I have a kitchen table!

By | January 30, 2022

Yes, I can hear you laughing. That’s OK. I know you’re laughing with me in my excitement. I haven’t had a kitchen table I can sit at in a long time. This is semi self inflicted — when I bought a microwave a few years ago, which I had resisted for years for lack of space – I put it on top of this drop leaf table which I had occasionally eaten at before. I really hadn’t used that much since my old apartment though. I would generally eat at my coffee table, which I didn’t mind. Well the coffee table is no more (I really need to take some updated apartment pics!) and eating at my desk or on the floor got old. When I saw a neighbor post a sign that she was moving and selling-among other things-a kitchen table and storage ottoman I immediately jumped on it. I’ve had the storage ottoman for a week (yay blanket space!) and picked up the table Thursday as she was moving out.

meal one at the table!

Snow day pancakes! I foodfess that I have found I do not like Kodiak pancakes so after this third attempt, I threw them and the box out. I make them so rarely, I’ll take the nutrition hit of the fluffier ones.

second meal, more authentically me

All hail Cari, Queen of takeout and forever reading at the table. I really think if we hadn’t had the early closures of damn near everything I’d never have learned the Instant Pot, but I still default to take out. Especially sesame chicken after a long walk in the snow. And don’t worry, there were many leftovers. Splash of color for the table coming soon.

another moving neighbor

yes, that is indeed a rotary phone and some old film cameras. He’s added a typewriter since, and folks have claimed the cameras. I won’t lie, I wish I had space for the black shelving. I can’t even imagine how long he has lived here to have such old stuff.

Oh right, on to the point of this post. Weekly Run Down with Deborah and Kim:

  • Monday, sleepy Monday: I had some really weird sleep late last week and into the weekend. Wide awake at 4, for example, which is just too in between to be useful. I wasn’t too surprised on Monday morning when I’d accidentally hit stop instead of snooze and woke at 7:57. Rather than rush out the door for a stressed & rushed 3m, I punted the run until after work. Never miss a Monday, but sleep is as necessary to our health. I was able to get out the door after work and like last week, didn’t feel comfortable running in the park or river so I did a different avenue route that pretty much parallels the southern two thirds of the river route, but with a hill.  It isn’t what I planned, but it happened. Sometimes that’s all we can ask for. Bonus, Christmas trees!
  • Tuesday: it wasn’t below zero, but I took advantage of a non running day to wake naturally (6:45)  and have a quiet morning before what I knew would be a busy work day. Bill Hayes’ Sweat came in from the library waiting list and I enjoyed starting it. I mean reading about exercise is kind of like doing it, right? Peloton strength after work and some errands during so I wasn’t totally sedentary.

good morning world

checking in with the master

  • Wednesday: rare weekday morning run to CP. The wind was ridiculous and could not face the river/winds. Major The Little Prince vibes at the castle likely spurred by the exhibit announcement at the Morgan and the upcoming anniversary of my aunt’s death. That was our show and the announcement this week? Perfection. “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!

  • Thursday: continuing in the “rare weekday” theme, an even rarer weekday long run. At this point it looked like the weekend’s snow was going to be significant and didn’t relish the idea of missing a long run or having to do it in the ridiculous weather. (Guess I am officially training if I’m worried about missing a long run?) So I paired the Office Run Group with five avenue miles for ten after work. I won’t lie, this was a challenge despite some fun scenery. I’m not an evening long runner and I was tired after work, but it’s done. Made for an interesting Friday though in terms of runger since I wasn’t hungry enough to eat before I fell asleep. Four weeks out from the Half. Not sure what next week is going to look like if the snow is hanging around, but I know I’ll get my runs in. Feb 27 is in Central Park and I can’t get swept, so if I’m undertrained? So be it.

snow day grocery shopping

  • Friday: calm before the storm. Got in some walks before and after work and had some delayed post run sushi as I was absolutely ravenous come lunch. I have long made homemade hot chocolate (one favorite!) with soy/almond milk and chips since finding non dairy ones is hit or miss, but when I saw the mint one, I had to get it with a snow day on the horizon. I’ll still make it on the stove with the almond milk but maybe fewer chips. Maybe.

snowed in Cat Hill

get outside and play

  • Saturday: snow day! We ended up with way less snow than other areas, about 7 inches in Central Park. But the wind and cold were real with wind chills hovering around zero. After some reading time, I got bored/stir crazy and decided to go for a walk. Cuddl Dudds long underwear, leggings, random race shirt, hoodie, scarf, buff and two pair of gloves meant I was mostly fine over a nice 4+ mile walk to see some favorite spots. I was very grateful for a recent gift of hand warmers though as they’re a real difference maker. It was a blast to see people of all stripes enjoying the Park. My favorite might be the sledding nuns though!

Pelo Party!

Sunday: 300 strength and 700 Peloton classes overall in just over a year. So glad to have this and my PeloSquad as part of my routine and great to celebrate milestones with Coco and Michelle able to join the live class. Spider planks are mean though. With the still frigid temperatures, I’m not sure whether there’s a dry path to run, but will be going out shortly for a walk/run/penguin.

22 thoughts on “I have a kitchen table!

  1. Marcia

    Glad the snow was underwhelming, although 7″ is PLENTY! Yay for a kitchen table and fluffier pancakes. I made the mistake of buying a huge box of Kodiak mix from Cosco because THing 2 thought she HAD to have them. Of course she hated them and the box went to my mom. Live and learn!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Glad you found a taker for them! Who knew I’d ever get so excited about furniture!

