Let's back up.
I finished the marathon feeling pretty good. I was tired and sore, but nothing that I wasn't expecting. I ate a banana, downed a bottle of water and had a cookie. Over the next hour everyone else came across the line and we all hugged and did fine. We went back to our friends' house, showered and decided to take a nap. Still feeling fine! But... I woke up from the nap feeling really bad.
I was nauseous and achy and drowsy. I figured that it would pass so we went over to some other friends' house for a bbq and some food. I proceeded to spend the next 2 hours alternating from hovering ineffectively over the toilet and slumped on the couch. I couldn't make myself eat, drink, talk or throw up. Moving was a pretty significant challenge, as was sitting upright.
(Note from Kat: Justin was sick to his stomach, shaking, and nearly incomprehensible. He couldn't laugh at a joke or answer simple questions. When he talked, his speech was delayed and nearly whispered. It was impossible to get him to eat and hard to get him to drink. We pushed fluids and salts on him for three hours before I decided to take him to Urgent Care because he was not improving.)
The decision was made that I could not make the drive back to Seattle even as a passenger and that a trip to the hospital might be a good idea. Once at Urgent Care (which everyone assured us was faster than the Emergency Room) we quickly were bumped to the top of the line to see the triage nurse and were then given a "First Available Bed" flag. At this point my hands were tingly, I was hyperventilating (I deny this...but everyone else felt I was (Note from Kat: He was. But not in that girly way.)) and I couldn't really carry on conversations. Amusingly enough my nursing vocabulary was intact and my ability to give a full history was still present. Yay for school!
Shortly thereafter I was in a hospital bed and the doctor decided that even though I'd been going to the bathroom regularly all day and had been drinking fluids all throughout the marathon that I was likely dehydrated. I'm not disagreeing, I'm just saying I'm still a bit baffled as to how it happened. So Kat being the loving partner she is, sat by the bedside for 3 hours while they pumped fluids in through my arm. Since I'd had some tightness in my chest after finishing the marathon they decided they'd also run an EKG for fun.
Guess whose heart was undergoing early repolarization? Generally it's considered benign, but they decided to run some enzyme tests just in case so they could be sure I wasn't having a heart attack. I chewed some aspirin and waited for more labs to come back. Surprise! Elevated CPK! CPK is an enzyme in skeletal and cardiac muscle and when those muscles die the enzyme leaks into the blood. Not one to be half-assed about anything, my CPK was 1177% the normal upper bound. So what that tells us is that either my skeletal muscle (my legs) had been turned to pulp. Or I had a heart attack. This worried my doctor a little bit although he was reasonably sure that the damage was caused by running for 26.2 miles...not an unreasonable assumption!
The second lab that he had ordered was my troponin. Troponin is an enzyme specific to cardiac muscle, so if it's in your blood then your heart has suffered some damage. Elevated troponin too! Nevertheless after consulting with a cardiologist they felt that the elevation was not significant enough to warrant a heart attack but that it was likely the result of, you guessed it, running 26.2 miles. This proved to be a not entirely unfounded assumption as pointed out by a study published in the New York Times in December.
“The runners (41 men, 19 women) had normal cardiac function before the marathon, with no signs of troponin in their blood. Twenty minutes after finishing, 60 percent of the group had elevated troponin levels, and 40 percent had levels high enough to indicate the destruction of heart muscle cells,” according to the article. “Most also had noticeable changes in heart rhythms. Those who had run less than 35 miles a week leading up to the race had the highest troponin levels and the most pronounced changes in heart rhythm.”
(Note from Kat: We're in that "less than 35 miles a week" group.)
Be that as it may, I've been recommended for a echocardiogram in about two weeks, just to be on the safe side. I'm sure that I didn't have a heart attack, but I think this eloquently points out just how much stress a marathon puts on your body.
YAY FOR MARATHONING!!!
Posted on April 30, 2007 @ 10:07 PM | 5 comments
Comments:
Congrats on the marathons and I hope you improve soon. (Health wise that is)
By 
running42k, at
4:25 AM, May 01, 2007
HOLY CRAP!
I think I'll just keep on sitting on my ass...
Glad you're OK.
By 
lazylightning, at
8:36 AM, May 01, 2007
Glad to hear that you survived! Sounds like a bit more medical excitement than one normally wants in their life.
Sorry that I didn't get in touch with you guys while you were in town, I guess I wasn't checking my blogs regularly enough :) Kristin's BFA show was monday evening, it would have been fun to show you the show!
By , at
11:19 AM, May 01, 2007
ok Justin, no heart attacks just cause we didn't drive you to Eugene...jeez! Hope to see you guys soon and with healthy hearts.
Amy
By , at
11:59 AM, May 01, 2007
wow, scary. Hope everything is really ok.
Good job on the marathon!
By Allie, at
9:37 PM, May 01, 2007
Kat: 5:06:21
Those are both personal records for those of you playing the home game. More later!
Posted on April 29, 2007 @ 1:56 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
Yaaaay! Now rest... and eat!
By lazylightning, at
3:41 PM, April 29, 2007
Congratulations both of you!!!
By , at
1:44 AM, April 30, 2007
Well done!
I'm sad I didn't see you or any of the other Llamas yesterday. Then again, I figured that hanging out in a windy Auzten Stadium parking lot wasn't the best post-race recovery plan.
By Patrick, at
10:25 AM, April 30, 2007
Justin just asked me what I was writing and was I writing about how much I love him. I think he must've read my mind, even though he was being sarcastic. He's looking positively metrosexual today after a healthy dose of post b-day retail therapy. I took him out birthday-versary shopping a while ago and we hit up the Ian boutique in Fremont for a Rag and Bone jeans, and sweet-as-hell jacket, some cargo pants, & a weird (and overpriced) tee all by the Nice Collective. I'd never been into Ian before but I thought Justin might like it and lo-and-behold he liked it enough to convince me it was worth throwing out all the other gift ideas I had in lieu of getting him a new wardrobe.
That set him on this fashion kick he came home from American Apparel today with a bunch of thermal layering shirts and tees and blew the rest of his b-day bucks on Threadless tees. I'm stoked, cause now my man is groomed all sexy and presentable-like and I'm off the hook as personal shopper for a while (it's generally my duty as I'm the sole breadwinner while he's in nursing school). Woo!
