The Space Between Us

I am super behind on my book reviews! Book club is still going strong, and I’d like to report that last month I finished the book before we met AND this month’s book is already done as well. Go ME!

I will go back a few months and review, The Space Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar. To sum it up I will share GoodReads description of the book:

Poignant, evocative, and unforgettable, The Space Between Us is an intimate portrait of a distant yet familiar world. Set in modern-day India, it is the story of two compelling and achingly real women: Sera Dubash, an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife whose opulent surroundings hide the shame and disappointment of her abusive marriage, and Bhima, a stoic illiterate hardened by a life of despair and loss, who has worked in the Dubash household for more than twenty years. A powerful and perceptive literary masterwork, author Thrity Umrigar’s extraordinary novel demonstrates how the lives of the rich and poor are intrinsically connected yet vastly removed from each other, and how the strong bonds of womanhood are eternally opposed by the divisions of class and culture.

Although the book was a bit depressing, I enjoyed it. It allowed me a glimpse into the lives of two Indian women. Although they lead very different lifestyles (one is poor and the other wealthy) they both experience sadness and disappointment as they attempt to navigate through the struggles within their lives.

It was a quick read although I didn’t finish it before book club met. I missed out on the discussion so I can’t tell you what the others thought of it. I would definitely recommend it, however, it isn’t a light hearted, feel good read.

If you have read it, or plan to read it, be sure to let me know what you think!

Zesty Lime Quinoa Salad

Remember that time in 2011 when I discovered Quinoa? Since I started eating the little protein balls I’ve been experimenting with different foods I can pair it with.

Tonight, I bring to you a new recipe. It was originally found on Pinterest, modified by my co-worker Luana, and then made by me!

Zesty Lime Quinoa Salad

1 Cup Quinoa                                                                                                                                         1 Can Corn (drained)                                                                                                                            1 Can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)                                                                                       Cilantro                                                                                                                                                 Red Pepper                                                                                                                                    Onion                                                                                                                                        Avocado                                                                                                                                          Kraft Zesty Lime Vinaigrette

Make Quinoa according to the directions on package. Once cooked, place in glass bowl and refrigerate. Once chilled, mix in the rest of the ingredients. Vegetables and vinaigrette can all be added to taste. I like to load mine up with veggies.

Enjoy!

Mud Run

Yesterday Justin and I teamed up with another couple to participate in the Mud Factor mud run. I did the Dirty Girl Mud Run last year, but no one else from our team had done a mud run before. I filled them in on a little of what I expected the run to be. While some of my predictions were correct, it was quite different from the Dirty Girl race.

Our race course was in the middle of a field in Ham Lake, MN. We had record low temperatures this weekend, and I don’t think our high even reached 60 degrees yesterday. That is insane for the last weekend in July!!!

After checking-in we fastened  our bandanas and put on our temporary tattoos with some seriously sketchy, damp towels. Even Justin was surprised I was using them. But when at a mud run, you do what mud runners would do! After getting all of our gear on we waiting patiently for the run to start so we could warm up our bodies.

Team: We got the runs!!! (Adam, Jenn, Me and Justin)

The pre-race wasn’t rocking like I am used to from other races. There wasn’t any music to pump you up. There were only dark clouds rolling in towards us! Once we got started we were ready for some fun in the mud (because we clearly weren’t going to get any sun!).

The first part of the trail was through a grassy field. The long grass had been flattened and it almost felt like you were running on a trampoline. It was really bizarre and something I totally wasn’t used to. It was tough to navigate which part of the trail had a secret hole under the grass, and we heard multiple people say they hoped they wouldn’t break their ankle! It definitely worked my legs in a completely different way and made me feel incredibly out of shape!

There was a lot more running than my last mud run, but we did encounter a couple of mud pools, downed trees, a climbing wall, cargo net, slip n’ slide, and a few other obstacles. All the obstacles were challenging in their own right, but everyone on our team conquered them without fear! Go team, “We got the runs!!!”

Halfway through the race it started to rain which made everything a little bit colder. However, it wasn’t raining hard enough to make the soft sand that the second half of the race trail was covered with harder. Kudos to the beach runners out there! That shit is tough!

Overall, I ended up walking a little bit more than I thought I would have, but it is making me consider adding some trail runs to my training schedule.

By the time the race ended, my legs were feeling spent, and I was ready for a HOT shower. The clean up accommodations weren’t quite as extensive as the last mud run I did, but the water was significantly warmer. We rinsed some of the major mud chunks off of us, but just decided to throw down some towels and just shower back at our house.

We were also able to donate the shoes we used if we wanted too. I was happy to see that there was a group there who would take all the muddy shoes, would clean them up and donate them to people in need.

Can you tell the boys are BFFs?

After we got cleaned up we were all so incredibly hungry we ruined all benefits of the run and had a massive lunch with yummy drinks. We had so much fun getting together though it was worth the cold and the over indulging. We don’t often get to see Jenn and Adam, but when we do, we always feel so blessed to be able to call them our friends!

 

It Is All About Perspective

Do you ever have those days that by the time you go to bed you feel like you had a really good day? I sure hope you do, and for me, today was one of them.

My day didn’t actually start off as I had planned. I wanted to go for a run before work, get there early, and then leave early enough to attend yoga at 4:30pm. None of those things happened. I had a really busy, but productive day at work. So I guess that was ok.

Then I saw this…

 

It is all about perspective people.

I had a lovely lunch date with my husband who was also working downtown. I tried Thai Iced Tea for the first time, thinking I’d have a “healthier” drink. Then I got this:

Straight up creamy goodness. (There also appears to be something green in my glass, but that is neither here nor there.)

Then this happened:

We had been tracking the Popsicle truck on Twitter all day. They must have been reading our tweets and ended up outside the Mill City Museum. They even tweeted me back letting me know they were there. It’s the little things in life!

By the time I got home I was fairly wiped, but my friend Kali text me and said she wanted to meet for dinner. Instead of lying on the couch playing Candy Crush liked I planned, I threw on my running shoes and ran two miles. My legs were still sore from my 3.1 miles on Monday, but my speed was 29 seconds faster per mile. I will take it!

 

Then I hustled off (after a quick shower) to meet two of my gal pals for dinner. Nothing beats a little cardio and then some girl time to round off this popsicle, Thai food, busy Wednesday.

I hope you guys found some joy in your Wednesday as well!!!

 

Royal Envy

I feel like I can’t let another day go by without a post about the biggest news story of the week. From one Duchess to another, I’d like to express my excitement and well wishes to the new parents!

On Monday, my office Queen and I were on pins and needles all day. We were anxiously awaiting the birth of the royal baby.

Then we finally heard. The future King was born and everyone was happy and healthy. Yay!

The excitement didn’t end there. Today I walked out of a meeting to find a text on my phone from my friend Amy. They (all major news sources) were camped out outside the hospital in London. The Duchess and Duke would soon be showing the little prince to the world. Needless to say, I was live streaming instantly.

When my boss caught wind of this, luckily I was not reprimanded. Instead, she decided to watch too. Phew!

Welcome to the world, baby Prince.