theinbetweenismine

just a girl living the expat life

Monthly Recap | February

filed under: my so-called life, recap

I feel lucky that we’re getting this extra day in February this year (every extra day is great in my book, haha!) and I am taking advantage to post my monthly recap today. Do I sound like a broken record, when I say, that February disappeared as quickly as it came? Or, is it just me? 

READ 

I finished ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life by Stacy Sims. I thought it was very good and had a lot of valuable information and I can see myself referring back to this book a lot going forward. 

COOKED

We made turkey cutlets with homemade sweet potato fries and roasted veggies quite a few times this month. So easy, so satisfying.
When we love something, we tend to make it over and over (do you do that, too?). Same goes for a heavily adapted, lighter version of Zuppa Toscana (I won’t even link to the original recipe, as we changed it quite a bit, but needless to say, it was a favorite around here). I am committed to making soup as often as I can before it gets too warm for hot soups (haha, I am typing this as our temperature hit close to 80F yesterday).

WATCHED

I watched part of the Academy Awards at the beginning of February and realized that I hadn’t seen any recent movies in, like, forever. To remedy that, I watched  “Marriage Story” on Netflix and am hoping to catch up on another few that won awards. Which ones have you seen and would recommend?

LISTENED TO 

I listened to a few guided runs on the  Nike Run Club App. I also listened to a lot of NPR this month. They always have such good coverage of the day-to-day news. Do you listen to your local public radio station?

BOUGHT

I bought a couple of new workout clothes on sale at Old Navy, running tights and a sports bra. I also got a BlenderBottle® (as I am experimenting with some protein powders) and some underwear from Target (TMI, ha). Oh, and we got flights to go down to SoCal in March.

RAN (and cycled)

I ran 55 miles and cycled 59 miles in February. This is up from January and I am happy about it. Let’s see how March goes.

GOING-ONS

+ In case you missed it, I finally (settled on) and shared my One Little Word® for this year: Cultivate. What’s yours?

+ There was some girl time this month! I got to meet my long-time IG and blog friend  Kathrin for the first time (after following each other online for quite a while) and I also got to see my friend Susi again and reunite with Ute, when she was visiting the Bay Area. 

+ I mentioned in one of my Five Things Friday posts that I attended an author training class at work earlier this month and it was so, so valuable.  At my work-place, publications are super-duper important and I honestly don’t know why nobody (as in, my supervisor(s)) had me take this class earlier).

+ I started half marathon training again a couple of weeks ago. I “merged” two training plans that I found online to make a plan that fits  my schedule and goals. I have to admit,  I am so, so happy to finally be following a training plan again. I do pretty well without a plan, but I just love the ease of not having to think about what kind of workout I’ll do on any given day, when I can simply follow a plan. 

+ I enjoyed the beautiful spring weather that we had here in Northern California (although it was also one of driest Februarys in history and that’s never a good look!). I was able to run in t-shirts and get out my sandals. 

+ Are you at all following the primaries? I know, some people are tuning out and I am going back and forth between trying to stay in the know and just waiting to see what happens. I am so glad we’re part of Super Tuesday voting this year. California deserved a more prominent voting spot in the primary season. I already cast my ballot, but I can’t wait to see what happens.

How was your February?

Women’s retreat at Tahoe

filed under: holidays, recap, travel, weekend

My friend Susi invited me along for a girls’ weekend with some of her mom friends from German School. We were headed to Tahoe over the MLK holiday weekend and stayed at U’s vacation home in Truckee. I was thrilled to get up to the mountains during winter time and very thankful that I was invited to come along. 

It’s always a little awkward when you join a group of people that you mostly don’t know and my introverted self was a little bit anxious, but as so often, the worry was unnecessary and dissipated quickly once we had all introduced each other. We ended up having a really great time.

We arrived around 6 pm at Friday night in a winter wonderland. I couldn’t have been happier. 

