Back!

 This picture was not taken on vacation, but it's pretty darn cute.  He even propped his bone up like that.  Trooper had himself an amazing vacation.  Lots of kibble, playing outside, and fun.  He didn't even look back when we left him (sniff.)  He's still sleeping off his hangover.

 We LOVED San Francisco and California.  Did you know that Jim was accepted to law school there?  What a fun time we would have had (if we could have ever afforded it.)

We got in Friday evening and enjoyed a lovely sushi dinner and drinks, just the two of us.  Our hotel was really nice (they welcomed me with a glass of wine!) and in a nice neighborhood.  The weather was nice all weekend, warm and sunny but not too hot. 
On Saturday our friends came into SF and we had a fun day walking around and seeing the city.  That night we headed back to San Jose (where they live).  On Sunday we saw a few coastal towns, which was really nice.  Not as cool and windy as the Oregon coast.  On Sunday night, we drove to Livermore to see one of Jim's good friends from the Marines.  And on Monday, we chilled big time.  My girlfriend and I went on a jog, Jim watched tv, and we grilled good food.  Then we headed home on Tuesday.
It's always good to be back and detox from the daytime drinking and In-n-Out Burgers (one member of our house ate it three times!)  Sadly, we came back to pollen central, so I'll try not to complain too much.  (Wah, I miss vacation.)

Weekend Kickoff

Our trip to California is almost upon us!!  We leave tomorrow morning.  On the way out of town we are going to stop for a coffee at one of our fave bakeries, Eugene City Bakery, pick up a law student who is hitching a ride with us (yep), and then dropping off Trooper in Pleasant Hill, about a half hour south of Eugene.  (Check it out.  He made his boarder's website/ gallery: http://www.opportunitybarks.com/gallery/)  It should be an 8-9 hour drive, with a stop half way at In-n-Out Burger. 
Otherwise, life is pretty nice at the DiVerde/ Zika household.  Except for a few hours at work, Jim has been home all week cooking, cleaning, and preparing for our journey.  On Monday night he made home made curry with tofu, Tuesday he made pasta with sausage and kale, and last night he made veggie burgers.  Tonight it's home made Kung Pao Chicken!  (What a guy!) 
It's hard to believe that two years ago we were preparing for our wedding, the most wonderful day ever.  I wish we could go back to that fun party!  (And see the mini donkey.)

Summer

Summer is a good time in the Zika/ DiVerde household.  Jim arrived home from Bend on Friday evening and is ready to kick of his vacation.  (Except he's going in to work for awhile tomorrow.)  On Saturday, he volunteered at the law school graduation and I spent the day sailing at a reservoir with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  And today was one of my fave runs of the year: Bark in the Park!  Trooper is my best canine running buddy and we love that 5K. 
In Trooper news, we have been trying a new home remedy for Trooper's skin issues.  (We've had about two weeks of horrible sleep because of his itchiness.)  Rubbing his skin with apple cider vinegar.  It seems to give him relief!  According to different online sources, it returns the pH of the skin back to normal.  Poor puppers seemed to get relief, so everyone here was happy.  (If you are worried about the smell, it evaporates after a few minutes.)  Everyone slept well last night!
I've also started my own allergy home remedies.  My symptoms are not very severe yet this year and I'm trying to nip them in the bud before they start.  Although I am not a fan of medicines, I am taking a Zyrtec (without a decongestant) every day.  I have also been using antihistamine eye drops a few times a day and started using my Neti Pot tonight to clear the pollen out.  I also have an appointment this week for acupuncture, as I have heard that helps with symptoms.  Last year my worst symptoms began in June, so hopefully they will be less severe this year. 
Trooper and I are going to be allergy experts by the time our time in Eugene is up!

Island of Misfit Lonely Hearts

I realized that I probably haven't shared the details about our apartment complex with our readers.  First of all, it's a clean, safe, mostly quiet place that is moderately priced and meets our needs.  That being said, it's an interesting mix of people.  I think Jim has described it as both The Lonely Hearts Club and The Island of Misfit Toys.  (Can you imagine that combination?)  In the past six months or so, Jim has now "rescued" three people: two women who fell and one man who fell out of his wheelchair.  (The last time was the man in the wheelchair, and Jim ran inside, said, "Take Trooper, I have to go help someone!" and ran out.  He's sort of like Superman.)  One man likes to give me unsolicited advice (how to walk my dog, I should wear shoes not flip flops, I should wear a reflective vest when riding my bike).  Another woman goes to the rec room to watch the Home Shopping Channel on mute (and not work out.)  And I could go on.  At least it gives us something funny to talk about. 

Well Coifed Pup

Troops got the summer buzz cut today.  He looks so slim after loosing that winter coat! 
The Legal Beagle goes to Bend for work tomorrow, and will be back Friday.  Looks like take out and girlie shows for Trooper and I, followed by mediocre coffee on Friday morning.  And then one week til we leave for San Fran!!

