Nature finds a way: Runfessions January 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

bnature

I’m runfessing and sipping tea all in one post. There wasn’t a whole lot of running in January, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have things to get off my chest. There always seems to be a steady stream of things to tell you and odd things going on in my life. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours!

The Vitamix has been christened. It will be used a lot in the coming years!

I would tell you . . .
I’d been eyeing a new Vitamix for a few years. Mine is at least 12 years old, maybe older. It sees a lot of use. Mr. Judy found me a good deal, and it sat on the the counter. And it sat . . . and sat . . .

I had soups I wanted to make (I don’t use it as much for smoothies in Winter) but I just never could seem to find the time. I finally made a Potato Leek Soup and the new Vitamix is christened. Now to figure out what to do with the old one  . . . which still runs, by the way.

I runfess . . .
#thestruggleisreal when it comes to getting out the door in Winter. January was actually on the mild side, despite some snow, some freezing rain, and some bitter cold. But mostly it was unseasonably warm, including running in that skirt for one long run!

Finding the skirt? It was not something I expected to need in Winter, so it was packed away. But in which cube? Getting out the door is hard enough without having to go through the Summer running clothes!

I runfess . . .
Running on the treadmill usually means I do a more thorough warm up, because I’m not out there freezing my butt off waiting to get started. Things got intense mid-month, I was stressed, I was busy, I was tired. I realized as I was running on the mill one day that foam rolling never even entered my mind — I runfess that I didn’t do it afterwards, either (because it was already lunchtime and I was hungry!).

I runfess . . .
I did pretty good with food through most of the holidays. Until I spent much of the week between Christmas and New Years at my moms. Of course spending another week with her after my Dad passed was also a struggle, with more eating out and not many healthy choices available some days.

Who knew eating at a senior living community could be such a food struggle?

I shake my head every time I see this. It’s not the only one, either!

I would tell you . . .
We had a planter outside on the deck, and we brought it in knowing it would probably fall apart out there during Winter. It has pots with dead herb plants on it. In those pots, which have not seen a drop of water in months, these seedlings are growing — that’s what the subject of this post refers to. Seriously, how?

Have you ever seen plants growing without any water (other than cacti)? 

Have you had to haul out Summer running clothes this Winter?

Open stuff immediately, whether or not you’re ready to use it?

What do you have to runfess from January? Come join us

Runfessions

I am also linking up with:

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Coco and Deborah for the ultimate coffee tea date.

As well as Fairytales and Fitness

It’s a party this weekend!

34 thoughts on “Nature finds a way: Runfessions January 2020”

  1. I broke my iPad at the end of December – a cup fell out of a cupboard and the screen was all grey afterwards. I got a new iPad last week and I still haven’t opened the box! Seems that the workaround with the phone is too convenient.
    And I’ve ran a few times without foam rolling as well!

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  2. Is it a tree sapling? I get those growing all over the place, whatever the conditions!

    I will admit to buying a new laptop and tablet because both of mine were getting so slow they were unusable and there were good offers in the sales.Then I didn’t unpack them for ages because I basically wasn’t interested in learning new stuff and how to work them. Mr Liz went a bit mad as he’s a real techy and wants to play – I let him play with the tablet in the end before I used it! So what Catrina says above reassures me.

    And I tend to use my summer running kit (at least tops) under the winter stuff so it all stays in the drawers all year round, but (sort of) sorted by season. I use summer leggings for doing Spin, too.

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    1. I believe it’s a tree sapling, but who knows? We couldn’t keep the saplings for Chester & Gizmo alive, but this damn thing grows with zero water. Now that’s hardy.

      New tech is something I do usually get at right away.

      I have some summer running stuff still out because I use it on the treadmill. Otherwise it’s generally way to cold here in Winter for it — unless it’s not — and I have so much of it it doesn’t all fit in the drawers. 🙂

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  3. My plants always die I am so bad with them! I had been eyeing an instapot since they first became a thing but hubs kept saying i would never use it. Like you with the Vitamix, I finally got one a few weeks. It’s been sitting on the counter for weeks. I finally used it last week and well, I’ve got some learning to do. haha. I have to figure it out bc I cannot let my husband say “I told you so”

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    1. Instant Pot definitely has a learning curve, but I really love mine! Great for the basics: rice, quinoa (although it takes time to figure out the right settings or amount of fluids). Great for soup. I do chicken thighs in there all the time and they come out fork tender every time. Soups . I could go on & on!

