Warmth

It was 78* this afternoon.  Warm.  It'll only last one day -- tomorrow it's going to be 55* again -- but today it was 78*.  I switched my routine around to run instead of bike, for two reasons: 1) because it was 78*!  and 2) so my body had to run in the heat.  I'm racing in Florida this weekend (well, I'm in a race) and the heat/humidity will be foreign to my system. 

It was weird to run in this warmth, but it was great.  I did a progression-ish run, and got about 7.5 miles done.  For the rest of this week, I'll cut mileage just a tad to give my legs a break and hope for a fun race on Saturday. 

I also had to bake a chocolate cake today for a coworker.  More warmth.  Warm oven, comfort food.  Warm.  But awkward, too.  With the exception of a piece of flounder and one tuna/avocado sushi roll, I haven't had any animal products in 4 weeks.  I knew I'd add stuff in eventually, but I really haven't yet.  So when I had that bowl with the traces of cake mix left in it and on the spatula, I sooooooo wanted to lick it.  But it didn't feel right.  But I soooooooo wanted to.  Normally, I'd dive right in!  I wavered.  I even texted my sister about it. 

                    And then I did.  I licked the spatula. 

                       I scraped the bowl. 

                            It was yummy. 

It wasn't much, but it was familiar.  And chocolately.  And comfort.  And warmth. 

When I was done baking the cake, I heated up some of the black bean croquettes.  They were much better today.  I think they had time to solidify overnight in the fridge.  I made a side salad of wheat berries/carrot/red and green peppers/broccoli/toasted almond slivers/oil and balsamic vinegar.  I made some more tomato/avocado salsa.  I sliced up some juicy orange. 

And I ate outside on my deck, chatting with my neighbor. 

Warmth all around.