Merry Christmas

Sending peace, love, light and a good bottle of red to you and yours. May all beings everywhere be happy and free.

Xoxo from the city by the bay,

Kate

Why does this not hurt?

Yesterday I ran six miles. My longest run since July. The best thing about it was for the first time ever, I ran 6 miles and felt completely awesome the ENTIRE time. (Well except half way up Ft. Mason hill but that's its own beast.)

Typically when I run I always end up feeling like I have to put in an extreme amount of effort that others don't seem to have to put forth. I breathe harder and my legs feel not to strong and I wonder why I struggle so much over something that doesn't seem so hard for everyone else. Not yesterday, however. I just killed it.

I hope this ease of tackling miles keeps coming. Maybe it was my pent up frustration releasing itself into muscular energy? Whatever it was, I will take it.

The Waste Land and coming to terms with reality.

I used to be a real writer. Not so much anymore. Now I just rattle on about baking pies and my new stationary.

Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.	30
Frisch weht der Wind
Der Heimat zu,
Mein Irisch Kind,
Wo weilest du?
“You gave me hyacinths first a year ago;	35
They called me the hyacinth girl.”
—Yet when we came back, late, from the Hyacinth garden,
Your arms full, and your hair wet, I could not
Speak, and my eyes failed, I was neither
Living nor dead, and I knew nothing,	40
Looking into the heart of light, the silence.

TS. Eliot - The Wateland

And so it begins!

Well, I went off the deep end. After about 5 months of runs shorter than 3 miles I decided to start a training cycle again. Not just for one half marathon, but for TWO!

I started my plan Monday and so far so good. I am going to be extra diligent about yoga, and rolling out during this round. My first race is February 3 and the following one is six weeks later. I am ready for a PR.

Week One:

Mon - Cycle for one hour
Tue- Two miles:  9:57 first mile 9:41 second mile
Wed-Rest
Thurs- 3.1 this morning in about 31:30 then yoga tonight
Fri- Rest
Sat - 4 miles
Sun - Rest

Ahhh, feels good to be back into a training routine. I worked out really hard for Hawaii but training for a race is its own beast.

A photo of our tree! I picked him out out of all the little cuties at the tree lot.

As for now, ready for the weekend and get in the Holiday spirit. Friday Christmas shopping,  SF symphony Saturday with dinner in Union Sq with Jesse's family to follow, and adventuring and Christmas card addressing Sunday. 

Away we go!

Today we leave for Santa Barbara to celebrate something very special. Things have been very busy around these parts. Portland for Thanksgiving, Jesse traveling nonstop, crazy work schedules, guests in town; but this weekend it will be nice to have some time together and celebrate two people we love dearly.

It's been so rainy here in SF. I finally got to bust out my rainboots that haven't been work in a year or so. It made me very happy. And these three things also brightened up this dreary Friday.

My new fox sweater

Gold OPI manicures!

Rifle paper stationary to write letters to friends near and far

On another note Thanksgiving in Portland was great. I love my family so very much and always enjoy being home with them. The older I get the more I like doing nothing but hanging out at the house and cooking rather than planning extreme excursions.

Hopefully I will be more diligent on posting. I plan to document this weekend very well. It's going to be gorgeous and I know I will have to share some photos.

A Little Down Time and an Apple Pie

The past few weeks, months really, have been extremely busy. With the holidays upon us I am afraid they will only get busier. J is gone the next two weeks for work then we fly out to see my family in Portland for Thanksgiving and fly out again the next week to see one of my most wonderful friends get married. The following four weeks after that are filled with more traveling, guests in town, and holiday parties.

So in order to enjoy this one small weekend of having nothing on our agenda guess what we did?

NOTHING!

Yesterday all I did was hit up Whole Foods for some breakfast staples and we ate, cooked, cleaned, hung art, laughed, laid around the house, listened to music and did laundry. It was perfect. We never have a day where we literally don't go anywhere or see friends. Jesse made his famous red wine braised short ribs which is my favorite meal he makes. It's amazing. And I baked an apple pie to accompany it. We settled on the couch with apple pie ala mode and watched Ruby Sparks. It was so wonderful.

Today involved yoga and brunch with beignet bigger than my hand at Brenda's French Soul Food (which I HIGHLY recommend) with one of my dear friends followed by errands.

My pie came out delicious and I can't imagine using any recipe but this one for the rest of my life since it is so perfect. I did use Trader Joe's crust rather than make my own. My small kitchen with zero counter space makes pie crust making a chore.

The best apple pie you will ever bake

Perfect Apple Pie

• 6 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples (I use a combination of 6 different apples, macintosh and granny smith are musts)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat over to 425 degrees F

Peel, core and chop apples. Put in mixing bowl. Add ingredients in order listed here. Stir until apples are all coated.

Arrange your pie crust in glass pie pan

Pour apple in

Place top crust over

Arrange edges to your style preference

Cut a shape in middle of top pie crust (I usually use a cute leaf cookie cutter)

Cover edges with foil to avoid burning

Place pie in oven for 45 minutes

Take out and let cool an hour before serving