Dressing up and Stepping out

Today was a unique day in the classroom.  There was a dance party at lunch and we were encouraged to wear formal attire or to dress for a celebration.  I tried on my Junior Homecoming dress, thinking that would be hilarious.  It was, but I also decided it was not school appropriate.  (The burnt orange and purple foil look must have been the new rage in the 90s but now it is just ridiculous!) 

I ended up wearing something much more teacher appropriate but much less fun.  Oh well, as I was already dressed up when Greg picked me up from work I convinced him to take me out to dinner.  After a nice meal and a chat, he was off to rehearsal and I wasn’t finished being out and about for the day. Time for a change of scene and a change of clothes.

After donning my much more comfortable athletic wear and a hat, I was ready to venture out. Having already completed a run this morning, I didn’t need another workout but I just craved some outside time.  I had Greg drop me off at the top of the trail and I took a brisk walk back home.  I veered off the path for the first quarter mile and found some mountain biking trails to explore.  Quail and other brush birds were returning to the roost and it was a beautiful time of night to be out in nature. While I was cold all morning in my formal attire, this evening it warmed up and it was pleasant weather for being out on the trail. Just a little 2.5 mile jaunt, but the views that this pre-dusk landscape provided were transcendent. 

Rats!

Saturday Morning I had the trail practically to myself.  A grey May morning, with the streets still wet from yesterday evening’s rain, made the perfect weather for a long run. 

Then I taught another kids yoga class followed by trussing up the tomato plants, and mouse proofing the roof. (Don’t ask…when you hear skittering across the roof and the cat sits straight up in bed in the middle of the night and lunges toward the kitchen to perch on the half wall between the living room and kitchen and stares resolutely at the vent above the stove, you know some sort or rodent is trying to take refuge from the unseasonable Southern California late spring weather that we’ve been experiencing!) Hopefully putting my husband on the roof with some extra shingles and bricks efficiently blocked the rodent refuge.  I’ve got tons of cozy spots back by the compost pile and under the desert mallow where I’m happy to house wildlife friends but when it comes to waking up at 3 or 4 am with a panicky puss, I would rather you not be hiding on top of my house, Mickey!

Unfortunately, late Saturday night or early Sunday morning (depending on how you look at it) the household was awakened again by earnest scratching from above.  We quickly realize our error, instead of sealing the offending rodent out, we had locked him in!  When it became clear that no one was going to sleep with the threat of this furry friend chewing his way through the wire mess and dropping into our soup pot, Greg decided to go back onto the roof and remove the barrier.  This was easier said than done.  The ladder was in the garage, neatly put away in the rafters, which couldn’t be reached until the car was moved.  However Greg’s vintage 1962 Galaxie is very loud and slow to start up.  So we decided, not to wake the neighbors, it was best to push the car out of the garage into the driveway to gain access to the ladder.  I felt just like the Von Trapps escaping from the Nazis in the Sound of Music.  Even though Greg and I were exhausted and outside in our pajamas doing challenging physical labor in the middle of the night, I had to smile, there is no one I would rather be making these crazy memories with.  My sweet husband has a way of making me smile, even the most impossible situations.  Eventually we shifted the ladder from its perch and Greg climbed sleepily to the roof and removed the brick from the vent.  He waited until he saw the suspected rodent (who we have learned was a roof rat, not a mouse) flee the domicile.  Then he replaced the brick and we got a few hours of well-earned sleep. 

Sunday was lazy due to our sleepless Saturday Night.  We managed our morning trip to market with mom and a leisurely lunch followed by a slow paced stroll around the neighborhood but then it was nap time for me.  I awoke feeling more human but still low-key.  I felt like giving myself a facial but I had just run out of face soap.  No worries, I have been eager to try out some homemade recipes for facial products.  I made a honey almond liquid face soap scented with orange and spice essential oils and some Shea and coconut night cream with vitamin E scented with cedar and lavender for relaxation. 

After a little indulgence and messing up the kitchen, I found the energy to clean the house, do a little schoolwork and restorative yoga.  It was still cool outside, so I took the opportunity to make what is likely the last pot of soup for the season.  Veggie soup with a tomato base and a garlicky risotto that I stirred into the soup at the last minute so it wouldn’t get to thick. 

Thanks to our late night adventures we experienced no rodent disturbances on Sunday Night.  We slept fairly soundly and I was ready for four miles on the trail in the still cool weather.  Then onto Memorial Day Kundalini Yoga class followed by lunch out with my hubby.  Greg spent the afternoon rigging up a more permanent rat barrier in the vent and I did school work.  With only three weeks left to go in the school year, report cards and end of year projects need to be completed. 

