 | |
| Coming in from the foyer |
 |
| My pitiful liquor table; needs some new friends (thank, Bonnie, for the addition!) |
 |
| Beautiful new sectional. :-) |
 |
| And rug! |
 |
| And curtains! |
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Rewind to Last Saturday, Part II: Front Room Transformation - Almost There
Between the race and dinner last Saturday, Janet and I went shopping for some much needed items for the front room: curtains, rug, and lamp. So, without further adieu...
Obviously, there is a lot of wall to be decorated in this room, but at least it's finished enough to be presentable. Many thanks to everyone who made this possible, most importantly the husband.
Rewind to Last Saturday, Part I
While James is out selecting which shotgun he will choose to call his own, I am cleaning the house, taking pictures, and writing overdue posts about last weekend.
Cleaning the house is necessary in order to take pictures that do the Front Room justice. Sadly, in the middle of the photo op, the camera battery died; while it recharges, I'll visit two of the three overdue topics: last weekend's visit from my parents and our race at the 13th Annual Habitat Home Run in Greenville.
It had been over six months since my parents Mike and Janet came to visit us in North Carolina. Last August, we spent an amazing weekend going from Goldsboro to Atlantic Beach, from the beach to New Bern, and from New Bern to Kinston. Luckily, they came the weekend before Hurricane Irene graced us with her presence, wiping out the very pier that Mike commented on during our lazy afternoon in the sun.
Dinner was spectacular and our visit to Tryon Palace and Mother Earth Brewing made our little weekend getaway just perfect.
Their visit to us this spring found them escaping their own home renovation project (a far more substantial and all-consuming wall-eliminating-kitchen-remodel that is making it's debut tonight!) so we planned little and focused on just spending some time together.
The Race:
Saturday morning, David, Glenna, my folks, James, and I all headed out bright and early to Greenville for the Habitat Home Run 10K & 5K. This was a special race, as it marked three years of running road races in North Carolina. (I know, wicked crazy.) On March 21, 2009, our friend Margaret, James, and I ran the 5K. It was freezing cold, windy, and drizzling. I ran the race in an 8:51 pace for a final time of 27:32.
What a difference in 2012.
It was foggy and cool as we pulled into the hotel parking lot. We were all a little bleary-eyed from our late night return from the airport. In the night, the pines had dropped their pollen and little drifts of it lined the street gutters. You could say everything was nice and festive for St. Patrick's Day.
Soon we headed for the starting line, the gang starting the 10K about fifteen minutes before Janet ran her 5K. The sun was just peaking out around the clouds and burning off the fog. It rapidly grew muggy.
I had been hoping for cool weather for this race to help smash my previous 10K PR (57:12), but as sweat beaded up on my lip within the first mile, I quickly modified the plan to 1) run sub-9 minute miles and 2) cross the finish line in 54:00.
As I had remembered from three years ago, this race twists and turns its way through the neighborhood behind the Greenville Convention Center. A peaceful race, during the eight o'clock hour. Save for one kindly silver-haired lady who let out restrained encouraged whoops and soft toots on a blow horn, the air was full with the sounds of a hundred runners shuffling and breathing.
The effect of humidity takes the most seasoned runners by surprise. I had been running next to a middle-aged man for the first two miles; right after the Mile 2 water station, he said, "I feel dizzy," to which I instinctively responded, "Please don't fall!" He was a 6'4" barrel of a man and I didn't want a woozily placed step to mean lights out for me, too. Needless to say, I picked up the pace to distance myself.
Into mile 4, I saw the 5Kers coming around the bend and there was Janet! We waved, she laughed at how much pollen there was on the ground, and I did that smile/grimace thing that you do when you're on the back half of a race. I bore down those last two miles and rounded into the straightaway finish. It became clear that My 54:00 finish wasn't going to happen, but a sub-55:00 looked possible. So, taking the cue from a woman I remembering marveling at three years ago (while I gasped and sucked air like a fish out of water), I used the straightaway as an opportunity to shorten my steps, increase my leg turnover, and sprint into the finish line: 54:55. I'll take it.
In a surprisingly hilarious turn of events, I was the only person to not have my name called during the post-race festivities. Janet placed second in her age group with a time of 28:49, David placed third in his with a whopping 42:12, James third in his with a 44:28, and Glenna won a door prize! Post-race breakfast was extremely enjoyable but so was the nap that all but myself succumbed to upon returning home.
The Dinner:
Fellowship over supper is a tradition that my parents started long ago when my sibling and I were small and it makes me very happy that in my adulthood, it has expanded to include the occasional amazing local restaurant featuring great cuisine and wonderful wine. I will always think of supper as a time to talk and reminisce (on the day, the week, the year) and to savor food and make new memories.
