Ultimate Coffee Date

Silver linings: Tea/coffee Date April 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 28 Comments

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Mr. Judy and the dogs are once again front and center if we were getting together over a hot beverage. Aren’t they always?

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me for the ultimate coffee tea date: can we talk? Especially about the damn menopot!

Hard to believe this was just 3 years ago

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I would tell you I called my mom on my Dad’s birthday last week. He would have been 94. I didn’t mention it . . . and neither did she. She’s a pretty stoic person in general, although during the months of his decline she was a nervous wreck. Now she’s had time to decompress (now she has too much alone time though!).

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that one of the things that has changed for me is the way I food shop. I was used to going several times a week, never getting more than I can carry in one load — and always using reusable bags.

Now I try to limit it to once a week, which makes the fresh veggies harder to keep stocked, but of course limits my exposure. The irony is that after enforcing a no plastic bag law (fine by me), now they’re saying don’t use reuseable bags. Some stores. Some are okay with it as long as you pack it yourself — fine by me, I actually prefer to pack my own bag, but at the smaller grocery stores they actually make that difficult.

I took cleaning spray to the store and sprayed the bags before I actually left, then again after I unpacked them. I know, I know, I should have been doing that all along.

At least last week I could use these, haven’t been to the store yet this week

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that so far I’ve mostly been able to find what I needed. I’d also tell you that I don’t think I’m hoarding, but I have actually been spending more at the food store (I saw a news story that the grocery stores have seen a surge in sales!).

I am buying some things just in case I am unable to find them next time I shop. Although my freezer is now full to bursting, so I guess we’re good!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I have noticed more runners pretty much everywhere I went in the last couple of weeks. It’s obvious that some of these are relatively new runners. Good coming from bad — there’s always that silver lining!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I notice what I call the 9/11 effect. We went to NYC after 9/11, after a long absence from the city because Mr. Judy isn’t fond of it and we lived in TX at the time. It was a 40th birthday present to me, so about 6ish months afterward (we didn’t go right on my birthday — NYC in the middle of Winter is not for the faint of heart!).

Even Mr. Judy enjoyed the trip. He noticed that everyone was more courteous, more friendly, just in general nicer. I have noticed people being much nicer after COVID19 really hit.

Are you noticing any difference in people, if you’re out there walking or running?

Are you afraid to grocery shop? I’m not really, but Mr. Judy is beginning to freak out about it.

Can you think of any silver linings lately? 

I am also linking up with the  Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

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ICYMI: I took advantage of the one nice day this week to film outside; I talk about Karma vs Dharma here. I’m also going live on Facebook at 4 pm ET  hereto share a short-er preview of next week’s longer Yin Yoga video (which was also filmed outside — feels so much better out there!).

I can’t really interact with you while I’m doing the live video, but you can like it and/or comment and I’ll get back to you later! Maybe there will be a new meditation this weekend . . .

Be the first to know when I release new videos: sign up for my newsletter here to find out when I add new videos, and you’ll receive a free Self Love Affirmation PDF and a bonus audio-only version of this self love meditation.

Running Down a New Normal: Runfessions March 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 29 Comments

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March most definitely did not go out like a lamb. As you can tell, I try to work on my Runfessions throughout the month, and I’d written most of this post before all the craziness really started.

It’s a great time to focus on the things that are good in our life, and these linkups are one of those things! I mean seriously, who would even read this blog without the linkups?

I would tell you . . .
I was rather relieved when it became difficult to visit my mom on her birthday. As much as I wanted to be there for her, I was still getting over something and I was teaching Yoga that morning.

I hated the fact that I couldn’t be there, but I’d struggled with whether or not I should be — I’d been sick, not very sick, but was it the right decision to go where there’s a large number of elderly people?

Update: Obviously now I know it was absolutely the right decision.

I runfess . . .
I was really interested in a Yin Yoga training locally this month. Unfortunately it fell as I was just getting back into running after being sick, and it was 2 full days on the weekend. I’d already missed a long run the week previously. It was forecast to rain the Friday before, and I didn’t feel recovered enough to do a long run in a chilly rain.

Update: that studio is closed, but they are livestreaming classes. The reason I wanted to take the course was to have an in person teaching, though, since my training was online.

I runfess . . .
I was getting pretty excited about going to DE for the half next month. I was researching things to do, we’d made our hotel reservation.

