Anticipation Nation

BREAKING NEWS. This is a special announcement brought to you by a very excitable and giddy Rambling Hungarian Maniac. Rumor has it that I may actually get a vacation soon. Time actually spent somewhere OTHER than my living room when I take time off of work! OMG! How titillating! Nick and I have been tossing the idea back and forth for about a week now and from the sounds of it, we're hitting up Vegas for 7 days in May baby! We would be traveling solo but meeting up with his younger brother and his girlfriend, who are also visiting Vegas at the same time. I CAN'T STAND THE ANTICIPATION! I haven't had a genuine vacation in 5 years! NO LIE! Nick and I have also never went anywhere together. We haven't officially booked the trip package yet but it's in the works. My fingers are ITCHING to click that shiny "confirm purchase" button that's for sure!

Nick and I are also talking about driving out to Arizona for a day while we're out there. I've never been there and it's always been a place that I've wanted to visit. Heck, I want to LIVE there! SO EXCITED!

Anyways, enough about that. I'll fill you in on the details once I actually HAVE them. I don't want to jinx it before we even book the flight! By the way, I FEAR FLYING DEEPLY! I will need to be drugged up, beaten unconscious or intoxicated and tied up!!! ;)

Now lets move on to the real reason why you're here. Disgustingly delicious food porn.

BREAKFAST (meal #1) at 9:15am.

My desires for sexy oats will never leave me. NEVER!

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 wheat bran
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash pumpkin pie spice
• pinch salt
• Splenda to taste

Microwaved and topped with...

• 1 tbs flax
• 1 tbs sugar4 free apricot preserves (Smucker's)
• 1 tbs Better N' Peanut Butter
• more cinnamon

My mind kept wandering today. Hard....To....Focus.... I kept daydreaming and getting distracted by randomness. All day long people. ALL day long! I kept thinking about all of the things below and spent a good amount of time staring at my computer screen with a blank look on my face.

1. Possible trip in May.
2. FINALLY getting to see AZ! YAY!
3. The sunshine and warmer weather outside.
4. Being off for St' Patric's day tomorrow. No I am not Irish. I just love beer and bowling and not being at work on a Wednesday. ;)
5. I kept wondering if my older clothes & dresses fit me again. I haven't tried them on in about 7 months. That was a BAD day! I should try them on again soon. Nice weather is around the corner and those dresses would be great for Vegas weather!
6. Having homemade, spicy, Thai Curry veggies for dinner. I blame you Karin! ;)
7. How I could do things differently at the gym to get faster results.
8. New recipe ideas.
9. Why my cat hates me.

And a slew of other, random, stupid and insignificant things. It made the day fly by though!

LUNCH (meal #2) at 12:30pm.

I had a lovely and MASSIVE salad today.

Spinach
Sweet Butter Lettuce
Sugar Snap Peas
Cherry Tomatoes
Chick Peas
Corn
Spray Butter


I also enjoyed a nice Fuji apple sprinkled with cinnamony love.


I was on a CHEAP mission on our break today. I wanted a t-shirt. One of those stupid $5 bargains for St' Patrick's day. I swear I own no t-shirts except the ones I wear to the gym. Was I successful? Heck no! I waited too long. Everyone was sold out. Time to go closet digging tonight I guess. There must be SOMETHING green in there for tomorrow!

On the way back to work Ann's car started acting weird. Rattling every time she drove over a small bump and making a horrible noise every time she made a right hand turn. She called a shop around the corner as soon as we got back to the office and we dropped her car off to have it looked at. She will kill me for saying this but I'm truly starting to hate Volkswagens. That car seems cursed! Apparently her front right coil spring just BROKE! Which can be dangerous and could have pierced her tire mid drive etc... Good thing she called on it and had it looked at RIGHT away! The part has been ordered and she will have the car back by Thursday we hope. :(

SNACK (meal #3) at 4:00pm.

I'm all out of plain Greek yogurt so I enjoyed a chocolate Oikos today with a sliced banana. Sprinkled with the very last of my pomegranate granola. So sad!


Ann and I rode to the gym together after work. We just can't get ENOUGH of each other! Must....Spend....More....Together.... HA!

UGH! It was chest, back and cardio day. We moved it to Tuesday instead of Monday. I wonder if this will break the CURSE of this day. For some reason I'm always moody at the gym and unmotivated on Chest/Back day. I can't explain why!

WORKOUT!

Lat Pulldown with V-bar (cable)
70lb x 15
60lb x 15 (2 sets)
Advanced Chest Press (plate loaded)
30lb x 15 (3 sets)
High Row (cable)
100lb x15 (3 sets)
Seated Chest Press (plate loaded)
60lb x 15 (2 sets)
60lb x 13
Low Row (plate loaded)
50lb x 15 (3 sets)
Seated Chest Press (cable)
75lb x 15 (Just did one set... ??)
Modular Chest Press (cable)
60lb x 15
50lb x 15 (2 sets)
Elliptical Cross Trainer
30 minutes, 2.66 miles, 2 minute intervals of levels 8-10

Total workout took 1:16 minutes
Max Heart Rate = 169
Average Hear Rate = 141
Total Calories Burned = 630

SNACK (meal #4) at 7:30.

I took Ann home after the gym and the hustled home. I made a SUPER quick shake with unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze, 1 scoop of chocolate peanut butter whey protein powder and one tablespoon of acai powder. I gave it a quick and violent shake and chugged it in roughly 30 seconds flat. Done and done!


After my shake I RANSACKED my closet for something green. ANYTHING green. I found nothing. However, in the process of my apparel adventures, I found myself trying on a TON of old clothes. OMG. Most of my older dresses fit again. I looked like a slightly overstuffed Hungarian sausage in most of them BUT the zippers went ALL the way up. VICTORY!

DINNER (meal #5) at 9:30pm.

I was craving one thing for dinner and one thing only. Curry vegetables. I tossed broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, white mushrooms, frozen peas and zucchini into a pan and seasoned them with hot curry, salt & pepper.


I also found this jar of curry simmer sauce in my cabinet stash.


I've had it forever! I poured it over the veggies, gave them a good stir, covered the pan and cooked them on low heat for 30 minutes. When it was all done I added a bit of light coconut milk to give it a nice, creamy broth.


I also made a small serving of bulgur to go with the veggies and had a flax pita on the side for dipping. Oh my damn, it was delicious! And filling!


It's nearing midnight as I finish this post. Time always gets away from me when I'm blogging. I better get to bed! I need to wake up early tomorrow, fuel up on breakfast and then head out for green beer, fake Irish pride, bowling and tomfoolery! HA!

Are you doing anything for St' Patrick's day?

HUGS!!
Ildie