100 Pumpkins

Well, it’s the last Friday of the month and you know what that means- I’m linking up with Marcia for Runfessions!  But first- let’s talk, once again, about pumpkins. I said I wasn’t going to talk about pumpkins in every post, but yesterday Nicole sent me this: I love it!  And I love how when people see tons of pumpkins, they immediately think of me.  I am officially the Crazy Pumpkin Lady!  But did you know it wasn’t always this way? When I lived up north, I actually- gasp- HATED fall!  I know- the irony!  I grew up in Illinois (the pumpkin capital) where I could do all the fall things- go apple picking, see fall colors, wear sweaters… and I hated it.  What I really hated, of course, was winter, but fall meant winter was coming. In my 20s I was still living up north (why? WHY?) and one day I went for a walk with a friend.  He pointed out the beautiful colors of the leaves, and I told him I couldn’t see the beauty- all I could see was that winter was coming.  He said “Can’t you just appreciate this now and enjoy yourself, without worrying about what’s coming next?”  My response was, “If you knew you were going to prison next month, would you be able to put that out of your mind and enjoy yourself today?” Yes, that sounds dramatic, but it’s truly how I felt.  Every winter the entire world turned gray.  It felt like someone threw a thick blanket over me, and I had to struggle through every day with that encumbrance.  This was right around the beginning of SAD lamps, but they weren’t widespread.  It wasn’t like you could just order one on Amazon.  I’m not sure there was a SAD lamp big enough and strong enough to fix my SAD, anyway. Now you know why I live in Florida!  But- the irony continues- after living here for about ten years, I started to notice how frickin hot it is in September… and October… and November.  I started to “miss” fall- or rather, the romanticized notion I had of it.  A crisp fall day would feel amazing right about now.  So… Pumpkin Palooza was born. I mention all this because for those of you who are dreading the winter (Hi Engie!  Hi Kim!) I want you to know I truly empathize.  It IS awful, and if you’re not enjoying fall, I don’t blame you one bit.  (Side note- Florida is a lovely place to visit in January- just saying.) Now wait just a minute! (you might be thinking.) How is this “runfessions?” Well, it’s hard to have a lot of runfessions when you’re not running very much.  I’m plugging along, a little frustrated that this is where I’m at (when I thought I was going to run a 12 hour race in November) but at the same time grateful that I can run at all. Recently I heard someone on a podcast describe training like this: every time you run, or do your strength work, or mobility, or whatever you’re doing to train, you’re placing one brick on top of another.  It doesn’t look like anything at first, but if you’re consistent, eventually you’ll have built an entire wall.  Every once in a while someone comes along with a sledgehammer and smashes your wall to pieces; and then you begin all over again. I’ll just be over here laying down my bricks.  And- stay away from me with that sledgehammer!  I’ve had enough for the time being. How’s your fall going- are you enjoying it? Is your “running wall” big and strong, or are you building it back up from the rubble like I am?  

Okay seriously, I’m not going to talk about pumpkins in every single post.  But after my post yesterday about the imaginary 100 pumpkins in my front yard, Kae sent me this: This is a house IN HER TOWN.  She said they decorate it this way every year.  Life goals right here! Let’s talk about reading.  I almost had a reading emergency this week.  I had TWO BOOKS from my hold list come available on the same day: I’ve been on the list for the Liz Moore for weeks and weeks, and I didn’t expect it right now.  I also didn’t expect the Liane Moriarty, because I just put the hold on it last week.  When these holds came in, I was 300 pages into a 1000 page book (Ken Follett’s Edge of Eternity) and I didn’t see how I was going to finish that and read both of these in two weeks. Then I remembered our library recently extended the loan period of new books to three weeks- PHEW!  I can get them all read by October 9th.  I was so excited to read The God of the Woods until I read Birchie’s post from Monday- she didn’t like it, WHAT???  I thought everyone has been liking that one!  Well, I’ll have to read it and see what the controversy is all about. Eating-wise, I continue to limp along.  My plan of doing meal prep on Sunday has not been working out (what a surprise!) Instead I’ve been making something on Sunday that can be eaten for two meals- Sunday and Monday- and then cobble things together for the rest of the week.  We always have takeout on Friday, so it’s only three dinners to get through. On Sunday I wanted to make pumpkin pasta but my daughter had a sore throat (everyone has been getting sick around here!) so I decided to make soup instead.  I made the Coconut Curry Lentil Soup from Nora Cooks.  I chose it because I was pretty sure my daughter would like it, and I was right! It was a good soup- nothing amazing about it, but it was tasty, and like most soups it was better the second day. Next up- I need to make some kind of pumpkin dessert!  In the same post where Birchie stomped all over my reading dreams, she linked to a very delicious-looking pumpkin cookie. That may have to happen this weekend. Have you read The God of the Woods?  Did you like it? Has anyone read the Liane Moriarty? Do you have a favorite fall soup? Top photo by Frames For Your Heart on Unsplash  

