The Chase Is On

My husband, Todd, and I run together.  Sort of.  He is much quicker than I am, but we tend to run the same distances as one another each day.  The exception to that is if one of us has an injury and needs an easier or shorter run.  And our distances may vary when he is working on the road and doesn't have access to safe running routes. 

Since I found it too demoralizing to watch him run away from me when we are starting out we devised a system to make it feel like we are running together, yet plays well to our competitive natures.  We compete for speed, improvement and distance.  And we are both statistics geeks so we use a tracking software called RunLog Deluxe.  It has been a terrific tool for tracking running and riding activity, distance on shoes, pace, speed for a given distance...all sorts of interesting stats about each and every run, walk, or ride.

Because we have very good information about our experiences on each of our runs we pick a run...yesterday it was the 5.8 mile loop... and then, based on how we're feeling, make our best guess at our finish time.  Over that distance the difference was 4 minutes.  So I take off running, Todd waits 4 minutes and then comes after me.  I spend the entire run trying to stay ahead of him, he spends it trying to catch me.  Both of us, of course, hoping to do as well, or better, than we predicted.  It makes it a lot of fun while still providing a lot of support for one each other's running efforts.  And it is an adaptation that will work for any 2 (or more) abilities.  Try it with your running partner(s)!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Aces Update

The Reno Aces start their final home series against the Tucson Padres on Saturday.  I'm excited to take in a game or two in the four days that they will be at home.  Visit their schedule to see which games you can attend. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The family-friendly ballpark is a fantastic venue!

It seriously offers everything you want in a ballpark.  Great views from every seat in the house and perfectly reasonable ticket prices for every budget.  They offer a wide variety of beverages and food items...water to mixed drinks, bottomless buttered popcorn to healthy chicken wraps.  And you can't ask for better weather!  Blue skies and balmy breezes really do make this the perfect way to spend an evening.

And of course if you've got all that, you want a great team to watch and the Aces deliver!  I've been a bit of a web stalker of theirs since we started talking about moving to Reno.  It was one of the things that really excited us about our relocation.  So I've known for some time that they are a quality team...I mean, c'mon!, they have Brett Butler (yes, that Brett Butler) as manager...but they are having an exceptional year.  See their current standings here if you don't believe me!

So come on out and enjoy America's favorite pastime with me!  Hope to see you there!

Dem Bones

I was all excited to write about Aceball today because my husband is getting home from a work trip to Mexico and we'll be taking in some of the Reno Aces games while he is home.  (Sad face...season is coming to a close.)  But then I found this really cool image while checking the ChiRunning page on Facebook.  The caption read:  The perfect way to learn the names of all those bones that you will never injure while running.

While I love the concept - running has made everything about me stronger, not weaker  - I did, in fact, break a bone while running.  In a particularly graceful maneuver I tripped, tumbled, righted myself, and ran home on pure adrenaline only to discover that I'd torn my pants, scraped the tops of my shoes and cracked a rib.  Another moment to be grateful that there is no "Jerianne-Cam"!

Aces pics to come soon!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Burning Man

My husband  and our best friend Glen went to Burning Man a couple of years ago.  I haven't been and am not drawn to spend a week in the desert heat and sand.  Especially when the wind kicks up and the creates a sand whiteout for hours at a time.  But I am fascinated by many aspects.  The art installations are phenomenal.  By any standards.  But particularly when you figure they are in the middle of the desert.  I am fascinated by the spirit of the Burners. They are generous.  They gift one another with food, drink, supplies and, most importantly, their spirit.  I am fascinated by the "leave no trace" practices.  That 50,000+ people trek into the flatlands, throw up a medium sized town, and leave no evidence of it as they depart takes a special dedication.

Since that first trip my husband has not been back, but Glen and more and more of his friends and family have.  Now that we live in Sparks they use my house as base camp.  They come and eat, sleep, shower, and best of all, visit into the wee hours. This year they came from Oregon, California, Alaska, Washington and Minnesota, a hodgepodge of friends, family and acquaintances that bond over a meal and bottle of wine.