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We had previously talked about things we wanted to do while we were there, and besides some outdoor activities during the day, we had all agreed on just hanging out at the house, cooking together, puzzling, reading, knitting/crocheting, and just enjoying each others’ company.

We also played Cards Against Humanity, which I had heard about, but had never played before. Well, let’s just say that it’s true that it’s “a party game for horrible people”, because some of the card statements made me either blush or drop my jaw. However, I am wondering what it says about me that I didn’t just win this game once, but twice over the weekend. 

As J noted: still waters run deep. 

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Some of the women went cross country skiing on Saturday, while Susi and I and C hung out at the house. We went on a nice snow walk around the neighborhood and then started (the first of two) puzzle(s) when we got back.

The puzzle was really cool: the posters of all the U.S. National Parks. 

We started a second puzzle in the evening and everybody got involved.

On Sunday, Susi and I had planned to go downhill skiing, but the week before the getaway, Susi had injured her knee and couldn’t participate in any sporting activities. As I didn’t know if anyone else wanted to go, I wasn’t sure if I was going to get to go skiing after all, but luckily, three others wanted to go and so we headed over to Homewood Mountain Resort on the western shore of Lake Tahoe in the morning.

I have my ski boots here in California, but don’t own skis anymore, so I had to rent them and I almost toppled over backwards when I heard that they wanted $99 for just the ski rental for the day. Gosh, Tahoe’s expensive. But hey, there was no backing out now. 

Luckily, I had already bought the lift ticket for a discount at REI.

I was a little taken aback by the “outdatedness” of the ski resort. The ticket had to be scanned by hand (I was used to automatic scanners that read the ski ticket through your jacket) and when we got to the chair lift, it didn’t have a safety bar. I’ve never seen that in the Alps.

BUT: once I hit the slopes, it was blissful. Originally, we had planned to ski for a half day, but in the end, we spent 6 hours on the slopes. The others were beginners, so we took the easier runs most of the time, but that was fine with me. I was just happy to be skiing! The day was a little overcast, which was great because the snow stayed great the whole time. 

And the views! Just amazing! We kept going back for more and spent 6 hours on the slopes!


Sunday night was for a movie, a delicious dinner, and face masks before we all headed to bed. We had planned to head back home early on Martin Luther King Jr Day to beat the holiday traffic, so the last night was an early night for all of us.

It was a really great weekend though and I am so glad I was asked to come along!

Did you do something fun over the long holiday weekend?

Monthly Recap | January

filed under: my so-called life, recap

Can you believe that January is already over?  I feel like we just celebrated New Year’s Eve. Gah. I can’t be the only one. But here we are, it’s January, 31st and we’re doing the monthly recap. Let’s do this.

READ 

Three books! 2020 reading is off to a pretty good start. One of the books I read was “The love prison made and unmade” by Ebony Roberts, a memoir about the toll prison takes on people and their loved ones. Powerful and heart-breaking.

COOKED

I cooked roasted Japanese sweet potatoes for the first time (hint: they’re purple with white flesh) and they’re a beautiful mix between a sweet potato and a normal potato. You should give them a try. We also keep making this broccoli-chicken soup that I previously recommended.

WATCHED

I watched the Academy Awards (sort of) and the News (in small doses). I also watched a German movie (“Dancing Quietly”) and a German Christmas mini-series (“Holiday Secrets“) on Netflix at the beginning of the month. 

LISTENED TO 

I listened to a few episodes of  Pod Save America and also Michael Moore’s new podcast Rumble with Michael Moore. 

BOUGHT

I bought a new planner at the beginning of this month. And I used a gift card to buy two fitness and health books at Barnes and Noble. (I forgot how much fun actual book stores are. Note to self: go more often!) I also picked up a couple of dumbbell weights to use at home for strength workouts. Oh, and not to forget: tickets for Pearl Jam in the spring. Woot!