I told Justin I'm writing about his new wardrobe and he said, "Oh, about my sheer, staggering vanity recently?" At least he's self-aware. ^_^
Anyway, back to being in Eugene. Rachel and Micah are at the late premier of a movie created by one of Rachel's colleagues. We decided to crash at their place with the kitties instead. Tomorrow we're gonna get some cinnamon rolls at Sweet Life and spent the typical Eugene Saturday maybe wandering about the Saturday Market. Eat some pre-marathon pasta and have Prince Puckler's ice cream to ease the mind. Then it's time to do the deed and run us a marathon, IT Band Syndrome, Runner's Knee and all!
This run will be considerably more relaxed that the Portland marathon. Saturday night pre-Portland saw us getting no sleep in a Ghetto Lion hotel room, hauling our sorry asses out of bed at 5:30, and milling around and unfamiliar part of downtown in the pre-dawn dark. Even with the early-rising and the milling about, Eugene is so much homier. I still love it here. It's great to see all the llamas-- even after being away for almost 8 months, it feels like I just left. Ahh, home sweet home.
Posted on April 27, 2007 @ 11:19 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
It's really nice to see you guys too. I hate it when we don't all live in the same city.
By Loreleilee, at
11:06 AM, April 28, 2007
OMG GOOD LUCK YOU GUYS!!!
Tonight was the 14th annual Dine Out for Life event. 150 Seattle-area restaurants participated by donating 30% of proceeds for the evening to the Lifelong AIDS Alliance. We visited The Pink Door, a fun little Italian Cabaret downtown. The last time Justin and I ate there was at least four years ago, if not longer. The food is decent (but not amazing) and the atmosphere is fun. I think I'd be inspired to go back sometime for the Saturday burlesque show, but not so much for dinner. Italian is something we can make easily enough at home without paying the premium.
The real reason for the evening celebration was that we had tickets to see Edward Scissorhands "the musical" at the 5th Avenue theater. (The 5th Avenue puts on most of the big musicals in Seattle) The last time I saw a performance there was when Justin and I went to The Phantom of the Opera before we were even dating, and that caused all KINDS of drama.
Tickets to 5th Avenue are generally pretty steep, which is why it's exciting to hear they're doing a young professional's night (which is tomorrow by the way!). I won't lie, however; my tickets fell into my lap the way theatre tickets have been wont to do this last year. Judging by the length of the Press/VIP line at the 5th Avenue, I'd venture to guess that I wasn't the only Seattle-area blogger offered comped tickets. And as a marketer, I have to commend this forward-thinking gesture. Viral marketing is de rigeur these days.
It's a GREAT idea to get younger, hipper, non-musical goers to see this show because it's different. It's a "gothic" love story. It has a fun cast. And it's got great dance numbers.
But I'm still not sure why they're calling it a musical. It's a ballet. If you go see this play expecting to hear musical numbers, you will be let down (if only in that respect). There is no singing. There isn't a single word uttered except maybe an exclamatory "hey!"
This is only a disclaimer because, really, the show was great. It's just unexpected to see a musical without, well, musical numbers. Frankly, I can give or take show tunes. Generally, I can give or take traditionall ballet because it's often so abstract it loses my attantion. This is a dance show with a vivid plot... imagine a ballet with the set, characters, costumes, and score of a musical. Then imagine it's Edward Scissorhands. Voila... awesome.
Justin was dubious at first, joking that it had better not be like South Park's Hellen Keller the musical, or "football" the musical.
I'm going to thrown the baaaaaallll
HE'S GOING TO THROW THE BAAALLLL
I'm going to go loooonnnng
HE'S GOING LOOOOONG
*doot dood a loot dooot doooo*
Justin really LIKES musicals. More than he should. He's even excited that they're making SPIDER MAN(!!) into a musical.
However, Edward Scissorhands was excellent: really entertaining, a lot of fun, and quite surprising in a number of ways. I didn't expect the absolute complexity of some of the dance numbers. They were mind-blowing. Every dancer's actions were so deliberate and in-character that I didn't know who to watch for fear that I might miss something. It made my brain hurt.
The curtain call was also absolutely wonderful. I won't say why because that would be too much of a spoiler, but it was brilliant.
I don't have time to write the comprehensive review I'd like to because it's midnight and I still have to pack and do the dishes so I can get my ass out the door tomorrow. But take my advice and go see it. Everyone will enjoy this show. It's a delightfully clever piece of Americana. (Ironic because it showed exclusively in Europe & Asia until this tour.) Buy tickets now!
I'm off to prep for a weekend of travel, by car and by foot. It's time for us to begin the final phase of the journey that is the Eugene Marathon! We'll pray for good weather (looks promising), happy knees (dubious), and a fun run (likely, regardless). Wish us luck!
Posted on April 26, 2007 @ 11:23 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Spiderman? I musical? What...?
By Allie, at
8:05 AM, April 27, 2007
Spiderman the musical... okaaay. That makes me wanna clap my hands and shout *NO* to the thinkers of that idea.
Lolslolslols why do you have to bring up such horrible TV episodes, like Helen Keller, the musical? I shouldn't be laughing at that, omgeez.
Come come come to Eugene and let's git our running ooon!
By Rachel, at
8:26 AM, April 27, 2007
So when we were invited to go see it performed live we thought it might be fun. It was awesome! Not only do they perform the entire 12 chapters (it takes about 90 minutes) but they also include the commentary that R. Kelly recorded for the DVD release. The commentary was really special for us and included gems like "You'll notice how it keeps rhyming..and I don't know how that even happens!" I don't know of any other way to compliment the madness of the script any better than to hear R. Kelly's thoughts on the material. As for the plot, there's really no way to describe it and do it justice. It's best that you just see the play or watch the DVD yourself. Long story short, I'm still chuckling to myself and I'm hard pressed to remember a Tuesday evening this fun in quite some time. If you're in Seattle get down to the Rebar on Wednesday or Thursday and get yourself some laugh therapy (and support small local theater).
Posted on April 24, 2007 @ 10:09 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
:-O I have been checking Netflix to see when Part II will be released, to no avail.
So you saw a live version of people acting Trapped in the Closet??!! Omgeeeeez!
By Rachel, at
2:14 PM, April 25, 2007
She tries to lead him upstairs
But he goes straight to the kitchen
She says "Hun, I bought you some pears"
And then he said "I'ma heat this chicken"
Then she turns around thinking to herself
With this weird look on her face
Then he screams "Woman, what wrong witchu,
why are you walking back and forth, pacing?"
Before she answers she's thinkin' to herself
"What am I to say?"
