Now I am working to incorporate CrossFit into my Job#1/Job#2/Boyfriend/Daughter/Friends/Home balance.  Yeah, right... Good luck with that one!  I quickly established that if I don't go to the 7:15 am workout, I'm probably not going to make it.  It's just too easy at the end of the day to miss it due to scheduling issues or being tired.  Amazingly enough, due to the infamous Atlanta traffic, I only have to get up 30 minutes earlier to get in a one hour workout!  Leaving my house at 6:40 to make a 7:15 workout means that my morning commute is only 25 minutes long.  But, that means I have to shower at the gym.  And not forget the long list of stuff to bring:  toiletries, blow dryer, workout clothes, towel, work clothes, panty hose, etc. So this morning was about getting that squared away.

Here's my gym bag:

• Travel hairdryer
• Extra hairbrush
• Makeup case
• Zipper bag with black hose & nude hose (back-ups in case I forget)
• Dorm-type of shower caddy with shampoo, conditioner, razor (with built-in shaving cream), body wash, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hair styling foam
• Shower shoes

Because they are all spares/extras, nothing has to come out of the gym bag.

Then, I stole an idea from my BFF Kate:  I bought 5 mesh zipper laundry bags.  In each one, I put:  shorts, shirt, sports bra, socks, washcloth, and towel.  When I get up in the morning, grab a bag, put on the gym clothes and toss the almost-empty bag with washcloth & towel in my gym bag.  When I get done with my workout, the damp towel, washcloth, and sweaty gym clothes go into the mesh bag.  When I get home, the mesh bag goes into the laundry, intact.  Theoretically, the mesh will keep them from getting mildewy.  Then when I do laundry, throw the mesh bags into the washer & dryer and they are ready to go again. So what if they aren't folded? So what if they are wrinkly?  So what if the whites get dingy?  I'm going the gym, not a fashion show!

Ta-da!  Gym organization is complete.

I can sip on two ciders all night, but I will drink more than half a bottle of wine. I wondered why my alcohol intake was so much higher with the wine.  Then I realized that volume is the key.  A bottle of wine is approximately 25 ounces of liquid.  If I drink 2/3 of a bottle of wine, I've drunk about 16 ounces of liquid. Two ciders is 24 ounces of liquid.  Ah Ha!  Now it's all making sense.

And when I look at the cost...well, let's calculate an $8 bottle of wine.  2/3 bottle of wine = $5  A six pack of Strongbow (one of my faves) is $8, so 2 ciders is $2.60.

And look at the math?!?!

2 ciders = 24 oz of liquid + approx 283 calories + 7 carbs + 5% alcohol + $2.60

2/3 bottle of wine = 16 oz of liquid + approx 400 calories + 12 carbs + 13.5% alcohol + $5

Oh yeah, and did I mention that hard cider is gluten-free? So, obviously hard cider is a better choice for me all the way around.  Still, if you calculate the cost of drinking 12 ciders a week, it's about $16 a week, or $64 a month, which is a measurable chunk.  So I had come across a post awhile back talking about it being fairly inexpensive and easy to brew hard cider. Hmmm -- that's interesting.

I came across this blog post on a blog called The Paupered Chef.    And their follow-up post indicated success with brewing a Strongbow-like cider.  So, off I went to Wine Craft for supplies to brew two gallons of hard cider.

• 1 packet of lager yeast = $5 (enough for 5 gallons of cider)
• 2 rubber stopper airlocks = $2.50
• 2 #6 rubber stoppers = $1.85

Luckily, Whole Foods was in the shopping center next to Wine Craft, so I popped in for 2 gallons of organic cider in glass bottles.  $7 each

Put them together in less than 5 minutes and now just have to be patient.  The airlocks and stoppers can be reused, so I'm not going to count them into my costs.  A gallon is a little over 10 12-ounce ciders at a total price of $8.  That's about $0.80 per cider or $1.60 a night (for two).  The other thing that I like is that I sometimes don't want a full 24-0unces of cider.  Sometimes 16 ounces would hit the spot, so it may turn out to be less waste.  If they turn out decent, then I will expand my operation so I can have some ready and some brewing at all times.

Stay tuned...

This is super-fast and easy if you have already-cooked chicken.

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar (for strict Paleo, substitute more lemon juice for the vinegar)
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 cup dried currants
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers

In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, tarragon, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, currants, and capers.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and dijon mustard.  Pour over the chicken mix and stir.

Good on Day 1. Delicious on Day 2.