RAN (and cycled)

I ran 35 miles and cycled 51 miles. I mentioned this week that my goal is to run 600 miles this year, which would come out to 50 miles per month. I didn’t quite hit that number this month, but I am hoping to get some higher mileage months in the spring! 

GOING-ONS

+ I am so thrilled I got a VersaDesk at work. A little back story: I used to have a height-adjustable standing desk in my old office which I never really used much.  I had to give it up when I moved into the cubicle, but of course, instantly regretted that I never took advantage of it when I had it. When our safety officer sent out an email at the beginning of the month that a couple of VersaDesks were available, I instantly jumped on it. It’s a little big for my cubicle, but I’ve been working standing up for a couple of hours every day and I love it. 

+ As you already know, I went on a girls’ weekend retreat at Tahoe in January (yes, I am still planning to share a recap). I was nice to get away to the snow. It’s so strange because it never snows in Sacramento but you drive 1,5 hours east and we’re in a winter wonderland. I love it.

+ My friend Tanja and I set a goal to do two strength workouts at home during the week on the days when we don’t go to cycling or the gym. It’s great to have an accountability buddy to check in with and to keep each other motivated and on track! 

+ I trimmed my own hair. After complaining about how expensive it is to get my ends trimmed (even at the barber shop), I took matters into my own hands last week and just chopped off 2 inches of my hair myself. 

+ I finally made homemade granola again and used an adapted recipe with buckwheat. Have you ever tried it in granola? It has a nice crunch!

+ I mentioned in my Five Things Friday-post that one of our favorite restaurants has “50 Cent Wing Monday” and we didn’t only go once, but twice this month. How can you resist?

+ I’ve been trying to establish a new habit of taking more lunch break walks, especially on days when I don’t go to the gym or run outside. I work a desk job for 10+ hours a day, so it’s imperative that I get some extra steps in during the day!

+ Is anyone following the Impeachment Trial?  Of course, I am not watching the full day coverage, but what I see in the evenings is enough to want to pull my hair out. I cannot believe some of the arguments that are made! Is the president really above the law? How can a lawyer argue that if it’s in the interest of the country for the president to be re-elected, he can pretty much do anything? (I want to see that precedent stand when a Democrat is president again, which by the way, I think shouldn’t!) So yeah, as always, things are frustrating as hell on the political front. 

How was your January?

Tuesday Topics: My year of running 2019

filed under: fitness, recap, running, Tuesday Topics

It’s not too late to recap my running year 2019, or is it?

This was my 5th full year as a dedicated runner and I felt pretty good about my running year. Overall, it was a slower year than before. I ran fewer miles and fewer races, but I stayed – once again-  injury free, which I am so thankful for, and kept a pretty good exercise routine. 

I ran…

469 total miles (less than in the previous year, but I spent more time cross-training and cycled 450 miles),
3 official races – 1 Half Marathon, one 10k, one 5k,
no virtual races this year, and
no new PRs.

It definitely felt like I did a lot more, but these are the official numbers. Two local half marathons that I had planned to run last year, I had to cancel because I traveled overseas to see family instead (it was an easy decision, haha).  Sometimes, your priorities shift and that’s ok. 

Best race experience:  Running towards the Golden Gate Bridge during the SF 1st half marathon this summer. Since the race is in July and very early in the morning, the bridge is usually covered in fog, but we got really lucky this year and had a beautiful, almost fog free view with sunshine and blue skies!

Best run: I love the runs that feel light and easy (ha, who doesn’t?!).

Running High: Shaving off another couple of minutes of my SF half marathon PR on the 1st half course. 

Running Low: I had a few runs that I was totally excited for, but which felt hard and slow and where my breathing was off and/or my legs were heavy. These runs always make me question if I should continue this running thing (but don’t worry, that feeling usually doesn’t last very long).

Best piece of new running gear: I won a $50 Lululemon giftcard and splurged on some Lululemon Speed Up Shorts* this summer. I didn’t really get any other new running gear to rave about. 

