October 28, 2011

What is it?

We had this THING sitting on our kitchen counter for a few weeks. My dad gave it to my kids and told them it was an apple he picked from their new apple tree. It's not an apple. It's about the size of a cantaloupe, but it's shaped like an apple, and it has the coloring of a watermelon.

My dad was just teasing the kids about the apple, but they believed him. This morning, I told Jerry to go throw it out in the trash outside, but the kids threw a fit. They wanted to eat it, because they were sure it was an apple. I said it was a very under-ripe watermelon, because it was hard and too small to be a ripe watermelon. Jerry thought it was a pumpkin of some sort.

Naturally, we decided to cut it open and find out. I got my biggest kitchen knife, and pressed down to slice it open--and it didn't even leave a dent. Jerry gave it a try and couldn't cut into it either. So what does one do in that situation? Take it outside and slam it on the ground to break it open, of course!

First, the before pic:
I just woke up, so don't judge how I look!
Jerry did the honors of throwing it on the ground. We heard a thump, and then it rolled. It barely split the skin!
After the first slam on the ground
He chucked it harder this time, and a sprinkling of seeds came out!
The seeds looked unfamiliar to all of us
I was still convinced it was a watermelon that just hadn't grown. I figured the seeds blacken as the watermelon gets riper. Then Jerry threw it again, and finally, it split open...
I was sticking with my guess, and Jerry was just dumbfounded. We gave up, and just threw it in the woods. All of this before the kids even got ready for school!  When my dad came over to walk the kids to the bus stop (he likes to do that in the mornings), we told him the story, and he laughed and told us it was a gourd that my mom picked up at the farmer's market. I have no idea what people do with those things!


I feel like I was so unproductive all day, and the time went by too fast. I went grocery shopping this morning, and then I was sorting through old pictures and scanning them to my computer, which took forever. I cleaned a little and did a load of laundry. And suddenly, it's almost time for the kids to get home.

I was sore this morning when I woke up (from the classes I did with Jessica yesterday), so I decided not to run today. And it was FREEZING outside--literally, because the grass was all frozen and there was frost all over everything. My car door even stuck a little when I opened it.

I don't like this for two reasons: 1) I'm flying in an airplane in a few days, and I am terrified of the thought of frost on the airplane or the runway (even though they "deice the plane" it's scary); and 2) Because I feel like we just barely got to Fall, and now the weather is winter-like outside. It's not even Halloween and my kids wore winter coats to school today.

Remember how I said I had a bad headache when I was running a couple of days ago? Well, it never went away. The past two days, I seriously was in so much pain that I was just lying on the couch every spare moment I had. Then Jerry mentioned yesterday that maybe it's caffeine withdrawal--and it made so much sense!

I've ALWAYS had two cups of coffee in the mornings, and a few days ago, I quit altogether. Coffee makes me jittery, and I was so nervous and anxious as it was, that I figured I should quit coffee until all this stress goes away. So I haven't had any since. *Cue headache* Today, I still have a faint headache, but nothing like it was the past two days. It kind of makes me not want to start drinking coffee again!

17 comments:

  1. Yep, definitely caffeine withdrawal. When I had my son they accidentally tapped some spinal fluid (gag) and I had the worst headache EVER and the nurse suggested drinking anything with caffeine. In fact, most over-the-counter migraine meds are loaded with caffeine.

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  2. I get headaches if I eat even the mildest bit of caffeine (like those Dove Promises), so I can believe it! I'm glad to hear it's getting better.

    And that gourd is just wild.

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  3. Hi Katie! I found your blog a few months ago via Krista Berg's and have to say I really enjoy it. Especially when you drop the f-bomb and talka bout wine- two of my favorite things!
    I had to comment on this one because I went through the same thing and was shocked to figure out it was caffeine withdrawl. I didn't even start drinking coffee until my 30's and swore I'd NEVER be one of those "I gotta have my coffee" people. SO when I decided that I was drinking too much caffeine (coffee, unsweet iced tea, diet coke) and wanted to cut back I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal - WRONG! Apparently I have become a person who needs her coffee :-) Anyway - good luck with your trip and with the Dr. Oz show- I'm sure you'll do great!

