In Charge!!

OK today is my big day. "The Boss" is sick and in bed. I am the lead trainer! So far two clients have canceled. One showed and he lead me around the gym. Good, the next client is my scheduled 3:30. I know they will be here they confirmed yesterday. I am wondering how to do an in-home client for the boss and my 1/2 hour power training here at the studio at the same time. Maybe the gods and goddesses of cold viruses will will the boss to be well by 4:30. Maybe they will clone me and I can meet both! Isn't that what happens when the boss is out? The second in command does something to mess it all up like duplicating themselves or casting a spell. I could just tape my instructions for the 5:30 and leave the player with a note that says "Push Play and SWEAT HARD!!"

I made cookies yesterday. I know they are considered a sugar thing but I did them without adding any of the horrific stuff! I used a banana that was VERY ripe. Granted they do taste like banana but they have all the leftover goodies from my former baking urges thrown in so the banana works!! I went for eclectic experimentation.

How to make cookies when you have almost nothing to work with...
1-2 over ripe bananas
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
1/8 (I think) cup sesame oil (or some other light oil)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
Flour to make dough stiff (I keep adding until it is not very wet anymore and resembles what could be dropped onto a cookie sheet)
1 cup coconut
1 cup choco-chips (I used dark chocolate, it was what was lurking about)

Drop this onto a greased sheet. I shaped mine and flattened them because they did not spread the first time. This is one of the drawbacks to making the dough so stiff. Less flour could be added but without the sugar I don't think they would spread much anyway. I baked mine till they were light brown. This was about 10 minutes on 375. I got about 60 cookies out of this. If I had put walnuts in them they would have been even better.

Don't be afraid to experiment in the kitchen! I find that Sundays are good for this. The boss says we can eat cookies on Sunday. I think this is because she calls it her free day and she really likes cookies. I am in search of a recipe that will make only a few cookies. I know I could use less ingredients but how do you really get half an egg?

Well, since I am in charge I think I will give myself some time to knit. I need to get on the bike and go about 20 miles. The Peppermint Candy Socks are coming along and I can work on those while I ride. I would really rather just ignore everything and enjoy the drippy weather. (YES we are getting what appears to be a bit of rain!) Can't do that though I must set a good example:) So riding it is!

Back on the wagon!

I got back on the bike today! I have been missing it sooooo bad! I am still itching with the remains of the poison ivy (rumor has it I have another 7-10 days of this to look forward to!) What a pleasure to spend an hour riding! I made another 19 miles and no knee or ankle pain!

It was a thought provoking morning. I am quite interested in the WHY of things. Why do people not care for themselves, not love themselves, and wonder why they continue to feel bad. I worry that there is a need for the quick fix in all areas of life and that as a society we are falling because we are failing to do the work necessary to obtain permanent repair. We are so caught up in the rigors of everyday life that we are forgetting to take just a moment to appreciate just that, LIFE. I have been caught in the cycle of work, family, house chores, and ignored my personal needs just as many do. I understand the drive to survive becomes greater than the drive to succeed in health. What I am wishing is for those caught in that endless cycle to realize breaking the cycle takes only 20 minutes daily. The patterns can be changed. Each individual in the world deserves a minimum of 20 minutes daily to dedicate to change, to dedicate to a new path of invigorated life, to dedicate to a renewal of health. There are very few people in the world (yes, the WORLD) who would have adverse effects from a brisk walk. Even those who live in the inner city can walk. They may have to walk in place in their living room but they can move the body in a manner which causes it to take in more oxygen. Fire is fueled by oxygen. In order to burn fat the body needs oxygen. Breathing brings in oxygen. Increased oxygen increases health.

Continue to raise the fires within and use your power to increase the oxygen consumption of your body!

Poison Ivy Blues

Great beginnings met with a large brick wall this week when I encountered my first case of poison ivy! I have been off the bike and miss it terribly! August 11 was my last day for riding and I had accumulated 252.5 miles!! Then I started itching everywhere. My need to keep the body cool overtook the incessant desire to put more miles on the tally. Fortunately for me the weather has changed a bit and we are enjoying some lovely cool nights here in the mountains. The plan is to wake up one day (VERY SOON) and feel 100% again.

So with the down time from biking I have moved away from sock knitting. (I found it to be the easiest to manage while the legs are going at 19 mph.) I completed my Swallowtail Shawl from Knitting Daily (this was a free download but is not currently available). Now there are two beautiful and completed shawls in my to-be-blocked pile. Perhaps I will get to that this afternoon. I am also close to complete with all the pieces of my Henley Perfected. The goal here is to get as many projects off the needles as possible before starting something new. Unfortunately the closer I am to completing anything the harder I have to fight the urge to start something new! In my mind I have cast on a new cardi , the Flutter Sleeve, multiple socks for the Winter Holiday Gift Giving Season, 2 more shawls, a lace scarf, Sweater Girl Pullover for Kam, 3 other marvelous pullovers for me, and the fabulous Winter Twilight Mitts. The real challenge here is when I can cast on which one do I choose? It really does make sense to get some of those gift things going but I have a lovely russet red alpaca lace weight I dyed to make the Sweater Girl and really though the mitts are beautiful and alluring I have not done any stranded knitting as yet. I believe I have time to think on this dilemma and I could always put the names of the projects in a hat, pull one out, and let the yarn fly!

Beginnings

Hi All!!
We can always begin right where we are. There is no way known to man to start where we were last week, month, or years ago when we graduated from high school!! So with that in mind, I challenge you to begin today to inspire yourself to reach new heights in your life. I have begun to accumulate miles on the recumbent exercise bike. I set the goal of 2200 miles (the Toure de France). Yes, this is ambitious for someone who has a history of knee problems and is still coming back from a broken leg (it was over a year ago but I got lazy!). I am starting where I am today. My inspiration? I listen to music on Pandora. The site is fun you can create your own style of radio station or listen to what others have created or simply try out the genre stations they have as templates. I am also giving myself the time to do another activity I enjoy. Sometimes this is reading but usually it is knitting. So while I am getting my cardio in I am making myself a sweater for the upcoming fall weather. Try to incorporate your interests into your "boring old" cardio workout! I am sure you will soon find yourself looking forward to the "special me time" you create with your dedication to your new extended healthier life!