Bitten By the Running Bug (and a TON of photos)

One of the unfortunate characteristics of having bipolar disorder is that my thoughts tend to go all over the place. They jump from one thing to the next and I really have to concentrate if I want to stay on topic. As you know from reading my blog, I tend to write exactly how I think...

...all over the place ;)

So, this post is going to be a bunch of jumbled thoughts that came to me recently. Hopefully they will make sense.

It's been 208 days since I started walking five miles a day (yes, I mention it frequently because I'm proud of it!) and somewhere around Day 60 or so (or maybe Day 100 or Day 25, I don't remember) I got the urge to run a little. Not because I felt like I "should" or because I wanted to step up my workout. It was for no reason other than a primal feeling in my legs.

 I had Joey with me, and while I have run with him before, I was actually in shape back then. Trying to wrangle a dog and run while totally out of shape would have been more difficult a challenge than I wanted to take on at the time. 

However, there were a few times in the following months where I just had to give into that urge. I only ran for one mile at a time (I walked two miles, ran one, walked one, then ran the last). I felt completely out of shape and my legs felt like Jello (or maybe lead would be better), my boobs felt too big (ugh, I miss having small boobs!), and I jiggled a lot in areas I don't remember jiggling the last time I ran. But I did it, and it's been on my mind here and there ever since.

Joey loves his long walks, and I would feel super guilty taking those away; so I started thinking of compromises (walk him a few miles, then do a run by myself). If I could get back in shape, then I'll just run with him, but that would be too difficult physically for me now.

I wrote a few days ago how I ended up using the treadmill a few times last week and that I came up with a little mind game to play with myself to make the five mile walk go by faster--and it involved some running. I found that I missed how my legs felt after a run.

I got an email recently from a woman named Beth Probst who said that she started reading my blog many years ago when she, a self-proclaimed "fat girl", decided to start running. Lo and behold, she really took off with it and went on to run a dozen or more half-marathons--all while being a "non-serious plus-size runner". She did not lose weight, but she started from the couch and became a half-marathoner!

She was writing me because she wrote a book about her journey and was wondering if I'd like to read it. It's called "It Could Be Worse: A Girlfriends Guide for Runners Who Detest Running". It absolutely sounded like something I'd enjoy, so of course I wanted to read it. (I won't write much about the book here, because she plans to write a guest post for my blog soon!)

While reading, that tiny little voice coming from somewhere deep in my brain made me start getting the itch to run again. As I read her book, I thought more and more of the things that I miss about running.

Today, I had the thought, "I'm going to write a post called 'What I Miss About Running' today on my blog! And now, as I sat down to write, I thought I'd better check to make sure I hadn't already written one.

Turns out I did, back in 2019. And it was a damn good post!

So, I can't exactly write the same thing. But you can read about it here if you want. It all holds true.

Anyway, the running seed had been planted in my mind months ago, and it's been growing. Then reading Beth's book made me feel ALL the feels about running. You know when you first have a crush on someone, and they are all you can think about? Well, I'm starting to get that little spark back about running!

Finishing Beth's book made me think all the manic bipolar thoughts: sign up for a dozen races right this minute, write a training plan, read the past three years of Runner's World that I never read but saved for some reason, buy all the running clothes, and announce that I am a runner again!

But thankfully, my medication gives me a reality check when I really need it, so I am being rational.

Because of the COVID pandemic, I can't really plan on any races. But when I felt that excitement about running just from reading a book, I want to feel that excitement again all the time. I used to LOVE all things running (well, except actually doing it, haha!)--reading books, articles, blogs, and magazines about it; writing blog posts about my training; writing training plans; coaching cross country; following runners on social media; and basically living and breathing as a runner.

I miss being a runner. And there is no reason I can't be a runner again--all it takes is running. I don't have to be fast, I don't have to run races, I don't have to run dozens of miles at a time. I can get the most enjoyment out of it as possible.

Here's what I know for a fact: It ain't gonna be easy. 

(The photo above, in 2010, was my first 5K under 30 minutes)

When I first started running in spring of 2010, I was huffing and puffing like I was going to die after just a minute or two. I thought that there was no way I'd ever be able to run a mile! And just a year later, I ran a half marathon in two hours and ten minutes.

In Beth's book, she mentions a book called 'Grit' by Angela Duckworth, and she quoted "...nobody wants to show you the hours of becoming. They’d rather show the highlight of what they’ve become.”