      Reply
  2. Darlene

    You make me laugh. I threw my Kodiak pancake mix out when I re did my kitchen.

    And the little prince is my favorite book. I took my students to an exhibit years ago at the Morgan.

    Love your pix. Wave at Fred for me. I’ll see you and him in a month.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      With the wind this week I’ve seen Fred almost daily. Kind of fun.
      Kodiak not worth the shelf space

      Reply
  3. Liz Dexter

    I love your new table set-up and enjoyed experiencing your snow vicariously and seeing my running club represented on your buff when you ventured out!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Since we’re always talking hi-vis, it’s the perfect one in addition to being comfy and perfectly elastic to work a a buff

      Reply
  4. Chocolaterunsjudy

    Sledding . . . we used to sled down the hills behind our house. Man, I haven’t thought about that in years!

    Yay for a kitchen table! And yay for getting in 10 miles after work. Wowza! I am so not an evening runner & absolutely can’t fathom that. Glad you didn’t get as much snow as forecast; it just makes life easier, even if it is pretty.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      there’s sledding behind the Met as well. It would be fun, but I do not have space for something I’d use maaaybe twice a year.
      I can run 5-6 after work, and even 8 in summer daylight but I’m not timem acclimatized

      Reply
  5. Wendy

    You’re having a good old fashioned midwestern winter, lol. I know your weather is a lot milder than ours, so it’s shocking to see you so bundled up! Yay for a new table!!! My sister lived in Manhattan years ago and I know space is at a premium, so it’s exciting to have things like that!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      It truly is the little things — or the space friendly things.
      This winter is so weird. By yesterday I had just a tee shirt on under a windbreaker (for the rain). If it hadn’t been raining, would have been perfect without a jacket.

      Reply
  6. Deborah Brooks

    It is exciting to do apartment updates! Enjoy your new table. I applaud your cooking endeavors. Baby steps for sure. I like the Kodiak cakes but I use them w milk and eggs and protein powder. Way to get out there this week with the wacky weather! Stay warm

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      You’ll make me a cook yet! LOL
      Yes, milk and eggs might salvage those. My next pancakes might have protein powder in the regular ones.

      Reply
  7. Michelle

    I admit the Kodiak cakes didn’t work for me either – though I do like their frozen waffles for a morning short on time.

    Great job on a weekday long run! And congrats again on your double milestones!

    Reply
  8. Jenny

    Ha ha… I could probably survive without a kitchen table for quite a while. But I’m sure it’s nice to finally have one!
    Nice job on getting that long run done. It must have felt good to do it and then hunker down for a snow day (how did the hot chocolate come out?) I hope you have some good running weather this week!

    Reply
  9. Jessie

    Great job on that post work 10 miler! I would be ravenous after that, but probably felt great to get it done!

    Congrats on the new table! My insta pot is a somewhat recent purchase. Any favorite recipes? I prefer ones that are a bit more like a crockpot where you just toss it all in vs. a ton of saute steps 🙂 I’m lazy like that, ha!

    Reply
  10. Coco

    Yay on the kitchen table! LOL on the neighbor’s rotary phone. Do you even have wired phone service anymore?

    I like the Kodiak mix for the baked blueberry pancake recipe (in a 9 X 13 pan) and muffins. Like Deborah I do add milk and eggs.

    Glad I could join your 300th. I’d rather do spiderman planks than hollow hold rocks …. 😉

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      So glad you could too. That was evil, but I think I’d do it again.

      I think so, or we did when I moved in. I had the Spectrum Triple Play as it was cheaper, but not sure if they still do since I dropped it six or seven years ago. If I was so attached to keep it long past its usable life, I’m not sure I’d part with it for free on moving. Love baked french toast, might have to try pancakes one year.

      Reply
  11. Kimberly Hatting

    If I can piggyback on the Kodiak cakes discussion…I have tired and tried to make them, but they never cook right. Always burned on the outside, yet majorly “underdone” on the inside. Also, the flavor was rather bland (even when I added almond extract to the batter). Hmmmmm. Anyways, that’s very impressive getting in a 10-miler after work! Barb and I have done that a handful of times. Once was a spontaneous prior to a Fiday night HS football game. We must have had a Hawkeye game the next day (?) or one of us was going to be out of town. UGH…it was a very hot and humid andeavor, but both of us showed up the HS game afterwards and high-5’d each other. I was our little secret, LOL.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I added vanilla extract thinking that would help, it didn’t. With the mixed reviews here I can firmly say it’s not my cooking skills or lack thereof. I can usually make pancakes in the microwave easily but the consistency of these is wrong. I made them on the griddle and they still were raw/sticking. No thanks. I’d rather spend the calories on something that tastes better
      Those little secrets are so much fun! Plus as much as I do love running, I always love it just that little bit more when it’s done

      Reply
  12. Kim G

    It’s always hit or miss when I’ve tried to make Kodiak Cakes. It’s been a year since my last attempt.

    The Land O Lakes hot chocolate is my favorite! I rarely see anyone talk about it so I was excited when I saw your photo, lol. I’ll get Swiss Miss every now and then, but the LOL hazelnut flavor is my favor.

    Hooray for a new kitchen table! Never underestimate the peace of eating a meal at a table, it totally makes a difference.

    Reply
  13. Catrina

    Yay for kitchen tables! In our home in Switzerland, we sit at ours all the time, mainly because we don’t have a couch.
    Like you, it is semi self-inflicted. We have limited space but if we really wanted to, we could fit in a couch. But then I don’t like cluttered rooms, so couchless it is.
    Love that “good morning world” photo, Cari!

    Reply

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