Monthly Archives: June 2010
Tofu Tricks…and a Summer Salad
| June 30, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Dinner, HOTR Eats |
Many people who hate tofu usually say that it’s the texture they can’t stand the most. I’ll be the first to admit that it takes a little getting used to. And at first glance, the stuff doesn’t really look very appetizing. You open up a package only to find a slimy white block floating in a bunch of yellowish water. That doesn’t exactly scream, “eat me!” now does it?
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But tofu doesn’t have to remain raw and tasteless. One of the best things about it is that you can do a lot to change both the texture and the flavor, to make it taste however you’d like.
Get the Water Out and the Flavor In
If you’ve ever done any cooking with tofu, you know that it’s filled with a lot of water. In order to give the tofu a firmer texture and fill it with a lot more flavor, you’ve got to get that water out. The most common way to do this is to press the tofu. You don’t need to have any sort of fancy equipment to do this – just wrap the tofu in a towel (or paper towels) and put a couple of books on top. Let it sit that way for about 15 – 30 minutes.
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My favorite way to prepare tofu takes this a step further. To get the texture of tofu to really change, you’ve gotta freeze it!
Freeze That Tofu
Whenever I buy tofu, I usually open the container, drain out all the water, and then press it for a few minutes. Once it has been drained, I wrap it in cling wrap, put it it a Tupperware, stick it in the freezer and forget about it until I’m ready to use it. Not only is this method a super easy way to remove the extra moisture, but it also helps keep the tofu from going bad if you don’t use it right away.
I’m not sure why, but when you freeze tofu, its color changes. You stick a white mushy blob into the freezer…and out comes a solid block of yellow ice. (mmm…looking appetizing yet?)
Now comes the part that requires a little advance preparation. Before you can start cooking with the tofu, you’ve got to let this baby thaw. If you’ve planned ahead, you can let it sit out on the counter for awhile until the ice melts naturally. Or…if you’re inpatient like I am, you can just use the “stick it in a bag and let it sit in hot water” trick.
Using this method, your tofu should be thawed and ready to cook within 30 minutes. As it returns to room temperature, the color will turn back to white. At first glance, the tofu will look completely normal. But upon closer examination, you’ll notice that it has become a lot more porous.
A closer shot. I apologize…this does look a bit unappetizing (which is why I kept the picture small). But you can see there are a lot more holes in the block now. Not only does this allow the tofu to absorb a lot more of whatever marinade or spice you choose to cook it in, but it also gives the tofu a completely different texture. Tofu that has been frozen is a lot chewier, and almost spongey. while this might not make it sounds delicious, I promise that the texture is actually really good — especially because it has soaked up so much extra flavor.
There are a variety of ways to cook tofu – you can marinade and bake it, or simply sauté it in olive oil and spices. A few nights ago, the temperature was so hot and sticky that I couldn’t imagine eating anything warm for dinner. So I used this method to make an easy summer pasta salad.
Super Simple Summer {Pasta} Salad
To make this salad, you will need: tofu that had been frozen and thawed, a bunch of veggies, balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, and other seasonings of choice.
First, get your water boiling and your pasta cooking (I used whole wheat penne).
Meanwhile, cut the thawed tofu into small cubes and sauté in a little EVOO until they turn golden brown.
Once brown, coat with balsamic vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cook until all the balsamic has been absorbed. Set aside.
Now comes the hardest part of the meal: chop all your veggies and mix them together in a large bowl. This is the only part that requires any actual work. In this bowl are tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and peppers. Set aside.
When your pasta is cooked, drain and then rinse it with cold water until it’s, well…cold. It will take a few moments of rinsing and mixing around to cool it all down.
Layer the pasta and some spinach in the bowl. Drizzle the entire mixture with more balsamic, a little extra EVOO, and some garlic salt. Mix together with your hands (if possible) to ensure that everything is evenly coated.
Top with tofu, avocado, and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Enjoy on the front porch with the windows open to the summer breeze. A perfect meal on a hot night.
Look really close – you’ll see a faint little rainbow over the house!
Local Spotlight: Shape Up RI
| June 28, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Fitness, Health News |
We live in a society that values long workdays, a thousand and one commitments, and being as busy as humanly possible. When life gets stressful because every waking minute is packed with obligations, eating healthy and getting enough exercise are among the first things to go out the window.
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It’s not a stretch to say that after a long day of work, you may not think you have the time — or energy – to exercise. But would that change if you had team members who were not only counting on you to get out there, but were encouraging you along, every step of the way?