Because the truth of the matter is
that she just slept with another man today
By Kat, at
2:21 PM, April 25, 2007
I went to browse wedding dresses once this week with Justin's mommy. We had a 5PM appointment at La Belle Elaine's in Fisher Plaza. Even their website is pretentious, but I have to admit I was excited at the prospect of nearly 10,000 feet of space and a runway with custom lights and music.Monday night turned out to be a great time to visit because we were practically the only ones in the store. I think the staff wasn't thrilled that they were unlikely to get a commission off of my visit, so they left Sarah and I alone almost the whole time. Another plus-- we had run of the place to do whatever we wanted. I must have tried on 15 dresses, and found three that I very much liked. I'd link to photos of them here but I don't want to do that because Justin would be too tempted to look at them. I'd like him to have no clue which dress I may get. I also think that the dresses looked better on me than the photo models-- one of the models looks 15, the other looks like a nun, and the third looks like a cocaine addict. Guh.
I will say that the dress I liked best is by Paloma Blanca and costs about twice what I want to spend. That being said, the cost isn't *entirely* outrageous. The dress is also relatively simple and I could easily have it made for less money, which I just might.
Tomorrow I have an appointment at La Belle Elaine's to show off these dresses to my mom and Amy. We're also headed down to Cicada, a Seattle-based wedding dress company that I've heard good things about. They seem more relaxed and less pretentious. This time I'll remember to bring the digital camera to take some photos for posterity.
I feel like I've got nonstop wedding chatter in my brain. I almost wish that were doing it this summer so that I could put some of this plan to action! The funny thing is, the main reason we were avoiding scheduling a 2007 wedding is that there was already a huge family wedding in the books for this July. They called it off last month. Now, of course, it's too late for us to really plan for even a ceremony in September and expect that there will be enough lodging available in Glacier National Park for all the guests and the wedding party. From talking through the guest list, it seems like we'll be inviting about 150 people, give or take, though I don't expect them all to make it. However, the park has limited lodging in the area I'd like to stage the ceremony, so we have to be careful to plan ahead. (The Many Glacier Lodge was also damaged by flooding this past winter and repairs probably won't be completed until late this season.)
I'm expecting Katalin, the wedding planner, to send me rates and service information for working with her and her crew sometime early next week. Then we can really get the ball rolling on setting a date. We're looking at mid to late August or possibly the first weekend in September (after Labor Day when things are quieter).
The big thing right now is budget. We just need parental commitment. Then things will get a lot simpler. That's all we can do for the moment!
Postscript: I'm quite amused that AdSense can only seem to generate ads about recipes and diets (at least for me) so far. I've barely had 4 posts on the subject! I'm not sure if it's limited to content on the front page of the blog, but even so, those posts aren't up any more. I wonder when it'll pick something else to advertise. Check out the ads on some of the archive pages... they're equally odd.
Posted on April 21, 2007 @ 2:25 PM | 6 comments
Comments:
Eiiieee I miss nonstop wedding brain. I want to have another wedding! :-)
All of the dresses you liked were so pretty... I can't wait to see the one you pick.
By LazyLightning, at
5:33 PM, April 21, 2007
Love the new layout.
Wish I could go dress shopping with you! Sounds like fun!
By Allie, at
6:16 PM, April 21, 2007
I like the new look. Isn't it all kind of exciting? I wish I could do it again, because it was fun...but at the same time, I'm glad to have all the stress off my mind. Be warned, I found that many bridal shops really frown on photo taking. We had to be sly and take them in the dressing room sometimes.
By sometrouble, at
8:24 PM, April 21, 2007
My adsense was giving diets and recipes at first, but now it's changed to cars and cat stuff -- like the stuff on my front page. I wonder if Google needs to crawl your site again? I read something about it taking a bit to get them personalized if they need to do that.
I like your new banner. I redid my site this weekend too. d
By lazylightning, at
6:40 AM, April 22, 2007
Oooo lovely new banner!
Yay for dresses.
.....Welp... you could totally plan a wedding for September. Esp b/c you have a wedding planner helping you out. It wouldn't be impossible. :D
By Rachel, at
7:46 AM, April 22, 2007
Ay yah! No wedding in September, I'll be in Cuba!!! I wanna be there!
And you should send me pix of your dresses!!!
By Titania, at
4:31 PM, April 26, 2007
I know this is natural given the distances we've been doing on our weekend runs, but I wish still that I had the ability to do 30 mile and 40 mile weeks like other runners and not feel it. I guess I'm just not built that way.
The plus side is that we've kept consistently faster times. Even our time for the 21.5 mile run (now 3 weeks ago) where we stopped, photographed, and checked the map no less than 20 times, put me finishing the marathon 1/2 hour sooner than my Portland record. I can live with that. But I worry about my knee giving out, even though I have been working hard to stabilize it, and even though it hasn't hurt for a while.
I'm really worried about Justin, too. He seems to have developed IT Band Syndrome, to the point where he had to stop running 3 miles into our 6-miler last weekend from the pain and had a hard time walking that day and the next. I don't want to see him try to run the marathon like that, and I don't want to see him have to stop. He visited his doctor and was prescribed some sort of super-asprin. I somehow doubt it will help.
What I/we need to focus on now is the *fun* aspect of the run. This will be a nostalgic course for both of us, one that I've run most of during my time at the U of O. I hope we can focus on that and not whatever grief our bodies choose to give us. I still hope to finish in 4:40 or less, but if I can't manage that, I'll take 5:00, and if that isn't what's destined I'd be happy just to beat my pr of 5:25. If all else fails, I hope for good weather, no pain, and the company of the people I love-- we'll make it across the finish line if we have to crawl.
Posted on April 20, 2007 @ 2:55 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Lols that is a funny visual of all of us crossing the finish line on hands and knees, like travelers lost in the desert.
I don't know if it's too close to race day for Justin to start trying some stabilizing exercises, but it might be worth a shot. Working out my legs w/ squats and other counter-stabilizing muscles has really helped me overcome IT band flares. A wikipedia search for IT bands will offer him some hints for helping his pain. I feel for him; it's a pain that's really terrible, IT band pain.
I'm *really* excited for the marathon, but I understand your apprehension about it. It's gonna be fun. I think I will finish between 5-6 hours, but if I don't oh well. Imma not gonna worry about my time; it's too much for me to think about and for me it takes the fun out of the whole thing.
