Tuesday, August 5, 2014

While I Was Out

Last week I took a little break from social media. With the beginning of school looming (I go back Monday) and a reminder from an old student that life is precious, I just needed to take a step back.

So how did I spend my time? Not that wisely, really. I should be living these last few days of summer to their fullest potential...but I'm not even sure I know what that means! I've just been doing what makes me happy.

I ran Monday and tried the Salted Caramel Gu, which was delicious and didn't upset my stomach, but I'm not sure if it really gave me the energy boost I was looking for.
5 easy miles...they didn't feel that easy. Thanks, Florida.
I received a letter from Jill Biden that made my day. I need to scrapbook everything from the All Star stuff, but I just don't even know where to start!
I enjoyed a second easy run Wednesday and laughed at the running advice below. If I followed this, 11 months of the year I'd be running two minutes slower than my usual pace. Hell, I wouldn't even be running because apparently running in 85 degree is "not recommended".
Yeah, right.
I actually missed my easy run Saturday...I have no excuse. But it was Matt's birthday! His dad and Tammy came and took us to dinner.
Shrimp and grits! When I see this on a menu, I have trouble saying no.
I spent the weekend perfecting my peanut butter and honey cookie recipe and printing photos. Some of our frames still have pictures from eight years ago...it's time to update!
Just the right combination of chewy and soft.
This is the first batch...I plan to get some enlarged to 5x7 and I still need to print more from Minnesota.
I signed up to test out Reebok running shoes and received my free pair Monday. I'll definitely post a review once I've tried them, but I'm a bit concerned because they're for neutral runners, which I'm not. I may look into exchanging them for a more right-for-me pair.
The Reebok One Cushion...I think I'm more a "Guide".
I made up my missed run from Saturday on Monday. (My plan called for two easy, so I did four over the bridge and called it even.)

I then went back to school to give a presentation to some new teachers. It was nice to see my colleagues and to slowly get used to the idea that summer is over!

It stormed so badly Monday that there was flooding in our area. We actually broke the record for inches of rain on a single day in August...if you consider the hurricanes we've seen in the past, that's big news. We got over 6 inches!
I borrowed this photo from the Naples Outfitters Facebook page...Matt paddles with these guys all the time, but not usually in the street!
That night, Matt and I saw Lucy. He had free tickets from donating blood. It was definitely not what I was expecting and weirder in many ways, but fairly entertaining.

Besides all this, I've demolished a few books and we've finally caught all the way up on Game of Thrones. Maybe I did spend my last week of summer to its fullest!

When does school resume in your neck of the woods?
For those that work through summer, do you still try to treat it as vacation time?
What is your favorite kind of cookie?

ABK

24 comments:

  1. HAH! If I adjusted my runs per that chart and added +3 minutes to my pace I'd be walking ;)

    I can't believe you've caught up on GoT already! The show must be a lot better than the first book, then? I need to start watching it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The show is seriously addictive. I can't believe we have to wait until 2015 for the next season!!

      Delete
  2. According to that chart, running would never happen here either! it was 88 at 4am today for me.

    Our teachers go back on the 18th and the students on 25th.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It makes me wonder who makes charts like these! Do they live in Maine or Canada or something?!

      Delete
  3. Favorite kind of cookie is a vanilla pudding chocolate chip cookie. Heather from Girl Goes Running introduced me to them...and I devour an entire batch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMG...that sounds like the most amazing flavor cookie ever!

      Delete
  4. Would you believe I've never had grits? I live in Seattle and they definitely aren't a thing you find around here. Shrimp though? YUM!
    My favorite cookie is probably chocolate chip with walnuts, I love a cookie with nuts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I grew up on grits even though I'm from the midwest because I couldn't eat oatmeal. But I always had them with brown sugar...the first time I ever had savory grits was last year, and now I'm in love!

      Delete
  5. We have to go back on the 20th and the kids come back on the 26th. So I have about two weeks. Taking a break from social media is always a good idea! Please send us some of your rain! We are in a MAJOR drought and it's starting to get scary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always find that when I'm going back to work, the internet has to take a back seat for a bit!

      Delete
  6. Glad that you took a week to live life! I really like your idea of taking a week off here and there. It must be so refreshing!!!! I hope you have a great rest of your summer vaca.
    In our area, school always starts the Wednesday after labor day - so it is really early this year. I'm not sure when the teachers have to be officially back though in setting up their classrooms and such!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, it's definitely necessary to take a step back once in awhile.

      Delete
  7. Wow your school goes back early! I guess that means you get out earlier which will be nice!! We've been getting a ton of rain here too but definitely not as much as you! That picture of the guy paddle boarding in the street is pretty awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We usually go back the first week of August, but it was pushed back this year. But we get out in May usually, so that's nice. This year we'll get out in June because we're starting later.

      Delete
  8. School opens up during the first week of September here....how is time going by so quickly?! I thought of you several times on my super hot/humid runs and was thinking, "Ali runs in this all the time. I just have to suck it up!" LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Summer feels so short...shorter every year!

      Ha...I'm not sure if I do run in it. Sometimes I feel like I'm stumbling/swimming/shuffling! lol

      Delete
  9. Wow that letter is quite the compliment and must have been amazing to receive!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow I am sure you will treasure that letter from Jill Biden forever! School starts for use in about two weeks. I do NOT want to go back. I want to keep laying on the couch in my pjs. Call me an under achiever. :) I gotta look up that Lucy movie... I like weird stuff. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As bored as I am all summer, and as much as I love teaching, I do wish I could just lay around in PJs forever, too. I guess I'm never satisfied! lol

      I like Luc Besson movies...there were times I was thinking of the Fifth Element during Lucy.

      Delete
  11. Shrimp and grits, yum! I need to learn how to make that! And those cookies...peanut butter are definitely my favorite of all time, so many great memories of eating them at holidays as a kid! That's so awesome that you got a letter from Dr. Jill Biden, congrats to you and all the other awesome teachers :) I think school starts in September for Philly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love how easy and fast shrimp and grits is to whip up!

      Delete
  12. Yay for teachers and back to school!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's nothing quite like the first week back!

      Delete