Let’s face it, sometimes we need a little motivation to get moving – an extra incentive that encourages us to get out that door and start walking (or running). Being a member of a team can provide that. It can encourage you to try things you wouldn’t normally do, and to work harder, knowing there are people you don’t want to let down. Unfortunately, many adults don’t belong to any sort of team outside of the one they do work with. So what’s a person to do? Well…you could join up with a bunch of crazy friends to spend your entire weekend running, or you could do something simpler – and join a friendly competition.
This is the premise behind Shape Up RI, a local nonprofit started 5 years ago by Brown Medical Student Rajiv Kumar. The founder believes that we can use the power of team work and peer support to start pursuing healthier lives.
The concept behind the campaign is simple – you team up with 5 – 11 friends, family, or coworkers (most teams I know are through worksites) for a statewide competition. For the 12-week spring challenge, you can choose to compete in one (or all) of the following categories: steps walked (measured by the digital pedometers provided by the program), hours exercised, and/or weight loss. You then report your values in an online tracker every week, and Shape Up tracks the team standings. While a huge part of the program is the encouragement and competition it generates that can motivate you to be active, they do offer prizes to participants along the way, and honor the winners at the end.
I’ve participated in the spring challenge with a group of coworkers in the past, choosing to compete in the steps walked and hours exercised divisions. Besides the camaraderie it creates among team members, it was also fun to track where I stacked up with other participants throughout the course of the challenge.
Now… I realize that I’m not exactly the program’s target audience. But I think it’s important to show support to those organizations whose mission you believe it. And with less than half of all Rhode Islanders (and only 3 in 10 adults across the United States) getting the recommended levels of physical activity, I think more organizations should follow this example to encourage Americans to be more active – in whatever way they can. Last year alone, Shape Up RI helped over 13,000 people lose 45,106 (point 7!) pounds, exercise 375,780 hours, and walk over 6.1 million steps! (And we’re a small state – so 13,000 is a lot! 
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Summer Shape Up RI
Because I truly believe in the mission of this organization, I was excited to find out that it is now in it’s second year of hosting a summer challenge: The Summer Shape Up RI (not to be confused with the little shape up summer challenge I’m having through the blog – speaking of which, have you tried The Core yet??)
There are 3 divisions in the Summer Shape Up RI challenge: weight loss, fruit and vegetable tracking, and pedometer steps. Just like their spring challenge, you can choose which categories you would like to compete in and Shape Up will give you the tools you need to succeed. Over the course of the 8-week challenge, you are provided with a pedometer, online fruit and vegetable, weight loss, and step trackers, health information and other educational resources, and access to many free community events happening all over the state – like group walks, yoga, rock climbing, and nutrition seminars. Finally, you can also choose to participate in 2-week bonus challenges that help you focus on calories and nutrition, stretching, sleep tracking, and/or stress reduction.
The competition is only open to people who live and work in Rhode Island (sorry to all of you out-of-staters!). It kicked off last Monday the 21st and will run through mid-August.
I realize that many of you reading this are unable to participate in the challenge. But my point in writing about this organization is to highlight an example of a community-based effort that aims to help individuals become more active and lead healthier lives. Five years ago, a medical student had an idea to help change the habits of Rhode Islanders, and to do something to reverse the obesity epidemic that is sweeping our entire nation. In that short time, he has already helped 40,000 people across the state, and the numbers grow larger every year. I think what he has done should serve as an inspiration – individuals can make a change. And if we all work together, we can make huge strides toward a healthier world.
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What do you think of these types of community-based exercise and weight loss programs? Is there anything like this where you live?
(Pictures courtesy of shapeupri.org)
Green Mountain Relay: Race Recap
| June 23, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Running |
Last weekend, I competed alongside runners from 51 other teams in the Green Mountain Relay, a 200-mile, 24(ish)-hour adventure relay from Jeffersonville to Bennington, VT.