By Rachel, at
7:44 AM, April 21, 2007
Kat and Justin,
A massage therapist with knowledge of such problems can work miracles on tight IT bands (and hips, which often contribute to the problem).
Get thee a massage, and good luck on the race! I hope to see y'all there.
By Patrick, at
2:49 PM, April 24, 2007
It makes me feel a little dirty (no offense to you if you're reading, Adam!) to display advertising here. I'm anti-adverts in general. The sheer quantity we deal with on a day-to-day basis is so staggering it makes me dizzy.
I'm also quite aware of the irony presented by the fact that I have a career in marketing.
The fact is, I never really thought about putting ads into this (personal) space until I considered that:
1) Not everyone is as bothered by advertising as I am
2) I'm not *that* likely to turn people away with adverts
3) I can use my best judgment on color and placement to not offend
4) If I don't like it, I can take off or change different page elements
5) There's no obligation
6) I might actually make some couch change
As I said before, any profit I generate from ads will go toward the wedding. Of course, I can't in good conscience encourage you to click on the ads ... it makes Google really mad if you do that. However, they are there and they will be there until I can determine if AdSense is worth it. Please share your thoughts!
Posted on April 19, 2007 @ 7:19 PM | 4 comments
Comments:
I just clicked on an ad called "meatloaf recipe". Hehehe.
I don't mind it. I might do it myself.
By LazyLightning, at
7:20 AM, April 20, 2007
I really don't think they are that obtrusive. They are quite easy to ignore, if they really irritate someone that much. It's not like you are using obnoxious pop-ups or huge animated banners. I am really interested in the program. I would really love to hear how well it is working out for you after a few weeks. What sources did you use when researching whether it would be worthwhile or not?
Also, do you know if you still get credit for a "click" if the person right clicks the ad and chooses "open in a new window"?
By sometrouble, at
7:42 AM, April 20, 2007
I'm curious: how much money might you potentially make? Is it dependent on ppl clicking on ads or Google searches? I don't get it.
By Rachel, at
8:09 AM, April 20, 2007
sometrouble: I know a lot of bloggers who use it and make a significant amount of money. The thing is, they actually have a readership. I'm only expecting "couch change" for two reasons... 1) no one reads my blog and 2) you only get pennies a click. You get credit for all clicks.
waterseek: To be honest, I don't expect more than $100 a month, if that. Google sends you a check every month, unless you make under $100 and then they roll the balance over to the next month.
There are actually four separate AdSense implementations on the page, because I want to see what works best. The first is the search box, which functions as google does but generates revenue if anyone clicks on the ads presented in the results. The second is the ads underneath the search box. The third is down below the "feedburner" link. I get credit if anyone installs firefox through this link because it features a google product. I don't expect anyone to do this, but I don't mind putting that particular promo there because I like Firefox. The fourth is the small ad list below the images. I might move that up to below the other ads. I don't know my feeling on it yet.
I'm more curious than expectant, but I will keep you updated on whether it works or not. Who knows, maybe it will motivate me to actually get some visitors. Doubtful, though, because I still don't have the time, energy, or ideas for content to make this a high-traffic site.
I also think it's silly that out of all the content on this page, it decided to focus on food. Maybe I'll have to pick interesting things to write about and see what the ads do.
By Kat, at
9:07 AM, April 20, 2007
Posted on @ 2:15 PM | 4 comments
Comments:
Yeah, it's intentionally dorky. ^_^
By Kat, at
3:22 PM, April 19, 2007
OMGEEZ teh blink tag are we in 1990 again lols!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!
By Rachel, at
5:21 PM, April 19, 2007
I adore the blinking! Happy birthday indeed!!
By inkandpen, at
8:15 PM, April 19, 2007
Happiest of B-day's!
By Allie, at
11:24 PM, April 19, 2007
#1 Justin and I are going to see the 5th Avenue's production of Edward Scissorhands next week. You should too, and here's why:
The 5th Avenue Theatre is offering a special discount on premium tickets for Young Professionals' night on Friday, April 27. Using the promo code TOPIARY will get you the best seats available (a regular $68 value) for only $40. You must be 39 or under and show your ID as you enter the theatre. The show starts at 8PM.To buy discounted tickets, simply go to 5thavenue.org, call 206-625-1900, or stop by the 5th Avenue Theatre Box Office in-person.
I had no idea it was such a big production-- It's been around the world before it came here. It looks really beautiful. Lots of well-choreographed dance and a nice, high-budget performance (you know, compared with a lot of the free theatre I've seen). I'll write up a little review once we've seen it.
#2 I've got wedding fever! Ever since I tried on dresses this Monday with Justin's mom, I just can't stop thinking about planning. I found some styles I love and a few dresses in particular that are to die for. I'm considering getting one made.
I did email the potential wedding planner, and I heard back from her this morning. It looks like we'll work well together! She and I will be hammering out details more after she sends me some information.
Right now I'm having fun just browsing the knot and saving things I like to my notebook. We've made an estimated guest list and talked about the sort of colors and themes the wedding should have. Very abstract things. It will be great to have a consultant to help us sort it all out.
At the moment, our main goals are to define a date and define a budget. The date will be easy. Getting commitments to contribute a certain dollar amount from families will not. We've got to start saving up ourselves! In fact, I'm going to implement AdSense (even though I DESPISE it) to see if it might be a useful way to stash some extra cash.
I'll write about wedding thoughts and financial planning in more detail after tomorrow, when I will under considerably less stress because...
#3 Tomorrow I'm presenting at Holy Names Academy's Career Day. Justin's great aunt Eileen is a nun there and asked if I would present to the girls. I guess she feels that my experience as a young, upwardly mobile professional will be valuable to the girls. I think I'm going to feel very silly talking to them about marketing, but I do hope I can offer them a few words of advice about finding a career and working with people whom you actually like.
My preso makes reference to Dilbert, South Park, toothpaste for dinner, and xkcd. Maybe someone will actually remember it. Even if they don't get the funnies. :P
I've got to put considerable work into my preso and speech tonight. I'm trying to avoid the typical "slide overload" even though I'm working with Keynote, not Powerpoint (which means it's considerably less stoopid). And really, alls I've got to do is talk about my experiences, which ain't that hard. When I'm done with all that nonsense, you'll get more lovey-dovey wedding crap and marathon updates.
Posted on April 18, 2007 @ 5:00 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Glad you're coming! $40 ticket for the best seat is 40% off! Come check out our video for the show
myspace.com/5thavenuetheatre
Keridwyn
Promotions & Events Manager
5thavenue.com
By Keridwyn, at
6:44 PM, April 18, 2007
Squee, wedding fever!
