Ten Tidbits Thursday
- I did not want to get up to meet the Grayslake Running Club (GRC) this morning. I was just exhausted. So I got out of bed to sign in to the GRC website and take my name off of today’s run, and realized, since I was up, I might as well go! Plus, I don’t have anyone’s phone number, and what are the chances they would look online before they left to meet at 5:30? I ended up running 9 miles with them and 6 on my own. Has meeting friends to run ever been the only thing that got you out the door to do it?
- I saw a fox this morning during my run! He crossed my path then stopped to look at me, then kept running. I snapped a picture with my phone. You can really see him, right? (no)
- This has been my highest running mileage month ever – 145 miles!!!
- This morning, as I was driving to meet the GRC to run, I was thinking about how much I love my Infiniti FX35 (2005 model). I’ve had it for almost two years now. I love the performance, the way it sounds and looks, but especially the little details. I love being able to control the stereo from the steering wheel. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the proximity key – I never have to get a key out to get in to my car or start it! When I have a car at work, I always forget you have to have the key out to start the car. I highly recommend Infiniti. What is your favorite car brand? Please don’t say GM.
- Speaking of my car, I backed it in to something on March 1 and effed it up. I was so embarrassed and disappointed in myself. I can’t really say much about it now, because insurance is still getting worked out, but I can say that Steven was amazing it getting it taken care of for me, and right away. It’s all better now! Phew. (P.S. Good thing we got a tax return this year and had some extra cash!)
- I asked for a new three-tube bird feeder for Christmas because squirrels destroyed mine last year. My dad’s mom gave me this nice new one. Check it out though! These squirrels are relentless! I don’t mind if they eat the food – just please don’t eat the feeder!
- When I first heard Jennifer Lopez’s new song “On the Floor,” I didn’t like it. But then it got stuck in my head and I had to buy it on iTunes. YOU know what is stuck in my head now? “Black and Yellow.” No way in hell I am downloading THAT! What song has been stuck in your head lately?
- I wanted to see Burlesque when it came out in the fall, but it didn’t meet our “see in the theater” criteria. I finally came from Netflix last night though! I loved it. It was a nice, fun, cheesy, mindless movie with dancing and singing (and lots of scantily clad women). I love fun movies. And I love Christina Aguilera!
- My brother is getting married this weekend (photo of him and his fiancee below)! Yay! Are any of your siblings married? My older brother is, but I wasn’t able to go to their wedding, because I was living in Rome.
- And this last tidbit is kind of long! In fact, this whole thing got kind of long. Oops. I thought it would be short. Anyway.
Oops.
All better!
Do you guys know what this is? Does it look like something a vegan would eat?
It’s seitan (vital wheat gluten). Steven’s actually made it before. Last weekend, he was experimenting with the texture of it, trying to make it less “sponge-y” and more stringy.
You can buy vital wheat gluten and work with that, but Steven started from scratch, with a bag of flour and water, then worked with the dough for about an hour.
Hey, Kim, do you see what is in he top right corner of the photo?
Then he spent an hour soaking it. After that, he split it up into different pieces, and experimented with cooking it different ways for a few more hours (and he also made a pizza during all of this).
On Sunday, Steven cut the seitan in to strips, coated it in flour, and fried it. Nom.
Here are two of the pieces, that he prepared differently. You can kind of see the one on the right is more stringy/meaty, and the one of the left is sponge-y – still some experimenting left to do!
Steven makes me feel kind of lazy. Ha ha. He is amazing. He will tackle any project with confidence. I would be scared away from trying something like this, but he sure isn’t!
Themocracy
GM. Buahahaa. I do love the Infiniti! I miss mine but don’t really have any complaints with the Acura.
I hope you enjoy your brother’s wedding!
I think I remember Steven telling me that he was going to come and be my personal chef for a few mths. Or maybe I just made that up! : )
Oh, I do remember that. And you saying you would pay for our airfare to NYC and back to Chicago and return. When should we come out? 🙂
DEAL!
COME ASAP!
Not letting down my coworkers for a lunch run has gotten me out the door. Also, since my friend Lisa likes running now she has helped me get out a few times on the weekend when I’m not sure I would have otherwise.
Wow. Your high mileage month puts mine to shame! Way to go!
I drive a little Hyundai Accent (2007) that I traded my 1999 Hyundai Accent in for… and Joey drives a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon (sexy). So I guess you could say we are a Hyundai family (my Mom and SIL had/have Accents too!).