The race was amazing in so many ways – amazingly beautiful, amazingly fun, and amazingly difficult. By the end of the weekend, I was sunburned, sweaty, sick…and exhausted. But would you believe me if I told you that I was also extremely happy and incredibly proud – of both myself and my team? No, we didn’t win any awards or run unbelievably fast. But my team of misfits came together, bonding over cramped quarters, crazy running schedules, everlasting hills, and intense heat – and successfully made it to the end, more than a full day after we started. But let me back up for a bit and try to recap the weekend…
The Start
On Friday evening, EC, HOTR Sister #4 (Sarah) and I met a teammate in Boston for the long drive up to Vermont. When we finally arrived at the hotel, I immediately collapsed into bed, knowing it was going to be my last full night of sleep in a long time. But between the rock hard mattress and my pre-race jitters, I just couldn’t fall asleep. I think I tossed and turned all night, and before I knew it – it was 5:45am and the wake-up call jolted me from my groggy semi-consciousness.
After throwing on some clothes, I met the rest of my team (and I literally mean that I met them, since they were complete strangers before this weekend) for a good breakfast before heading to the start. Since our team was scheduled to start at 8:30am, we arrived at 7:30 to check-in and decorate the van.
Our home for the weekend
At 8:30am, our first runner was off – and the 200 mile journey had begun!
The little one on the left was our first runner (#7)
The Wait
I was in Van #2 with 4 other runners — normally there are 6, but our 5th guy would be running 2 legs back-to-back (an impressive feat as it was, but he was also running one of the hardest set of legs in the entire race – including running up Mount Okemo!) The disadvantage of being in the second van is that you have a long wait before you even start to run. We decided to drive down to the first exchange point to cheer on our teammates. The first leg was a little over 4 miles and our runner was moving pretty quick, so we expected him to come in just after 9:00 am.
Exchange 1
But the half-hour wait slowly turned into 40 minutes…then 45. And suddenly we started to get nervous. To make matters worse, we couldn’t reach our team members in the other van, so we had no idea what was going on. If you’ve ever spent any time in Vermont, you know that cell reception is spotty – sometimes you have it, sometimes you don’t. And for a long time at that exchange, we just didn’t. When we were finally able to get in touch with them, the news was not good — our first runner was lost, and they were still out looking for him.
Taking advantage of the extra time by making a pit-stop…or two
Apparently one of the signs really early on the course was missing, and several runners made a wrong turn. Since our guy was in front, he ended up going out of the way for miles before realizing there was a problem. To make matters worse, not only was this his first relay, but he was also the youngest member of the team.
When he finally showed up, looking shell-shocked and exhausted, we had to go through the same desperate process of trying to get in touch with the other van (which was still driving around looking for him). After what seemed like an eternity, we were able to connect with them. Finally, almost an hour behind schedule, we were back in the race. At that point we all knew we had to run wicked fast to make up for that lost hour we weren’t exactly in the running for a competitive place, but were just going out to have fun. Lesson #1: next time, bring walkie-talkies!
After solving the “Mystery of the Missing Runner”, myself and my fellow Van 2-ers still had a long wait ahead of us. So we drove to the first van exchange and ate lunch. I split a small salad, a pesto veggie burger, and some sweet potato fries with my sister. Not exactly the best pre-race meal, but I had hours to digest…and those fries were just too dang good to pass up.
And then we waited…
And napped…
And waited some more.
Finally, at 2:30 pm (6 hours after the start), the final runner in Van 1 came in and it was Sarah’s turn to start.
The First Legs
Our first legs took place right in the heat of the afternoon – from 2:30 to about 8:45. It was sunny, humid, and over 80 degrees. I felt a little lethargic from sitting around all day, but once the other runners in the van started, my adrenalin started pumping and I got excited to race.
This year my legs were much tougher than last year (overall, they were rated 10th out of 12 in terms of difficulty…last year I was #6). My first leg was 6.8 miles and rated Hard (all pictures of the legs are from the GMR website)
I knew there was a long hill more than halfway through the course, but I had been waiting all day to run and I was excited. So I started out quick, figuring I’d deal with the consequences later. Not long after starting, I spotted a runner up ahead of me, which only encouraged me to go quicker. The funny thing about a race like GMR is that by the time you get several legs in, you sort of lose track of the people you started with. So even though you see someone running on the course ahead of you, it doesn’t mean that person’s team is ahead. They could have started an hour ahead…or hours after. But that doesn’t take away the feelings of friendly competition, especially in a race as small as this. It’s one of the things I love most about GMR — you end up seeing certain runners/teams multiple times during the relay as your runners pass each other (and then get passed) over the course of the day.