By Rachel, at
5:20 PM, April 19, 2007
A handful of homes in the Fremont Area are without power for a tragic reason: A man jumped from the Aurora Bridge late Tuesday morning and landed on power lines below.
The impact of the man's body caused a nearby transformer to explode, making a noise several people nearby thought sounded like bullets being discharged.
"We got several calls about gunfire, but that's what it actually was," said Renee Witt, a spokeswoman for the Seattle Police Department.
Officers were dispatched to North 34st Street and Troll Avenue North at 11:22 a.m.
Investigators from the Medical Examiner's Office were on the scene a half-hour later, and Witt said the man's death appeared to be a suicide.
Seattle City Light spokesman Scott Thomson said a power crew was on their way to the scene but it wasn't immediately clear how many homes the damaged lines served.
We didn’t lose power here at the office, three blocks away, but a lot of homes and restaurants did. Distressingly, this guy dry jumped straight onto the lines paralleling 34th, which is the main east-west thoroughfare in the neighborhood. I seriously hope no one was walking or biking below.
I hate the Aurora bridge. I wish they’d stop bullshitting about defacing a (damn ugly) “historical landmark” and put up some fencing. Is the bridge’s age seriously worth more than the lives of all the people who kill themselves there every year?
Posted on April 16, 2007 @ 10:31 AM | 1 comments
Comments:
Ew. :(
Surely a fancy developer could design a fancy and periodic "restraint device" to match the bridges's historical pretty in order to keep people from jumping.
When I stayed at your place and walked around underneath the bridge, it gave me the creeps just thinking about how often people jump from it. And I don't have to walk by it every day. :(
By Rachel, at
10:36 PM, April 16, 2007
I was initially worried because I had three lunch dates set up this week (of all weeks) that I wouldn't be able to find anything to eat. Silly me, I work in Fremont where nouveau hippie-dom reigns. All the Thai restaurants are veg friendly (if too high in salts and oils) and Tawon has a WONDERFUL brown rice. Yesterday I ate steamed broccoli with soft tofu in this amazing super-garlicky sauce. Tomorrow Jeff, other Jeff, and I are going to Chiso for sashimi (they also serve brown rice) and Friday I'm taking Jeff out to Silence Heart Nest, and you can't get much more new-age-foodie than THAT.
Today's recipe doesn't fit within my "spring cleaning" paradigm, but easily could with some alteration. However, because it's lamb season and lamb is so delicious in this recipe, I recommend not altering it. I made this for the first time about a month ago after spotting it in my Seductions of Rice cookbook. It's unlike anything I've ever tasted and quite delicious and savory.
African Lamb and Peanut Stew (mafe)
2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 large onions, sliced thinly
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (optional, but good!)
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 lb okra, chopped into 1/2 inch lengths
2 T peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T tomato paste
4-5 cups water
2 large or 4 medium tomatoes OR 6 drained, canned tomatoes, chopped
2 T dried shrimp minced or powdered
2 T salt, or to taste
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
2 serrano chiles or dried red chiles
Ground black pepper
Put the onions, sweet potato, carrots, and okra into a bowl of cold water until ready. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over med-high and toss in half the onions and garlic. Stir briefly, then add the meat. Cook all together, stirring, until the meat is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste and 1 cup water. Add to the meat with the chopped tomatoes and dried shrimp. Add 2 more cups water and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and sweet potatoes, cook for 5 minutes. Add the okra, along with 1-2 more cups water if necessary to cover the vegetables. Bring back to a boil and cook at a strong simmer for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter with 1 cup of the hot broth. Stir into the lamb mixture, then add the chiles, the remaining onion and garlic, and pepper to taste. Simmer over med-low heat until most of the water evaporates, leaving a fairly thick sauce, 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serves 6-8 over plain rice.
The key thing with this recipe is that you can work with what you have. When I made it, I didn't use okra OR dried shrimp, as neither were items I could find. I did substitute some powdered dashi for shrimp. For tomatoes I used 1-2 cans diced. The lamb I found that early in the season also had lots of bones and was hard to work with. Now is the season to find really good lamb shoulder. YUM. I plan to make this as soon as I'm done detoxing.
Back on that subject, I've had really awesome workouts the last few days. Yesterday when I put on my gym clothes to bike home, they were still damp from the morning and freezing cold. That's a sign of a good workout... usually they're dry because when I come in to the gym to do cardio I typically get on the recumbent bike and read the tabloids. Yes, I've become lame. Anyhow, I'm headed there this afternoon for some more fun. I saw they were advertising a Saturday morning kickboxing class, which I might check out.
On Sunday, Justin and I rode our bikes down to pier 66 and walked through the SAM Olympic Sculpture garden. I took a few photos, which are posted in the gallery. Justin got his hair cut so he doesn't look shaggy any more! We'd originally intended to go all the way to Alki, but the weather turned to shite on us so we headed home in the rain. Here's a final pic of the sky with horsetail clouds before the rains came:
Posted on April 11, 2007 @ 1:49 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
“Don’t let them get in to the orange! It’s most important! Or the juice will get out, and it’ll not be good. They’re breaking in with fingers, depth charges! Let the peel come off only in small chunks!"(peeling orange with fingers) “Shit! Jesus Christ!”
(as Prochnov) “They’re breaking in! Push all the pips into bits they wouldn’t expect, that’ll do!” (pushing pips around)
... yeah. That's what I have to say about your bowl of fucking fruit. And the pears are all sitting there going “No! No! Don’t ripen yet! Don’t ripen yet! Wait till she goes out of the room! Ripen now! Now! Now!”....
I love transvestite comedians talking about fruit...
By Titania, at
7:38 PM, April 11, 2007
well - i can't beat the post from Titania but hey Dear!.!.!. can't wait for the rest of lunches this week!! i get to pay off my CC bills from vacation!!! and eat healthy. back to messaging of new ...
By , at
10:50 PM, April 11, 2007
I do get up in the morning and work out, some. I do eat relatively healthy, in large quantities. I avoid snack food and sweets, when they're not in front of me (but when you work where I do, they often are). I don't drink a lot, unless others are.
