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Appreciating the Normal like Gym, Home Projects, Grilling

Gym Day
This morning I got up and headed to the gym. My gym is in a corporate building on the 29th floor. You have to be let in and sign in and out on weekends and after hours. Well, as I started to sign in, the guard (a real oddball that creeps me out) said I could get my workout in going to the gym. Huh?

Apparently the elevators were out from 8-1 today. What? They would have to escort me up the freight elevator and then I'd have to call to be escorted back down when done. Ok, fine, whatever. Except it's really awkward being stuck in the freight elevator with the guard that sort of creeps you out to begin with.

Anyway, let's just say I had the gym completely to myself. I got on the elliptical to do my warmup. CNN is was on - and it just happened to be the exact time that the 2nd tower had come down 10 years ago. What a sobering moment it was for me. I am on the 29th floor of a building looking out at a gorgeous day, gorgeous views, and 10 years ago at that same time, the world was changing forever.

Glad no one else was there as I'm tearing up on the stinking elliptical transfixed at the CNN broadcast. I know so many have done posts about 9/11. I am choosing not to. I know that each and every one of us has spent a great deal of time thinking back, reflecting, and hopefully appreciating this very day, each and every moment of being alive today.

And that's what I did. I worked out and appreciated the fact that I could. Period. I did back, shoulders, biceps as trisets of 3x8.

TS#1
Underhand barbell rows
Shoulder press
Alternating curls

TS#2
Pullover
Lateral raise
Hammer curls

TS#3
Double-arm rows
Upright rows
Incline curls

I did some ab work then called security to escort me back down.

House Projects
I got home and Jason had left to go for a run. I decided to sit out on the patio and read for a little bit before he got home. We were going to try to tackle the rest of the house repair project we started two weeks ago. He needed to get to Home Depot for drywall before we could finish it up, still had to patch and sand another round before painting.

While he went to the store, I did spend some time in the kitchen and made some seitan to keep in the freezer. I also did a few loads of laundry and some weeding in the flour beds. I desperately wanted to sweep and dust, but that would be futile with the sanding and such going on. I just tried not to look around me ;-)

Jason got home and I had the brilliant idea to paint an old dresser that a friend had given us ages ago. We use it in the bathroom we're painting, and I knew that when we put it back in with the fresh paint, it'd look awful. It was already sort of an antique yellowish/whitish color (aka dingy looking). Besides, while Jason was fixing the ceiling, patching, sanding, I couldn't do much else.

I must say I'm very happy with my decision to paint that dresser. It turned out great. So much brighter and cleaner looking. Now I need to get some new drawer pulls for it and it's good to go. I love re-purposing furniture like that. No need to go out and buy new stuff when you don't have to.

Creative Grilling 
Dinner ended up being a weird hodge-podge creation. We wanted to grill, but Jason didn't seem excited about a grilled veggie salad. I had some lentils in the freezer and suggested maybe some sort of lentil stuffed, grilled portobello mushrooms. I thought I had enough quinoa to add to the lentils, but didn't. Next option was barley.

What we ended up with was a Grilled Vegetables Lentil Barley Salad with Grilled Portobellos.


Grilled Vegetables Lentil Barley Salad with Grilled Portobellos
Ingredients:
2 portobello mushrooms
2 medium sized carrots, halved
1/3 red onion sliced
1/3 red bell pepper
1/3 green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup cooked barley
Dressing: red wine vinegar, curry powder, salt, pepper, red pepper, OJ, parsley, Dijon mustard
1/4 cup currants, re-hydrated 


Directions:
Using a veggie grill pan, grill the carrots, onions, and bell peppers until soft. Grill the portobello mushrooms directly on the grill. Put the peppers in a container and seal and allow to steam for about 5 minutes before peeling off skin and chopping.

Dice up all veggies (but not mushrooms) to approximate size of lentils. For the mushrooms, just slice on the diagonal - you will serve over the top of the rest of the dish.

In small mixing bowl, combine dressing ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the mushrooms. Re-season if needed. Serve the mushrooms sliced over the top of the lentil and barley mixture.
 

This turned out really well. I think the barley lentil part would be a great base for grilled tofu or tempeh as well or on it's own over a bed of lettuce.

Daily To-Enjoy List:
  • Weight workout
  • Gorgeous weather
  • Patio time
  • Home decor project success

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