By the time I started running at 4:30, the day had turned cloudy and it looked like it might rain. The clouds helped lower the temperature a little, but it was still extremely humid. Despite all this, I felt great. My first leg was beautiful. Most of it went along a dirt road, with amazing views of wooded mountains on either side. Plus, I got to go over 2 covered bridges. With the exception of miles 4.5 – 5, when I was convinced the hill would never end and that I might possibly die before making it to the top, I think I was grinning like a mad-woman the entire time.
Getting water around mile 3.5 – right before the never-ending uphill
My 1.5 mile climb was rewarded with a wonderful downhill, and I ended up running the first leg in 52:20 (or an average of 7:40/mile).
Sadly my camera died after the first legs of the race (Lesson #2: charge camera before the relay!). But here are some other pictures I was able to snap before its demise.
An exchange area
Second Legs
Around 8:45 pm, our final runner finished up his 2 consecutive legs (for a total of 16 miles – he was a machine!!), and we handed off to the first van once again. At this point, I was starving. The only thing I had eaten since lunch was a bunch of snacks and some Gatorade (because I was feeling extremely dehydrated). The only solid food nearby was pizza, so I hungrily scarfed down a slice. But by the time we had driven down to the next van exchange, however, I regretted eating it. Its greasiness made my already upset stomach even worse, and I started getting nervous about my next leg.
This waiting period was a strange one. I was afraid that sleep would only make me more groggy, but I was extremely tired and knew I’d have a hard time staying awake. I ended up lying down in the van, but never really felt like I fell asleep. Before I knew it, it was after midnight and Sarah was gearing up to run once again.
Despite feeling gross before the start, I actually felt the best during the second leg (maybe it was half that energy shot that did it). I ran at 2:00 in the morning – 5.7 miles, also rated as Hard.
Running so late at night was a strange experience. It was incredibly dark – we’re talking pitch black, not a soul in sight dark. At first it was really neat. I ran along, following my own little beacon of light (my headlamp), and feeling like I was flying. I started off conservatively, since the first 3 miles were all uphill, but then felt great and was able to pick up the pace. It was still super humid, but without the sun it didn’t feel quite as hot. And there’s something to be said about not being able to see the hill you’re running up. It’s almost as if you’re not running up a hill at all!
But then around mile 1.5, I started getting really creeped out. Usually there are at least a couple of other runners around at all times, but I saw no one. Every single noise put me on edge as I started to create awful scenarios that ended in me screaming and no one being around to hear.
By the time I saw our van around mile 2, I wanted to yell at them…and hug them at the same time. They assured me that other runners were nearby, and that they would stay close. But I still didn’t see anyone until 3.5 miles in. It’s amazing what a difference that made. Even though they were ahead, those little blinking red lights were enough to put me at ease again – and of course make me want to speed up to catch them. I flew through the final miles, and finished the 5.72 mile (according to the GPS) course in 41:49 (7:18/mile).
By the time our final runner finished his two grueling legs (sometime after 5am), I was ready to crash. We drove down to the next van transition area, set our alarms for 8:15, and immediately fell asleep. I slept really deeply for about an hour, and then jolted myself awake. I spent the next hour or so restlessly waiting to get up.
The Final Stretch
The final legs were tough on all of us. The day had dawned hot and humid, and I was feeling sicker than the night before. My breakfast consisted of pepto bismol, diet coke, and a little piece of a Clif Bar. Truly the breakfast of champions. I drank the diet coke to settle my stomach – I know it sounds weird, but it was a trick I learned on the last relay, and it really does help.
Sarah started running around 9, and by the time my turn came to run (around 10:45), it was already over 80 degrees. Right before running, I had a little more of the Clif Bar, a few sips of Gatorade, and about half of one of these babies.
The sun beat down on me as I took off on what was supposedly my easiest leg. This 5.7 mile leg was rated Moderate, and had less of an incline than my previous two.
It started off okay. My legs were tight, but the scenery was beautiful, and I made it through the first mile quicker than I expected. But once I hit the hill section, things started to fall apart. This incline seemed so much steeper than my previous leg. I was already wiped out from the running and lack of sleep, and the heat seemed to zap any remaining energy I had. I felt like I crawled up the hills, and it was all I could do to hang on at the end. I finished the 5.69 miles in 44:17 (7:47/mi) – 2.5 minutes slower than my previous leg.