But here's what's been going on: Instead of getting up at 6:30 or 7, as I should be, I've been hitting the alarm clock until 7:30 or 8. Some days I don't even get in to the gym because I'm so comfortable in bed. I never used to have this problem. The end result is that my workouts are cut short because I work a 10-6 schedule. I put on weight after the Portland Marathon, then lost some of it. Now I've put it on again, and then some. I look fine and most of clothes still fit OK, but I'm not where I'd like to be.
Part of this is because I've also been noshing indiscriminately on large quantities of pasta and other carbs while munching chocolate and whatever ridiculous dessert is in front of me at work. It's always someone's birthday. I've also been drinking beer and wine at home, which is normally fine, but not when coupled with guzzling the stuff on weekends (and now weeknights!) with friends. Seriously, I love drinking. I love drinking with friends even more. I love it so much I worry about it sometimes because I tend to drink a lot once I get started. Drinking just doesn't love me and I get tired of completely losing the day after a night of drinking to headaches, lethargy, and other hangover symptoms.
I feel flabby, unenergized, and complacent, both mentally and physically. I really need to detox and gain back some psychological strength. It's also important for me to properly maintain good nutritional and exercise programs while approaching the marathon. I decided to set some goals to help me on my way.
- I'm starting a 1 or 2 week round of a naturopathic "Spring Cleaning" diet. This diet is not about calorie restriction (although it can be) but rather about removing unhealthy toxins from your system. It focuses primarily on cleansing the liver and kidneys, much as a juice fast would, but without the extreme measures. It also helps eliminate the cravings for sugars, fats, alcohol, and caffeine that can come with regular consumption.
The diet allows you to consume foods as you normally would, but excludes certain items from consumption. That means: no meat except cold water fish, no eggs, no dairy, no coffee, no alcohol, no chocolate, no "rancid" or heated oils, no bleached flour, no white rice, etc.
Justin has agreed to try this with me, primarily because we have to eat the same dinners. I don't care if he does the "no milk, eggs, or sweets" thing. He can eat whatever he wants for lunch, but we normally eat leftover dinner. The funny thing is, aside from the "no dairy," "no meat," and "no eggs" stipulations, we eat this way much of the time. Removing animal proteins from the diet is supposed to aid in the digestive process, so we'll give it a try. I love tofu, beans, and fish better than everything else anyway! I've already made a meal plan that consists pretty much of our standard meals. I figure that the things it cuts out are things that I don't really want or need. I need to put them into the appropriate frame of reference by reminding my mind and body that these things are a luxury. - I need to be able to get a good night's rest and to do that, I need a good workout. The problem is, if I don't get enough regular exercise, I don't sleep soundly, and then I can't get up in the morning to work out. I'm going to go to bed earlier because I sleep the best at the beginning of the night. I am also going to get up WHEN MY ALARM GOES OFF and not later. I will not hit "snooze" four times.
- I need to focus my workouts in a way that will benefit my performance and health in the marathon. Until now my workouts have been sort of ad-hoc. This happens when I run longer distances and start to be exhausted. Cutting back on the distance to save my knees doesn't mean that I should rest completely unless exercise makes them worse. I will focus on straight-leg lifts, which are beneficial for Runner's Knee, and core exercises for greater stabilization. I'll try light running again starting this week, but if that doesn't work, I'll focus on elliptical training or biking. I will do 30+ minutes of cardio or an hour of weights every day. I won't half-ass it. I will sweat.
- I've got to get outside more! It's nice out and the day is longer. I've got no reason to check CuteOverload and my RSS feed 900 times when I get home from work. I work on a damned gorgeous canal. I can take my breaks outside, too.
- I'm happy to say that I've been planning positively for the future, and I want to do more of it. Justin and I have been talking about our "5-year plan," including what to do after he graduates, where to live, if we want to go overseas, where to buy a house, when to have kids, etc.
We've also taken the first steps toward making concrete wedding plans. I will be contacting a wedding planner in Montana this week to inquire about facilities and other arrangements. I'm going to try on one particular dress with his mom later this week, and then I'll be trying on others with friends because there is no way I will be able to afford this one. More on that later, after I've actually done it.
The weirdest part of all this talking is the conclusion that we'll probably start trying for kids in three years. This seems so soon, but I have a feeling it might feel like a long time to wait after we get married. Justin will be 30 then, and doesn't want to wait much longer. I'd ideally like 5 years of married life without rugrats, but realistically I don't think I will be able to make it that long. What a turn about from my feelings a few years ago. Funny how hormones work.
Anyway, all these changes are pretty small things. I'm blogging them only to solidify my thinking and remind myself. I'm hoping in two week's time to feel firmer and fitter in mind and body. It's about the right time of year for cleaning out the cobwebs.
Posted on April 09, 2007 @ 5:11 PM | 5 comments
Comments:
Good luck to you. I seem to go in cycles... I'll be doing really well, eating healthy portions, eating small sweets, exercising regularly... then I get in a rut. We get too much takeout and I don't know when to put it in the fridge as leftovers. A holiday or birthday comes and there's cake and cookies everywhere. I get busy and don't go to the gym. I sleep late and when I'm not asleep, I'm tired. While I'm accepting that I simply will not lose the 25 lbs I've gained since age 20, I am not accepting of the flab and lovehandles... I need to get on the "up swing" and quit overindulging as well. Don't think I could cut out meat and cheese though... mmm. Well maybe meat. But not cheese.
Anyway, I've rambled. And we too want kids in about 3 years. And I am looking forward to hearing about your dress hunt!
By lazylightning, at
6:04 PM, April 09, 2007
I think I need to sit down and make some solid goals for myself this quarter like you have done for yourself. I've started becoming a major slacker these days which I hate but I can't seem to get myself back on track. So thanks for the motivation!
Also, I'd love to hear more about your wedding plans as they move forward and be a part of all that fun stuff...and oh how weird and exciting that I can look forward to being an Aunt Allie in the next few years!
By Allie, at
6:25 PM, April 09, 2007
Good for you and your goal setting. It's so fun to reset one's goals!
I too have found that the marathon training has really effed with my regular activity level and my food intake. "I'm recovering, I shouldn't go exercise..." and extraneous caloric consumption have all caused me to gain weight too. I'm really looking forward to getting back to a regular level of physical fitness.
And yeah, isn't it WEIRD to have your ovaries twitching a little bit? Seeing my niece be born and watching her grow up right now is getting us both really excited to have babies... in a few years. ;)
By Rachel, at
10:35 PM, April 09, 2007
Tick tick tick tick DING BABY TIME!!!
