Spring Forward-- a fall backward

The sooner I fall behind, the more time I have to catch up.

My spirits were low this week. My ankle had a painful relapse after what had appeared to be a miraculously fast recovery. Fitness wise, I hit some new personal bests (13:00 plank hold; 100 pull-ups + 100- push-ups in sets of 3; Tabata leg press @ 240 lbs), but I jumped back into things too fast on the bike/run and my ankle cussed me out bad. So, I decided to go back on the ibuprofen-and-rest-bandwagon. I figure, if I don't give my poor little ankle circulation, then it can't get my deliciously healing blood... and if ibuprofen can help with that, then I don't mind selling a bit my soul to Advil.

Susie caught me sulking this week. Luckily, I had a dozen mangoes to cheer me up and the sun came out and I could start replenishing my vitamin D--always a concern.

ACTIVE RECOVERY
I've used this setback as an opportunity to spend some time each morning in the pool really working on my stroke and meditation. What cold water does for 6:15 am, 6:15am reciprocates for cold water--they amplify each other's evil-ness to create a dastardly hour of the day that only my friend Justin could make fun. Sunrises in the pool help too. On occasion it rises above the abandoned Circuit City, through my pool's huge storefront windows. The way the light dances off the waves makes for a far more interesting black lane line on the bottom. That helps with my meditation. Justin does not-- but I love that about him.

Justin does in 10 strokes what it takes me to do in 20. He is my new swimming guru. We jump in like scared turtles and set to work. I'm used to swimming next to the water aerobics class, so compared to Justin, I can't believe how slow I am. I beg him for answers, "How is my stroke sooo inefficient?"

Then Justin gives me a host of drills to keep my pelvis tilted, my kick subtle, my elbows high, my reach long, my pull delayed, my stroke S-shaped, and my breathing free. It's not easy to do all things well. It's not even easy to do them poorly. But I've finally reached a comfort level in the water where I feel very coach-able right now. So, Justin's been a perfect addition to my team. Plus, he owns his own landscaping company, Karp Groundworks, and is a father of two-and-half, so when else am I able to see him? And why not get some simultaneous green thumb consultations from him, right?

"The swim lessons are starting to pay off!"

By Saturday, I felt like I could have competed in the Queen City Wheels 40k time trial, but my smarter/prettier half convinced me it was a bad idea in the grand scheme of things. What can I say? Susie is always right.

GREEN THUMBING
The ankle injury is also allowing me time to prep my garden. NOW is the time to get greens planted. My goal is to eat, and therefore harvest 1 lbs. of lettuce/spinach/kale/chard/etc per day plus whatever I can impress my womyn with.

While working with my friend Terry's hydroponics, I discovered that an area about the size of a car's hood would be enough space to grow a family of two a modest-sized salad per day. That's not enough...which is why I have to make nice with all my neighbors who have more access to sunshine.

I wanted some cool seed-sprouters like they sell at the hardware store, but my brother-in-law taught me a cool trick with wet cardboard. Fcuk buying more plastic crap. Justin and his wife also start their seeds inside egg shells and then bury the egg shell when it's time to move the seedlings outside.

My dad (world's greatest) gave me some Seed Saver Exchange seeds-- a mix of lettuces, spinach, chard, heirloom tomatoes, cilantro, basil, cucumber and some other stuff I wasn't as excited about (radishes, beans, ?)

It's a work in progress, but the minimal sun that hits my deck will soon be covered in deliciousness. The big wood planter even has kale and spinach sprouting that I planted way back in the fall according to the Anastasia method.