And you know me...I'm all about the food.  The Burners have to plot and plan carefully for a week of meals.
The Black Rock Desert sand gets into everything and it is hot - is a desert after all! - so refrigerables can present an problem.  Glen prepares and freezes food well in advance and uses those frozen goods to keep  the other groceries cool.  They peel fruit to minimize waste.  Hydration is critical so calculating quantities of beverages for each Burner is of the utmost importance.  Especially the Dread Pirate Lee's Scurvy Prevention Tonic - desert scurvy can strike down even the best prepared Burner!

I have a small  hand in that food preparation and packing.  My happiest food moments come before they leave for the playa.  I love the loud dinners around the dining table.  This year's feast was Caesar salad, rosemary chicken skewers, veggie skewers, pasta salad and homemade apple pie.  It was delicious and great company only made it better.

If you like pasta salad you'll love this recipe that I got from my brother Phil.  Particularly if you want a side dish that will brighten up your plate:

Pasta:
24 oz tri colored noodles, cooked and drained
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 red/yellow/green pepper
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 Tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Dissolve dressing ingredients over medium heat. Pour over pasta mixture.  Refrigerate.  Serve cold.

My friends have left for the desert and I'm left sitting in my quiet house.  Not sad that they've left, but excited that they'll pass through again in a week on their journey home.  Already planning what I'll feed the weary travelers!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Inspiration

I was going to share a story about my amazing Burning Man houseguests and a lovely meal that we shared but then I came across this on Facebook and it is so inspiring I couldn't not share it!

Two Roads Fitness

20 hours ago

Here’s the post from Jackie in response to all the Facebook comments:

“Thank you Swim Bike Mom for posting this [picture of me.] I am humbled and proud to be an inspiration and actually quite appalled at how some of the posters are treatin...

g this. I used to weigh 415 lbs. [and] walking to the mailbox was a struggle. Some people don’t just “let themselves go” …[they] have actual medical issues that prevent normal every day activities. Say what you will but I got off my ass and did it.
And I consistently do it. I do it for me, not you …and I Inspire and amaze myself every day at how far I am able to push my body mentally [and] physically. I feel bad for people who can’t look at any picture of ANY athlete and not be inspired.

Honestly, hearing how this photo has inspired folks, I hope it goes viral! I want everyone to know that it IS ok to be any size and still compete. I am comfortable enough with myself to truly appreciate any praise I get from athletes who [have] finished while I’m still out there encouraging me. Triathlons are truly the only sport I have ever been involved in where people genuinely care about others…I am proud of myself, my unbelievably supportive teammates at the Atlanta Triathlon Club and those online like Swim Bike Mom who takes this for what it is. Inspiration for anyone to get out there and do it. If I can inspire just one person, then I have fulfilled my purpose.

I don’t hear [the] negativity, only the passion I have in my head and heart to achieve anything I set my mind to. I would encourage anyone to watch my progress as I train for the Half Ironman in Augusta on September 30th. Many people half my size wouldn’t even dream of trying to even enter such an event. But IM DOING iT! First, last, dnf, at least I started and will continue to follow my dreams…. FOR ME. I hope that all of us encourage others to be their best and are proud that ANYONE attempts these activities.

If you can’t applaud every athlete, especially those of us who it takes twice as long to finish and twice as much effort to move twice as much weight across the line, then I feel sad for you that you can’t appreciate the beauty in life and everyone’s journey. FYI the day after this race, I swam the Ridges 5k open water swim from GA to NC… so anything is possible if you put your mind to it!!! I wish all of you good luck and hope to hear about all of your successes (and not so successes on your journeys) as well!!!
Love, Jackie”

See More

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Guad dogs

My husband has been working near Guadalajara, Mexico for, well, far too long.  He loves the work he does and the people he does it with so really it is just the time away from home that gets to us.  He is two hours ahead of me and he is working from 6 pm to 6 am each day.  Our window of opportunity for communication is pretty small.  I hear Ariel's voice..."at least"...

At least I get to wake up every morning to a message that he has sent as a recap to his "day".  So many small parts of our day would fall through the cracks without our recaps.  I surely would have forgotten to tell him about the can of Spam flavored macadamia nuts I found at World Market.  His papercut would not make it into a phone call but was hilarious to me at 7 this morning:  Cut my finger on one of the corrugated plastic core boxes.  Quite possibly the smallest wound in history.  A gnat wouldn't get out a bandaid for this cut.  But I'll be damned if it doesn't smart like hell!  And it bled but-good.