Then EC took off. His leg consisted of many rolling hills and had absolutely no shade. We checked on him several times during the run to give him water. He seemed tired, but okay. Half a mile from the finish, the heat and exhaustion became too much for him. He passed out for a few seconds, stumbled, and threw up. By this time, we were long gone – waiting for him up at the finish. Fortunately, another team saw him staggering and offered him water. By the time they also got to the finish and explained what happened, we could see him walking toward us. We tried to yell to him and encourage him on, but it was all he could do to just keep walking. He finally made it to us, and I ran out with some Gatorade and a bagel.
Why did this happen? Lesson #3: even if you’re feeling sick, it is important to properly fuel before you run. This is especially true if you’re running several hours after you wake up and in extreme heat. I later found out that he had not eaten anything that entire day. He felt nauseous when he woke up, so choked down some pepto and water. By the time he ran around noon, his body was out of fuel.
Finally, it was time for our last runner to go. At this point, he had already run close to 30 miles, and was looking a little worse for the wear. We weren’t sure if he was going to make it through both of his legs so I stayed in my running shoes just in case he needed someone to take over. Sure enough, about three quarters of the way into his 4.7 mile leg, he declared, “I’m done.” I reluctantly got ready to run again.
The final 5.2 mile leg had a steep 1.75 mile uphill that started a half of a mile into the course.
It was brutal. I was exhausted and hot as I plodded (literally plodded) up the hill. My team was waiting near the top, a little over 1.5 miles in. They told me that I was done, and the next runner was going to take over for me. As much as I wanted to have the reward of getting to run down all the hills, I was too tired to argue. I handed off to the next runner, who ran about 2 miles before handing off to Sarah, who would take us in. With about a half mile to go, I met a very tired Sarah with some water, and then ran with my sister in toward the finish. Lesson #4: your body can always do more than your mind thinks.
As we ran up the final hill, the event staff radioed the rest of our team, who met us for the final run across the finish line. After 29 hours, 29 minutes, and 1 second – we were finally done!
I wish I had a picture of the finish. If I did, you would see a bunch of strangers who came together as a team, supported each other across 200 miles, lost runners, extreme heat, sickness, and exhaustion. I was extremely proud to be a part of that and so happy to have been given the chance to run the relay.
In the end, I ended up running a little over 20 miles. My quads were definitely sore the next day, but it wasn’t anything awful The tougher thing to deal with was the sleep deprivation (Lesson #5 — don’t start a new job the day after running a 200-mile relay). I’m still feeling like I’m not completely caught up yet. But that doesn’t mean I’m not excited to do another relay as soon as possible.
And for those of you who are wondering — I’m not the only crazy one. My youngest sister had an incredibly tough time (she got sick and didn’t feel properly trained beforehand), but now she can’t wait to do another. There’s something about the relay that draws you in and convinces you that you’re having fun, despite all the pain and discomfort.
And GMR — you’re still my favorite.
What to Pack For a 200-mile Adventure Relay
| June 18, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Running |
I’m currently on my way up to Vermont to run in the Green Mountain Relay this weekend. The further north we travel and the weaker my cell reception gets, the more excited I become for the race.
Most of this afternoon was spent in a frenzy of packing and last minute preparations. Packing for this race is different than packing for any other. You need to be prepared to run multiple times in varying conditions at all different times of day – including the middle of the night. Plus, each team needs to have the necessary gear to support their runners during the relay. And of course, you can’t forget the snacks…
So what exactly do you pack for this type of event? While you probably could survive with just one running outfit and your shoes, that wouldn’t really be a pleasant experience – for you or your teammates. In order to be as comfortable as you possibly can when living out of a van, it’s important to bring a variety of things (and then practice changing as covertly as possible).
Here is a list of what I brought:
24-hour 200-mile Relay Packing List
CLOTHING
• 2 pairs of running shoes (my good ones plus one spare in case they get soaked. I’m sure this is over-kill as I’ve never used the second pair, but I’d rather be prepared)
• 3 pairs of running shorts + 1 pair of gym shorts to wear between legs
• 2 running shirts
• 2 running tanks (it’s supposed to be high 80s on Sat)
• Extra undergarments & socks (the key to avoiding getting chilled is to change out of the wet ones ASAP!)
