Running....!

Tonight I updated my old ratty running shoes for a new pair (something that just needs to be done about once a year) and I was super excited about it this time because 1) my last pair didn't fit right and 2) since my double back-knee injury in the spring I had yet to get back to running and I was hoping this would kick-start me back to business.

I was indeed kick-started back to business - the second I got home with my hip awesome new shoes I tore open the box, threw them on, and went out for a run with my Zune cranked and a smile on my face. The smile didn't last long though. Man that was painful! And my back and knee both hurt a little so I'm not quite all better yet. I looked AWESOME in my shoes though.

The rise and fall of my potbelly

I've been fighting off a little potbelly. Between being injured, lots of traveling, and waaaay too much eating, my belly managed to expand a bit. I had to bring myself out of denial a few weeks ago when I tried on my favorite summer capri pants and they didn't fit. What a bummer! My potbelly hung out over the top of them, and no amount of sucking in fixed the problem.

I decided to go on a diet, but the unfortunate thing is that diets really don't work for me. As soon as I vow to 'go on a diet', all I can think about is food. So I gained a few more pounds after that. Then I had an even bigger problem (and potbelly).

I figured out two ways to solve my problem. First, I needed to start exercising again. The only two things I can seriously do right now (my back is still a little injured) is bike and walk. I could probably swim too but I really hate swimming. So I ramped up the walking and the biking by about 1000-fold and that comes to my second approach: I ran out of time for eating. Anticipating my diet wouldn't work, I started really getting back into shape about a month ago and by two weeks ago I was able to bike a full 25 miles in one stretch (and then go out for an hour walk afterwards). The next weekend I did 45 miles, and then another 45 yesterday. The thing about biking 45 miles is, it takes up half of your day (and 1/4 of your weekend). You eat a big recovery meal after the ride, then you are too busy trying to get all your other weekend stuff done and viola, you are out of time to eat again. And viola again, good-bye potbelly.

Now you are reading the blog of a potbelly-less champion.

The grandparents breeze through town

The grandparents breezed through town this weekend on their way from one place to another and fortunately our schedules all collided and we went out to dinner together. It's so much fun seeing the grandparents! They have such amazing stories to tell. We went to a super-yummy BBQ place by the airport called Famous Dave's, which is a chain that we fell in love with when we were in Minnesota. Good food, good times! As the Studly Hubby would say, Rock!

Nitrogen guns are so sweet

I hooked myself up a sweet nitrogen gun last week and let me tell you, it is SWEET. If you are wondering what a nitrogen gun might be used for, you aren't being creative enough. Nitrogen guns can be used for so many things! blowing dust out of corners, scaring the crap out of co-workers, drying things, and styling your hair in the morning. In particular, I use my nitrogen gun for microarrays, but don't that limit you. I suggest you hook one up immediately. All you need is a high-pressure hose, a nitrogen tank, a regulator (these can be pricey), an air gun (not pricey) and some clamps and hardware. No problem!

Adventures in Babysitting: the 70 lb puppy

We are dogsitting for a new dog, a 1 yr old American-born French Canadian bulldog mix (his owners claim he is half American Bulldog and half Dogo).

He's very cute! We decided he's also very French, as are his parents. These are the things we came up with that he has in common with the French:
1. His name is French (Picot, which means 'spot')
2. He greets people by kissing them on BOTH CHEEKS (and he will also shake your hand, because he is Americanized too)
3. He likes to sleep in late and party all night
4. He is a huge fan of the French kiss
5. He speaks French to all the neighbor dogs (he says "Le Woof!")

He's also very much a puppy. He loves to squirm all around and play games and chew on everybody and everything. He arrived with several bags of toys and treats, including his green monkey, which you can see a bit of in the picture. He drags his green monkey all over the house and when he's excited he tosses it up in the air over and over again. One day when I got home from work there was stuffing all over the living room and the poor green monkey had lost his head. But Picot barely noticed, and the green monkey is still his best friend.

Happy Fourth!

We got back Sunday from an exciting trip to the West Coast, which is NOT in Seattle (Seattle is four hours from the coast, but a bit of the ocean does come to Seattle through an inlet called the Straight of Juan de Fuca and the Puget Sound). We drove about halfway out to the ocean and camped on the Olympic Peninsula and spent our days careening around the peninsula seeing all the sights such as the rainforest, the open coast, a quiet tidepool bay (where we found the crab I almost ate in the picture above), and the Cascade Mountains. It was beautiful! By night, we had campfires and marshmallows and entertained each other by punch-dancing.


Notice the tarp over the picnic table: it indeed rained for about half the time we were on vacation but fortunately most of that time we were luckily in our tent or in the car, or in the rainforest where it's supposed to rain (and the rain made it enchanting). For those of you who might go camping on the olympic peninsula, definitely bring a tarp and a raincoat.

Now you can have Yoda's wisdom and encouragement with you at all times... introducing the Yoda backpack (from ThinkGeek.com). This is what my Studly Hubby wants for Christmas, but I'm not sure I want to help him reach this new level of geekiness.