Posted on June 13, 2010 - by Ashley Jackson

Musical Chairs

I’ve recently been getting back into Hootie & The Blowfish, and am reminded of how awesome their CD Musical Chairs is. It’s so different from Cracked Rear View, but in a good way–I spent part of the afternoon cleaning my kitchen and singing along!

I decided last night that I needed a break from posting, so I took one. But I still took pictures!

Yesterday’s breakfast!

Blurry in the light of my dying camera battery…

Speaking of dying electronics…I decided that it would be a good idea to try another run yesterday morning. This resulted in epic fail, because it was way. too. hot. for that nonsense. I ran a little ways and then trudged walked back. It was awful. But before I left I tried to charge my MP3 player–the Creative Zen Microphoto that I’ve had for several years now–and it wouldn’t move past the Microphoto screen! It’s been acting weird lately and I was expecting it to die soon, but I thought I’d have more time.

I’ve already researched and ordered a new player–a Creative Zen Mozaic–that should be here whenever Amazon’s Super Saver shipping allows. I almost paid for real shipping (but didn’t because the free shipping is usually very fast). I’m always about five seconds from bursting into song at any given moment and part of the reason I’ve enjoyed taking these two hour walks every evening is that it gives me a chance to “relax” and listen to music. I’ve also used my MP3 player to time my running/walking for the Couch to 5K program and (when I get to where I can run again) will be using it for the One Hour Runner program and amusing myself with it while training for November’s half marathon. I also take it with me to work every day so I can listen to it when my work area gets too loud or just when I need some music.

I will miss you, Microphoto–you were a fine MP3 player, and now you shall be a fine storage device…

Annnnyway. After all my rejoicing about how great my foot has felt for the past couple of days, naturally yesterday when I was out walking it started hurting again. I think at one point I took about 20 steps straight where it hurt every time I put my foot down or picked it up. And then it stopped again.

I ran out of clean cups (where do they all go?) so I had some very fancy-looking Crystal Light.

And then I accidentally had a pink-themed lunch.

Smoked salmon, red grapes, and bing cherries. On a red plate. Completely unintentional.

I spent the afternoon doing laundry and watching episodes of Six Feet Under. I could do with a lot less cursing and way fewer gratuitous sex scenes, but so far I’m really loving the show.

I snacked on some Potato Flyers while I watched.

Also, I brushed Heath. This dog sheds like mad.

At least he goes with my carpet.

I’ve decided to use my oven as little as possible this summer. Not because it caught fire a few weeks ago, but because when I was using it after that incident, I realized just how much hotter it makes my little apartment. I don’t like it when my AC has to run all the time (well, I like it, but my bank account does not), so this summer I’m going to try to focus on using my George Foreman Grill, my food steamer, my slowcooker, and my rangetop.

Yesterday I cooked up some delicious black bean, salsa, and chicken soup in the slowcooker!

This stuff is so good and so easy to make. Four cups of water, two frozen chicken breasts, two cans of black beans (drained and rinsed), a jar of salsa (I use a 24-oz jar), and a handful of sliced mushrooms…cook on high for about four hours, then take out the chicken, cut it up, and add it back in. Stir some sour cream into each serving and you will have awesome soup.

I had two bowls. It took restraint not to eat more…

And then I went for a 4+ mile walk. After eating two bowls of soup and drinking two glasses of Crystal Light. I had to pee for the whole freakin’ walk, man. I took Heath with me because whenever I tell people I don’t take him walking with me they make sad faces, so he ended up getting too hot and then spent the night on his bed in the living room.

I felt bad for him, so I slept next to him in the living room floor. Okay, usually on the weekends I sleep in the living room floor anyway, but last night I did it out of guilt.

This morning I did not go to church. I slept in and it was marvelous.

For breakfast I had yogurt and M&Ms.

And for lunch I had smoked salmon, cherries, and Potato Flyers.

Heath spent much of the day in his bed. Again.

Meanwhile, I listened to music and cleaned.

I took a break for some leftover soup…

Managed to only eat one bowl this time. I’m saving the rest for dinner tomorrow night!

I started to go for a walk around 5PM and ended up unable to because it started thunderstorming. Instead, I ran out to Target and Harris Teeter to do a little shopping. I picked up some cookies for my cookie jar at work, then came back and did my 3.3 mile walk. And guess what? My ankle hurt the entire time. Great. Fantastic.

I came back and needed to take my medication, so I had more cookies than I should have.

Dude, I love E.L.Fudges. Haven’t had any in a long time. Did you know that one E.L.Fudge cookie has 90 calories? That’s insane! I had two, and two fake Target-brand Oreos, so I ate like 300+ calories in cookies right there. And that is how America got fat. Delicious cookies.

Speaking of being fat: I’m back down to 151.2 lbs. Whoo-hoo! I’m hoping that by next Saturday I’ll have managed to lose enough to be under 150 lbs, and after that, I don’t ever want to see a 5 in the tens place on a scale again! You hear me, scale? I’m serious. I’ll take your batteries out…