Another line from his message:  People are different wherever you go, but dogs are always the same.

That's easy for him to say because he is some sort of dog-magnet.  Anywhere he goes a dog will find him.  And they will be best friends in no time at all.  Then I saw this picture on one of the motivational running pages I visit regularly:

So go pet your dog, get in your workout, and send someone a note to let them know you're thinking about them!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Eyre's Pancake

I think the universe conspires to make life better for those who are paying attention.  My sweet friend Tanya came for a visit recently and brought some homemade apricot preserves.  She told me they were a little on the chunky side and I thought that sounded perfect for crepes or pork chops.  The universe was already working on my side!

But you sometimes have to be patient (or, in my case, a little bit lazy) and you have to pay attention.  My friend Renate is a very cool interior designer who also loves food and shares her great recipe finds.  She recently posted one for Eyre's Pancake.  It is described as a cross between a crepe and a pancake.  If that doesn't scream for apricot preserves, I don't know what does!!

David Eyre's Pancake

This recipe serves 2 to 4

·         1/3 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/2 cup whole milk

·         2 eggs, lightly beaten

·         Pinch of nutmeg

·         4 tablespoons (one half stick) of unsalted butter

·         2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

·         Juice of half a lemon

1.      Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the flour, milk, eggs, and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat lightly. Leave the batter a little lumpy.

2.      Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handle. When it is very hot, pour in the batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pancake is golden brown.

3.      Sprinkle with the sugar and return briefly to the oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve with jelly, jam, or marmalade.

Cooking Notes: Don’t overmix the batter, or the pancake will be tough – a few lumps are fine. This is the moment to call your well-seasoned cast iron skillet into service.

(This recipe comes from The Essential New York Times Cookbook, and appeared in the Times in 1966.)

I tried this for brunch today and loved it.  It was not what I expected, which was more of a crepe texture.  It was, indeed, crepe-like and pancake-like but I thought it also had a souffle-like quality with a decidedly eggy flavor.  The apricot preserves were definitely the right call!  I like that this was quick and easy to prepare, it is rich but not heavy, and isn't too sweet.

Try this the next time you have company for breakfast or brunch.  It would be lovely with some fruit and yogurt.  If you don't trust me...trust the universe!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Win Aces tickets

I met a very nice gentleman from KOLO TV at a business mixer last night.  The mixer was fun and I met a lot of really interesting  people.  I went to the KOLO website and naturally had to check out the latest news about the Reno Aces.  And because I have almost no internet attention span I followed a link to a ticket giveaway.

Here it is for any of you that are also hoping to win free tickets to see some great baseball:

http://www.kolotv.com/daybreak/misc/25588614.html

And if I win I'll be posting pictures soon! 

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Valley of the Flowers

My husband has been trying to get me to run The Valley of the Flowers Half Marathon in Lompoc, CA for years.  I can think of a lot of good reasons to go (sunny California, good friends, good wine, mini vacation with my Hubs) and a pretty lame reason not to go (a hilly, sandy course).

This year we committed to do it!  We were already training for the Catherine Creek Classic so this was a nicely timed event to just continue on our training schedule.  I, for one, need a goal dangling out in front of me to get me out the door each day.  And even with that goal I have been struggling to log the miles this past 10 days or so.  I do it, but it is a big ol' argument with myself each time and my heart isn't in it...as evidenced by my times.

And then, life got in the way.  One never has to look very far for an excuse not to go for a run.  Work.  Family.  Household chores.  Meals.  Sleep.  There is always something screaming for that block of time in your day.  But they are just excuses.  And usually they aren't very good ones.  Instead of planning days off when my brother and his family come to visit next week, I am preparing a map so they can go for a run with me.  Nick is fast so I want him to know the route so he can run at his own pace.  I've got friends coming into town for Burning Man.  As much as I'd prefer hanging out drinking happy juice, I can always squeeze 30 minutes out of the day to hop on the treadmill.  As a rule my excuses are not good reasons so I plan out paths to my own success.

But you know how funny life is...