Best running advice that I received this year: Listen to your body. I dealt with some weird symptoms (racing heart, heartburn) in the late summer after my half marathon and even though everything checked out fine at the doctor’s and didn’t seem to be related to running at all, I scaled back my training and took it easy for a while.

Most inspirational runner walker: My husband. He’s not a runner,  but he’s gotten into a pretty regular walking routine and he participated in his first 5k at the Davis Moo-nlight Run. I was so proud of him.

Favorite picture from a race: 

Race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: I ran my first Turkey Trot this year (I know! Don’t ask!) and definitely want to do that again. It’s just amazing to see so many people turn out for a Thanksgiving run/walk! 

If you could wrap up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? I am thankful for every mile. 

It doesn’t matter how may races you run (in my case, not many at all last year) or how many PRs you achieve (no new ones), in the end, running is about commitment, staying active and healthy, and enjoying your self in the process. If your heart is not in and you feel “pressured” to (do any) exercise, it won’t be sustainable.

Thanks for all the support this year. I’ve come to love the running blog and Instagram community! 

How was your year of running? Any highs or lows you’d like to share?

I am linking up again with  Kookyrunner and Zenaida  for Tuesday Topics.

* #notanad, This is not a sponsored post. I have not been compensated by the brand or anyone else for linking the websites.

A year in review: 2019

filed under: my so-called life, recap, review

I cannot believe how fast 2019 came and went.  If I had to sum the year up in a few words, it would be the year of reuniting with family and friends.  I got to go to Germany in the spring to see one of my best friends get married, I reunited with not one, not two, not three, but four old friends, and attended my nephew’s first communion.

I got to hang out with  some “local” (as in, Californian) friends this year, I kept running many miles and also added cycling to my routine. In October, we were able to go back to Germany a second time last fall to surprise my parents for their birthdays. 

I started this year with being furloughed for 5 weeks, but also finally secured a permanent position at my job, and Jon and I went on a few weekend trips this year. Here’s what else happened in 2019. 

JANUARY

In January, I welcomed the new year. I recapped our Christmas and my year of running 2018.  I was furloughed and a bit consumed by it. For Tuesday Topics, I talked about how I fuel for a run and how I deal with stinky running clothes. I shared a list of things I wanted to do in 2019.

FEBRUARY

In February,  I chose my word for the year. I shared our 2018 spending report. I also talked about why I (still) love running and the books I read in January.

MARCH

In March, I celebrated my birthday and got a new bike.  I shared my favorite moments of the previous year. I talked about my sleep and my favorite non-fitness hobbies.  I also spent a weekend in Southern California with my friend Tanja and took my first spinning class. 

APRIL

In April, I shared my favorite cross training activities and my travel carry-on essentials as I was getting ready for my trip to Germany. I shared my Germany bucket list and then traveled to Germany and saw one of my best friends get married and reunited with a few more friends that I hadn’t seen in a while.

MAY

In May, I was able to attend my my nephew’s first communion. I posted a recipe for an amazing tortellini soup and Jon and I went to see NKOTB’s Mixtape Tour. I also talked about how you survive your first cycling class.

JUNE

In June, I talked about what you can do to get over emotional jetlag and shared some more memories from my trip home. We spent a day in Napa with friends and I shared some thoughts on running for Global Running Day. We also tried a new gnocchi recipe.

JULY



In July, we had a big earthquake in Southern California that we felt in Sacramento. Jon completed his first 5k at the Davis Moo-nlight Run. I shared some awkward & awesome things, showed you some new running products that I had tried, and spent the last weekend of the month in SF to run the SF Half Marathon for the 4th time.

AUGUST

In August, I made milk rice a lot, because it’s my favorite summer treat. I talked about the intricacy of friendship and took an overnight trip with Jon to the North Bay. I also posted about my favorite running shoes for Tuesday Topics.