I was fortunate enough to stumble on 18 Seaboard through OpenTable.com
Located in the old Seaboard Train Station, this restaurant's only possible flaw was that the mood lightning was perhaps a little too dark for my tastes.
High ceilings, exposed brick, cheerful and accommodating staff, and superb food. It was a wonderful period to an awesome day.
We started with the platter of local cheeses and a wine that was simply divine
And moved onto She-Crab soup for the ladies and fresh spring salads for the men. I am still amazed at how fine dining restaurants manage to make creamy soups not feel heavy.
For our entrees, both James and Mike selected the pan-roasted duck with lavender-pitaschio grits, asparagus, and black cherry reduction.
While Janet opted for a grilled stripped bass with Champaign Tarragon Butter, sauteed spinach and goat cheese potatoes. As for me, after asking our sommelier about his favorite disk, I chose the Cracklin' Pork Shank with apple compote, spinach and bleu cheese grits.
Incredible.
We stuffed ourselves silly and forgot to take our own picture until the end of the evening (sorry, Mom!):
Those, readers, are the squinty eyes of good wine, food, and times.
Cleaning the house is necessary in order to take pictures that do the Front Room justice. Sadly, in the middle of the photo op, the camera battery died; while it recharges, I'll visit two of the three overdue topics: last weekend's visit from my parents and our race at the 13th Annual Habitat Home Run in Greenville.
It had been over six months since my parents Mike and Janet came to visit us in North Carolina. Last August, we spent an amazing weekend going from Goldsboro to Atlantic Beach, from the beach to New Bern, and from New Bern to Kinston. Luckily, they came the weekend before Hurricane Irene graced us with her presence, wiping out the very pier that Mike commented on during our lazy afternoon in the sun.
 |
| My folks at dinner at Persimmons, in New Bern |
Dinner was spectacular and our visit to Tryon Palace and Mother Earth Brewing made our little weekend getaway just perfect.
Their visit to us this spring found them escaping their own home renovation project (a far more substantial and all-consuming wall-eliminating-kitchen-remodel that is making it's debut tonight!) so we planned little and focused on just spending some time together.
The Race:
Saturday morning, David, Glenna, my folks, James, and I all headed out bright and early to Greenville for the Habitat Home Run 10K & 5K. This was a special race, as it marked three years of running road races in North Carolina. (I know, wicked crazy.) On March 21, 2009, our friend Margaret, James, and I ran the 5K. It was freezing cold, windy, and drizzling. I ran the race in an 8:51 pace for a final time of 27:32.
What a difference in 2012.
It was foggy and cool as we pulled into the hotel parking lot. We were all a little bleary-eyed from our late night return from the airport. In the night, the pines had dropped their pollen and little drifts of it lined the street gutters. You could say everything was nice and festive for St. Patrick's Day.
Soon we headed for the starting line, the gang starting the 10K about fifteen minutes before Janet ran her 5K. The sun was just peaking out around the clouds and burning off the fog. It rapidly grew muggy.
I had been hoping for cool weather for this race to help smash my previous 10K PR (57:12), but as sweat beaded up on my lip within the first mile, I quickly modified the plan to 1) run sub-9 minute miles and 2) cross the finish line in 54:00.
As I had remembered from three years ago, this race twists and turns its way through the neighborhood behind the Greenville Convention Center. A peaceful race, during the eight o'clock hour. Save for one kindly silver-haired lady who let out restrained encouraged whoops and soft toots on a blow horn, the air was full with the sounds of a hundred runners shuffling and breathing.
The effect of humidity takes the most seasoned runners by surprise. I had been running next to a middle-aged man for the first two miles; right after the Mile 2 water station, he said, "I feel dizzy," to which I instinctively responded, "Please don't fall!" He was a 6'4" barrel of a man and I didn't want a woozily placed step to mean lights out for me, too. Needless to say, I picked up the pace to distance myself.
Into mile 4, I saw the 5Kers coming around the bend and there was Janet! We waved, she laughed at how much pollen there was on the ground, and I did that smile/grimace thing that you do when you're on the back half of a race. I bore down those last two miles and rounded into the straightaway finish. It became clear that My 54:00 finish wasn't going to happen, but a sub-55:00 looked possible. So, taking the cue from a woman I remembering marveling at three years ago (while I gasped and sucked air like a fish out of water), I used the straightaway as an opportunity to shorten my steps, increase my leg turnover, and sprint into the finish line: 54:55. I'll take it.