My 10 year old niece has to have brain surgery.  THAT is a REASON.  SHE is my reason...for smiling, for not swearing, for staying fit, for wearing a seat belt.  I'm blessed to have many beautiful nieces and handsome nephews who inspire me to be a better person each and every day.  Of all the hats I wear, the Auntie hat is by far the most important.  So it is devastating to me to know that she has to go through this. 

Ariel's surgery is 3 days before the Half.  I would say that I have to choose between the two...going to California or traveling to Oregon to be with my sister and her family during and after the surgery...but there is no choice to be made.  My husband and I will go wherever Ariel needs us.

The runner in me is whining about this.  (Maybe I never told you, the runner in me is pretty selfish.)  I was looking forward to that trip.  I was leaning heavily on the motivation it provided.  Now I feel less like running than ever.  Why bother?  There is no fairness or justice in the world.  You can be the very best human being and crappy things will still happen to you.  (Cue towel being thrown in.)

Thank goodness for Ariel and her "at least".  If something bad happens she is the first to see the "at least" in the situation.  Teacher yelled at you (Please be quiet!)?  "At least" she said Please.  Coffee splashed out of your cup onto your console?  "At least" the whole cup didn't spill.  Had to have brain surgery at the age of four?  "At least" they didn't have to shave my head.

While I may not like this entire turn of events, at least I get to be there.  At least she knows I love her more than life itself.

I've got to get out of here.  I've got to go for a run.  Because at least I am able to do that.

Mitch, Andy, Rocky & Lasagna

I had a really great visit yesterday with my brother Mitch and his wife Andrea.  And the orphaned squirrel, Rocky, that Andy is nursing until she can get it into a wildlife sanctuary of some sort.  Bless his little heart for clinging to life - and to his bottle - with everything he has!  Visiting with them is about the easiest thing a girl will do in a day!  They are sweet, and smart, and funny and kind.  I mean, seriously, who rescues a shrivelled rat-looking creature and feeds it every two hours by hand?!

For their visit I prepared my favorite lasagna recipe.  I went through a lasagna phase and tried a dozen or so recipes and this one is everything I want in a lasagna.  I hope you think so too.

Three-Cheese Lasagna with Italian Sausage
(Bon Appetit - March 1997)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 ounces lean ground beef
6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Lasagna:
15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
2 large eggs
4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds)

Preparation for sauce:
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, carrots and garlic; saute until softened, about 12 minutes.  Add beef and sausages to pan; saute until cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.  Discard bay leaf. Cool.

Preparation for lasagna:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes.  Drain; cover with cold water.
Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl.  Mix in spinach.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Mix in eggs.
Drain pasta and pat dry.  Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch glass baking dish.  Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit.  Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture.  Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick).  Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce.  Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce.  Spread remaining sauce over noodles.  Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.  Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes.  Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.  (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

In my experience this makes quite a bit more than will fit in one 13x9-inch pan.  This time around I put a portion in an 8x8-inch pan also.  I had one for my guests and was able to share the small one with a neighbor.  Win-win!

Because, after all, one of the reasons I cook is because I love to eat good food.  But the main reason I cook is to show my family and friends how much I love them!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Apple Pie!

I have some really fantastic neighbors.  Pretty much from the first week we moved in they have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome in our new home and new neighborhood.  I wish everyone that ever had to relocate could have such a positive experience.

Yesterday I baked a few pies to pay it forward.  I took one to a family that moved into our neighborhood last weekend.  I took another to one of the first families we met when we moved here. They are the family that you can't help but love.  We trust them with our house when we are away.  Every last one of them is smart and funny and kind and, above all, they have a wonderful sense of family.  The third pie is for another family that we adore.  Because the folks around us welcomed us with open arms I have made an effort to do the same to others.  I haven't been sorry even once.  This young family is just as nice as can be and the smile on their 3 year old's face makes it totally worth the effort!

Maybe you don't bake pies, maybe you don't bake at all...but if you see someone new moving to your neighborhood make the effort to stop and say hi.  You'll be glad you did!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

On the courthouse steps...