Update: cancelled. I contacted the hotel we made the reservation at on their Website, but I haven’t heard back, so I guess I better call them. I never did call them, but they finally called me to tell me they’d be closing. Hello, check your Website occasionally. Well, I’ll give them a pass considering what’s going on.

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I runfess . . .
I have not had a massage in quite a few months. I didn’t get my usual birthday massage. I was, however, rewarded for my ongoing decluttering in my spare room — I came across a Spa Finder gift card for $50! That’s about the size of a tip for a massage (kidding, but not too far off the truth). I was so excited!

Update: Even though I’m fairly certain I didn’t have COVID-19, I’ve been practicing as much social distancing as possible just in case. Which means no massage right now. 😦 Of course the further update is they’re not open.

I would tell you . . .
I bought two new-to-me Brooks running shoes. The first time I wore the they were incredibly comfortable! Yet the next day the sole of my foot felt funny. Not painful, just kind of stretched and achy. I’d bought these shoes because my easy run shoes were about a year old with a lot of miles on them and I didn’t want to experience Plantar Fasciitis. WTF?

It remained that way several days, but eventually felt fine. In that time it occurred to me that I’d gone back to using my Shinttek (you can buy it here and read my review here) after a long hiatus, and that might be the culprit. Sure enough, after my next run, my feet felt fine. Whew!

Update: I’ve continued to run in the shoes and my feet feel completely normal. Thank goodness because I really like them!

Are you turning your thoughts to Fall now? 

Any virtual races you’re excited about (not my cup of tea)?

Do you have more running shoes than you really need now that there are no races?

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

ICYMI: I’m going back to basics today on the YouTube Channel here. I’m sharing tips to better planking. I hope to have another meditation out this weekend, and yet another next week! If you do like these meditations, please press the like button — it helps me continue to bring everyone free videos.

Be the first to know when I release new videos: sign up for my newsletter here to find out when I add new videos, and you’ll receive a free Self Love Affirmation PDF and a bonus audio-only version of this self love meditation.

Runfessions

I am also linking up with:

 

Aging isn’t for sissies: Tea/coffee Date March 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 29 Comments

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Mr. Judy and the dogs are once again front and center if we were getting together over a hot beverage. Aren’t they always?

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me for the ultimate coffee tea date: can we talk? Especially about the damn menopot!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I would tell you Mr. Judy was away last week at a conference. I finally got my alone time. Somehow I accomplish a great deal more when he isn’t home. I am, however, very grateful that we were not clobbered with a big snowstorm this time.

Mr. Judy has gone to this conference many times, and we’re almost always hit with a big one while he’s away. I didn’t have to shovel once!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that I am all care-giver’d out. It’s been one thing after another since we moved to NY 11 years ago: parents and a whole string of aging furkids. Lola was having stomach issues while Mr. Judy was gone. She was waking me up several times a night to go outside. I am quite grateful that she didn’t just do something inside, but still.

One night it was so bad that I left the back door, the one with the pet door that we usually close at night, open. I knew it was the only way I was going to get any sleep.

Aging is not easy, in humans or animals. Good thing they’re cute.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that it is also ironic — and sad — that 4 years ago Lola was the one that had to be admonished to slow down on walks because Chester was in heart failure and couldn’t walk that fast. Now it’s Bandit who has to slow down for Lola. She’s not in heart failure, at least not yet, but she is old (14) and definitely showing it.

No worries, I still have plenty that fit & are flattering.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I have a large pile of jeans to donate. They actually fit — my guess is that I am probably thinner now than I was when I bought them — but let’s just say things have shifted and a lower rise does this middle aged body no favors. Damn menopot! Do you feel me? I know some of you do, anyway.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that something is going on with me and soap lately. I brought a different brand of dishsoap. In trying to get it going the first time, I ended up with soap all over my sweater. I was not pleased. I won’t be buying that brand again.

Then I was reaching over to get the cup that holds our toothbrushes so I could wash it, and I knocked the soap container into the sink, where it proceeded to break into a million pieces.

I scooped up the pieces to throw out in the garbage in the kitchen, unwittingly trailing soap across the bathroom, the hallway, and the kitchen floor. There’s a trash can in the bathroom. Don’t ask me why I didn’t just throw it in there. Maybe sleep deprivation The soap container was cheap, but I really liked it. I almost bought two at the time . . .

Is your body shifting (but maybe not your weight)?

One word to describe 2020 Winter so far? I admit I don’t know what I’d pick, so I’m interested to see what you pick.

Do you buy multiples of things you like? 