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  4. Ug....that caffeine withdrawal can be nasty! And the story of the gourd cracked me up, especially your kid's attachment to it. So cute! Have a great Friday, hope you feel better!!!!

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  5. As soon as I saw the picture I figured it was a gourd! People use them to decorate their houses in the Fall around here. I don't even know if you can eat them...can you?! I'll have to google it! haha. That made me laugh. Kids are so funny too. I asked Haven what street my mom and dad live on, and she said Cantaloupe Dr. They live on Camelot Dr. LMAO! I called my mom and told her this morning and she was cracking up! I'm pretty sore today too. We did legs on Wednesday and arms on Thursday at bootcamp. I dread walking up the stairs!! It's one of those love/hate relationships with being sore from working out. Oooh...caffeine headaches are so awful, but it will get better! I used to drink a lot of diet coke back in the day, and every time I drank less or stopped drinking it I would get major headaches. Don't have to deal with it now since I only drink water or milk/choc milk! =) Hope you feel better soon and that you have a great weekend! SO excited for your trip to NY. Have you been there before? I want to go there so bad!

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  6. I live on extra strength excedrin (for headaches). It is full of caffeine! When I had to go off it to have surgery I had headaches too.

    Feel better soon! :)

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  7. Hey, I just noticed the laser-eyed cat behind you in the picture!

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  8. Love my coffee....couldn't go with out. However, I use to be a one Diet Coke a day kind of girl and now that I drink about 2 cups of coffee a day I don't drink the Diet Coke! IN fact, I don't really drink any soda any more at all....that is unless I am mixing it with my little friend "Captain Morgan".

    HA!

    ;-)

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  9. Hey! It's an apple gourd! The guy we bought one from told us to let it dry out (pretty sure he said to throw it wherever and just let it go). Eventually, when you shake it and hear that it's dried out, you can clean it up and make a cool, apple shaped birdhouse out of it, kinda fun :).

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  10. Lol a gourd!!! I'm glad you found out what it is! I've never seen anything like that before. I was like this is a joke, the seeds are mini candy corns! haha!

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  11. It sounds like the headaches are getting better, so that is good!!!! I haven't had caffeine in about a year, because I figured out it was making my son who I was nursing vomit. When I stop nursing I think I am going to stick to decaf. I have read some research about caffeine and running, and it seems like the benefit of caffeine before a race are more pronounced for non-coffee drinkers.
    ~Laura

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  12. That is a really neat gourd!

    I got the same withdrawal when I stopped drinking coffee. I haven't started back up again

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  13. Katie-sorry about the headache. I've never liked coffee, but do drink tea occasionally, and used to LOVE regular Pepsi. Now my diet soda drink of choice is either diet root beer or diet Squirt, neither of which have any caffeine at all. So I dodged a caffeine headache somehow. I know there's way less caffeine in soda than there is in coffee or tea.

    That was one weird looking gourd, but in that picture, you look FANTASTIC. SKINNY as hell. How do you do that--and you said you just got up??? WOW, must be nice.

    I mentioned your gockets and blog in my blog this morning. Hope that's okay.

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  14. I have never been a coffee drinker, but I definitely like soda a little too much. I have gone off soda at least 3-4 times and every time I have a horrible headache for a couple days, just like you described. I actually feel bad or about a week and then I start to feel better. It sounds like you are through the worst of it!

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  15. LOL that really does look like a watermelon. Pretty cool!
    You look GREAT in the picture by the way.

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  16. I've gone through the caffeine withdrawal, it sucks! Nearly as bad as sugar withdrawals! That is one neat looking gourd, too bad you had to smash it to try and figure out what the heck it was! Lol.

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  17. I quit caffeine over 6 years ago and went through those headaches for about 3 weeks but I was a serious addict. Once I got through that part of it I have never looked back. I also used to get a lot of migraines (2x per month or more) and since giving up caffeine I get maybe 2 per year. It's definitely been great for me. :)

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