way more. I ended up repurposing the leftovers into a salad one night and for cajun spiced spuds last night. Dan loved the spuds idea (I doctored the pork with extra cajun spice, put his in a baked potato with cheese and onions).

I crashed out around 11 pm which is late for me. Dan tried to move me upstairs, but since I have to sleep in a certain position, I asked him to leave me down in the chair, where i’d passed out. Would have been fine, if Missy wasn’t being a brat and jumping all over me. Kind of hard to anticipate an aerial assault in your sleep. He wanted to lock her in the bathroom, but I wouldn’t let him.

So my Saturday now consists of: Dan leaving to go to FW to have fun without me, me running errands, getting a haircut, and watching Redbox. Dan ordered me to stay at home, minus the haircut I booked before he woke up. Hey, I am in DIRE need. Too bad my color lady lives where my parents live. I only like her to touch my hair, but the color is trashy looking right now. I may cave and hit Walgreen’s before I let someone else touch my hair! At least it’ll be cut in a few hours, that’s half the battle.

Getting home from work so late last night and working so much when I shouldn’t have been working much at all is a reminder to me to SLOW DOWN. I am supposed to be healing my adrenal fatigue and i’m now healing from the unrelated surgery. So that’s just what I am going to do

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26Feb / 2013

Lazy Luckenbach Sunday

I slept awful Saturday night, but that didn’t stop me from waking up at 6 am on Sunday. Got dressed in my running clothes and went the the Hill Country Running Company post-Austin marathon breakfast. Yes, I am a poser and wore running clothes, because all of my other friends, even if they didn’t run the half or full, were going to be running before breakfast and dressed like runners.

I’d planned afterwards to go to the gym, but I ran out of time. Headed home and got ready to head of out town for the day. Our friend Adam Hood was playing in Luckenbach in a song swap with Courtney Patton and Brian Keane.

It’s completely worth the 1.5 hour drive to get away, even if just for the afternoon.

They played from 1-5, the weather was nice, and the company was excellent.

Here’s a tour, just in case you’ve never been. If you haven’t, you need to. It’s famous world-wide and not just because of the country song of the same name

Is this not the cutest bathroom you’ve ever seen? It’s covered in license plates from all over the country, as it the outdoor stage.

There is the very tiny Hondo’s bar,

Which is connected to the post office/gift shop

The dancehall was closed, since the weather was so nice out, so they used the outdoor stage. The dancehall is a whole other experience, also enjoyable but I like outdoors better!

The worst part was having to drive home, but I was in such a good mood, I barely minded the time it took to get back to the city. It was so nice to go see a concert, sit at a picnic table, and just chill. It wasn’t late, it wasn’t smokey, and it wasn’t flooded with annoying people.

That’s my kind of Sunday!

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04Feb / 2013

Burned

Birthday weekend was a bit disappointing. My dad didn’t really care to be in town, Dan was home for only 24 hours, dinner atmosphere wasn’t great, my parents argued all weekend, blah blah blah. I didn’t feel like I really got a weekend. In fact, I almost took a sick day today for myself. I never do that, but it sure was tempting.

I did enjoy some two yoga classes (2 new ones!) and two Galloway runs over the weekend. As much as I want to run though, I am wondering if Galloway may be still harming my adrenals. I don’t want to further my burnout.

Speaking of burning. Some kids in a hot-rod started an oil fire in the parking lot of Cavendar’s yesterday. I was lucky enough to be parked right next to them. So my car ended up being covered in fire extinguisher chemicals. I needed to wash it anyhow, but I wasn’t planning on running it to the carwash immediately to get all of the chemical crap off of my car! I guess at least my car didn’t catch on fire.

I didn’t find boots at Cavendar’s, but I didn’t find ones I finally loved at Shepler’s. Only $400 with a 25% off coupon. Even with birthday money, I can’t bring myself to buy them. I already have grief spending $140 on running shoes.

Sunday night I threw split chicken breasts on the grill and turned around to take the pan inside and get a clean one. In that amount of time the skin/fat flamed on the grill and charred the heck out of the outside of the chicken. I finished the chicken in the stove, but I was SO mad. All of my seasonings were burned off. The chicken was still good, but not as good as it would have been. Bummer. Plus then I had to peel all of the char off of all of the chicken. I never do that, so mad at myself.

What wasn’t disappointing is that my “nephew” was born on Saturday morning! I talked to my BFF on the phone Friday night, they sent her to the hospital. I talked to her again Saturday morning around 10. 80 minutes later I got a text message with a photo from her husband that he was here! I couldn’t believe it! When I talked to her last, she was saying she was going to take a nap and chill. Pretty sure that never happened, lol! I want to post pics, but didn’t clear that with momma yet I don’t want to be disrespectful and post pics of him everywhere if she doesn’t like that.