SEPTEMBER


In September, I told you about my 6 favorite skin care products and explained how I pick which book to read next. For Tuesday Topics, I shared my thoughts on taper time and running pet peeves.

OCTOBER

In October, I shared how to pull off a birthday surprise when Jon and I traveled to Germany to surprise my parents for their 70’s birthday party.  I also talked about staying sane at the grocery store,  shared some of my favorite Friends quotes, and why you should read books (and watch movies) in their native language. I posted about what else was currently going on in October.

NOVEMBER

November was NaBloPoMo and I participated for the last decade, so I wasn’t going to break the streak. I told you about my parent’s ‘Oktoberfest-style” birthday bash, shared some of my little everyday luxuries, and answered some of your questions.

For Tuesday Topics, I talked about my warm-up routine and how I budget for races. We spent a weekend in Ventura and I finally showed you some pictures of our duplex. I organized the 4th annual Secret Santa Mug Swap and asked for your addresses again in my Holiday Card Roll Call.

I compiled another fun list of German idioms and told you who I am at the moment and what I am thankful for in 2019. I shared a few recipes for German Chicken Fricassee, Greek Gyro Salad, super-simple, super-delicious apple cake, and light spinach pappardelle alfredo.

DECEMBER

In December, I shared our Thanksgiving weekend with you.  I posted a Christmas Wish List (just for fun!) and talked about the holiday season. I shared how we spent Christmas this year and what else was going on in December.

Share some highlights of 2019 with me in the comments! And thanks for always reading and commenting here. Your support means the world to me.

RECAPS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS:

2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

Monthly recap | December

filed under: my so-called life, recap

READ 

I finished one book that I had already started in November and then started a second one, but only got halfway through before my library loan expired. So yeah, reading hasn’t been a priority this month, but I am planning on finding my reading mojo again in 2020. 

COOKED

We fell in love with this broccoli-chicken soup (you should make it!) and we added some potatoes to it, which was a great choice. We also tried a new ravioli ‘lasagna’ recipe. 

WATCHED

We watched quite a few Christmas movies. Not all that I had on my list, but at least some of my favorites. 

LISTENED TO 

I listened to Christmas music and a few episodes of  Pod Save America!

BOUGHT

I invested into a small electric kettle for my office, so I could make tea (while I was taking a coffee break) and I don’t know what took me so long because it’s way nicer to make a fresh cup of tea at work than taking a thermos.

I also bought Christmas gifts (who is surprised), a mug for the Secret Santa Mug Swap, a planner for Jon (I can’t tell you how excited I am that my husband is a planner!) and a new pair of jeans and a fleece jacket (because I am always cold).

I also finally decided on a new planner for myself, which wasn’t an easy decision, but with the new year approaching fast, I had no choice. (I’ll tell you more in a separate post.)

RAN (and cycled)

I ran 59 miles and cycled 48 miles this month. My overall running mileage this year was significantly down from last year, which was partly due to the fact that I picked up cycling, which replaced one of my running days without an extra day added to my routine. Contemplating how to change things up in 2020. 

GOING-ONS

+ December went by quickly somehow, but I tried to enjoy the heck out of the holiday season. I got to see my friend Susi for a day, I baked Christmas cookies and sent Christmas cards (and loved receiving them).

+ I visited my giraffe friends when I was over in our old neighborhood and I hope they were as excited to see me as I was about seeing them.

+ I took a break from drinking coffee for 3 weeks while I was on round of Nexium. I was hoping to nip my GERD issues in the butt (and I think I did. It took about 10 days for symptoms to finally go away, but I have since reintroduced coffee and so far – fingers crossed – things are good. I don’t think coffee was the issue in the first place, but I’ll definitely be more vigilant of any returning symptoms.)

+ I organized the 4th annual Secret Santa Mug Swap 2019 and it was so much fun to send a little surprise package to someone during the holiday season, and I got a beautiful mug (see above!) and extra goodies myself!  I’m still planning to post a reveal-wrap up post soon.