I am also linking up with the  Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

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Not so humble: Runfessions February 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 37 Comments

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February may be my birthday month, and I was happy there was no big snowstorm. That’s usually when the big storms hit. I enjoyed all the festivities. I runfess that right now I’m not so much enjoying the running (until last Sunday, when we had almost Spring-like temps, no wind, and sunshine.

As I was finishing this up, however, it was raw, gray, and dreary yet again. But those bulbs are coming up, and before you know it we’ll be complaining about the heat.

I would tell you . . .
I’m a pretty modest person. I would even say humble. Except . . . I remember a day fairly early in February when I was running and saw another woman out there running. I think I’d asked her in the past what her easy pace was, thinking we might be compatible, but it was faster than mine and she didn’t take the bait.

I have to admit that I got some satisfaction from the fact that I was running faster than her, without trying to.

I wrote about being a humble runner five years ago here, when Deb @ debruns.com was still running her Wednesday Word linkup. I’d say that post was fairly accurate.

Lucky I don’t have to run in the dark & cold

I runfess . . .
I’m an early bird, but I just have no desire to run earlier in the morning when it’s colder out in Winter. So I *sometimes* (but not always) choose to run on my own so I can pick a time and place I prefer.Lately it’s been a lot, but mostly due to all the stress I was under. Then my friends made that generous donation in honor of my Dad and I felt badly!

I runfess . . .
The April half, after much back and forth, can be run. Except there’s some other things going on in my life that still makes it iffy. I don’t feel a really strong desire to run it, I must say. I think that’s mostly due to the Winter blahs. Pretty sure I’ll have a good time if I do get to run it.

Seriously, aren’t they the cutest?

I runfess . . .
I got some birthday gelt (Yiddish for money), and I’ve been hard at work putting it to use. Maybe a little too hard. There are Yoga books, there are some new clothes, new socks (regular, not running), a tiny little singing bowl and statue of Ganesh (remover of obstacles, the God of beginnings), and a rose quartz vibrating face roller — it’s supposed to promote collagen formation. I have absolutely no idea whether or not it does, but it feels great, looks pretty and wasn’t expensive. You can find it on Amazon here (Amazon Affiliate link).

I would tell you . . .
I keep putting on my goals to try out other minimal drop shoes. Yet I don’t. Which is why I end up (or Mr. Judy ends up) buying shoes from England. Truly, I need to try out Altras! I used to like Brooks minimal drop shoes way back when, but haven’t heard good things about recent models.

Do you have recommendations for minimal drop shoes other than Newtons? 

Are you excited for you next big goal race?

Is your running suffering from winter blahs?

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

Runfessions

I am also linking up with:

Nature finds a way: Runfessions January 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 34 Comments

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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!

There’s a little dog in all men: Tea/coffee Date January 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 38 Comments

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Mr. Judy and the dogs figure largely in what I’d tell you if we were meeting up for some hot beverages today. I’ll bet you’re really shocked — not!

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me for the ultimate coffee tea date, while I forgive the dogs for the disgusting things they do because they’re cute. And maybe Mr. Judy, too.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I would tell you Mr. Judy was going through some old stuff, and came across some papers from his Dad (who also suffered with dementia).One was a list of passwords. One was JLITT.

We had a good laugh when at first I was puzzled about why he would use my name as a password. His first name was Jerry. I needed that laugh!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that Mr. Judy got a bee in his bonnet about making latkes (potato pancakes) from scratch. Yes, Mr. Judy can cook, but doesn’t do it a lot, so it’s often filled with me finding almost everything for him and some swearing. If you’ve never made latkes, it’s a labor intensive procedure and this fell in the week we were moving my Dad to the nursing home.

I made the frozen latkes from Trader Joes — as did one of his aunts and his sister — but that wasn’t good enough for him. I runfess I’m glad he did it while I was away from home.

It’s a good thing they’re cute

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I came home from yoga last Sunday, put away the groceries, sat down and talked to Mr. Judy a bit. Got up to make myself some tea. Walked back over and . . . someone had thrown up.

Lola has done her share of “redecorating” as I euphemistically call it

My money is on Bandit. Lola had just gotten up on the couch, and I think we would have noticed if she’d gotten back off.  I don’t remember Bandit getting off his couch, but he is the one that randomly throws up.