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  4. One drawer for skirts and one for capris/tights.

    Don’t think I have as many as you. Traded in a lot.

    Haven’t run in a skirt since fall.

    Impulsive. Open right away.

    I use a blender for soups. Works fine. I make potato leek and pumpkin leek or apple often. Yum.

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  6. We’ve been mild here too, although by mild I’m talking 40. Not exactly summery but a helluva lot better than last year’s -23. I’ve got planters in the unheated garage with some things BLOOMING. No water since maybe September?? It’s crazy. Have fun with that Vitamix!

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  7. Love your new Vitamix. I’ve always wanted one and have heard how awesome they are since you can do so many things with it!

    It’s been pretty mild here too this Winter. It’s only snowed two days so far. Knock on wood that February doesn’t end up being snowmaggedon.

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    1. We have had a lot more than 2 snow days, but in general, it hasn’t been bad & I’ve been able to run in places that are normally snowed in for months. Not too shabby.

      Feb is usually pretty bad, and Mr. Judy has a couple of work trips — that usually signifies snowmaggedon — but I’m going with life supports me. 🙂

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  8. I have a couple of big pots that got stashed in the garage before the first hard frost hit us. They have Sprenger Asparagas (kind of an ornamental fern) in them, and are still looking pretty green. I usually let them winter in the sun room, but never got around to hauling them indoors….maybe they like their cold and (somewhat) dark locale?

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  9. Is that plant an oak seedling? Maybe squirrels buried acorns in there. I have a planter I let outside all winter that contains chives. Every year I think it’s dead and every year it comes back. I must be 15 years old by now!

    Here’s hoping the mild winter continues! 🙂

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  10. I got a new vinyl cutter for Christmas, and it is still in its box. I just haven’t been motivated to use it yet. I need to hop on that.

    I am terrible at gardening, so I have some plants (or weeds?) that definitely somehow find a way. I don’t mean to be bad at it, but it’s not my skill set.

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  12. I actually keep all my running clothes out all year round because of those weird days when you never know if you will need something. Also I wear my shorts and tank tops on the treadmill. I used to pack away my winter stuff but then I could never find a place for it when I need to take it out again.

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    1. I do wear summer clothes out because I wear them on the treadmill, but that particular skirt I only use for long runs (multiple pockets). Normally I have a jacket on in Winter . . .

      I don’t have enough room to keep it all out year round!

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  13. I’m sure you’re not surprised that I keep my running shorts and tanks handy throughout the winter since I often run in them when most normal people are still in tights and long sleeves. 😉 And of course I need them when I ride my spin bike or if I run on the treadmill.

    On the flip side, remember when I watered a fake plant for almost a year? LOL

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    1. Yes, I’d be the one in the tights & long sleeves. 🙂

      I do keep a few skirts & tank tops out for running on the treadmill, but it wasn’t THAT warm!

      OMG, that’s too funny about watering the fake plant. I once almost tried to bite a fake apple, which my MIL loves to remind me of.

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  14. Mother Nature is pretty amazing! I’ve seen flowers sprouting up in the sidewalk cracks.
    I don’t need to pack away my running clothes but I do put away sweaters, then forget about them until the season is nearly over sometimes. Lol

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  15. A Vitamix is the last contraption I want to complete my collection for my kitchen, hahaha. I’m definitely hoping to get one someday! *-*

    My struggle is also getting out the door lately, but not even to go work out outside–getting up early when it’s still dark has just been super rough, haha. :[ Best of luck to you!

    That’s awesome that the seedlings grew anyway! I once received a wrapped up gift and no one told me it was mine so it sat in the house for ages until one day, I noticed a super pretty flower had busted out of the box and wrapping paper in search of the sun–nature is amazing!

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  16. I hear that the Vitamix is amazing! I just couldn’t justify the cost because I don’t cook consistently enough!

    This has been such a weird “winter”…I’m still convinced we’ll have a miserable February like we usually do, haha!

    I’m sorry to hear about your Dad passing away.

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    1. I used my last Vitamix well, and they last a long time. But it’s not for everyone!

      Thanks, Janelle. His passing was a blessing, truly. I will feel much differently when my mother passes, as I’m much closer to her.

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  17. You with the vitamix is me with the black friday sale on my new pair of my sneakers. But not exactly as I bought them to stash vs put in immediate rotation. I was scrolling too quickly and thought at first it was a curling iron next to the blender.

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