In a surprisingly hilarious turn of events, I was the only person to not have my name called during the post-race festivities. Janet placed second in her age group with a time of 28:49, David placed third in his with a whopping 42:12, James third in his with a 44:28, and Glenna won a door prize! Post-race breakfast was extremely enjoyable but so was the nap that all but myself succumbed to upon returning home.
The Dinner:
Fellowship over supper is a tradition that my parents started long ago when my sibling and I were small and it makes me very happy that in my adulthood, it has expanded to include the occasional amazing local restaurant featuring great cuisine and wonderful wine. I will always think of supper as a time to talk and reminisce (on the day, the week, the year) and to savor food and make new memories.
I was fortunate enough to stumble on 18 Seaboard through OpenTable.com
Located in the old Seaboard Train Station, this restaurant's only possible flaw was that the mood lightning was perhaps a little too dark for my tastes.
High ceilings, exposed brick, cheerful and accommodating staff, and superb food. It was a wonderful period to an awesome day.
We started with the platter of local cheeses and a wine that was simply divine
And moved onto She-Crab soup for the ladies and fresh spring salads for the men. I am still amazed at how fine dining restaurants manage to make creamy soups not feel heavy.
For our entrees, both James and Mike selected the pan-roasted duck with lavender-pitaschio grits, asparagus, and black cherry reduction.
While Janet opted for a grilled stripped bass with Champaign Tarragon Butter, sauteed spinach and goat cheese potatoes. As for me, after asking our sommelier about his favorite disk, I chose the Cracklin' Pork Shank with apple compote, spinach and bleu cheese grits.
Incredible.
We stuffed ourselves silly and forgot to take our own picture until the end of the evening (sorry, Mom!):
Those, readers, are the squinty eyes of good wine, food, and times.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Spring Fever
I have so much to write about and so many pictures to post but I can I smell it in the air, I can feel it in my bones, and I know it will probably get worse before it gets better.
Spring fever.
Funny to talk about spring fever when we really didn't have a winter. But spring to me is less about warmer weather than it is about more daylight.
And as I write, it's 7:22 pm and the sun is not completely gone.
My cup overfloweth.
Soon, a post about the Habitat Home Run, the Front Room's near completion, and a spectacular supper at a Raleigh restaurant. But for the time being, some of my favorite past pictures of me enjoying SPRING!
Spring fever.
Funny to talk about spring fever when we really didn't have a winter. But spring to me is less about warmer weather than it is about more daylight.
And as I write, it's 7:22 pm and the sun is not completely gone.
My cup overfloweth.
Soon, a post about the Habitat Home Run, the Front Room's near completion, and a spectacular supper at a Raleigh restaurant. But for the time being, some of my favorite past pictures of me enjoying SPRING!
 |
| Umstead Park, May 2011 |
 |
| My backyard - planting our first vegetable garden, April 2010 |
 |
| Enjoying my home's hyacinths - March 2010 |
 |
| Getting used to Eastern NC sunshine - April 2009 |
 |
| April 2008, Wilmington, NC - Azalea Festival |
 | |
| March 2008, NC State Campus - Raleigh |
 |
| March 2007, Memphis Botanical Gardens |
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Grown Ocean - Fleet Foxes
The sun had faded, the breeze blowing softly, but the air still heavy with a strange humidity and pollen. Rogue bugs bounced off my cap and restless dogs paced and barked as I ran my easy four tonight.
Spring is here - my Bradford pear's blooms are already being replaced with greenery; the peach trees followed last week and the cherry has joined today. My neighbor's azaleas are almost full flush with blooms. The stain of pollen is everywhere.
I mulled over what to write tonight and my memory paused on an entry about this time last year, featuring the Fleet Foxes. Ever since discovering this band, "Ragged Wood" is a happy, make my feet move song.
Come down from the mountain, you have been gone too long
The spring is upon us, follow my only song
Settle down with me by the fire of my yearning
You should come back home, back on your own now
The world is alive now, in and outside our home
You run through the forest, settle before the sun
Darling, I can barely remember you beside me
You should come back home, back on your own now
Now, I have another of theirs to add to the list.
"Grown Ocean"
Spring is here - my Bradford pear's blooms are already being replaced with greenery; the peach trees followed last week and the cherry has joined today. My neighbor's azaleas are almost full flush with blooms. The stain of pollen is everywhere.
I mulled over what to write tonight and my memory paused on an entry about this time last year, featuring the Fleet Foxes. Ever since discovering this band, "Ragged Wood" is a happy, make my feet move song.
Come down from the mountain, you have been gone too long
The spring is upon us, follow my only song
Settle down with me by the fire of my yearning
You should come back home, back on your own now
The world is alive now, in and outside our home
You run through the forest, settle before the sun
Darling, I can barely remember you beside me
You should come back home, back on your own now
Now, I have another of theirs to add to the list.