I LOVE THAT. It's especially apparent in weight loss success stories. You see the amazing before and after photos and read the recap of their stories, but you don't actually see the "becoming" a success. You only see "before" and "after". The bad and the good. The old and the new. Not the actual changes being made.

From afar, when I started Runs for Cookies (almost 10 years ago!), one might look at it and think that I lost 125 pounds and became a half-marathoner and life was just peachy--I figured it all out and I was doing great.

In reality, I worked my ASS off, making decisions day after day to help me get to my goals, sacrificing a lot of quick satisfactions for long-term successes. Nobody saw that struggle inside of my head when I was dying to quit but I forced myself to keep going. They only saw the highlight of what I became. The before and the after.

I want to become a runner again. Maybe this is just another random bipolar thought that will pass, but it's been growing inside me for a while now and I think I'd like to start listening to it. And because I write every day, I'm going to have to include the "becoming" part--becoming a runner again and not just "I'm a walker today" and then a year from now, "I'm running a half-marathon today". (Don't quote that, it's just an example--I have no idea if I'll ever have the desire to run a half-marathon again.)

I downloaded Nita Sweeney's book, 'Depression Hates a Moving Target' (affiliate link), today and I'm going to listen to it again on my walks. (It's an AWESOME book, and she actually wrote a guest post for my blog--you can read it here. She is super kind and simply an amazing human being.) I remember how much it helped me while I was doing my 3-3-3 plan (running 3 miles, 3 times a week, for 3 months). I'm going to start following some runners on Instagram again, and maybe even flip through my Runner's World magazines.

Remember that time I was FEATURED IN Runner's World magazine? Can you even imagine the 2010 me, huffing and puffing, one day being in the world's most popular running magazine? Did that even happen?

When I surround myself with things about running, it makes me stay focused on it. It was the same with weight loss--when I was losing the weight (way back in 2009-2010), I read a lot of weight loss success stories, weight loss blogs, etc. Not as an obsession, but just something to keep my goal at the front of my mind.

I don't have a plan--yet--about getting back into being a runner, but I know it's something I'd like to do. I'm not in a rush and I want to enjoy the process, so it may take some time. But this time, I'm looking forward to it. I want to experience those things that I miss about running!

And here are a TON of photos from my running days that make me happy :)  (I won't explain each one, but if you've been reading my blog for a while, you may recognize many of them!)

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My February Book Review: 'In An Instant' by Suzanne Redfearn (no spoilers)

For the year-long 'Friends'-themed read-athon, February's prompt was to choose a book from your "backlist". I have a LOT of unread books on my Kindle (mostly Amazon First Read books that I get for free each month). When I get to choose one each month, I pick the one that sounds most interesting to me, but then I forget about it. So, I decided to pick one of those from a year ago.

I chose a book called 'In An Instant' by Suzanne Redfearn (Amazon affiliate link). I literally knew nothing about it when I started reading, which actually makes it more interesting to me. When I read reviews, even ones that don't contain spoilers, it tends to sway my opinion of the book before I've even read a single page, and I don't like that. (Yes, this is ironic, considering I'm writing a review. However, I don't have a super strong opinion of this book.)

As always, I will not have any real spoilers in this post.

Here is the description from the editor:

"A deeply moving story of carrying on even when it seems impossible.

Life is over in an instant for sixteen-year-old Finn Miller when a devastating car accident tumbles her and ten others over the side of a mountain. Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to survive.

Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?

Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on…even when it seems impossible."

The story is told from the point-of-view of Finn, a 16-year old girl who dies in an auto accident at the beginning of the book. She is in the car with her parents, her brother, one of her two sisters, their dog, her best friend, a close neighbor/friend-couple and their daughter, and a young male hitchhiker they picked up while driving. The camper goes over a cliff and winds up in a very remote area. It happens to be freezing cold and snowing, and none of the family is prepared for that type of weather.

The story is full of scruples--situations where characters are torn between making decisions that will have major consequences--good or bad. I was sad, surprised, angry, proud, and upset with some of the decisions that were made. Of course, I've not been in their situation, so I can't say what I would do when facing the moral dilemmas they did.

"More was revealed in that single tragic night than was revealed in a lifetime." - This quote stuck out to me because it is so very true. From Finn's perspective, the decisions each character made when faced with a challenge showed more about them than anything she'd ever known about them. Because she was dead, she could see everything that happened, while the rest of the family only saw bits and pieces.

Something else I highlighted: "...regret is the most difficult emotion to live with, but in order to have regret, you need to have a conscience: an interesting paradox that allows the worst of us to suffer the least in the aftermath of wrongdoing."