I am dying to meet him. I wish I didn’t have commitments all week and through the weekend I am hoping Saturday afternoon I can get down to San Antonio to spend some time with them! I didn’t want to stress her out with more visitors and chaos than was already happening over the weekend, nor did I want to interrupt them when they first get home. This was REALLY hard for me, especially seeing family and extended family show up at the hospital, but I kept telling myself it was better to wait to see them.

This is going to be the longest week EVER! I cannot wait until Saturday afternoon.

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17Jan / 2013

Things I like Thursday: continuing tradition

On Saturday, Omega Phi Alpha welcomes our latest chapter. Not only do I have a “little sister” at Texas State University (where our colony is), but I have a speaking role in the ceremony. I’m excited, I’ve only ever activated one other colony (Oklahoma State in 2004). I didn’t have a little sister for that one. I think this one is more special because they are so close to us! They will be the 4th university in Texas to have a chapter (other than UT, TAMU, and TAMUCC).

Being part of Omega Phi Alpha was the best decision I made in school. It definitely instilled friendship, leadership, and service. I still highly value service (I always have). Leadership, oh yeah, I was an officer every year, including president, district officer for several years, and attended 3 national conventions. That leadership played a huge role in landing my first job out of college, it was great experience dealing with planning, problems, and working with people.

That brings me to friendship. I still keep in some sort of contact with 75% of my sisters on Facebook. One became my very best friend, who I consider my actual sister. I was the maid of honor at her wedding and she’s the nearest and dearest friend i’ve ever had! I’ve met terrific ladies at my chapter and all over the nation through OPA.

I look forward to opening a new door at Texas State this weekend and hope that the newest members of OPA will enjoy and value the experience as much as I do!

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09Jan / 2013

Long way from last year

This time last year I was running a PR in Houston, only to break that PR at the end of the month at 3M (which is my standing half PR). I had a great time in Houston with June. I didn’t feel well the morning of the race, but I did fine in the race. 3M was great, I couldn’t believe what a great day I had and it was another fun time with friends.

9 months ago I was blogging about running Disney this weekend here. Bought my costume, made my travel arrangements, only to have to cancel it all I even had a hair appt to die my hair dark for the next month to go with my costume! I’d made plans with friends and family that lived in Orlando and was really looking forward to time with my gal friends who were traveling from Austin.

Instead I won’t be running Disney, or Houston, or 3M, all of which are this weekend. The best I can hope for is a walk or some yoga. I can’t even bring myself to go to volunteer at 3M, which is my favorite race. I’m just too upset about it.

Wonder if people will look at me strange if I go walk in my Snow White costume (meant for Disney) on Saturday morning? Or maybe yoga? I think I could scar some people for life with that.

I am going to keep my scheduled time off, since I had to beg for it. I am going to relax and try to focus more on me and less on work and worrying about everything.

Still waiting on the latest round of tests and becoming impatient. It was supposed to take 7-10 days and it’s been longer than that Maybe tomorrow I will hear more.

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02Jan / 2013

Happy 2013

Dan and I rang in the New Year in the booming metropolis of Schulenburg (1.5 hours away from where we live). We were going to have dinner at the venue, but prime rib was on the menu and i’m not a fan. So then we’d planned on Frank’s, which is apparently not open on Mondays. So we opted for Oakridge, which was interesting. We stood out like sore thumbs as non-locals, lol! I wasn’t thrilled with the food, but the salad bar was ok.

Concert featured the fabulous Gin Sisters and Fred Eaglesmith at Sengelmann Hall. This may be one of my favorite historic concert venues we’ve ever been to (minus the fact I had to stand because we were a little late). Plus they don’t allow smoking, which is a BIG deal in my book

Fred was really funny, i’d love to see him again. The crowd was different, which was nice. Older and very loyal fans. Dan kept saying how awesome it was to go out and feel so young!

The night was finished off with a champagne toast and singing.

Rocking the glow-stick accessory over my wound bandage.

I drove us through the Whataburger drive-through and back to the hotel in the rain. It was only my 2nd time driving the Jeep and i’m still getting used to driving a standard again. We lived and I didn’t run into anyone or anything!

On another note, I CANNOT WAIT until Dan gets back from skiing in 2 weeks and that beard comes off! I HATE THE SKI TRIP BEARD.

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melissa dishes

Tag Archives: travel

My trip to SF

Things I like Thursday: good time Saturday night

Running Buddy

Fun facts Friday

Forced rest for the weary

Lazy Luckenbach Sunday

Burned

Things I like Thursday: continuing tradition

Long way from last year

Happy 2013

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