"Grown Ocean"
In that dream I'm as old as the mountains
Still is starlight reflected in fountains
Children grown on the edge of the ocean
Kept like jewelry kept with devotion
In that dream moving slow through the morning
You would come to me then without answers
Lick my wounds and remove my demands for now
Eucalyptus and orange trees are blooming
In that dream there's no darkness alluded
In that dream moving slow through the morning time
In that dream I could hardly contain it
All my life I will wait to attain it
There, there, there
I know someday the smoke will all burn off
All these voices I'll someday have turned off
I will see you someday when I've woken
I'll be so happy just to have spoken
I'll have so much to tell you about it
In that dream I could hardly contain it
All my life I will wait to attain it
There, there, there
Wide-eyed walker, don't betray me
I will wake one day, don't delay me
Wide-eyed leaver, always going
Still is starlight reflected in fountains
Children grown on the edge of the ocean
Kept like jewelry kept with devotion
In that dream moving slow through the morning
You would come to me then without answers
Lick my wounds and remove my demands for now
Eucalyptus and orange trees are blooming
In that dream there's no darkness alluded
In that dream moving slow through the morning time
In that dream I could hardly contain it
All my life I will wait to attain it
There, there, there
I know someday the smoke will all burn off
All these voices I'll someday have turned off
I will see you someday when I've woken
I'll be so happy just to have spoken
I'll have so much to tell you about it
In that dream I could hardly contain it
All my life I will wait to attain it
There, there, there
Wide-eyed walker, don't betray me
I will wake one day, don't delay me
Wide-eyed leaver, always going
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wind and Sun
I was watching NCAA tournament basketball with James, idling perusing the web from his iPhone, and went to this site for shits and giggles. That's when I realized just how long it had been since my last post. My sincere apologies, dear readers (what few of you there are left)!
A quick recap:
My last post was the day before the Goldsboro Junior Jog 5K. The day of the race, we arrived to find about 40 runners present for this inaugural event. Kudos to the Goldsboro Juniors for a well-run race! It was sunny, windy, and chilly in downtown Goldsboro and the gang was excited to run our first 5K of 2012. David ended up taking the title, but all of us ended up "placing." Since I was running in my new shoes, I knew I would be happy with under 26; my second place female overall (got to love small races) at 26:02 wasn't half shabby.
I honestly can't quite track which days we did what with the front room. After the floors were installed, everything has been a bit of a blur - working on it here and there. To date, we have successfully painted the trim in the front room, painted the hall walls, moved the furniture into the front room, and taped off the trim for the hall. Decorating touches are needed (and, um, curtains?) but we're trying not to break the bank with the details and hope to have the room feeling more polished in the next few weeks.
Spring has officially spring in North Carolina and while James thinks we might still have a freakish cold snap in store, I'm betting otherwise. Today it was 81° when I went for a tempo run. It was so warm, I trimmed a mile off the scheduled run and just did 4 with 2 @ 8:30.
My folks arrive for a three-day weekend visit and my mother Janet plans to join us in running at the 7th Annual Habitat for Humanity Home Run in Greenville. My father Mike is looking forward to joining in on the breakfast. It's been a while since I've seen my family and I am super stoked.
A quick recap:
My last post was the day before the Goldsboro Junior Jog 5K. The day of the race, we arrived to find about 40 runners present for this inaugural event. Kudos to the Goldsboro Juniors for a well-run race! It was sunny, windy, and chilly in downtown Goldsboro and the gang was excited to run our first 5K of 2012. David ended up taking the title, but all of us ended up "placing." Since I was running in my new shoes, I knew I would be happy with under 26; my second place female overall (got to love small races) at 26:02 wasn't half shabby.
I honestly can't quite track which days we did what with the front room. After the floors were installed, everything has been a bit of a blur - working on it here and there. To date, we have successfully painted the trim in the front room, painted the hall walls, moved the furniture into the front room, and taped off the trim for the hall. Decorating touches are needed (and, um, curtains?) but we're trying not to break the bank with the details and hope to have the room feeling more polished in the next few weeks.
Spring has officially spring in North Carolina and while James thinks we might still have a freakish cold snap in store, I'm betting otherwise. Today it was 81° when I went for a tempo run. It was so warm, I trimmed a mile off the scheduled run and just did 4 with 2 @ 8:30.
My folks arrive for a three-day weekend visit and my mother Janet plans to join us in running at the 7th Annual Habitat for Humanity Home Run in Greenville. My father Mike is looking forward to joining in on the breakfast. It's been a while since I've seen my family and I am super stoked.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)