That's is super powerful! When reading the book, we realize that the "worst" people (i.e. people without a conscience) suffer the least after a tragedy in which they have to make life or death decisions that affect other people. The people with a conscience may make good or bad choices, but they live with them and either feel good about them or regret them (the latter causing a lifetime of suffering).

Overall, I really liked the story. I only gave it three stars on Goodreads, however. (Let it be known that I am VERY stingy about how many stars I give!). The reason for the three stars is because the book didn't make me feel like I just couldn't stop reading. There wasn't a "whodunit" or something that I just had to find out. I wouldn't call it a "page turner". It did, however, keep me interested enough to choose the book over television or something else at night.

It was a very good story and the author notes in the end of the book that she got the idea for it based on a real experience that happened to her and her brother. It's sad to read!

Despite the three-star rating I gave it, I definitely recommend reading it. It makes you question your own scruples and wonder what you would do in a situation such as this. A good, thought-provoking read!

Here is the link to the book on Amazon (affiliate link):
Here is the link to the book on Goodreads

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Transformation Tuesday #13: A Weight Loss Transformation!

I have a special Transformation Tuesday today--it's a longer one, so I am going to give it its own post. I am a sucker for weight loss transformations, so this was fun to see and read about! As always, what works for one person is not going to work for everyone, which is why we each have to find what works for us individually. It's nice to read about how others achieve their goals, even if we just take away small bits of advice! This is an inspiring read from Martina...

---

"Obviously from the pics you will see my transformation is weight loss. I’ve been chubby all my life and was considered obese throughout most of my adult life. I have been on so many yo-yo diets and fad diets throughout my life that I could have paid for my house outright if I had re-directed that money! LOL

Anyway, all kidding aside, I empathize with anyone that is struggling with their weight or their eating habits. I was a mindless snacker, an “eat because I’m bored” and just a lover of food all around. I knew I was gaining weight but just put that thought aside and kept on eating anything and everything I wanted: Fast food drive throughs while on my lunch break. Too tired to cook so fast food was the answer. Wanting something to snack on so I opened the pantry and found whatever sweetness was in there. Often times, just grabbing handfuls of chocolate chips because I could.  

Am I ashamed for doing that? Not at all, because without those habits I wouldn’t have had to learn new ones that led to my healthy life. 

At my highest I was 265 pound and I’m not a tall girl by any means.  I’m 5’0 so having that weight on my frame was not healthy at all. I could have even weighed more because I got to a point where I refused to step on the scale anymore but I didn’t refuse to stop eating non-stop so I’m sure my weight was even higher :(

Like I said, I’ve yo-yo dieted all my life. Lose a lot, gain a lot more. Same vicious cycle for years until one year I decided I had had enough. I cleaned out my pantry and fridge of the foods I had grown to love and replaced them with healthier choices. I didn’t deprive myself of anything and still had my sweets but in moderation. 

This worked for me for a while and I lost a significant amount of weight but I stalled at about 100-pounds lost. That’s when I read and read and read about a keto lifestyle. I started the keto way of life about four years ago and haven’t looked back.

I lost another 25 pounds on keto and I’d still like to lose another 15 or so I think (I’m not sure what my current weight is as I stay away from the scale and focus on how I feel and how my clothes fit). Keto for me (I know it’s not for everyone) is the only thing that is sustainable in my life to help me keep control of my weight. I am rarely hungry and I still eat delicious foods.

I no longer struggle with guilt over what I put in my mouth and I actually eat now to nourish my body rather than eating to satiate boredom. I still have to work on incorporating exercise into my life. Slowly, I am. 

Here are a few pictures of my transformation. Success is possible if you put your mind to it."

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A Running Game to Pass the Time on the Treadmill

My five-mile per day walking streak is now up to Day 205. Almost ALL of the walks have been outside, but last week was ridiculously cold on a couple of days that I just couldn't stand the thought of going outside. The wind chill was below zero and the wind gusts were 30+ mph! I felt bad for Joey, but I chose to use the treadmill instead of walking outside with him.

As you know, I'm addicted to the game Best Fiends on my phone (I actually started playing it on my iPad instead). When I turned on my iPad to find a show to watch while I was on the treadmill, I saw the Best Fiends app and decided to see if I could play Best Fiends while I walked. I set the iPad on the treadmill console and it actually wasn't too hard to play--I was able to walk my usual pace of about 3.5 mph while playing. The time went by so much faster than when I watch a show.