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t there when I was talking to Mr. Judy, we didn’t hear anything (Bandit tends to do it pretty quietly). It wasn’t me and it wasn’t Mr. Judy. Good thing the dogs are cute, and at least this time they missed bedding, furniture, and carpeting.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I have actually gone from someone who loved to bake, and often baked simply because I enjoyed it and found it stress-busting . . . to someone that doesn’t bake so often anymore.

Could that be part of the secret to being able to maintain my weight without tracking? It’s mostly been that I am just too busy with other things. You know how when you’re really engaged in something and you don’t even think about eating? Yeah, it’s kind of like that.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that starting my YouTube Channel (you can check it out here) has been hard! I seriously knew nothing about editing video before I started. It seemed like with each new video a different problem would pop up.

In my latest video, I’d recorded an intro to it — at the moment I film using my Ipad — and for the first time, for whatever reason, the audio came out completely garbled. Unusable. Hence no intro to that video.

In that same video, I recorded the audio early one morning. It’s a longer video, clocking in at almost an hour. I finished, hit done, and poof! No audio. I simply didn’t have another hour to sit & re-record it. As I was venting to Mr. Judy, it finally appeared. I guess it just needed some processing time.

What was the last good laugh you had?

What was the last thing you had to learn that really challenged you?

What was something you used to really enjoy doing that you no longer do? 

I am also linking up with the  Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

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Stranger Things with Alexa: Tea/coffee Date December 2019

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 31 Comments

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If we were meeting up for a hot beverage today, I’d have a lot of things to tell you. None of them have to do with running. Some of them have to do with animals. Some of them might still involve the treadmill.

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Of course we’d still be talking about the snowstorm, too

Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me for the ultimate coffee tea date, where I tell you about the strange things Lola and Alexa do.

Bandit has been snuggling more than normal lately; guess he’s cold? He wriggles out of sweaters

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I would tell you that last week one evening we were getting food ready for the dogs for Thanksgiving Day: we were dropping them off at the pet sitter for the day, actually decided to leave them overnight so the day could be a *tiny* bit more relaxed for us — too many people in my parent’s small apartment for the dogs.

We’re not quite sure how she got snow all over herself

As I was doing yoga before bed, I heard one of the dogs in their crates. Just circling. And circling. And circling. Being downstairs I wasn’t sure who it was, but by the circling, I should’ve known it was Lola (maybe you saw my video of her searching for a spot to pee on FB?).

Apparently she thought she was getting a second dinner — poor girl! Birthday’s over, we’re working on 15 now, Lola.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that your privacy and Alexa are definitely a concern. OTOH, I’m #teamalexa. Still love her. She does do some odd things, though. Like the time she gave a very convincing meow out of the blue. I seriously was looking around to see if a cat had somehow gotten into the house!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I declutter when the spirit moves me, and it’s moving me right now. Going through clothes, getting them bagged up to donate. Not because I don’t like them or they don’t fit, but because I’m trying to declutter our living space. In fact, we’re also rearranging and trying to declutter our family/fitness room, which is where I teach yoga.

Since I have someone coming into my home on a weekly basis (and hope for more!), I need to make it a more inviting space. It’s coming along nicely, but not there yet, so no photos.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I started a 40 Day Kundalini Kriya. A Kriya is a set of yoga poses. I’m definitely not an expert on Kundalini, so you might want to google it if interested or read the blog post here for a good, in depth explanation, but basically it’s trying to awaken the energy that is supposedly stored at the base of your spine and help you reach your full potential. The Kriya I chose was for disease immunity (figured I could use that at this time of year).

The entire Kriya, with the warm up exercises, takes about 30-40 minutes. I enjoy it, but 40 days straight? Let’s just say it’s been a challenge. Supposedly if you skip a day, you’re supposed to go back to day one and do them all over again for 40 days . . . I suppose it’s the Yogic form of a running streak.

I was just trying to get some steps in!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I did my Soul Stroll (check out Soul Strolls for free here) on the treadmill because, you know, 2 feet of snow outside. I wore my Vibrams, which I hadn’t worn in a while. With injiji toe socks, because sometimes they irritate my heels.

Then I had some pain on the side of my foot. I swear it developed a callous overnight, and I’ve never had a callous there before. I eventually figured out it was probably the Vibrams — most likely due to the socks I wore with them — that were the problem. I’ve never had problems from them before. Every day is an adventure when it comes to fitness.

Do you ever do an exercise streak that’s not running?

Do you enjoy rearranging furniture in your home?

What was the best bargain you found so far? 

I am also linking up with the  Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

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