Running, back pain, frustration and peaches

I was running almost every day for a while and then the aches and pains set in and set me back a bit. After taking some time away from the sport, I took a long run Sunday morning, which was wonderful and horribly painful both physically and emotionally. There is something about exercise that enables me to function. And whatever the exercise, as long as it is brutally tough, is a catharsis for me. As long as I can remember, I have been moving. And I mean constantly moving. I do all activities that I can fit in a day and while I rest, my mind is running the hamster wheel around and around. It's an annoying obsession I can't escape but it enables me to function. I believe my brother is the same. At the dinner table as kids, we would both be twitching, shaking the table and as we tapped our feet and fussed with silverware in our hands. My brother is equally fit, if not more so. We have never talked about it but I believe it has the same meaning for him. A release as the exercise high surges upward and out.

I have noticed recently that when I take cycling classes or run for miles that I finish wanting to cry and I feel relief. It's hard to explain but as weird as it sounds, it feels amazing. And recently, my back has slowed me in my ability to release. I don't know what I did but it hurts like hell. And through all of the discomfort and pain, all I can think about is moving. I mowed part of the lawn yesterday and gritted my teeth through the pain hoping it would simply ease as my body adjusted to the movements. But the only thing that seems to ease the pain is a glass of wine and to roll around in the fetal position on the floor. Possibly not in that order, however.....

The frustration builds with my lack of movement and is coming out in my dreams. My undergraduate degree was in harp music performance. I dreamt the other night that my music professor walked into my gym. I had just finished a ridiculous workout on a rowing machine where I was struggling to find a rhythm. I would push then pull only to be out of sync with the machine. I remember feeling embarrassed and frustrated as I fought with the machine as to how to move as one. So I gave up and encountered two friends and we started to chat. Standing there doing nothing but talk, which is something I dislike doing in a gym. I don't go there to socialize and stand by the water fountain discussing ones day. I find it a waste of time and annoying. I will only do it if I am lifting weights. While my friends and I talk, my music professor walks in from college giving me a disapproving look and fakes a smile while being introduced to my friends. It's so fake it burns me inside to know I have failed her and the rowing machine.

These dreams have increased recently. All of my teachers and bosses appear in my dreams and they rarely say anything but their body language says it all. You aren't doing what you are supposed to be doing. Figure it out already. They all seem disappointed. (Except for my restaurant boss who made me a salad in a recent dream.) It's either these kinds of dreams that shake me awake or me in a car accident.

I know our blog is to be about house remodel projects and food but I had to mention this because since I can't move as easily to release whatever, writing seems to help a little. And I'm sure I'm not the only person in their early 30's wondering if their doing what they are supposed to be doing in life. I know I am not alone in this. But I am pretty frustrated with it. I'm ready for my back pain to ease so I can explode.

So as my back pain distracts me, I distract it with peaches. I recently went peach picking with a friend and picked over 40 pounds in less than an hour! I have kept the creative juices flowing by making peach jam, peach blackberry jam, peach pepper jelly and then slowly freezing the rest. I love making jam. Ron has been working incredibly hard on our house remodel along with our contractor. We had hopes in doing the entire house and property this year. But it is a ridiculous thought because we can barely keep our eyes open while eating dinner most nights. So my incredible husband plugs away at the house before and after work and I make jam. And next year, I will be making jam from fruit from our own yard because our goals will be met, I am sure of it. I can't wait.

I promise to post more before and after pictures soon of the house. What Ron has done with the help of friends and the contractor is truly amazing.

Hardwood Floors and Dreaming of Chickens

Projects never cease. Hardwood floors are about halfway done in our basement and even though all of our rooms are full of crap moved out of the way, the results are wonderful! Even two border collies approve.

Border collie wrestling match on the new floors will follow the taking of this photograph.

We have a friend doing the floors while Ron paints and I watch, unsure of how I can help except bake cookies for fuel.

In the meantime I need chickens. And a rooster. Because I want eggs and to hear chirping. But I don't know where to start. Ron and I have picked out a spot in our shop to build a coop and I simply have no idea what to do even with the advice streaming from books, the internet and friends who own chickens already. I have said that I will take on the task of organizing this venture and being neither handy nor crafty, I feel like maybe I was too ambitious at the thought of being in charge of this project. But every time I eat an egg from the the farm up the road, I see no other choice than to raise chickens myself. I need to channel my inner farm girl.

Don't I look like I'm ready to mow some major lawn? Note the sprig of grass (OK maybe a dried weed) hanging from my lips. Serious farm girl action here. Except I only drove about two feet forward and back on our driveway before Ron took over.

Any tips on building a chicken coop as a woman with no carpentry skills are welcome.