I heard that “Black and Yellow” song for the first (and only) time the day before the Steelers played in the super bowl. 🙂
Glad your car is ok now! It’s very pretty. Love the color.
I have one brother and he’s married. He’s 2 years older than me. He even has 2 kids now! It was a little weird at first to see him transition to husband and then father but it’s been cool seeing how he’s changed over the years.
Is your friend Lisa the one who started a blog as well?
I think I will get an Infiniti when I am done with this one (like how you stuck with Hyundai)… if they change the design of it. The current FXs are hideous!
KIMBOT!!
I am a fan of the Honda/Acura family dating back to my first car (Honda Civic RIP).
Aww, RIP indeed! 🙁
HA! I DO see!!! Hilarious!
You make me feel lazy! I can’t imagine running 15 miles before work. Sigh. Maybe I am just not that committed?
I’m glad I married someone who is into cars. I’ll drive anything you put in front of me, really. I drove a Saturn for years (I know, boo to GM) but I always liked it. I actually cried when I traded it in for my current car even though I was excited to get my Hyundai Santa Fe.
Squirrels are relentless! So rude.
I am also impressed with Steven’s attention to detail and tenacity when cooking!
You’re committed! I can only run long like that before work when I am working at home. I would never do it if I had to commute!
My aunt has a newer Saturn that I like! Too bad GM stopped making them.
I don’t have a favorite car brand, really. When I was in high school, I was *in love* with the VW Jetta. I wanted one so badly, but never got it. 😉 Now? I don’t have a preference, anything that runs good, is reliable, and isn’t too expensive!
I love seitan but I have never tried to make it – it looks so hard and involved! I am impressed with Steven’s – it looks good!
Too bad about your car, but have a great time at the wedding!
GM, in the 30’s. Nice dent, I’m even more impressed with the repair now.
You had to go there, didn’t you?
(Ha ha. That comment could apply to either sentence!)
Steven really does take on some impressive food projects eh?
Im a Ford girl – though Ive never actually OWNED one, I love them very, very much. My ex boyfriend just bought a brand new Ranger, and Im crazy jealous. I want one.
HA – I just had some bodywork done on my car too. I hit our plastic garbage cans a few months ago. The garbage cans won. 🙁 But now my car looks brand-new and for only $300. No insurance involved! You should have called me and talked to my guy. He’s awesome!
We had Gerber do the work and are very pleased with the cost and quality 🙂
That’s a lot of miles! Meeting a friend to work out is always good incentive for me.
I like working out to that J Lo song. I bought it and, the song I can’t get out of my head, P!nk’s F@&$in’ Perfect.
Holy crap 15 miles on a workday?! I’m reading this right, right?
I cannot wait to see Burlesque!
Yeah, my sibs are married. I’ve been an aunt since I was six. Ha!
I have a subaru and I love it! nice job on the 15 miles on a week day! I have 15 miles planned for next Saturday! Have fun at the wedding this weekend!
Wow- what a great mileage month!
This post sounds happy and uplifting- I love the voice behind it!
Thanks! I felt really good on Thursday. I guess it came through!
Sorry to hear about your car, but it happens to most people at least once! 🙂
Seitan doesn’t look good, but I think it usually tastes pretty yummy!
Awesome mileage for a run you didnt even want to do. Way to go girl!!!
Have fun at the wedding this weekend!
I saw a fox on one of my runs once- he was so close to me! It was really neat but kind of creepy too.
I love my Toyota Rav4. Before that I drove a camry and before that it was a 4runner. So yeah, I really love Toyota .
Group/buddy runs are often the only thing that gets me out the door! Sometimes, it’s just hard!
I don’t have a favorite car brand because I don’t have my own car. I like the Mazda that Harrison shares with me?
1. way to get up n’ go! once you’re up, might as well!
2. cool fox. i bet that was quite the treat.
3. run ilax run!
4. anything but GM.
5. oh nooo! but yea for insurance!!
6. that squirrel should be on the russian olympic gymnastics team.
7. better than “green n’ yellow” aaaah!
8. i love her too. guilty! even if she messed up at the superbowl. it happens.
9. my older bro-ham is married. he cried. then she cried. then we all cried. best wedding ever!
10. i’ve had that before. pretty good for non-meat-meat.
NOT THE CAR!!!?? nooooo. that sucks.