• A breathable long-sleeved running top, in case the overnight legs are cold
• A pair of comfortable long pants to wear in between night-time legs (in case of cold weather)
• A light-weight jacket, for the same reason as above
GEAR
• Garmin forerunner
• Reflective vest (along with some flashing lights brought by teammates)
• Head lamp
• Pain killers
• Pepto (let’s just say that last year I got pretty sick during the Reach the Beach relay. I don’t want a repeat of that experience)
• Sunscreen
• Running cap
• Body glide
• Icy Hot
• Neutrogena Deep Clean Sports Wipes for in-between run wipe-downs
• A small towel (for the same reason)
• Mouthwash, toothbrush/paste plus my contact case and glasses in the hopes that I’ll get a chance to give my eyes a break
• Flip flops to give my tired feet a break
• A camera
FOOD
We will have time to stop for a few real meals while the other half of the team is completing their legs. But since we’re running at such strange times, the goal was to be prepared with easy to eat, easy on the stomach snacks. To that end, we brought:
• Lots and lots of water
• Gatorade
• Clif bars
• A few Larabars
• Trail mix
• Bagels
• Peanut butter & cream cheese
• Apples & bananas
• Pretzels
• 5-hour energy shots for an extra kick
• Plus a few other assorted snacks some other teammates are bringing
Which should hopefully fuel us “over the mountains and through the woods…”
Alright, we’ve finally arrived at the hotel. Time to get some pre-race shut eye!
A Little Blog (and life) Maintenance
| June 17, 2010 | Posted by Lauren under Misc |
Recently I’ve done a little work to fix up the blog a bit, so I figured I’d write a quick note to let you know about some of the updates.
Blog Stuff
Comment Replies
A little while ago, it came to my attention that people don’t get an email when I respond to a comment. I don’t know why I assumed this is something that’s automatically done (because it’s not), but I was definitely bummed. Since I didn’t know how to fix it, most of the time you’ve probably noticed that I just emailed you a response. Then a few weeks ago I installed a plug-in (found through this lady) that supposedly would email someone if I responded. I tried responding to people through the site, but it didn’t really seem like it was working. After a little investigation, I realized that I actually had to change the plug-in settings to make it active (genius, I know). I apologize for those times that it may have seemed like I ignored your comment or didn’t answer a question. Hopefully you should now get an email when I respond to you.
New Pages
In an effort to make the blog a little more reader-friendly, I added a couple new pages to the top menu: a Favorite Posts page and a Recipes page. If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile, you know that I don’t post recipes all that often, but there is now a central location for those times that I do. The favorite posts page is just a collection of some past posts that I wanted to highlight and will be updated and refined over time.
Life Stuff
I try to keep my work life separate from the blog, both out of privacy/respect and because, honestly, it never really intersected. However, you may remember that about a month and a half ago, I vaguely babbled on about some sort of transition I was going through and then left it at that.
The truth is, at that time I was actually preparing to leave my job. Without getting into too many details (since I worked for the government and therefore am bound to secrecy…okay so that’s only half true), I had been working in the field of research as a project coordinator. This was an incredible experience in terms of gaining work skills, but there were a lot of issues with the job and, to be honest, my heart just wasn’t in it. I spent most of this spring agonizing over what my next step should be and finally realized that I needed to step away from the situation in order to gain perspective. In short, I needed to make a bold move. The decision to leave was a complex and difficult one but I truly believed it was for the best.
This means that since early May, I have been officially unemployed. Why would I do such a crazy thing in a horrible economy? Well, if you’d like to know details about the type of work I did and/or why I left, please email me. I’d be happy to share. But I will say that this ended up being the best decision I ever made. I was lucky enough to be in a position of being able to support myself during this transition period with some freelance work I had been doing for an old employer. It gave me the freedom to travel to the million and one family events we’ve had going on so far this summer. And best of all, it gave me time to step back and re-evaluate. I contemplated many things, including moving out to Western PA to be near my family and striking out on my own. But in the end, an amazing opportunity opened up right here in RI with a group that is working in the field of obesity prevention at the community level – which has always been my main area of interest. I will be starting this new job on Monday, and I couldn’t be more excited.
So while that means an end to my wonderful self-scheduled days of being a stay at home puppy-mom, it also means the restoration of some sort of order to my life. While I’ve truly enjoyed this past month and a half, it has been a little chaotic. I’ve been away from home more weeks than not and no longer feel like I have any type of regular schedule. After the relay this weekend, I will have a couple of weeks off from traveling, for which I am very thankful.
Anyway…that’s that. I’ll be back soon with a real post, but for now, I’ll leave you with this:
Boxers aren’t typically water-loving dogs, but I’ve been determined to train Koli to actually like it. Finally, after a few failed attempts, someone realized just how fun the water could be! Granted, he’d still sink like a stone if he tried to swim, but I’ll take what I can get.
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