By LazyLightning, at
6:34 AM, April 10, 2007
Congrats on the goal setting and the cleansing diet. If all of your meals are like the one we ate last night, you should have no problem :) Oh boy wedding and babies!! (Amy runs screaming from the building)
By , at
5:22 PM, April 10, 2007
This weekend, Justin and I celebrated 7 years together. If I look back to when we first started dating, which was about a month and a half before I graduated high school, it does seem like we've been together a long time. I mean, on a day-to-day basis I just don't feel like we've been together for seven years. We both have changed so much, but we've grown together. The funny thing is, even though I know that we were just kids when we started our relationship (ok, we still are) and that we've had our share of hard times, I don't really feel the passage of time. I just feel comfortable and happy to experience life with him-- not giddy and excited like two teens in love (though sometimes) and not tired, cranky and wishing for something new (although occasionally).
We certainly have "off" days, but rare that we fight. I can still count on one hand the number of times we've been really, really pissed at each other. I think we've had three, maybe four big fights. More often than not, our disagreements are caused by losing patience with one another over something minor. I get frustrated with him because he can't read my mind. He gets frustrated with me because I'm indecisive. We talk about our frustrations and we move on. And when it comes to the big stuff, he's patient enough to sit down and help me sort out my life issues.
You know, sometimes it bugs me that he will go four months without getting a haircut until I nag him into it (like in the photo). I get frustrated that he worries at his hands constantly. I kick his clothes into a pile to keep them out of my way on the bedroom floor. And I desperately wish he had the same fixation on cleaning up clutter that I do. But despite his quirks, I just don't get tired of him. I love waking up next to him in the morning. I love the scent on his shirts, even the stinky ones. I love that he's strong but gentle, easy-going but competitive, athletic but lazy. He can cook, he can clean (when he gets around to it), and he's one of the most nurturing people I know, man or woman. He may not be a classic romantic, but he tells me he loves me and wraps me in his arms every day.
He's the man I'm going to marry. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him, and for that, I am glad. Thank you, Justin, for seven amazing years.
Posted on @ 11:15 AM | 2 comments
Comments:
Congrats! We love you guys!
By , at
2:15 PM, April 09, 2007
Happy 7 years together :o) I'm glad to see how much you guys have grown together.
Love you!
By Allie, at
6:28 PM, April 09, 2007
I should note that one of our friends made this recipe with firm tofu instead of chorizo and it was delicious. I imagine it would also be wonderful with tempeh or shredded chicken.
A few days ago after being horribly stressed by our late return from Amsterdam I found myself craving food. Not just any food of course, I wanted some kind of black bean mash. Think Mexican...mole...something like that. After some searching I found a recipe that sounded about like what I was looking for. The result? It was good. I should capitalize that or something...it was really good. There was an official name for the recipe, but I'm writing at school so I'll leave that part out.
8 oz chorizo with casings removed
2-4 T olive or vegetable oil
30 oz canned black beans
1 small onion chopped
1 avocado
6 oz soft cheese such as feta
cilantro for garnish
4 6-7" crusty rolls
Cook chorizo over medium heat breaking up with a spoon until mostly browned and some fat has rendered. Add chopped onions and cook until sausage is browned and onion has softened. Add beans and bring to simmer. Once simmering use a large spoon or potato masher to crush beans. Continue to crush beans and stir continously for 8-10 minutes until overall consistency is of mashed potatoes.
Split rolls horizontally and remove a small amount of soft bread from the center of the lower half, a trench for the ingredients. Brush both cut halves with a small amount of olive oil and toast or grill until golden. Smear lower half with ~ 1/2 cup of bean mixture and top with sliced avacado and cheese and garnish with cilantro. Add salsa or hot sauce if you prefer.
Posted on @ 10:33 AM | 2 comments
Comments:
oooo, that sounds soo good and simple too! I think I will try it this week. I'll let you know what I think.
And yes, please do share your recipes! I'm so tired of everything that I usually make. I need some new ideas!
By Allie, at
6:31 PM, April 09, 2007
I tried out the recipe tonight and it was great! I'm going to have to add it to my list of recipes. Thanks justin!
By Allie, at
9:36 PM, April 10, 2007
So, the Eugene Marathon is coming up at the end of this month. I haven't written an update about training for a little bit, so here's the text of an email I just sent to Joe Henderson, the head of the Eugene Marathon training group and my old running coach:
Hi Joe!
I've got a couple questions for you about training. I may be asking them a bit late, but they've been bugging me. Justin and I appear to have both developed persistent 'runner's knee' and we're a little worried about how to proceed.
Let me give you some background...
Both of us dealt with some discomfort during the 17-mile run a few weeks ago. During the last half, I'd had pretty bad knee pain that seemed to go away as long as I kept moving. But if I stopped to take Gu or water or something, it was really hard for me to get started again. That knee pain stuck around for a few days and turned into lingering soreness. I don’t really remember what we did for the next run after that, or how it felt.
We were in Amsterdam two weeks ago and our long run there. What was supposed to be an estimated 19 miles turned out to be 21.5 once we clocked the distance, and man did it seem to take forever. We were in both really uncomfortable toward the end— I was dealing with the same knee pain and Justin with knee and foot pain. He’s had knee issues in the past as well.
My knee has been bothering me since then. It doesn’t hurt with a sharp pain... it just aches and sort of feels thick and swollen. It especially hurts if I have to keep my leg bent in one position for some time, like if I’m sitting on a plane (boy, that was fun) or at a desk. I was careful not to over-stress it by running again after the 21.5 but did some biking and it seemed to handle that ok. At the gym, I’ve been using the stationary bike to cross-train, but anything weight-bearing (like elliptical or treadmill) seems to make it ache after 20 minutes or so. At first, I figured rest was the best medicine.
I picked up a short neoprene knee brace at REI to see how it would help me the next time we ran. Last weekend, we decided to axe running 10 miles and opt for 6 instead. Justin didn’t make it very far before he had to turn back. I went the whole course and the knee brace seemed to help a bit, although my knee started to ache and when it did I would walk fast, with a long stride, for a while. It wasn’t great, but I made it.
Needless to say, we decided not to run 21 miles this weekend. We figure that we ran the longest training distance and at this point we just want to make sure we let our injuries rest and just do our best in the marathon. We’re going for a long bike ride today to see how that feels. The next two weekends, I plan on trying to run appropriate “short” distances again, and perhaps try running outside again during the week as a precursor.
I’m also going to try some weight-lifting exercises I researched online that are used to help stabilizing muscles around the knee in cases of runner’s knee (straight-leg lifts).