Some co-workers and I went on a bit of a field trip today.  We decided it was high time we learned about what actually happens when foreclosed homes are sold "on the courthouse steps".  Turns out that is pretty much it.  Realtors and investors stand around for a few minutes before the appointed time of auction.  In our case it was 11 am.  At the stroke of 11 a very efficient, though young-looking, woman walked to the front  of the group and announced the cancelled and postponed sales. 

Then the bidding started on a home on 9th Street.  The bidding went back and forth between a couple of gentlemen for a while, starting at $17,000 or so.  Then one man dropped out and a woman jumped into the bidding, ultimately winning at $25,500.

The next property came and went in a very different fashion.  Bidding opened at $100,000.  First bid took it at $288,000.  No moss growing on those stones!

If you'd like to hear more about the process here in Washoe County...comment on this blog or contact me at www.jerianne.rnohomes.com.  I'd love to help!

Aceball and Pasta!

Just looking at the calendar and trying to decide on a menu and activity schedule when I have friends and family in town in less than 2 weeks.   Of course my first thought was Reno Aces Baseball!

http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t2310

Unfortunately, my family arrives after the Aces wrap up a little home series.  I guess I'll have to go without them!

On a really bright note I found a recipe for Mizithra Pasta!  It is a dish that you can get at The Old Spaghetti Factory...if you have one near you.  And I don't.  So I was pretty jazzed to find that someone else was in the same situation and had good luck replicating the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1 cup Mizithra cheese
pasta of choice

DIRECTIONS:

Browned Butter Procedure: Cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place in a 2-quart sauce pan. Place the pan of butter on a burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes).

Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Continue stirring, otherwise the butter foam could overflow (about 5 minutes) and catch fire.

Once the butter stops foaming and rising, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma.

Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a strainer into a small bowl. Do not disturb the residue at the bottom of the pan.

The brown butter can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave as needed.

Boil the pasta of choice until al dente. Drain pasta and divide into four servings. Spread 1/4 cup of Mizithra over each pasta serving. Top with 1/4 cup of hot brown butter.

As a matter of fact, the entire website looks like a keeper and is now on my favorites list.  http://www.cdkitchen.com/

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Yay for cupcakes!

I had a dream Sunday night that Kerry, a co-worker, brought cupcakes to the office. This isn't much of a surprise since I dream vividly and often and I love cupcakes!  I especially love the moist, deilicious, made-from-scratch cupcakes that Kerry makes.  I was going to post a recipe for cupcakes but we all know that it is the frosting that is, well, the icing on the cake!

Kerry and I have talked about the secret to good frosting and we have both learned over the years that just about any frosting recipe can be improved with one simple trick:  whip, really whip, the butter.

Here's a great recipe I've used with much success:

Basic Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups confectioners' sugar
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Food coloring, optional *

In a large bowl or stand mixer beat the butter on high speed for 3 minutes.  Gradually add the salt and one cup of the confectioners' sugar. Beat thoroughly.  Add 1 tablespoon of milk and 1 cup of sugar alternately, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and mix until blended.

* If you're going to add food coloring you may want to leave out just a bit of milk so that the frosting doesn't become too thin.  If you prefer a white vanilla frosting you can purchase clear vanilla which has no color and doesn't tint the frosting.

This recipe yields approximately 5 cups of frosting and is easily halved.

 

Woody

Today's post has absolutely nothing to do with Homes or Running or Recipes or Baseball.  Every now and again someone will touch your life so unexpectedly that it throws your day-to-day routine out the window.

My sister lives about 600 miles from me in the charming town of Corbett, Oregon.  Several months ago she insisted that I take a moment and watch a video about Woody, a really sweet man that lives in her community.  It sounded sweet.  It was important to my sister.  So I watched it.  You should too.

http://corbettoregon.com/videos/woody-davis-on-cbs-news/

I was not prepared to be spun off my axis the way I was.  As a person who never cries I was not prepared to be struck so emotionally on so many levels.  It is cathartic and cleansing and simply heart-wrenching.

I don't want to say anything more about it because I think everyone should see this and experience it for themselves.  What I will say is Woody must be an actual angel.  He was able to make me tear up, hundreds of miles away, never having met him.  He restored my spirit while breaking it a bit.

Godspeed Woody.  And thank you.

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Running isn't everything!