Happy official first day of fall!  Of course, the weather is not fall-ish here, but we will not speak of such things.  We WILL speak about my calf though- it’s still feeling good, and I went from running every third day to every other day.  Progress!  I’m linking up as always with Kim and Deborah for this Weekly Rundown.  Here’s how it all played out… Monday The last time I ran was Saturday, so this was my first every-other-day run since coming back from the calf injury.  Everything is feeling good, but I’m still nervous about it, so I was very conservative- I walked one mile and ran two. I followed the run with a Caroline Girvan standing core workout.  I’ve decided that I like standing core workouts, if they use dumbbells.  You don’t get the same burn as with deadbugs or crunches, but I like the way I have to stabilize my core against the weighted arm moves. Tuesday Strength day at home- hip stability (including Runner’s Touch and the one leg sit-to-stand.)  I also got out my pull-up bar and did dead hangs and scapular retractions (you hang from the bar and lift yourself up a few inches without bending your arms, only by retracting your shoulder blades.) Boy, are my lats weak.  I rounded it all off with the tried-and-true Caroline Girvan deadbug workout.. Wednesday This was a big day- I got back to the cross country trail!  I haven’t been here since the end of May. I walked a mile and then ran 4.  I loved being back and I LOVED running in the daylight! Thursday Upper body strength workout from Sally McRae’s app, and then this MadFit standing abs workout.  This is officially my favorite standing core workout (thank you, Engie!) I feel it in my core, there’s some balance involved, and it’s a good upper body workout as well. Friday Third run of the week! Once again I was super conservative- walked one mile and then ran one. Followed this up with hip stability exercises and squats. At night I went to our high school football game! Our team is undefeated this year, and we won 48-0.  I actually felt a little sorry for the other team.  The band had to play their halftime show on the track because the field was so wet, but it was still a fun night! Saturday Off!  Friday was a late night, so it felt good to sleep in a little before going to work. Sunday Ooh, I’m excited.  On tap for today- a trail run!  I’m going to my second favorite trail- my first favorite has a lot of sand and I don’t think my calf is quite ready for that yet- and I’ll do 6 miles (the first mile will be walking though.) As you can see, it was a great week!  The only thing that marred it a little was my low back, which has been very achy.  It doesn’t hurt when I run (so it’s not a “real” problem, ha) but I babied it a little and didn’t go to the gym for any heavy squats or deadlifts.  Hopefully I’ll get that back on track this week. How was your week?  Are you celebrating the first day of fall?

Hello friends!  We made it to Friday and GUESS WHAT.  Sunday is officially the first day of fall!  Pour yourself a delicious fall-themed beverage and let’s talk about what that means. This week, Elisabeth posted her Top Five/Bottom Five Fall lists.  In her Top Five was the delightful fall weather, and in her Bottom Five was “winter is coming.”  Well, in Florida that is reversed. One of the WORST things about fall is our weather.  September is absolutely terrible.  Hot, steamy, rainy, and the chance of hurricanes increases every day.  Now that my kids are older, it doesn’t bother me as much.  But when they were young, there were all sorts of outdoor activities we thought we should be doing… like the PUMPKIN PATCH. The “pumpkin patch” was actually the yard of a nearby church that had hundreds of pumpkins- obviously no pumpkins actually grew there- they were imported from another state.  It seemed like a fun thing to do, but the weather just wasn’t conducive.  One year stands out starkly. The day we planned to go to the pumpkin patch, it rained.  But then the rained stopped- oh, good!  Let’s go to the pumpkin patch!  The problem is, when it rains here in September, it just makes things unbearably steamy.  Our time at the pumpkin patch was muggy, muddy, and horribly uncomfortable. (They don’t have that pumpkin patch anymore- I WONDER WHY.) Okay, so we don’t have fall weather here.  But you’re probably thinking that I’m guzzling down all the fancy fall drinks, right? No pumpkin spice lattes for me!  Starbucks does have some vegan seasonal drinks, but they all have a ton of sugar.  This year I’ve been having some serious FOMO, so I’ve tried a couple things… This is a vegan, unsweetened creamer, and I’ve been putting it in my tea (NOT in my Earl Grey- that would be gross.  Just regular black tea.) I think I like it?  I can’t really decide, but it does make me feel festive and fall-ish. Some friends gave us another new (to me) beverage: It’s sugar free!  The ingredients are black tea, chai spices, and sucralose.  Okay, I know sucralose isn’t good for you.  I know!  But I’m more willing to have sucralose every once in a while than sugar.  I’ve only tried it once- I mixed it with soy milk and made a DELICIOUS chai latte.  My daughter went a step further and added the pumpkin creamer to hers and made a super fancy fall beverage. Let’s go back to Elisabeth’s Bottom Five Fall item: winter is coming.  YES.  Winter is coming!  In Florida that means a break from the heat and humidity.  We’ll get some cool nights and beautiful days.  It won’t happen until November/December, but we’re here, waiting patiently. What would you tell me over coffee?  Do you like festive fall beverages?  Are you excited for the first day of fall?