+ President Trump got impeached and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry… laugh, because thank God, the House finally DID SOMETHING, or cry, because the motion will most likely die in the Senate. Sigh. But hey, at least he gave federal employees Christmas Eve off (in what is probably a self-serving decision because he’s trying to ‘buy’ our votes or something). 

+ Because Christmas (and New Year’s) fell on Wednesdays this year, I took two vacation days after the holidays and, since Fridays are my “regular days off” (keep in mind, I work 10 hour days normally), I got two long weekends out of it. Double win! 

+ We saw our friends for dinner just before the new year and I met up with my old neighbor friend for a mani + pedi in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve to catch up. 

How was your December?

Monthly Recap | November

filed under: my so-called life, recap

READ 

I only read just one book.  It’s still slow going around here when it comes to reading, but I am keeping at it. Review to come. 

COOKED

A hen for Thanksgiving with mashed potatoes, stuffing and green beans. We also cooked quite a few soups and stews, and as always, pasta dishes. We do like carbs around here. You should give this light alfredo a try! 

WATCHED

I haven’t watched much TV lately to be honest, just the usual Sunday night 90-day fiancé guilty pleasure for some brainless entertainment. Ha. But, we did watch our first Christmas movie of the season over Thanksgiving weekend. More to come. 

LISTENED TO 

I listened to NPR in the car, does that count? I also caught up on a couple of podcast episodes by my journalist-friend who lives in India right now. It’s been interesting to learn more about her life there through her reporting.

BOUGHT

We bought some new Asics sneakers for Jon. I bought some candles, a new workout shirt, and a mug for the Secret Santa Mug Swap that I am hosting again. 

RAN (and cycled)

I ran 35 miles and cycled another 55 miles. I am hoping to improve my running mileage again soon, but for now I am happy with what I get done. 

GOING-ONS

+ As you might have noticed, I spent a lot of time on this good ol’ blog of mine in November, as I was participating in NaBloPoMo again (as I have for many years). It’s always a fun exercise in getting back into a writing habit.

+ I’ve been struggling with what the doctor determined are some minor GERD issues. I don’t have typical heartburn, as in acid reflux, just an achy stomach and weird sensations in the chest and I just want it to go away. I haven’t been able to nail down what causes it, so I’ve been using Tums, when needed, and I am trying some diet changes to see if that helps.

+ We spent a weekend in Ventura to visit Jon’s family. It had been a while since we were down there and it was good to visit some familiar places (aka the beach and pier!). 

+ We got the first real rain of the season and it’s been a long way coming. California needs the rain and the atmospheric river that hit us this last weekend was just what we needed. A period of light, but steady rain.

+ I contemplated ditching cable and signing up for Sling or Hulu TV. In the end though, Internet access alone (+ taxes and equipment fees) and one of these two services wouldn’t have been much cheaper than the setup that we currently have, which is kinda disappointing, because I was hoping to save some money, as our cable package went up in price again. I just wished that cable companies valued their long term customers as much as they do new customers and would offer some deals for us as well.

+ I finally ran the Run to Feed the Hungry Turkey Trot here in Sacramento this year, the largest turkey trot in the nation. I am so glad I finally got around to it, because I had been talking about it for years.

How was your November?

Monthly recap | October

filed under: my so-called life, recap


READ 

October was busy and reading was slow. I finished one book. 

COOKED

I tried a new ravioli dish that we liked okay but isn’t necessarily worth sharing. However, I did bake a nice apple pie for Jon’s birthday that we both loved. It was delicious and I’ll have to share the recipe in a future post.

WATCHED

We watched the season finales of ‘Before the 90-days’ and ‘90-days – The Other Way’ because it’s just the brainless TV I need at the end of a long day.