I run regularly...even did that half marathon last weekend...but got an eye-opener this weekend about the importance of cross-training!  I went on a hike with some great gals from my office on Saturday

and had a really lovely time.  Until I tried to get out of bed on Sunday morning!  My calf muscles were screaming at me!  Instead of giving in to them and sitting around I took my friend Seymour for multiple walks throughout the day to work out the kinks.

Then I hit the treadmill for a sloooow 5K in the evening.  It wasn't pretty, but I survived.  Tonight it's going to be the bike.  Grateful for the hike that reminded me how important cross-training is!  And now I need to plan another hike!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

NW Reno & University Area homes

Here are new listings for the NW Reno area.  If you or a student in your family is coming to Reno to attend UNR you'll want to check these out!

http://jerianne.rnohomes.com/listings/newlistings/1/areas/26946,26952/Community/Reno%20-%20Old%20Northwest%20and%20University%20Area/propertytype/SINGLE,CONDO,LAND,RENTAL/listingtype/Resale%20New,Foreclosure%20Bank%20Owned,Short%20Sale,Lease%20Rent/sort/mlsupdatedate+desc/

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

I wore heels to work today.

I wore heels to work today.  Low heels.  Only about an inch or so high.  But I could still feel it in my ankles and shins after the half marathon on Saturday.  And as I was poking around on FaceBook earlier I found a poster that shows how heels affect your posture, knees, calf muscles and Achilles tendons, among other things.  I found this information on https://www.facebook.com/#!/Vegiheal.Life.  Turns out there is a lot of other interesting health and wellness information there.  Check it out when you have a moment.

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Happy Birthday to me!

Celebrating my birthday with some lovely friends from the office!

If you'd like to work for a great company - check out my website!  www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Carbo-Loading

I feel like I owe Home.Run.Recipes some recipes.  And some baseball trivia.  And some homes.  So here goes:

One of the things I love about Reno is the opportunity watch quality baseball in a really great venue.  Check out our Reno Aces at www.renoaces.com and then catch them in action.  You'll love it!

For anyone who is interested in real estate in the Reno/Sparks area - I'm here to help!  And here is a great search tool to get you started!  http://jerianne.rnohomes.com/search/  Let me know if you find something you like - we'll go take a look!  If you're thinking about selling and want to know what your home is worth - try this tool: http://jerianne.rnohomes.com/sell/

Now for the Carbo-Loading info that led me to this blog title for the day.  My brother shared this with me before we did the Catherine Creek Classic 1/2 Marathon this past weekend and I hadn't read it all the way through.  I read it today and found some great info.  It isn't exactly about running and it isn't exactly about recipes...but it covers both well enough that I decided to share.  Let me know if you have any thoughts on the subject.