So, of course, a little research was in order (read: TimeSuckage).  You know the really awesome song "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls? Well, according to Wikipedia (warning: no reference source) "Iris" is named for none other than Iris DeMent.

"In Spite of Ourselves" by John Prine and Iris DeMent

She don't like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin' her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She's my baby I'm her honey
I'm never gonna let her go

He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies
He ain't too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it's oxygen
He's my baby
And I'm his honey
Never gonna let him go

In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.

She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when shaves her legs
She takes a lickin'
And keeps on tickin'
I'm never gonna let her go.

He's got more balls than a big brass monkey
He's a wacked out werido and a lovebug junkie
Sly as a fox and crazy as a loon
Payday comes and he's howlin' at the moon
He's my baby I don't mean maybe
Never gonna let him go

In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.

(spoken) In spite of ourselves

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound (or so) beef, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coconut or almond flour
1 large bottle or can of Guinness (or other dark stout)
beef stock (have at least two cups of home made or a large can of store bought beef broth)
Seasoning - a couple of tablespoons of chopped rosemary and thyme, a dash of oregano is also nice
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
4 parsnips
2 large turnips
4 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot.

Add the beef and brown well, on low/medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Add the Guinness and enough beef stock to cover the meat.

Add the seasoning, bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover and simmer until the meat is tender. About 2 hours on LOW. Check about 3/4 way through and add a little more broth or Guinness if needed to keep the meat well braised.

Add the vegetables and just enough additional beef stock to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until they are tender, about 20-60 minutes depending on how big of pieces you cut.

Remove Bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional) and serve.

• 6 6-inch corn tortillas (check ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar or corn syrup)
• 12 eggs
• 1 can black beans
• 1 small can diced jalapeno pepper
• 2 T butter
• 6 oz pepperjack cheese (slices work really well)
• Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
• 6 T sour cream (optional)

Whisk the eggs until well blended.  Add salt & pepper.  Whisk again.  Melt butter in a non-stick skillet.  Scramble the eggs until still slightly wet.  Remove from the heat.  If I am making these ahead, I immediately put them into a tupperware container so they start to cool.

Put a tortilla on a small plate.  Layer 1/4 cup black beans, 1/3 cup scrambled egg, 1 T diced jalapeno pepper, and 1 oz cheese.  Microwave for about 1 minute, or until cheese has melted.  Spread 1 T sour cream on top.  Bon appetit!

When making ahead, I store the ingredients in separate containers and just layer & microwave for about 90 seconds for a fast breakfast.  Alternately, I have layered everything on a plate and wrapped in plastic wrap for an even faster breakfast.

3 blocks protein, 2 blocks carbohydrate, 6 blocks fat

To make this "Zone Perfect", add 1/2 cup berries or pineapple on the side (1 block carbohydrate) and eliminate either the butter or sour cream to reduce the fat to 3 blocks.  Personally, I try to add the additional carbohydrates, but I don't worry about reducing the fat since it has a benign impact to my blood sugar.

Will try to take a photo tomorrow morning.

CrossFit

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning fitness methodology that emphasizes constantly varied high intensity functional movements.  The main website is CrossFit.com. The affiliated (not franchised) locations are referred to as "boxes" and are usually very basic and industrial looking.  CrossFit posts a Workout of the Day (WOD) which is unpredictable, except by The-Powers-That-Be. My Sweetheart started Crossfit about 6 months before me.  His proven success convinced me to fork over the dollars.  While it is not cheap inexpensive, if you consider that it is a combination of personal training with a gym, it is actually quite reasonable compared to regular personal training rates.  I'm a cheerleader.  I've seen the results and it works.

Hashing

Hashing can be loosely defined as "a drinking club with a running problem."  We run for beer.  No, it's not a drug reference.  The name of it is a historical reference to the location where it got started way back in 1938 in Malaysia. Someone who is designated the "hare" lays a trail of flour & toilet paper and the rest of us "hounds" try to follow the hare's trick trail which leads the way to beer and socializing.

Paleo

Paleo, shorthand for Paleolithic Diet, is basically a modern attempt to eat as it is suspected that Cavemen ate.  It is, essentially, meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and sugar. Some Crossfitters advocate this way of eating instead of the Standard American Diet (often referred to as SAD).  I am playing around with eating Paleo, but haven't committed 100%.  It is important that my way of eating (not just a diet) is sustainable long-term for me.