I also watched a couple of German movies when I was in Germany and a dubbed (*shudder*) version of ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ (the things you’ll do for your niece and nephew! Haha.)

LISTENED TO 

As always, not much new. I listened to a few episodes of  Pod Save America. 

BOUGHT

Of course, we brought back some food items from Germany. I also purchased a couple of birthday gifts for Jon, a TubShroom, more NUUN, and some new Jockey shirts for Jon. I also ordered pair of ankle boots for me online that haven’t arrived yet. I rarely buy shoes online (unless I have previously tried them on somewhere), so I hope these will fit and are somewhat close to what I am expecting IRL.

RAN

I ran 25 miles and cycled 48 miles this month. I had good intentions when I was in Germany to go for a run or two, but we got a lot of rain and to be honest, I had other priorities while I was there. That’s how it goes.

GOING-ONS

+ As you already know, we spent the first half of the month in Germany, surprising my parents for their birthday party! It was the best decision and I still relish every minute that we had with my family.

+ We went to dinner at my favorite pizza place back home and I had the best (I am not exaggerating!) tomato soup and my favorite pizza with tuna. Yum. I also got to eat some Italian yogurt gelato (which is totally different from frozen yogurt) while I was in Germany. 

+ Shortly after our return, we celebrated Jon’s 37 birthday. I baked a birthday (apple) cake and we had a nice and lazy day (as per the birthday boy’s wishes). 

+ I went for my first mammogram ever this month. I guess, I am at that age now. It wasn’t as horrible or painful for me as some women make it out to be. Just one extra preventive care measure that I am happily picking up.

+ I had my performance review at work, my first annual review with my new supervisor. It went very well overall. I am still frustrated with my work situation right now (I don’t have enough work to fill my time), but I am hoping that will change again soon.   

+ I am back to my gym routine. It’s hard to get back into, but it’s always worth it (and necessary, I might add).

+ We’ve been enjoying the first glimpses of fall. Cool nights and mornings, sunny blue skies during the day. We haven’t been impacted by smoke/bad air quality from the fires so far, which – I am crossing my fingers – will hopefully stay this way.

+ My niece turned 11. I still remember when she was a toddler, forming the first hilarious words and sentences, and here she is, sassy and so grown up, and almost on the cusp of puberty. Can someone slow down time, please? 

+ It was my 9-year Instagram-iversary. I can’t believe I’ve been using this platform for almost a decade. When did you post your first Instagram picture? Go look and tell me what it was! (Mine was coffee.)

How was your October?

Monthly Recap | September

filed under: my so-called life, recap


READ 

I finished another 7 books this month and I am cautiously hopeful that I got my reading mo-jo back. (Psst, I don’t want to jinx it.)

COOKED

I made this soup at least three times already, and I am so excited that fall is around the corner and more soups, stews, and casseroles will return to our weekly meal plan soon! What are your favorite recipes for fall?

WATCHED

I half-heartedly followed the news (I used to be so dedicated to a news hour in the evenings, but lately, I opt for other things)… but this impeachment inquiry has me all, dare I say, hopeful?

LISTENED TO 

As always, not much new. I listened to a few episodes of  Pod Save America. and also downloaded a few episodes of This American Life.

BOUGHT

I haven’t been much of a random shopper lately, I’ve become a lot more intentional with my money. I mean, who goes to Michaels and Home Goods and walks away without buying a damn thing? Unheard of! I did buy a new cardigan for fall (well, technically, I didn’t buy it as it was paid for with a gift card!) and a couple of new basic t-shirts.

RAN

I upped my mileage a bit again this month and ran 29 miles. Still a pretty low mileage month for me, but including my cycling mileage, I made it to over 100 miles and I am pretty happy with that. I feel like I have to put a race on the calendar though, so I can start a new training cycle and stick to a training plan again.

