I have been a sleeping champ lately. However, this is not a good thing for me. Perhaps it’s the stressful load which weighs upon my mind and perhaps it’s the early mornings which have occurred since last week. No matter which, or the combination of both, my evenings have been ending at ridiculously early times.
Willy’s Sounded Good, Until The Line Didn’t Move
I hung around work until about 6:30pm last night before heading home. One change I’ve noticed in my life is that since my house has been a major source of strife I’ve avoided returning home. It’s like I’m living in denial. I wonder if this is how battered spouses deal with their situations?
I decided that the evening’s vegetarian fare would be one of two choices, Willy’s Mexican Grill, or some bread and cheese purchased at Kroger. Willy’s was the original choice, until I noticed that I was about fifth in a line which was not moving. My impatience flared and I bailed on Willy’s and headed to Kroger.
While at my almost-ghetto Kroger I decided to also pick up vegetarian items which could be heated and eaten with little preparation and mess. Sadly my local Kroger doesn’t cater to the meat-avoiding crowd as well as the Bi-Lo in Chatsworth seemed to; this Kroger carried some Boca and MorningStar products, but it didn’t have nearly as large of a selection from which to choose. In addition to last night’s bread and cheese meal I left the store with a box of vegetarian burgers and a box of vegetarian “chicken” wings.
This morning I learned that last night’s meal would have been better if I had read the bread package which clearly stated “Bread must be further baked before consuming.” I did not, and for what it’s worth they are wrong as I managed to eat a good portion of the small loaf without baking it further.
I Think I’m Off “The Running” For A While
I know that running, except for the damage it causes to my feet and knees, is a good thing for me. I know that I’ve signed up for the Atlanta Half Marathon (I refuse to use the sponsored name), which will be occurring next week. I also know that I currently don’t give a flip about running right now. The weather is cold — I don’t like it. My pace is slow — and won’t pick up any time soon. I just have no desire to run. I’m currently in the mindset “If it doesn’t make me happy, then I shall not do it.” in hopes of knocking myself out of a prolonged funk.
I assume that I will regain the desire to run at some time, and when I do it will be on my terms. Until then don’t expect to see me out there pounding the pavement. And, as it stands currently my participation in next week’s half marathon is “undetermined.”
ITP Flickr Pic
You know about my passion for free-standing hearths, right?
You know about my “Home Was Where The Hearth Is” art project, right?
If you know of any free-standing hearths which I can photograph, please let me know. You can either post a comment here or email me. I’d certainly appreciate it as I’d like to make this art project grow.
What Would You Make For A Pot Luck Lunch?
Each year my office holds a pot luck lunch on the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving. This year is no different. What is different this year is that I have no idea what I want to make to bring in.
Even though Thursday will be a meat-eating day for me (my last of the week) I’d like to bring in a vegetarian dish so that a larger number of people in the office can consume it. Preferably I’d also like for the dish to be constructed and heated in a crockpot because the office has no oven, and microwave space and time is at a premium on the potluck day.
Can you help me?
Who’s Ready For Some Hockey?
A week or so ago the idea of attending the Thrashers game on Sunday November 30th surfaced. On that day the Thrashers will be hosting the St Louis Blues in an afternoon affair, 3:00pm EST to be specific. I’m going, who’s going to join me? With enough participation we may be able to get a group package. And with a 3pm start there will plenty of time to mingle in the food court, say near Gorin’s, for some pre-game libations.
In case you don’t realize it, the 30th is the Sunday following Thanksgiving so if you go out and run the half or full marathon on Thursday you’ll probably still be able to drink on that day and not put on any weight. 😉
And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Daily
Current Mood – scattered
Current Music – Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Cold War Kids — “I’ve Seen Enough”
Website Of The Day – Ever wondered what’s been removed from Wikipedia? Check out Deletionpedia (note the odd URL, so you just can’t type this one in).
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Monthly
Foot Mileage – 15 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 18 (18)
Vegetarian Days – 12
Carnivorous Days – 5
Marta Rides – 0
Ongoing
Books To Read To Earn Kindle – 4
November Goals
1) Lose no fewer than three pounds
2) Drink no soda
3) Run no fewer than 75 miles
4) Bike no fewer than 100 miles
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
Debbie and I are in for hockey!!
And she made carrots in a bourbon sauce over the weekend that was outstanding. I know she got the recipe off the web. Maybe she can send the link.
So if you aren’t running, you must be riding? C’mon, you’ll only be cold for the first 5 or 10 miles!!
