Posts filed under 'Gratuitous Photos'
It has been scorching hot here for the last few days. Somehow we went from two gloomy weeks of overcast skies, highs in the mid 60’s and chilly evenings directly to highs of 98 and little flowers that had just started to bloom being burnt to a crisp. Can I get something in between? Where are my gorgeous spring days that peak at 75 leaving the evenings blissful and breezy? Is that too much to ask for?
The heat has certainly not motivated me to run, nor has the 5 pounds of phlegm I feel like I’m carrying around in my sinuses and lungs from last week’s cold. So today, for the first time this season, I swam. And lo, it was pathetic. I haven’t done laps in our pool since last fall and you would think that since I just ran a half marathon a month ago and am in possibly better shape than I ever have been that swimming would not be the gasping, splashing, flailing struggle that it was today. But damn, swimming is hard. I need to work on that.
The other big problem with the heat is the fact that we don’t have air conditioning. And we live in a two-story house. AND we sleep upstairs (for now). Last year when we moved into this house, we didn’t bother trying to get the a/c fixed since we were planning on doing some major remodeling that would involve moving ducts and upgrading the current system. Of course, we thought that would all be done by now but sadly, it has even started. It just took much longer than we thought it would to get things in order before someone takes a sledgehammer to the walls. We have plans now, drawn up by a great designer but they are still with the city, a process that we thought would only take 3 weeks and has now taken about 2 months. We’re closer to finding a contractor, but still not sold on any one person. Of course, once all of that gets sorted out and we actually start the whole process, we’re probably looking at 3-4 months of living in construction, but I’m really excited about our plans and am pretty sure it will all be worth it in the end.
Work has been hell for the last couple of weeks and although I get a bit of a break this week, next week is right back into the fire. Luckily, once I hit June things will lighten up a lot and I’m hoping they’ll stay that way for most of the summer. The hardest thing about working at night, which I did last week Sunday through Saturday, is not being around for Ashok’s evening activities. Missing his dinner, bath and bedtime that many nights in a row really sucks after a while, especially since on many of those days I had some daytime work as well. Brian and I agreed that this last week was particularly bad. Obviously, it’s hard on him too since he has no one to help out at the crankiest time of the evening, and let’s face it we ALL start getting cranky as the day wears on, so I’m going to try and plan things out a bit better form now on. This is the pain in the ass with freelancing-all the work comes at once or doesn’t come at all so it makes it hard to turn things down, but I would gladly turn down a few gigs to spend more time with these guys:
At Hosmer Grove in Haleakala Park, Maui
May 19th, 2008
I have decided to take on a task for this week. Inspired by Runner Susan, I am going to attempt to photograph everything I eat starting this morning and ending Sunday night. Although for me this doesn’t involve any sort of diet, I think it will help me get an idea of how well, or not well, I am eating. This week will be a tough one too, since I have several late night opera rehearsals that will get me home around midnight at which point I usually have a secret pig out party in my office with the cat as my only witness. Perhaps the possibility of photographic evidence of my late night binges will slow me down a bit? I sort of doubt it.
So far my goals are going pretty well. I got 5 workouts in last week (4 runs, 1 ab/yoga). For my long run this week I did 6.5 miles and although they were pretty slow at least I got them done. I am trying not to focus too much on speed in the long runs-since April will be my first half marathon ever, I just want to finish more than anything else.
Shopping….well, I did buy a couple of things on clearance at Target for Ashok (a $3 shirt and a $6 raincoat, come on!) but I didn’t buy any more shoes for myself-I will survive with just the adorable red sneakers and not invite any of their relatives to come and live with me. Curbing the shopping is hard, it is a bad habit that has developed over years and will probably take just as long to get under control.
In a very busy weekend we managed to get in some time at the park on an absolutely beautiful day.
We had a picnic lunch that included quiche for Ashok which he ate with his little finger sticking out after asking around for Grey Poupon. He is fancy like that.
And just to clarify something I mentioned in my last post, Ashok: The Sequel is not yet in production and due to the WGA strike is likely to be delayed for some time. In other words, I am NOT pregnant. Thank you.