Since I've been wanting to add a little running to my walks lately, I thought maybe I'd run during each 30-second ad that is on the game (about every 10 minutes or so). But then I thought of a better idea... I would walk while playing Best Fiends, and each time I lost a level, I would have to run for one minute.

The levels are pretty challenging and I lose a lot more frequently than I win ;)  It takes anywhere from 4-5 minutes or so to complete each level (win or lose), so I thought that was a good amount of time between running intervals. And if I won a level, I'd get double that amount of recovery time.

It actually was pretty fun! The time flew by. My walks take about 90 minutes, which is a long time to be on the treadmill, but it felt like 30 minutes.

The running felt hard, but because I was only doing one-minute intervals, I knew I could manage. I did them at 6.0 mph (my Garmin's calibration is way off, so I just counted the distance/speed on the treadmill). It's crazy how heavy my legs felt--my whole body felt heavy and slow as I ran. But the best part of the whole thing was that it boosted my mood. It made me feel like I "worked out" instead of my usual walk with the dog.

I figure that I can use this little treadmill game to add some more running until it feels comfortable again. I'd like to be able to run three miles again without feeling like I'm going to die. I can increase the running time to 90 seconds, then two minutes, etc.

I still want to walk Joey, so I may do half my walk outside and half on the treadmill a few days a week; or maybe I'll just choose a couple of times a week to do the treadmill. Either way, it feels good to run again--even if it was for only a minute at a time! 

(I've walked outside a couple of times with my new coat, and I love it so much! It's so cozy and warm.)

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HERITAGE RECIPE: Corn Oysters (from the 1930's!)

Today's heritage recipe was a win for sure. It was delicious! (I also learned a lesson the hard and painful way, which I'll explain later.) This recipe is from the Rockwood, Michigan Area Historical Society cookbook (produced in part by my most favorite aunt). Here are the other "Heritage Recipes" I've posted.

This caught my eye because of the "oysters"--I've never tried oysters, and I'm not sure I'm ready to make them, but once I read the ingredients I saw that there are no oysters involved.

And I love it when the recipes specify the date--this one said it was from the 1930's. I had all of the ingredients at home already, so I decided to go ahead and make it today--I had chili in the slow cooker for dinner, and these sounded like the perfect side dish for the chili.

My only regret is that I did not have raw corn; I didn't want to make the recipe with canned corn if canned corn wasn't a "thing" in the 1930's. I looked it up online, though, and sure enough--you could buy corn in a can back then. So I decided it was okay to use the canned corn.

Here is the recipe, as written. Thankfully, it was an easy one to read.

Here is a printer-friendly version! You can choose to print the pictures or not.

Corn Oysters

2 eggs
2 c. chopped raw corn or canned corn
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika

Beat eggs; add corn, then flour sifted with seasonings. Drop from tablespoon into hot fat and fry or cook on a well-greased griddle. Makes 15 medium-sized oysters. If corn is very moist, more flour may be added, or a little less if very dry.

My own notes (photos are at the bottom):

So, there weren't many variables here--just the texture of the batter; the depth and temperature of the grease; and how long to cook them. This is how I made them:

I mixed the ingredients as listed. For the "hot fat", I used shortening. Normally, I'd never use it because it grosses me out, but Jerry bought some for Christmas cookies and I figured it was probably better for this recipe than olive oil! I looked up shortening, and it was mentioned as far back as 1796 in a cookbook.

I didn't get the impression that these were supposed to be deep-fried, like corn fritters, so I used a skillet and added probably about 1/4 cup of shortening--it ended up melting down to about 1/2 inch deep. 

I am not familiar with deep-frying or even pan-frying, really, so I wasn't sure what temperature to set the stove. I went with medium-high, where it looked very hot (my dad makes deep-fried fish, so I've seen him do that). 

The texture of my batter looked how I imagined it should--kind of like pancake batter, only with lots of corn in it. 

I had to be VERY careful dropping the batter into the skillet. It started sizzling right away, and it was HOT. I dropped three in the skillet at one time, and had a plate lined with paper towels next to the stove to place the corn oysters when I removed them.

I made them a little too big, so I only got nine from the batch.

Almost immediately, I could see that the bottoms of the corn oysters were browned, so I tried to carefully flip them, but they still splashed a little. I stood back as far as I could.

