Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Confession

I'm a binger. It occurred to me yesterday after eating half a box of Samoas that Girl Scout cookies aren't the only thing I binge on. Apparently I can't stop eating grapes until the whole 3 pounds are gone, but I did manage to only eat half the bag of potato chips. This was all yesterday. Some things I don't feel too guilty about bingeing on, like the grapes. At least they're healthy. But these things, not so much:
(If only they were actually this big.)

Not only are Samoas 75 calories per cookie, but also, let me do the math, about 25 cents each. In addition, since they only come around once a year, I generally like to save a few for later. At least a few days later. Not a chance this year.

In addition to food, I tend to binge on exercise, like when I don't train for, but run a 50k trail race, or don't lift weights for three months, then do 1200 lunges. I like to binge-sleep too, and I can go for up to 15 hours straight. It's best if you get a little sleep deprivation going before the big nap. Just like if you go for a nice long ride and get good and glycogen depleted, then your stomach can hold so much more food.

I've been in the binge eating and sleeping mode again this past week or so, and I attribute it to the unending winter temperatures. I'm about over this, mother nature, so please bring spring! It's getting expensive and time consuming to keep eating and sleeping this much. Winter be gone!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

THAT side

My alarm clock is on the right of my bed. But apparently that's the wrong side of the bed when I wake up to it, especially before 5:30 a.m. I hit snooze an extra time this morning and didn't get out of the house until 5:31. Swim starts at 5:30. I grumbled most of the way to the pool, being annoyed with traffic and people driving crazy and stoplights. I got there just as they were starting on the main set, but that's not unusual for me. I figured people who saw me get in late just thought, there she is again, late as usual. But really, I decided as I swam, they should all be impressed. Who else in there got up exactly 18 minutes before they hit the water? I think that's why I'm good at transitions. Too bad there's not a transition from bed to water at the start of the race.

I credit my dad for helping me learn how to do this. In high school, he'd wake me up in the morning (after I'd managed to turn my alarm completely off while still unconscious -- I swear I set it every night Dad!). He would even fix my breakfast in the time it took me to get out of bed and get downstairs. Sometimes, on those extra sleepy mornings, I'd fall back asleep after he left. If he made it all the way back upstairs and I was still under the covers, I'd be in big trouble. I fine tuned my subconscious hearing enough that all it took was one of his footsteps on the stairs. In one motion, I'd go from lying there asleep to flying across the room to the safety of the bathroom. Of course I'm up, Dad! Enough adrenaline was rushing through me that I'd be wide awake by the time he got there. If it hadn't been for those years of practice, at 5:30 a.m. no less, no telling where I'd be today. Not at master's swim, that's for sure. Thanks Dad!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Mom!

Mom turns... a year older today! Did I scare you, Mom? I already know that she's going to hate this picture that I'm putting up of her, because she hates every picture of herself. But her eyes are open here, and I think it's really good. So up it goes! I will not torture her with embarrassing tales, as tempting as it is. You're welcome, Mom.

Mom is one of those people who is always busy. She is often in Little Rock babysitting Emily and Jackson, who love their Nana. They come visit her as much as they can, too. She's a fun Nana who takes them horseback riding, waterskiing, and out to the cabin to hike in the woods. She has two horses that she rides often, even mixing up feed and medicine for Mystic weekly. Mystic thinks she is Mom's baby and will whinny and come running when Mom calls her in from the pasture. I think she'd get right in the car and go home with her if she could. Out at the cabin, she has an incredible garden (every summer) of tomatoes, peppers, okra, squash, and eggplant. At home, she has the most beautiful yard in town, seen here in the spring:

Mom's an artist, which not many people know. She can draw, paint, and even sculpt, and her artwork is unbelievable. She doesn't even realize how much talent she has, because she thinks that with some practice, I could do it to. I wish I had a picture of that to post!

She waterskies like a pro, only getting her hair wet when her incompetent daughter messes up driving the boat and yanks her off the bank too hard. Then she drives us all around the lake, with patience, until we've had enough sun and we're starving for some of the sandwiches she's brought down for us.

She cooks supper every night, and it's good. I mean, really good. I didn't fully appreciate how good her cooking is until I moved out and tasted others' cooking. I realized how lucky I had it growing up with an abundance of fresh vegetables and cornbread every night.

I see some of her traits and expressions coming out in me as I get older. I'm happy about that! She's such a sweet, loving mom, and Jenny, Megan, and I couldn't be luckier. Happy Birthday Mom! Love you!

p.s. Sorry I posted this a few days late!