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Carbo-loading__Eight_last-minute_nutrition_tips_for_endurance_athletes.htm
1. Carbo-load, don't fat-load.  Carbohydrate-rich foods include cereals, fruits, juices, breads, rice, plain baked potatoes and pasta with tomato sauce. Lower carbohydrate choices include donuts, cookies, buttery potatoes, ice cream, cheesy lasagna and pepperoni pizza. These fat-laden foods may taste great and fill your stomach, but fat does not get stored as muscle fuel.
2. No last-minute hard training.  By resting your muscles and doing very little exercise this pre-event week, your muscles will have the time they need to store the carbohydrates and become fully saturated with glycogen (carbohydrate). You can only fully carbo-load if you stop exercising hard! You can tell if your muscles are well-carbo-loaded if you have gained 2 to 4 pounds pre-event. Your muscles store 3 ounces of water along with each ounce of carbohydrate. (This water will be released during the event and be put to good use.)
3. No last-minute dieting.  You can't fully carbo-load your muscles if you are dieting and restricting your calories. You will have greater stamina and endurance if you are well-fueled, as compared to the dieter who may be a few pounds lighter but has muscles that are sub-optimally carbo-loaded. Remember: You are supposed to gain (water) weight pre-event!
4. Drink extra fluids.  You can tell if you are drinking enough fluids by monitoring your urine. You should be urinating frequently (every two to four hours); the urine should be clear-colored and significant in volume. Juices are a good fluid choice because they provide not only water and carbohydrates but also nutritional value. Save the sports drinks for during the event.
5. Eat tried-and-true foods.  If you drastically change your food choices (such as carbo-load by eating several extra bananas), you may end up with intestinal distress. Simply eat a comfortable portion of the tried-and-true carbohydrates you've enjoyed during training. You need not stuff yourself! If you will be traveling to a far-away event, plan ahead so you can maintain a familiar eating schedule despite a crazy travel schedule.
6. Eat a moderate amount of fiber.  If you stuff yourself with lots of white bread, bagels, crackers, pasta and other foods made with refined white flour, you may end up constipated. Include enough fiber to promote regular bowel movements — but not too much fiber or you'll have the opposite problem! Moderate amounts of whole-wheat bread, bran cereal, fruits and vegetables are generally good choices. (If you are concerned about diarrhea, limit your intake of high-fiber foods and instead consume more of the refined breads and pastas.)
7. Eat the morning of the endurance event.  You'll need this fuel to maintain a normal blood sugar level. Although your muscles are well-stocked from the foods you've eaten the past few days, your brain gets fuel only from the limited amount of sugar in your blood. When you nervously toss and turn the night before the event, you can deplete your blood sugar and, unless you eat carbs, you will start the event with low blood sugar. Your performance will go downhill from there.
Plan to replace the energy lost during the (sleepless) night with a light to moderate breakfast as tolerated. This will help you avoid hitting the wall. Stick with tried-and-true pre-exercise foods: cereal, bagels, toast, fruit, energy bars and/or juice. These carb-based foods invest in fueling the brain, as well as staving off hunger. If a pre-event breakfast will likely upset your system, eat extra food the night before. That is, eat your breakfast at 10 p.m.
8. Consume carbs during the event.  During endurance exercise, you'll have greater stamina if you consume not only water, but also some carbohydrates, such as sports drinks, gels, bananas or dried fruit. You should target about 100 to 250 calories/hour after the first hour to avoid hitting the wall. (For example, that's 16 to 32 ounces of sports drink/hour.)

The slower you run, the more you need to fuel yourself during the event. Some athletes boost their energy intake by drinking diluted juices or defizzed cola; others suck on hard candies or eat chunks of energy bar, animal crackers and other easily chewed and digested foods along the way. Your muscles welcome this food; it gets digested and used for fuel during the event. And hopefully, you will have experimented during training to learn what settles best.

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

August Homeowner Tips

Great tips from a great company!

August 2012 Home Safety Checklist Water-wise Tips Simplify Your Life Week Melon Chicken Salad Home Safety Checklist Make your family safer, step-by-step with these helpful reminders. • Sound the Alarm: Install smoke detectors on every floor of your home and carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas. If already installed, test them! • Avoid Overload: Check for overloaded extension cords-usage should not exceed the recommended wattage. • Don't Get Tippy: If young children are in the home, bookshelves and other furniture should be firmly secured with wall brackets to prevent tipping. • Watch Cord Placement: Extension cords should not be placed under rugs or heavy furniture, tacked up or coiled while in use. • Get Grounded: All major appliances should be grounded. Be sure to check your ground fault circuit interrupters regularly. • Plan Your Escape: Practice a fire escape plan with your family where you identify two exits for every room and what to do with young children. • Keep Extinguishers Handy: Place all-purpose fire extinguishers in key locations in your home-the kitchen, bedroom and garage. Be sure to check expiration dates regularly and know how to use them safely. • Cool Your Jets: Set your water heater below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid potential burns and to save energy. For full article and more home safety tips visit: www.safetyathome.com/home-safety Water-wise Tips for Late Summer Water Savings Water is essential to our everyday lives. And, our supplies are limited so please use water wisely. Cutting water use inside and outside our homes is really important. If each of us changed our water-use habits, we could save billions of gallons of water. Here's how you can help: Indoor • Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes: Saves up to 50 gallons per week. • Fix household leaks promptly: Saves up to 20 gallons per day. • Spend only 5 minutes in the shower: Saves up to 8 gallons each time. • Turn off the water while you brush your teeth: Saves up to 2.5 gallons per minute. Outdoor • Water your lawn 1 to 2 days a week instead of 5 days a week: Saves up to 840 gallons per week . • Check your sprinkler system for leaks, overspray and broken sprinkler heads and repair promptly: Saves up to 500 gallons per month. • Water your plants in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation and ineffective watering due to wind: Saves up to 25 gallons each time. • Mulch! Save hundreds of gallons a year by using organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation. For full article and more water saving tips visit: www.bewaterwise.com/tips01.html In Honor of Simplify Your Life Week... How About Getting Unconnected for the Week? It is nearly impossible to be out of touch or unable to communicate in our modern world. Your cell phone, pager, email, fax, instant message, internet browser, etc. are all right at your fingertips. There is such a thing as being too connected, so set some boundaries on the technology in your life. Turn off your cell phone in the evening, answer email once a day instead of constantly throughout the day, or put down your laptop computer for an afternoon. Let yourself be unconnected to the rest of the world for a little while and relish in the freedom that creates. For more tips on simplifying your life visit: www.timethoughts.com August Home Warranty Tip: Save water and energy by loading the dishwasher properly and running only when you have a full load.