Here is where the "fail" part comes in. I was standing next to the stove, just watching them cook (they cook fast!) when suddenly, one of them popped and basically exploded boiling hot grease on me. I screamed and jumped back, rinsing my hands and face with cold water. When all was said and done, I have a bad burn on the knuckle of my right thumb, in the wide space between my thumb and pointer finger, and on my eyelid. I'm very lucky I was wearing a long sleeved sweatshirt and that it didn't get IN my eye. 

BE CAREFUL WHEN MAKING THESE BECAUSE THEY MAY POP OIL IN THE AIR.

After flipping, I cooked each for another 90 seconds or so and then placed them on the plate. They didn't turn out as crispy as I imagined, so I think I'd cook them a little longer on each side. Regardless, they were delicious!

I ate one as-is, and it was great--I LOVE corn! (If you like corn, you will love these.) But I decided to add a drizzle of honey (such a great combination!) and it took it to a whole new level. This was such a simple and delicious recipe, I'll definitely make it again... I will just be extra careful about the grease exploding! I literally just bought a splatter screen for my pan from Amazon, haha! (affiliate link)

This is the texture of my batter...

And this is the amount I dropped into a 10-inch skillet...

I flipped them after about 90 seconds to 2 minutes--as soon as they looked golden brown.

After removing from the pan, I set them on paper towels...

This is what the inside of them looks like...

And here they are topped with a drizzle of honey!

Enjoy :)

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My Coats Arrived!

Bear with me, because this post is about my winter coats... again. I know I already wrote the story, but it has an ending now and I'll just recap.

I outgrew my winter coats a couple of years ago when I put on 45 pounds, so I finally decided that it's time to buy a new one that will actually fit me. I had an orange American Eagle ski jacket that I bought secondhand (I think it was at a thrift store) and I LOVED it. Orange is my favorite color and the coat was super warm, had a trillion pockets, and was very practical.

When we adopted Joey, he had anxiety when we would leave the house, and he chewed up a few things. One of them was my beloved orange coat. I was devastated!

Irony: I was wearing this coat the day we adopted Joey ;)

At around the same time, I found a faux fur-lined tan corduroy coat, and I loved that one just as much as the orange one. It went down to my knees, so it kept my thighs warm, and the inside was SUPER cozy. And the best part? I got it at a garage sale for crazy cheap--I believe it was $1 or $2. I remember asking the woman at the sale how much the coat was, and she looked unsure--she said it was her friend's coat and she didn't know, so "How about $1?" I couldn't have paid her fast enough! Haha.

It was a size medium, but it fit a little small. Even when I was 130 pounds, I didn't have much extra room. But I loved it and it became my new favorite winter coat. Fast forward a few years, and now I'm definitely too big for it.

Since I've been walking outside with Joey, I knew I needed a coat. I decided to try to find the orange one on eBay or something, when somebody mentioned Poshmark. I'd never heard of Poshmark, but I checked it out and I was stunned at all of the used clothing you can buy! At the time, I thought my orange coat was by Columbia, so I searched and searched through Columbia jackets trying to find the one I used to have. I found a similar one, but not the exact coat. I bought it anyway, because it was close enough.

When it arrived, I was bummed to discover that it smelled like mildew (very faint, but I couldn't NOT smell it, even after two washes). So, I returned it. I started looking for a coat again, and I happened to find my original one--that's when I saw it was American Eagle and not Columbia. That's why I wasn't able to find it before. 

I was thrilled! I immediately bought it and was so excited for it to arrive so I could quit wearing the ugly oversized boxy men's jacket I'd been wearing. I waited and waited. I ordered it on January 15th. The seller delivered it to USPS on January 19th. It was shipped with priority two-day shipping, and on January 23rd was the final notification I got.

After so many of the face masks I mailed got "lost in the mail", I was sure that my coat was lost, too. I didn't want to totally give up hope, but I NEEDED a winter coat. I browsed Poshmark again and decided to look for my corduroy one. I actually found a few of them, identical to mine! I ordered one, again very excited. A couple of days later, the seller canceled the order because she said that the coat was damaged. I couldn't believe my bad luck with coats!

I tried one more time. I picked out the same coat from another seller ($20 more expensive!) and bought it. I got a shipping confirmation a couple of days later, and then yesterday, IT ARRIVED! It is perfect.

And you want to know something funny? When the seller canceled the first order I made for this coat, Jerry felt bad for me and he found one on eBay. So he bought it! Hahaha, it is supposed to arrive tomorrow. It's a size L, so now I'll have the same coat in a M, L, and XL. I'm not sure yet what I'll do with the extras. How funny, though!