GOING-ONS

+ I had to take my laptop to the Apple Store this month, because I noticed a problem with my keyboard. The space bar would randomly add two spaces when only pressed once and it was getting super-annoying to constantly fix that. You know, when you type a lot, you need the space bar to function properly. Turns out, it was a known problem and I got the keyboard replaced for free. Turn-around time was 48 hours, which I thought was good.

+ My Dad celebrated his 70’s birthday this month. Seventy! I can’t wrap my head around it. Where does the time go? I wish I could have been there to hug him. It’s hard to be so far away for big milestones like that.

+ We hung out with friends on two different occasions this month, which was nice.

+ We went to the German Brauhaus, Low Brau, this month and shared a big sausage platter. Damn, food’s been getting more expensive in Sacramento, but those sausages were worth every penny. They were so good.

+  I got a pedi with a friend. 

+  J got a haircut + beard trim and I got my hair cut as well this month (and I screamed at the price for my trim. Long-haired ladies, where do you go and what do you pay for, literally just having your ends trimmed, no wash, no blow-out, no nothing?).

+ My co-worker brought in donuts the other week. If you know me, you know that I NEVER have donuts. Well, I make the occasional exception. This one up there (the one with the sugar coat) reminds me of the German “Berliner”, so I had to have one, but after eating it, I’ve been good (and on a sugar high) for at least the next 12 months. Haha.

How was your September?

Monthly recap | August

filed under: my so-called life, recap


READ 

You guys, I read 6 books this month. Six! I don’t know what changed but I have apparently  found a way to incorporate more reading into my day-to-day again, and I am not mad about it. Come back on Thursday for my book recap!

COOKED

We tried a new recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs. The taste was really good, but J and I agreed that the meatballs and curry somehow didn’t go together.

I also cooked a pot of milk rice every weekend. Haha.

WATCHED

We watched ‘Peter Rabbit‘, the news (mainly MSNBC  and CNN) and a quite a few episodes of all the 90-day fiancé spin-offs on TLC. We also watched a couple of episodes of “The Zoo: San Diego” on Animal Planet. I wish we could pick out and dedicate our focus to a series right now, but it’s not where we are at.

LISTENED TO 

I listened to “Pod Save America”, and an episode of the “Runners who wine” podcast. I am trying hard to branch out and try new things, you guys, but I just don’t know when to listen (other than on my long  runs).

BOUGHT

I didn’t do much, if not to say, almost no shopping this month. The only unplanned item I picked up was a multi-color felt ball garland at World Market (just because I had a 20% off coupon and it was pretty and I had eyed it for a while), but other than that we only spent fun money on our weekend trip and eating out. No other frivolous buys this month.

RAN

August was a very low mileage month for me. I took some time off after my last half marathon and was feeling a little exhausted overall, so I listened to my body and gave it some extra rest. I still got out for a couple of runs towards the end of the month and I am hoping to pick up some more miles again in September.

GOING-ONS

+ I feel like August flew by. Just me?

+ I worked a bit on my knitting, but it’s been slow, as it always is in the summer when it’s really hot.

+ We took an overnight trip to the North Bay this month and it was so good to  get away. 

+ We tried a new Thai restaurant with some friends. The food was really good, comparable to the Thai place that we usually go to, but prices were more expensive ($14 for Thai Fried Rice? Really?), the place was loud, and service was only so-so. I  don’t think we’ll be back.

+ I was on call for Jury Duty for a week this month, but ended up not getting called in. Part of me was glad about it, part of me wanted to see how things go at the courts these days. The last time  I was called for Jury Duty was 5 years ago, when I almost ended up on the jury of a murder trial.

+ We’ve been enjoying  the summer. I spent my Saturday mornings in our backyard and it’s just so damn nice to have an outdoor place to hang out (whenever the temperatures are not in the triple digits). 

+ We finally harvested our first tomato for this year. It took forever to get a ripe tomato on our single tomato plant. Hopefully, the other tomatoes on the vine (10 right now) will follow suit. 

How was your August?

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