Melon Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 3/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

• 3 cups (2 x 1/4-inch) strips honeydew melon

• 3 cups (2 x 1/4-inch) strips cantaloupe

• 2 cups (2 x 1/4-inch) strips daikon radish

• 1 cup (2 x 1/4-inch) strips peeled English cucumber

• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Add honeydew and next 4 ingredients (through green onions); toss well to coat.

Place 2 cups melon mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/2 cup chicken.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cilantro over each serving; top each with 1-1/2 teaspoons walnuts. Serve immediately.

Martin Yan, Cooking Light
JULY 2004

This information has been provided as a public service by Fidelity National Home Warranty and does not imply that these items are covered by its home warranty contracts. For details about FNHW coverage, please see your contract specifically or visit our website at homewarranty.com.The information contained within this newsletter has been obtained from third parties and is believed to be reliable. FNHW assumes no legal responsibility for the accuracy of this information nor endorses the recommendations of any third party. For Service Call 1-800-308-1420

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

The family that runs together...

What a wonderful weekend!  The Catherine Creek Classic was a great success for my family and me.  From the mini-family reunion upon arrival on Friday to a delicious Sunday brunch with our dearest friends - we couldn't have squeezed in more love and catching up if we had tried!

My older brother Nick took first in his age group in the half marathon.  My husband, Todd, and I both finished it minutes faster than we had predicted.  My cousin Victoria and her husband Tristan finished well.  My amazing mother Arlene and my cousin Devera completed it together in very good time.  So good, in fact, that my mother feels very confident in her training for the upcoming Marine Corps Marathon!  My sister, Sheila, and niece Morgan competed in the 5K event. We had a great support crew in my sister-in-law Janell, my nephew Andrew, niece Ariel, and Yuri the wonderdog.  Their cheering from the sag wagon truly kept our spirits up.

Another reason this is such a special event is that it typically falls just before my birthday.  Which I share with my one-year-younger sister!  That so much of the family joins us for this event is, literally, icing on the birthday cake!

This year we had the added bonus of running into, NOT literally, a childhood friend who also happened to be running.  Dan Winters is just as sweet as he was when we were kids!

Congratulations to our friends MaryEllen, Howard, Jeff, Armando and his wife, the Sheehy clan (whose father Steve is the race director) and the Brazil bunch (whose father Scott race directs the Cove Cherry Fair 10K - another great race)!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

By the light of the moon

I woke up at three this morning to get a glass of water.  My room was glowing with a strange, bluish light.  I looked out the window to see the back yard bathed in moonlight.  I thought, "Wow...I could totally go for a run in that light!"

I think this weekend's race is getting to me!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com

Countdown!

The Catherine Creek Classic 1/2 marathon is just 3 days away and my nerves are starting to get the better of me.  How hot is it going to be?  Should I wear my new shoes or run in the old somewhat-worn-down ones?  Should I carry my own water?  Is drinking margaritas on the deck with friends a good carbo-loading strategy?

Time to take a deep breath and stop stressing.  I know I can mentally and physically cover the distance.  The rest will take care of itself!  But bring me another margarita - just in case!

www.jerianne.rnohomes.com