January 14th, 2008
Not much to report today-my mom is in town and we’ve been hanging out with Ashok all day. After dinner at the restaurant down the street (we have a restaurant down the street!) we came home and ate pie. It finally feels like fall here, which is nice.
Please enjoy this Glamour Shot of my dog.
Night Night.
November 9th, 2007
I’ve decided to break my hiatus to wish everyone a happy 4th of July. We had a lovely evening with my sister-in-law and her husband and are now in our inferno of a house listening to the many unofficial fireworks shows going on throughout our neighborhood. Thankfully, Ashok is managing to sleep through everything which is a miracle. The dog, however, is cowering under our bed. Poor girl.
We just got back from Summer Trip #1 with Ashok which was sort of a mixed bag of good times with family and friends and endless hours in the car with a screaming infant. Actually, Ashok did pretty well considering he is about to bust out with his first teeth (and I say “teeth” because they appear to be coming in as a group of about 5 or 6) and is obviously uncomfortable. Of course, I have been convinced that he’s teething for the last month. If those chompers don’t show up soon, he’ll be making a liar out of his Mommy and then Mommy will cut off his supply of pureed pears and he WILL NOT LIKE THAT. MUST EAT FOOOOOOD.
Anyway…the first part of our trip was spent at my mom’s house. Needless to say, she was thrilled to have her grandson around and spent the week adoring him. Then Brian came up and we took a little road trip to Humboldt County (insert pot-smoking joke here) to visit our friends Dave, Courtney, Lisa and Charlie at the Sequoia Chamber Music Workshop where we are usually working in the summer. We stopped along the way to see the Sundial Bridge in Redding, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
It was very cool to see but since it was about 10,000 degrees out there at 10 in the morning, we didn’t stay long. Also, it’s a little bizarre that such an architectural marvel is in the middle of pretty much nowhere, but also kind of cool.
When we got up to Arcata we quickly learned that we had not fully prepared ourselves for the difficulty of staying in a hotel room with a 9 month old baby. All in all, it was fine but there are probably some folks at the Super 8 in Arcata that think our baby is a screaming pain in the ass. But, then there were good moments:
WHERE ARE THOSE TEETH???
Now we’re home for a while and spending most of our time trying to stay cool. We have no air conditioning in the new house, which has been brutal . We’re still looking for a contractor to get all this work done on our house, but no luck so far.
Amazingly, I have actually managed to get back into a decent running schedule. I’m not breaking any records or anything, but at least I’m getting out there and doing it. It has felt great-I’ve been trying to alternate with days of swimming in our pool, which has been working out alright except for the fact that I am a somewhat lousy swimmer. I got a book, so we’ll see if that helps. The impetus for getting back into things was that I somewhow managed to get signed up for the Camp Pendleton 10K Mud Run with some friends. Brian is on our team too, so at least if I die, he’ll be there to drag my body out of the mud pit.
And that’s the scoop from over here. Hope you all have a safe 4th of July. And for God’s sake, please don’t set off illegal fireworks in the middle of the street in your lovely, quiet neighborhood. Really, you might lose a finger or something. And you’re keeping me awake.
July 4th, 2007
I don’t know what brought this on. Perhaps it was that poor Miss Cleo was stuck in the laundry room for the afternoon while the house was being shown that led her to protest by sleeping on the dog’s bed. But the fact that the dog just went right ahead and snuggled up next to her? Fantastic.
Our house is officially on the market now. So far so good, I won’t jinx it by saying anymore. Tomorrow morningwe hit the road again, looking for our next house. There have been a couple of possibilities so far but nothing has really floored us yet. I know the house is out there, I just hope we find it before someone else does.
Work has been picking up again which is good but tiring. For the next couple of weeks, I will be playing on two different movies, each the third installment in a series. Good thing, because once we buy a house, I’m going to need that money for our new and enlarged mortgage payment. In the meantime, I’m trying to enjoy what could be our last month in our sweet little pink house. You’re a good house, I love you.
March 9th, 2007