-FP
I have a few ideas for the crock pot. Are you looking for a more ‘traditional’ recipe or something different? I have one for chickpeas & spinach curry, also a cheesey rice with your choice of veggie is easy. If you wanted to go a sweeter route, you could poach some pears or do some sort of cobbler and serve with ice cream? If you wanted to forgot the heat all together green beans with pickled onions is served at room temp.
I’m in for hockey also. That is a sunday run, you are still eating bacon right?
Speaking of Tday, dinner is still at my place for anyone interested.
When you where shopping did you look in the health food section or the normal frozen food? They (at least the one by me) have all that stuff split up so you need to look both places.
I’m looking for something savory with no rice since others are bringing rice dishes.
I will always be eating bacon! You never know when a million dollars will be on the line and I am forced to eat meat. 😉
I looked in both the Natural Foods section (which frustrated me) as well as in the larger freezer section, which is where I found the items I purchased.
It’s simple, but vegeterian chili is always a crock-pot option. Last year for our potluck, I brought a stew (mine had meat though) and it was a nice little side addition to the plate full of casseroles and stuff.
Allan & I are in for Hockey – and I think Kevin Beebe will be as well. (I don’t think he reads your blog).
Mac n cheese in a crockpot works and is always popular.
I have a spinach & cheesy grits recipe, haven’t tried it in a crockpot, but a trial run wouldn’t hurt (it is tasty & very simple).
What about some sort of corn casserole?
Sal’s recipe for broccoli slaw is easy, just combine all the liquids in a small container and then toss it together right before everyone eats.
I have a thought. I wonder if you’ll find your hearths if you start searching areas where there used to be big steel, cotton, textile mills or whatnot in Georgia? A lot of times when they closed down and moved out, the community all but disappeared too, since it was created by the company to house its employees in the first place (such as the cotton mill area of Roswell, the steel mill area of Decatur, etc. – these were fabricated communities by the mill owners originally for their employees and their families).
I remember being at a hash last spring where there were freestanding ones, but I can’t remember really where it was. Smyrna area, I think? It was a Yassir / Potlicker SOB.
I know of 2 hearths you need pictures of, 1 at Dupont State Forest and 1 at Tsali. both are about 3 hour drive from Atlanta, but you cold get to both in the same trip, I don’t think they are that far from each other, and I’m sure a beautiful drive thru the Blue Ridge Mtns. Both are within hiking distance of the parking lots, but it is much more fun if you ride your mountain bike while you are there.
Aren’t there a couple in Scottdale where the old mill used to be? Across from the USSteel plant?
I’ll keep my eyes out for them down in the Moreland ‘hood.
The real work will be finding the backstory… now that would be a book.
S.
For something a bit closer to home there’s also a hearth or two down on Cochran Mill Rd off of South Fulton Parkway. Just turn right and go past Cochran Mill Park and you should see it (can’t recall if it’s on the left or right). And while I know your knee is iffy you perhaps could go for a nice trail run (or bike?).
@Steve: I know of at least two that we passed on the Wilson 100. I’ll have to drive the route (notice how I never mention re-riding it).
@brenan: Cool. My knee is much better, it’s my mind which has checked out at the moment.
I guess I need to start riding with my Garmin and then I can get exact locations as I find them.
-FP
so Paulie – did you like any of our food suggestions?
My food suggestion is a simple back-to-basics one that was a great success the time I made it for the office pot-luck – same situation of one microwave, crockpot it if possible. Green bean casserole in a crockpot. Make it exactly the way you’d make it for the oven, only use frozen green beans (I used the chunkier ones), mix it all together (I think I did it the night before and kept it in the fridge overnight, but you could do it in the morning before you go to work), then plug in the crockpot when you get there. Depending on how often you can check on it, either turn it on high for a little bit then down to low for the rest of the time, or just keep it on low the entire time.
@barb: I’m still kicking ideas around. I think someone has already committed to mac n cheese and green bean casserole so I may try something different. I’ll be sure to blog about what I bring on Thursday. 😉
Hmmm…I know a lot of lonely chimneys. I live an hour east of Atlanta in Morgan County – a rural county ripe with the things. Go east on I-20 to exit 105. Hang a left at the end of the ramp toward downtown Rutledge. Upon approaching the town, go through the four way stop by two gas stations. When the road deadends at a railroad, turn right away from town. This road is the old highway that people took toward Atlanta, I believe. It’s called Dixie Avenue. Stay on this road that follows the railroad for a few miles (less than 10…maybe less than 5). After passing a string of 3 or 4 impeccable, country-style houses, there’s a five-acre tract for sale. This is the lot with the abandoned chimney. There are probably more chimneys, but I don’t remember them. I just remember this one because I was interested in the property once. The town of Rutledge also lends itself to some interesting photography.