Imagine my surprise today when I got a notification that a package from Poshmark was delivered. I was confused--and then I realized that it might be my orange American Eagle jacket. I was SO happy when I opened the box and saw my beloved coat inside. It was exactly what I remembered--pockets, thumbholes, a hood with elastic, and a super warm, comfy lining. And again, big enough to wear layers underneath.

So now I have my orange coat for walking Joey and my corduroy coat for when I go out and about. I'm so happy that it finally worked out! I'm actually excited to go for a walk with it :)

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Friday Night Photos #8

Well, it's now Saturday morning and I just realized I never pressed Publish last night! I had it all ready to post. Anyway...

It's Friday night! And here are some photos from my camera roll that didn't make it onto the blog for whatever reason. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Today, I was messing around with Noah's "good" camera and I was going around taking pictures of the pets. Phoebe was just not in the mood for a cute picture, so that was the best I could get from her. She's so pretty, though!

This weird looking thing is actually part of my 40 Goals by 40 Years Old List... Bury a time capsule with the family! I ordered this one from Amazon (affiliate link) and now we have to decide what to put inside. I want each of us to write letters to ourselves and we'll include some things that have been relevant recently (like face masks!). I'm not sure yet when we'll open it. I'm thinking maybe 10-15 years. 

This poor squirrel has mange. I know it's gross to look at, but I took a picture of him today to look up what is wrong with him and see if I can help. He's friendly and he still comes around for his walnuts. I'm afraid he's going to die of exposure this winter, so I looked up treatments. Apparently, I can buy something called Ivermectin and put a small dot of it on his walnuts--and three doses over three weeks should clear it up. I hope so! I'm going to buy some tomorrow. He doesn't seem like he's in distress or anything, though. (I got the info from the DNR website.)

After my walk a few days ago, I was in SO MUCH PAIN. My feet and ankles were hurting so badly, and I had no idea why--I hadn't changed out shoes or anything. But then I realized it was probably from trying to keep my balance on the SUPER slippery roads. Walking in snow usually isn't too bad... but this snow was completely packed down flat in most places and I nearly fell several times. Trying to keep my balance was a challenge and I'm lucky I didn't fall and break something. The most slippery spots were actually the parts where it looks like there isn't much snow. I had to walk on the sides of the road where the snow was deeper.

I was trying to read in bed a few nights ago, and all the pets just seemed to want to hang out with me (except Phoebe, of course--she loves me, but not the other pets). Joey was thrilled to be included ;)

Speaking of, I was so happy to wake up a couple of days ago and find Duck lying on the pillow next to me. He no longer sleeps on my head (he's way too big) but sometimes he'll drape himself across my neck or my leg.

Today, the windchill was below zero! There were wind gusts of 30-something mph and I can't even describe how cold it felt. I felt terrible for not taking Joey on his walk, but I just couldn't bear it--I walked on the treadmill instead. However, I let Joey out back to run around in the snow. He had a blast!

I have no idea why, but Estelle's best friend has been Jerry lately. She looks pissed off in this picture (she always looks like that) but she sleeps with him during the day and she sits on his lap when he's on the couch. She used to be like that with me until we got the kittens!

I got a package in the mail yesterday--my corduroy coat!--and the cats were all fascinated with the box. They always love boxes, but I think that because this one was on the table, it was "special" for some reason. They all took their turns sitting in it, feeling very cool. Duck was cracking me up how he just sat stone still, staring at us. 

Eli went for a walk with me and when we got home, he noticed a bald eagle in the tree right in front of our house. I've been seeing a lot of them around here lately. They don't look like anything special in photos, but they are MASSIVE in person. This one was all the way at the top of the tree (I used Noah's camera to zoom in). I tried to get a picture of it flying away, but I was too slow.

We gave the game Catan another try today. Noah was at work, but Jerry, Eli, and I played. I thought it might be easier with just three people, but I am so terrible at that game! It's not fun for me. It's like playing Monopoly and everyone else has hotels on all the good stuff; meanwhile, I'm holding Baltic Ave and a couple of railroads--haha! In Catan, I just never get the cards I need to build things.

Here is a picture of Big Mama  (that's what we call her--she's been pregnant a couple of times). I couldn't believe she was willing to sit out in the freezing cold and wind today to eat her walnuts. In the winter, I like to give the squirrels walnuts without the shells so they don't have to work so hard to eat. They fatten up to stay warm, and then I give them the nuts with shells in the warmer months--they like to bury those ones :) 

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