Run, Marcy, Run!

City Mouse Now Country Mouse
No. 3

Anyone who knows me, knows that I don't run. I will gladly dance, skip, jump, saunter, swagger, and of course, walk but running has never been in my repertoire of movement. That was until I met the Cybex.

The Cybex is the treadmill pictured here. It's the newer of the two types of treadmills that are in the exercise room at the Woods. While I often describe myself as a technologist, I have discovered that when I stand in front of a piece of modern exercise equipment I become totally useless. The user interface is not familiar to me and often you are prompted to answer questions without knowing how to change the options. There in lies the crux of my issue that prompted me to run.

During the summer in Dallas I spent three to four days a week walking 5K on a treadmill at the local YMCA. I timed my visits so that I could watch NCIS or Bones during my walk and I was perfectly happy to walk at 4.0 or 4.1 mph. I wanted over 100 miles between June 1 and August 10 when we left Dallas. I have not been doing my walking over the past two weeks with the move so it was time to get back on track.

So, I met the Cybex on Monday. I selected the 5K option and ffter entering my weight and age, I started walking. The program had me going slow over the first three or four minutes so I ambled along, content to watch the news on the TV. Suddenly, at the five minute mark, the Cybex kicked up to 6.0 miles per hour. Fortunately, I could feel the immediate shift in speed and I picked up my pace to match it. I must admit that I laughed out loud when I first started running; me, running?! The first few times this happened, I immediately dialed the speed back to an easy 4.1 or 4.2. After another half a dozen times, I started running for as long as I could at the 6.0 speed--first for 30 seconds, then 45 and finally up to 1 minute at a time. I also found that after running for even a short time, I could also walk at a much faster speed, 4.5. So, by the end of my workout on Monday, not only had I gotten to the end of my 5K a full 5minutes faster than I ever had in Dallas, I also was personally proud of my new accomplishment.

The Cybex and I had another go today and I shaved another 3 minutes off my time. There is nothing better than when you surprise yourself. I heartily recommend it!

I'm Ginger Peachy!

City Mouse Now Country Mouse, No. 2

Yes, I'm Ginger Peachy! After eating locally grown peaches for several days in a row, I decided to make peach preserves. Growing up in Burtonsville in the 70's, there was still lots of farming in that part of Montgomery County. We regularly drove down Peach Orchard Road, and yes, there was a peach orchard at the north end of the road. They had yellow peaches, white peaches, cling peaches and free-stones. It was a language and a season all its own and I got to relive a few memories.

      In making peach preserves, it is much easier to use free-stones to cling peaches. The terms refer to the way that the peach flesh adheres, or clings, to the peach pit. Cling peaches mature earlier in the peach season and it takes more effort to get the sweet fruit off the pit. Typically, we would buy the clings but they were only to accompany one's breakfast or for a peach cobbler. It was not until mid-July that we would enjoy the free-stones.

At this point, I can't remember my favorite variety of free-stone peaches but I do know that when that peach was in season, we made plenty of preserves. The peeling, chopping and cooking was then followed by the washing, sterilizing, and labeling. At the time, Mom and I choose the wax seal to boiling water bath as a method of sealing the sweet contents. The wax seal was as fun (although not always effective) but it was a great way to use old candles that were too small for the dinner table. Given that we have not lived at the cabin long enough to have short candles, I opted for sterilizing water bath this time. I must admit, after all the work it took to get the preserves to the jarring point, I was most worried that an inch of boiling water over the closed jam jars was going to ruin all my work. Much to my delight, it was not. What I discovered is that there are times when  following the directions actually work. 

    And isn't that what we learn in life? We try to preserve the sweet things that we enjoy now so that we can preserve them, and enjoy them later. We also learn that the wax seal method, while fun, is not as long lasting as the boiling water bath. So, I'm learning and growing and Ginger Peachy in WV!

Welcome to City Mouse Now Country Mouse!

I have been a city girl all my life and now I find myself living in rural West Virginia. It's a time for me to learn about the simpler life, focus on what's really important, and prepare for the next adventure. I thought you might enjoy reading about some of my adventure and some of the lessons I learn.

So, how did I choose the name for my blog? My Daddy used to call me "Miss Mouse" sometimes and  I have always loved the Aesop's fable of the City Mouse and the Country Mouse. In the story, the two mice are cousins. The Country Mouse invites the City Mouse for a visit in the country--to enjoy the bucolic, simple life. The City Mouse finds his visit dull and promptly invites his cousin to go back to the city with him where he promises that they will dine like kings and enjoy the high life. The Country Mouse agreed and traveled back to town with his cousin. As promised, the cousins were enjoying an extravagant feast when their dinner was interrupted by the homeowners hungry  dogs; the cousins had to run for their lives and narrowly escaped the canine intruders. The Country Cousin thanked him City Cousin for his hospitality and happily returned to his simple, quiet life.

So as for me, now I am a Country Mouse. I already know there will be lots of adventures and I hope you will enjoy traveling through the rural countryside with me--

Sending you sunflowers and cool breezes--
Marcy