Monday, September 16, 2013

Virtual Running Date No. 25: Al's Run and kitchen gear crush

Good morning, Crushers!

I'm not sure what other parts of the country are all experiencing, but most of the Midwest seems to have found fall. I'm not just talking about how stores already have Halloween decorations up and there are pumpkin flavored things everywhere.

Source
The high temperature for today is 62 degrees F. That's a nice brisk jeans and hoodie kind of weather. Or jeans and cute top and scarf weather. I love scarf weather! I also love pumpkin weather. I really need to find my pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe...
Random side note: I have trouble typing the word pumpkin because my fingers automatically want to add a -g to any word that ends in -in. I keep having to backspace after writing pumpking... Argh.
Anyway, if this was a running date, I'd tell you about how the glorious weather was wonderful last Saturday for the Brigg's and Al's Run/Walk for Children's Hospital. As you may or may not know, I spent 12 days as a resident of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin back when I was 10 because I had a horrible staph infection (called osteomyelitis) in some bones in my left foot. Do not ask how I got this because I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's because I tripped and possibly broke the growth joint in my big toe while on vacation in Florida with my family. This is why I was called "The Florida Case". Although my doctor was kind of a jerk, the nurses, other surgeons, staff, and tutors there were fantastic! Especially the nurses on orthopedic floor 5! Love them!

We did the run/walk with a team from work. It was amazing! There was a rumored 13,000 people there. I believe it!
Two of thousands at the start line.
TONS OF PEOPLE!

If this were a running date, I would tell you that the course is mostly flat, if not downhill, and for a 5 mile course, that's important. My favorite part was seeing a family running together and they all had on superhero capes! I wish I had taken a photo at the finish line with the little girls because they were awesome! Here is the conversation we had a half mile from the finish line:

Me: Wow! I love your capes!
Little Runner #1: Thanks! We're Super Runners! Don't you wish you had one?
 Me: Yes! I wish I had thought to make one.
Little Runner #2: They make you go faster.
Oh. My. Word. Too cute!

If this were a running date, I would also tell you that my beloved 3 quart sauce pan is now flaking. Yes, the non-stick coating chipped. Before you all start saying "It'll give you cancer" or "Stainless is the only way to go", let me tell you that I have stopped using the pan (I think I'll just hang it up for decoration). I can also tell you that it was PFOA-free, I never put it in the dishwasher or used a metal utensil with it, and I am really careful about those things. Plus, I manage to burn things in stainless steel pans. Ever try to make an egg over easy in one of those without tons of butter? Yeah? How'd that work out?

Anyway, one of my kitchen crushes, Kristin from Iowa Girl Eats is having a giveaway on  her blog today for a Calphalon Elite Slide Nonstick Fry Pan, and I'm in love with it. Just in case I don't win, I think I'll use a gift card from our wedding to get these lovely pans or perhaps these. Right now, I'm leaning toward the second set.

I was showing this link to my friend Kelly, also an amazing cook, and she said, "Wow, if you got those pans (and got to use a gift card), all you'd need is a cast iron one and you'd never need another pan." Fortunately, Steve bought some cast iron pans for camping back in his bachelorhood. Unfortunately, they were stored in the garage, so I'm going to need to un-rust and re-season them. The aforementioned Kelly sent me some helpful hints on how to do this. I'll let you all know how it works out.

In the meantime, please go enjoy all things pumpkin and perhaps a run in this beautiful weather!


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