I know you’re not a doctor, Joe, but I did want to ask your experienced advice about whether or not you think our training plan is OK. We’re both doing really well, aside from knee pain while running, and I can’t say I’m really at all surprised we’re having this problem. Marathon training is tough!
I’m still really psyched for the marathon and I can’t wait to see you again.
Have a Happy Easter!
Cheers,
Kat
Joe says about what I expected he would :) ...
Kat:
I'm sorry that you're hurting. Having both of you fighting knee pain at the same time isn't fair.
As you suspect, I don't have a miracle cure for this problem. But I can tell you that your training is in the bank. It wasn't planned that way, but you covered your 21 miles two weeks early -- and now have an extra two to get well. You don't need much running in the homestretch, and certainly not another 21.
Joe
Posted on April 08, 2007 @ 12:12 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Ha, you, me, and Kyle all wrote him holy-shit-marathon-is-so-close emails this week, how funny.
Kyle also did not run the 21 miler today, due to foot pain.
I predict that Joe will tell you, as he told Kyle and as he has written in his books, that it's all good that you didn't run this week b/c he ran a marathon with one 20 mile training run 6 weeks prior and he was fine.
I hope your knees and feetes feel better soon. I ran the 21 mile today and my body hurts real gud. I also stopped letting the other faster group members (notice the use of the word group, not team) intimidate me and I just had fun.
We need us some llama tatoos / stencils / hats, something to tie the five of us together through this craziness!
By Rachel, at
10:28 PM, April 08, 2007
tattooooooooos.
Take care of your knees. Family experiences tells me knee surgery is not that much fun. :-)
Just because. I'm tired and my f*ing knee hurts. It's nice outside. That is all.
Posted on April 03, 2007 @ 1:18 PM | 1 comments
Comments:
You're so cute.
By LL, at
4:38 PM, April 03, 2007
We got back late from our vacation in Amsterdam last Tuesday night. Since then, I've been working hard to get all the photos edited-- and here they are!! Justin and I have been quietly recovering from too much to drink and too little sleep, slowly getting back into our normal schedules. Of course, airline travel was a fiasco as usual, but we were blessed to benefit from Jeff's elite status with United. On the way from Amsterdam to Dulles, we were upgraded to first class-- oh goodness, champagne, tablecloths, hot towels, wine, menus & more!-- and from Dulles to Seattle we sat in a spacious exit row. I'm ruined for regular travel forever!
Justin and I stayed with my aunt Julie, who lives just north and across the river from Amsterdam Central. Jeff stayed down the street in a room run as a B&B at Julie's neighbor's house. Photos from each day are up in my gallery. Here's a quick recap of the highlights to provide some context:
Day 1
We arrived in snow and sleet in the early morning hours. Slogged across the tracks to our rooms and slept for 2 more hours. Ventured out in the afternoon to see the city. Spent the late evening listening to my aunt (a concert violinist) perform in Mendleson's Elijah. Nodded off intermittently to beautiful music.
Day 2
We walked back into the city, ducking in and out of shops in Jordaan to pass the time and avoid bad weather. Had lunch at a fabulous okonomiyaki restaurant... definitely not Dutch food, but a Japanese specialty that's hard to find even in the states. Drank a copious amount & smoked a few joints. Watched a somewhat ominous gathering in the square at Leidseplein that turned out to be a Kurdish New Year celebration combined with some form of political protest. Ate delicious Indonesian food.
Day 3
Got up really late. Ate breakfast at the famous Pancake Bakery. Took some canal photos. Dicked around.
Day 4
We rented bikes since the weather had improved, then rode them to Amsterdam East. We took a quick detour to Java Island (a residential island) and then visited my favorite microbrewery, the Brouwerij t'Ij for a couple strong beers. We all enjoyed dinner at Il Parco, a tasty Italian place around the corner from my aunt's house. Then Justin and I headed back to the Red Light District for some drinks, a gawk at the hookers, and a (rather boring) visit to the Moulin Rouge, one of the Red Light's well-known "erotic nightclubs."
Day 5
With Jeff in Rotterdam visiting a friend, Justin and I took off for the 9 Streets to see another part of the city and do some more shopping (this time for cheese and desserts). We also visited the Anne Frank House. In the evening, we met with Jeff and Marche, who was his coworker at Swets. We all went out for coffee and drank a few schnapps at Winand Fockink. Then, the four of us dined at Blau aan de Waal, an exceptional restaurant hidden in the Red Light District.
Day 6
In the morning, we went with Julie to the Saturday market at Noorderkerk. We bought some sausages, cheeses, and olives, then returned home to gear up for our 19-mile training run. We ran out to the Waterlands, a gorgeous stretch of farmland criss-crossed by canals. Our run took a long time because we "misunderestimated" the distance and ran 21.5 miles instead. Oops. (Our time was about 4:10.) The only logical solution was to go back into town to eat & drink until we couldn't feel our legs any more. It was Dutch daylight savings time so we planned to head home by 1AM to avoid the pain of losing an hour-- but we ended up closing down the bars instead. Double-oops.
Day 7
We got up painfully hungover and sore for a 10AM brunch with Julie's neighbor, the woman who ran the B&B at which Jeff was staying. After breakfast, we biked out to Nieuwendammerdijk in the sunshine and walked in the park, then enjoyed some tea and frites at a cafe. In the late afternoon, Justin and I took a canal boat ride in the city. The three of us ate dinner at an amazing Algerian restaurant we found.
Day 8
This was the most beautiful day of our trip! We visited the Keukenhof tulip gardens in Lisse under a warm spring sky. This was the first week the garden was open and many (but not all) of the tulips were blooming. We took an obscene amount of photos, as evidenced by this gallery, and bought a bunch of bulbs that will be shipped to us later in the season. Afterwards, we ate Thai food and said goodbye to Holland, friends, & family.
Posted on April 01, 2007 @ 3:56 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
Haha, pretty and funny pics! Looks like fun times.
By Rachel, at
4:01 PM, April 02, 2007
Thank you! :)#
By Kat, at
4:21 PM, April 02, 2007
Nice photos. I especially liked the shots of the graffiti. In recent months, Portland, where I'm living, has been hit hard by the lame-style of graffiti that consists of quick scribbles. Locals are up in arms about it. I wonder if they would still be upset if it looked like the stuff in Amsterdam.
By Brandon, at
4:42 PM, April 06, 2007