Zone

Zone, is shorthand for the Zone Diet, first published by Dr. Barry Sears.  It is the other diet (way of eating) that many Crossfitters adhere to. The Zone Diet advocates that every meal is balanced between 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Eating a Zone-proportioned diet which mostly consisted of Paleo foods is how I lost 25 lbs (along with Crossfitting).

which brings us back to Do, Do, Do, Do, Doe a deer, a female deer... er, I mean...

Paleo/Zone

Paleo/Zone is a way of eating that combines the two concepts. Essentially you eat Paleo foods in Zone proportions.  One baby step at a time... since I haven't mastered Paleo, I sure as heck haven't nailed Paleo/Zone.

Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free diets are those that are free of gluten, which is contained in wheat, barley, and rye.  Those who suffer from Celiacs Disease are unable to digest gluten.  I do not have Celiac's Disease (that I know of), but Paleo food is appropriate for Gluten-Free diets, so recipes end up crossing paths. Unfortunately, not everything that is Gluten-Free is appropriate for Paleo, because common substitutes for wheat products are corn, potatoes, rice, and tapioca (none of which are Paleo foods).

I don't think I had read The Thornbirds since I was in England -- so around 1996?  What made me think of it after all this time?  I was watching the movie Field of Dreams (Kevin Costner). At the end of the movie he sees the young version of his father, John Kinsella, and I got curious about who played him in the movie. (Cause he's H.O.T.) He's played by Dwier Brown.  I really wish I could have found the image of him with his baseball cap on backwards.

A quick search on IMDB to see what else Dwier Brown was in led me to his role as Stuey in The Thornbirds. Which, of course, made me think of the book.  (Yes, that is how my mind works and it can be a huge TimeSuck.)

I just finished reading it again and it is as wonderful a saga as I remembered.  There's a great summary of the book here on Amazon. Don't let the size of the book deter you.  It doesn't drag, but it does span about 50 years. Yes, although I have read this book countless times, it gets a B+ from me. Trot on down to your local library. Remember, if it's late, just tell everyone you are supporting your local library system with your late fines.

And this rambling search reminded me that I had never read the book on which Field of Dreams is based. It is called Shoeless Joe and was written by W.P. Kinsella. (Yes, as in John Kinsella, which I discovered is in fact his father's name. See? More TimeSuckage.) I did enjoy Shoeless Joe.  The book does differ some from the movie, but not significantly.  I would give it a good solid B. Yes, I'll probably read it again sometime and I would recommend it.

The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough - B+

Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella - B

So, now I have:

* Living Room: donated couch, side table, tv stand, tv, chair, and lamps (thanks Kate, Jeannie & Valerie)

* Bedroom: bed, side table, and lamp (I prefer to keep my folded clothes on shelves in the closet)

* Dining Area: table with two chairs

* Kitchen: dining for 4 (plates, bowls, glasses, silverware), 2 sharp knives, one cast iron skillet, one pot with a lid, one very small omelet pan, one mixing bowl, salad spinner, my one-serving blender, spatula, whisk, etc, and decent tupperware (with all matching lids!)

* Office: an office chair & lots of boxes; still need to figure out a deskI've only used the dishwasher one time twice since I returned. Since I have so few dishes, I would run out before I had a dishwasher full.

Socially, I'm now starting to settle in again. Last week my honey and I went to see Jamey Johnson at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA. Pretty cool concert! That was my first time in Athens and I see why people like it. Jamey started playing just after 10pm and kept playing until after 2am. Yes! 4 hours! He was pretty lit by the time the concert was over, but it was fun.

Last weekend, I popped into the Decatur Beer Festival and caught up with quite a few of the hashers. Then went and assisted Kate with a dinner party. Whew! Exhausting! Sunday morning I went to a Bloody Birthday Brunch (with some awesome Bloody Mary's) on the porch at Allison's house. Then Taryn came over and we did meal prep for the week.

Monday was a hashing day. The start was down by the Civic Center and the trail wound all through downtown Atlanta -- we hit most major landmarks before ending at a pizza place called Slice. That's the longest run I've done in maybe a year -- about 5-1/2 miles. When I was hashing regularly before, I was struggling with any kind of distance. But that was 20 lbs and 4 months of Crossfit ago. I was really happy to see that Crossfit has made such a distance in my endurance even though we don't typically do long workouts.

I've found a Crossfit box that I like. Crossfit Sandy Springs is about 5 miles away. It generally takes me 15 minutes to get there, except during rush hour (of course). They do the main site Workout of the Day (aka WOD), which my honey's box does also. Nice to be able to do the same workout, even if not at the same location.

Job hunting is going pretty slow. It's difficult to even find jobs to apply for. But I keep working on it...