11.24.2014

weekending


we started the weekend off hosting a couple of friends for dinner.  some good catching up.  shortly before they left, the little one hit a wall and a nasty cough set in.  this, after (I thought) working towards wellness following a couple days feeling low the week before.  she was exhausted, and sounded terrible- like a barking seal.  that rang a bell, but I thought croup was for littler ones?  who knows.  she barked all night, felt quite warm, and there was little sleep.  no ballet Saturday, then.  no Christmas parade (they do it early so they can air it on the local news channel on Thanksgiving morning) in Asheville either, then.  that one was harder to let go because we had such fun last year and because papa marches (in his kilt) with the FD Pipes and Drums band.  not something I really want to miss, right there.  plus it was a glorious day.  but ah well.  instead we stayed in our pjs and stoked the fire all day long and read books and watched two fantastic movies.  The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Microcosmos.  add to that a hearty helping of mullein infusion, elderberry syrup, vitamin C, and some other herbs and she was on her road to feeling better once more.  a friend who was at the parade sent a dozen or so pictures over the phone and then dropped off two jars of homemade soup after.  thankyouthankyouthankyou.

and then her cough was gone and we slept, waking to a rainy Sunday.  I went out for a run when papa got home and rather enjoyed the drizzly, forty degree weather.  this is new to me, the running.  new since middle and high school, anyway.  and seeing as how that was 20+ years ago, I think calling it new is accurate.  so, I'm trying.  mostly it's finding the time to do so, really, as Claire isn't in school.  so I went to the park and ran a loop in the woods and a greenway section and back, totaling somewhere between 1.5 and 2 miles.  it felt good.  it felt great.  that isn't a great distance, but I felt accomplished.  and, um.... does everyone's mouth fill with saliva rather frequently while running on a cool morning?  I felt all sorts of runny.  noticed I need to work on my spitting-whilst-running technique.  at one point I laughed at myself thinking maybe I looked like a St. Bernard, all drooly after a less-than-successful attempt.  I wiped at my face and thought "well, hopefully minus the floppy jowls, anyway."  we're not there yet.

home again to french toast and then a solo outing to pick up our turkey, some cranberries.  a bit of puttering about the kitchen.  yummy citrus-cinnamon-clove mix simmering on the back burner.  that will be going until New Years', I'm sure.


sauerkraut.  






picking out a pie for Thursday.




I'm getting excited about the season.  ready to deck the halls and gather with loved ones, drink warm drinks and spend more time in the kitchen.


today, Monday, came soft and sunny.  a gentle, encouraging start to the week.
tea, toast, Madeleine Peyroux crooning away on Pandora.
ah, yes.


wishing everyone a happy week ahead~
weekending with Karen


14 comments:

  1. Happy to hear the little one is feeling better, never fun when they are sick. Ah, running, I love it. I don't run nearly as far as I did before motherhood, but those few short runs per week are so good for me, and my spirit.

    Wishing you a lovely week.

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    1. Yes, such a relief when they are able to fight things off quickly and ease back into their normal routine. I am very much enjoying the running.

      and you as well!

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  2. glad she is feeling better and I had to chuckle at the thought of you trying to spit and run at the same time, too funny! I hope you can coordinate, maybe just swallow? I dunno, I'm not a runner, just a walker. Have a good thanksgiving dearie!!

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    1. it was pretty funny- I was a bit sniffly too, so it was not the sort of spit I wanted to swallow if you get my drift. something about hiking/running in cooler weather just always gets my nose running and my spit flowing. it could be that I am just a strange bird ;)

      you too- enjoy having those kids of yours around!

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  3. glad she is feeling better. my daughter will sometimes get the barking cough, even though she is older. no fun. have a great thanksgiving.

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    1. no fun indeed. this was a first for her and the sound was a bit unnerving but I knew it was not cause for too much concern, just lots of rest and TLC.

      I hope you have a great Thanksgiving, too!

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  4. Ooooh - thanks for introducing me to Peyroux...

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  5. That sounds so lovely. Every bit of it. Your house is the place to be at this time of year!

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    1. Maybe you all can take another fall break to NC one of these years~ And now you could just shack up next door!!

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  6. so glad she is feeling better! i am right there with you in the holiday spirit department :) so excited to get decorating! we have been so busy this last week i am so ready to settle in for a nice quiet weekend now... ahhhh.

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    1. we had a nice long weekend- and I'm feeling pretty geared up for the holidays now :)

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  7. tis the season for sickness, too. Glad Claire is feeling better.
    My only suggestion for the running/spit issue is to hydrate pretty well before running. That seems to help me have better "flow".

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    1. I was very glad she got over this little thing quickly. As long as I watch her closely this time of year and limit sugar (and doing too much) when she's on the 'brink', we can usually catch things quickly and keep it from getting too bad. good idea- someone else told me lip balm. today I ran and had to blow my nose on my sleeve. ah well, something about that cold weather.

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thanks for taking the time to read and comment~