A friend at work got me into using dryer balls. You put them in the dryer, they bounce around with your clothes, and the clothes come out mostly static free and soft. Using them means you do not have to use liquid softener or dryer sheets. I got a little concerned when I was running the other day, because my legs had a weird tingle on the outside of the thighs. I started to wonder if the static from the dryer plus my thighs rubbing together could cause my compression shorts to catch fire. The thought at least kept me distracted from my sore foot.
Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Dryer Balls
Posted in General on April 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Better Indgredients?
Posted in Fitness, General on April 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
When you look at the ingredients list of your favorite snack cakes, cookies, etc., you might need a chemist to explain some of them. Homemade has to be better, right? Not necessarily. My sister-in-law makes two of my family’s favorite desserts: Ho Ho cake and Heath Bar cake. Sound harmless?
I needed a dessert for a pitch-in at work, so I looked up these two recipes. The Ho Ho cake filling is made of Crisco, butter, sugar, etc. and the Heath Bar cake has raw egg yolks in the topping. So, clog your arteries or get salmonella? I chose to make the former, hoping to exercise the fat out. There is a lot to be said for a ripe, juicy orange.
I will of course have a piece of Ho Ho cake; although, I don’t think I will enjoy it as much as when I was blissfully ignorant of exactly what I was putting into my mouth.
Feel the Burn
Posted in Fitness, General on April 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Today I met some coworkers right after school at a local restaurant to discuss a book we had just read. Since it was more than 80 degrees out, I decided to eat a snack and run at dusk. I had nachos with melted cheddar cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, and jalapeno. Three hours later the sun had dipped behind the trees, and my stomach felt okay, so I decided to hit the road. Three hours was not enough time to wait after jalapenos. A couple of minutes into my workout I could feel a deep burn up my esophagus and into my throat; it stayed with me for the entire run. What was I thinking?!
The digestive juices weren’t the only thing causing me pain. This spring has been very mild. Everything is in bloom, and there has not been a frost to keep the flora under control. Every flowering tree is laden with blossoms, creating a thick, suffocating fragrance in the air. As one of our teaching assistants stated, “Nature is choking me!”
Ahhh…Vacation
Posted in General on April 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »
We just got back from Niagara Falls: two days travel time and two days at the falls. The falls were phenomenal! The power of the rushing water left me breathless. The weather was cold; there were snow flurries on Friday. Saturday was sunny, but the wind was still cold. Despite the cold weather, we walked and hiked a lot, and we took the Maid of the Mist boat ride up to the base of the falls. Needless to say, we enjoyed lots of hot foods: soup, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. I could have stayed longer, but reality is never far away. Tomorrow, it is back to school. Of course, there isn’t much time left before Summer Break, so that makes the end of Spring Break not seem so sad.
Side note: In the car on the way back, I started knitting a scarf for the 2012 Super Bowl volunteers. I haven’t knitted in a while, so there were a lot of mistakes to fix in the beginning. They say if you can correct your mistakes you have become a true knitter. I must be a knitting genius, as many mistakes as I fixed! I am back on track, though. I’m pretty sure I can have it done by the deadline of November 2011.
She’s a Grilling Queen
Posted in General on April 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
You may think I am weird, but I LOVE to grill. I don’t know if it is the reduced mess and clean-up or the actual grilling itself that enthralls me so much. Actually, it is a combination of both. And you can’t beat a fresh grilled hamburger for taste. So, I was really bummed the other night when I tried to grill hamburgers and all I had were a little flame and little heat. I had to finish the hamburgers in the microwave, because it was taking so long on the grill.
My wonderful husband stayed up late last night and took apart the grill, cleaned out the burners, put it back together, and put in fresh ceramic briquettes. I was so excited! “Thank you, thank you,” I gushed. He smiled and said, “Your welcome, Honey. Now you can grill to your heart’s content.” Tonight’s menu: grilled chicken salad with cheese, walnuts, and cranberries.
Better to Laugh 