1. I bought a fantastic new shirt.
See? Fantastic! I first spied it on a guy at Whole Foods that I ended up chatting with while waiting in line. I had picked up a Threads 4 Thought t-shirt (because they’re AMAZING), and when I went back yesterday to get two more, there was a stack of these t-shirts at my register! Destiny.
I know it’s just a shirt- a crew neckline, at that- but something about buying and wearing this shirt feels so…special. I think it has something to do with the humor being unique to me and having nothing to do with parenting, motherhood, children, diapers, etc. Of course I love J & C, but just because I find joy in being a mother doesn’t mean I don’t also enjoy being an individual. Something about this shirt makes me feel silly and independent. Being a parent is a big part of my resumé, but it isn’t all that I am, and entertaining that individuality once in a while is so satisfying.
2. I stopped into Genuardi’s today to check out the huge closing sale. They’re being taken over by McCaffrey’s, and everything is on sale (fresh corn 10 cents an ear!). While I was checking out, my favorite cashier clocked in and took over my transaction. We exchanged niceties, and I asked if he and another employee I know are going to still be there when the store makes its big switch (affirmative!). Then my favorite cashier asked me the winning question: “I don’t want to be rude…but have you lost a lot of weight? You look like you have.”
I wanted to say, “YES and thank you for noticing, I’ve been running every morning, stuffing myself silly with salad and juice, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking a minute to say something because I was beginning to feel like NOTHING had happened!”
But of course I just smiled, told him I was training for some races, and thanked him for the nice complement. I wanted to tell him that he had just made my entire day, but I left it at a simple, “thanks!”
It’s not that I don’t love my body- on the contrary, that’s exactly why I’m working so hard to get into shape. I want this body to carry me as far as it possibly can- I don’t want to leave Jack and Carolyn a minute before I have to. I also want to live each day comfortable in my skin, knowing that my physical self is the product of a lot of hard work and discipline and love. Plus, racing is so much fun. I don’t feel like I have changed much- I don’t feel lighter or more fit, though I am running faster and farther than ever. I guess the change has been so gradual that the results haven’t caught my attention. Either that, or that cashier needs his contacts updated…but I’m partial to the former!
3. I finally made refrigerator pickles, and now you can too!
Ingredients:
2 lb. pickling (kirby) cucumbers
1 onion (I used vidalia)
1 1/2 c. white vinegar
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (if you like some heat)
Thinly slice cucumbers and onions and toss pell-mell into a mason jar. Add all remaining ingredients to a saucepan and stir. Simmer for one minute, then remove from heat and pour over the cucumber/onion medley. Let it cool, then cover and pop it into the fridge. Let it sit for a day or two (or four!) and voilà! Pickles that can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, perfect for summer snacking. These pair especially well with a loaded Field Roast veggie dog- I opted for apple/sage, don’t skimp on the mustard.
4.Making these tomorrow- YUM.
5. “The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other’s chests; then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.”
If that quote doesn’t clue you in to my plans for the remainder of this evening, you’re missing out.
Being Elizabeth 