Musings

Practicing recently has been a struggle. Of course I'm happy when I'm done, but I have found myself in that spot where I want to say nasty stuff to myself and not acknowledge gains I've made in my practice. Sure they're small, but really, it's been mentally tough on the mat for the last week.

Teaching last night was my most difficult class yet. I had some distractions, a new person specifically, who I knew from the gitgo was going to be a challenge to me in class. I wanted to laugh at one point, I wanted to clench my teeth and scream at another. Of course I held it together and taught. One of my other students noted my "strong dialogue" tonight. I felt at certain points that I was being perhaps a little harsh in tone but since I worked on that at training I know instinctively to manage that during class.

I struggled to keep the newbies doing the right thing while teaching the whole class, not just the newbies. You really do have to teach to the lowest common denominator. The newbie came out of class smiling and talking to everyone, first yoga experience ever, smiling and talking about coming back, etc. That was a good feeling. I think some hormonal swings are going on for me right now and it's that one week a month or so where I'm on edge and little things seem HUGE to me. I'm like 80% closer to the edge to begin with at this time and have to be mindful of that urge to blow my top.

In food musings... I promised my husband I'd blog something. We had a 15 bean soup kit - basically a bag of beans and a "ham packet" (do not even begin to ask me what the hell is in a ham packet - powdered ham???? powdered delicious?) and I had soaked the beans. Saturday night I was out like a light and my husband, an extremely good cook - he has worked as a line cook in restaurants before - started in on the soup. When I awoke he said that he had given up and it was in my hands now. He went off to the gym while I did some housework and fixed the soup. Various spices, more water, boil off some of the tomato paste... just a few tricks up these here sleeves!

This week we have an exciting week of menus for dinner on our low carb kick.

Monday - Salmon with pesto and tomatoes broiled in foil with salad
Tuesday - zucchini cups with tomato and ground beef and stirfry broccoli raab
Wednesday - Chili Lime pork chops with salad
Thursday - Roasted Tilapia with napa cabbage and shitake mushrooms
Friday - chickpeas ground beef and cilantro

Lunch chicken peanut butter chicken skewers (light on the pb of course!)

I have been tracking the weekend shopping lists and when this week is complete we'll have four weekly shopping lists "in the can." We'll have tried all the recipes. It's sad that hubby doesn't like salmon - I thought last night's dinner was divine but he was all about fish-as-vehicle-for-bringing-me-more-pesto. Tilapia, however, does work for us to enjoy once a week, it's mild and cheap and easy.

We seem to have a system down. It's quite fun what's going on these days in the kitchen. It's cool to have a sticky note posted of the meals for the week and recipes standing by so either of us can get to work in the kitchen any day of the week. We try to keep light prep loads for the nights when we both get home late.