Feelin the Feels

There have been a lot of feels happening over the last few days. People around me are experiencing wonderful and horrible things. It’s funny how this stuff seems to come in waves.

It has left me feeling this odd feeling.  A feeling of wanting to take everyone I love and hug them all a little closer and find ways to protect them from everything and to stop everything I am doing and do all the dream travel I have wanted to do…like surf school in Costa Rica or seeing Paris as a full fledged, employed adult with a greater appreciation for all the delish food.

Deep down, I know that I can’t really do either of those things.  I can’t control what happens to the people I care about and well, I am not independently wealthy.

My takeaway from this, is to simply try my best to embrace life in all capacities. Try to experience more, with people I care about, and do what is best for me, not what anyone else needs/wants.

me and my long distance bestie in Hawaii 2014

 

And on that note, I am going to send an email to one of my long distance besties and schedule a much needed facetime date for the weekend.

~Lisa

 

So. Much. Food.

pineapple cilantro Moscow mule

This weekend was a food weekend to end all food weekends.  So much celebrating and based on the scale, it looks like I gained about two pounds.  Needless to say, I’m not too worried about it as this week marks the my return to serious training after a much needed post Manitoba Half cutback week (and yes, I know I still owe a few race recaps).

 

Friday was a bbq I hosted for a friend’s birthday.  The menu included a festive beverage (see right), some key lime pie and some veggies and rib eyes on the Big Green Egg.

Even looking at this picture again makes me hungry.

The next day I had an impromptu bbq to attend at a friend’s sister’s place.  The friend lives out of town now and decided to host a bbq so she could have a proper hangout with a number of people and they could get to meet her adorable, six month old twins.  I made a rather divine vegan chocolate cake (the host’s son has a nasty egg allergy) with some super decadent whipped chocolate buttercream and a sweetened whipped cream filling.

Finally, I opted to make some macarons with the leftover egg whites from the Key Lime Pie I made.  It was really humid and I wasn’t sure if they would turn out…alas, half did and half didn’t…figures. lol  Keeps me from getting to cocky with my baking skills….though I must say, those macs may have not all turned out, but daaaaamn they are tasty!

So needless to say, it was a busy week in the kitchen, but oh so good. I plan on going on a bit of a baking hiatus so that I can try to shake the last six pounds I want to lose in order to be at racing weight for Dumbo Double Dare in September.  only about 9 weeks to go! 🙂

Happy Monday!

Lisa

P.S. I will post some recipes for some of the things I made shortly. 🙂

Friday (Iced) Coffee Date

Happy Friday Folks!

It is a gorgeous warm day today and well, I can’t think of anything better than an coffee date to start the day off.  I have my coffee in hand (though sadly not in my favourite mug pictured at right).

If we were having a coffee date, I’d ask you about your plans, if you were doing any sort of summer fun, running races or cooking up something delicious.  I’d ask how your partner, if you had one is…how your family is doing.

I would probably ask if you if you had any thoughts on the Brexit vote and if you had ever been to the UK or even Europe in general.  I would probably also lament the impact of the Brexit on the value of the Canadian dollar.May also ask you about local politics if you are the sort that has an interest in it.

I would tell you about my weekend plans – cooking dinner for a friend’s birthday today.  The menu is Filet Mignon, roasted taters and honey sriracha butter grilled corn, with pineapple cilantro mojitos and key lime pie for dessert.  There will also be another bbq, where I will get to see a friend who lives far away and meet her twin babies for the first time.  I will be making some cupcakes for the occasion.  I also have a shorter long run planned of around 10 miles on Sunday but it will likely be indoors due to the weather forecast.

If you were running minded or a fan of Canadian Olympics, I would ask your opinion on Canadian runner, Lanni Merchant and her fight to try and represent Canada in both the 10,000 metre and marathon races.  Here’s an opinion piece from the CBC as to why she should be representing at both.  The main reason the Canadian Olympic folks don’t want her in both is that they feel like she won’t be able to do her best at both, thus decreasing our chance to medal in either, given the events are so close together.  I feel she has earned a place for both and should get to do both.

And now it’s time to get back to work. Thanks for the lovely company and have a great weekend!

Much Love,

~Lisa