Here is hoping our peaceful sleep continues and that our furry friend has found a far cozier roost than the vent above our oven.  Our poor senior kitty Nala has been catching up on her snoozing ever since the skittering from above ceased.  Sweet Nala Balasana is not used to standing guard night and day with her ears perked and nose stretched to the ceiling. We are all much calmer and happier when she resumes her rightful place, the spot she has always chosen as her favorite since the very first day she came to stay with us, Greg’s lap. 

Catching up

Well, it’s been a while!  To say life has been busy would be an understatement but also an excuse, so I’m going to skip over all of the mundane and get to the good stuff. Since I last wrote we’ve had two more yoga teacher trainings.  Sharing our practicum has certainly been a highlight of the program.  Each teacher’s personality and interest has been highlighted in their 45 minutes lesson.  I have thoroughly enjoyed each one and would love to take their classes outside of this program if they decide to offer them on a more regular basis.  One more weekend to go and I will be a 200 hr certificated yoga instructor. 

Meanwhile, I’ve been teaching the 6am Yoga on the Run class on Mondays and

I’ve also taught another kids class and one more is scheduled for next weekend. A very sweet class of 4-8 year olds hopping on lily pads and wagging their tails in down dog! 

Last weekend, we saw my very talented sister in law in Sweeny Todd.  I don’t understand how she can sing flawlessly, look absolutely gorgeous, and hold a quivering tear in her eye all in the same moment.  She is an outstanding actress, talented vocalist, and an awesome human being. My mom came along to enjoy the show, it was Mother’s Day weekend after all. We enjoyed great food and good wine before the barber of Fleet Street slashed everyone to smithereens.  Joyce also met James Dean on the way to the Ladies’ Room, so you know she was happy!

In related news, I finally got out to see one of Greg’s shows.  Attending the late night gigs has not been so possibly with my other activities lately.  Lucky for me they played an early evening Sunday night show.  While I was reluctant to attend the first show at this self-proclaimed rustic dive bar, there ended up being a really fun appreciative crowd at the Continental in Glendora.  Don’t let the moose antlers and the damask curtains shrouding the stage frighten you, with the time warp slash perhaps-the-mob-boss-is- offing-an-unfortunate-soul-in-the-backroom ambience; it somehow manages to be a fun place.  The house wine is decent and a steal at under $4 a glass.  Local ladies aren’t afraid to dance and the bar is inclined to cheer.  Check out a sample of the band’s performance, they rock! 

https://youtu.be/3rGL9pnxKEM

On the home front the garden is weeded, fully planted, and tons of seeds are happily sprouting because we’ve had some very welcome but unusual for this time of year rain.  I am loving this cool, cloudy, damp weather in mid-May.  In So Cal, it can be really hot at this time already.  So I am racking up lots of time in the garden and tons of runs. 

This weekend’s seven miler was easy on the legs but rough on the lungs for some reason.  Perhaps allergies are rearing their ugly heads, but my last two long runs have left me winded.  Perhaps it is the cooler weather and the higher humidity or the obvious; I’m just tired out from a long year of teaching.  Only four weeks of school-teacher life left then I can write more regularly.  Hoping that the cool weather will hang around in June so I can indulge in tons of Claremont trail runs before heading off to a totally different climate in July.  We will be off to Hawaii again this summer.  Then I’ll have a whole lot more to write about!

Meanwhile tide yourself over this oldie but goodie recipe that I prepared because the weather has been cool and I’ve been craving extra calories.  This time I studded the cheesecake with chocolate chips after it was slightly cooled because I was in need of a little dark chocolate but fresh fruit works beautifully, as well.  Remember even during our busiest times (or rather especially during the busiest times) one of the best remedies for stress is to spoil yourself a little, or if you are really busy and stressed, spoil yourself

a lot!   

Gluten-free Cheesecake

Filling

1 (8oz) pkg soft cream cheese

1/3 cup granulated sugar  (I’ll try coconut sugar next time)

1 egg

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp vanilla

Crust

3/4 cup almond meal

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp powdered sugar

1 tbsp coconut flour

To make the crust, stir together the almond meal, coconut flour and the powdered sugar.  Mix in the melted butter.  Press into the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of  the small spring form pan.  Bake at 350 for 5 min. 

Heat oven to 425.  In a medium sized bowl combine the cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, coconut flour and vanilla.  Using and electric hand mixer, blend until smooth.  Spoon the mixture on to the crust an smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake at 425 for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temp to 250 and bake for 25 minutes.  Cool at room temperature for 15 minutes and run a rubber spatula along the sides, then remove the rim.