Book Club

If you are Facebook friends with me, you know that Book Club got a little silly on Friday.  The gal who hosted is very nice, but does, in fact, have a few taxidermied organisms throughout her home.  When one has a few glasses of wine and starts conversing about these ("How do you clean that antelope?"  "Dawn dishsoap."), one decides it's a good idea to pose for a few pictures with them.  Needless to say, things got silly.  (Things got much sillier that night, but I won't bore you with the details that are only funny if you were there.  I look back at the night thinking it felt a lot like being an undergrad.  Which is always fun when you're 31.)
What have we been reading?  Last month's book was The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein.  I didn't actually read the book, but was told it was about WWI.  So I can't really give you an honest review, but can tell you our hostess made awesome fajitas. 
For June, we are reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  I have reserved it at the library and am excited to read it, as I have heard a lot about it.  I'll keep you posted.
I've just finished Lunch in Paris, which was a really lovely read, and am not starting The Sex Lives of Cannibals, which is a pretty hilarious memoir.  If you enjoy reading travel memoirs, both are good choices.
If you have any good book suggestions, feel free to let me know!

Weekend Reflection

 Trooper and I are so happy to have Jim back in the real world! 

 This weekend we went on a few walks around our neighborhood. 

 Trooper isn't quite ready for the summer temperatures. 

 But we were all ready for Jim to grill delicious meats. 

Did you know that Home Depot allows (friendly) dogs?  Trooper's really ready for some home improvement.

Hendrick's Park Rhododendron Garden

 Today I took my LS on a picnic and hike at Hendrick's Park and their Rhododendron Garden.  She's decided she loves both! 

 The park is right in the middle of Eugene and the weather has been very summery. 

 The flowers were so gorgeous. 

Do you like my mom look?  Nice sneaker/ jean combo. 

Wilson!!!

Have you ever seen Castaway?  If you have, imagine Tom Hanks, unshaven, confused, and dirty, and that's what my husband is like at the end of finals week.  (And much more pale due to lack of exposure to day light.)
He's done tomorrow!

Keep Your Booty Fit!

I am lucky enough to be able to listen to NPR at my desk at work and yesterday Fresh Air featured an exercise writer that had some pretty great general information about staying fit as you age.  Gretchen Reynolds discussed her new book, The First Twenty Minutes, in this episode.  (I've already put the book on reserve at the library.)
The author had some great points that I think most adults in the US could be reminded of.  Until very recently in time, humans were hunters and gatherers.  Our sedentary lifestyle is a new chapter in evolution and our bodies are not well adapted for it, resulting in lifestyle diseases.  (Cheeseburgers and soda don't help either.) 
Reynolds has a few great suggestions to assist with aging:
Get up!  Stand up for a few minutes every 20 minutes or so.  This keeps blood flowing. 
Move!  Running is great for you (the rewards outweigh the costs) but if you can't run, walk.
Moving is great for your health, brain and memory. 
Do squats!  Reynolds said that if there was one exercise to do every day, it's squats.  And if you can't bend your knees far, do the best you can.  Avoid being one of the many who need knee replacements and can't even stand up and sit down as they get older.
And if you run: drink chocolate milk after.  Carbs and protein are great for recovery.  Walkers: sorry, you probably didn't burn enough calories for that chocolate milk.  Can I interest you in a small glass of white skim milk?
The discussion didn't mention two other important components of health: deep breathing/ meditation or diet, which are always important to remember.
Now, stand up or take a walk!

Granola Bars Recipe

I have become obsessed with perfecting granola bars!  If you are like us, we love granola bars, and I don't like to buy ones that are full of sugar, artificial flavor, and preservatives.  So every week I hit up the bulk section at the store and experiment with new combos.  (Jim loves any combo that involves chocolate chips.)  Here is one that I made this week that we both liked:

2 1/4 rolled oats
1/2 cup flour (whole wheat if you want to make it healthier)
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey (don't skimp, as they will be crumbly if you do, but if you overdo it, they are gooey; just experiment to your liking)
1 tsp. molasses
2 tsp. maple syrup
(if you want them sweeter, you can add a few tbsp. of brown sugar)
1/3 cup canola oil (or melted butter)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash of allspice
dash of ground ginger
1/4 cup pecan pieces (I've used any nuts... peanuts... walnuts... red pistachio nuts.... I didn't really use red pistachio nuts, I was just making a Best in Show reference)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup golden raisins (or cranberries)
pinch of salt

I've also tried it with coconut flakes, peanut butter, etc., etc., etc.  The granola bars are your canvas!

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl and press into an 8x8 pan.  Bake at 325 for 18 minutes. When I take them out of the oven, I cover the pan with parchment paper and put a panini press weight on the bars to smoosh them down while they cool (and move it to cover all parts as they cool.)  I also wait a few hours or even overnight to cut them. 

I've read that if you want crispier bars, you can also add an egg white.  If they are too crumbly or fall apart, put them on yogurt and try it again!

Sunday Dinner

I love making us Sunday dinner.  And eating Sunday dinner.  I try to have the apartment really clean and tidy so we can enjoy a clean house, tired dog, and good food before we start our week.  Tonight we are having an easy "paella" and rhubarb crumb bars.  I had a fun and busy weekend, leaving the Legal Beagle home to study.  On Saturday I went to spin, the farmer's market (lots of greens and cooler weather veggies still), ran errands, and got the LB to walk to the dog park for a little while.  On Saturday night I went out with some friends and had some drinks while my gentleman stayed home and studied like a good student.  Today I ran six miles with my running buddy, helped her in her garden, and cooked and cleaned away.  One more week until I have my hubby back! 

Study Cookies

Today was the Legal Beagle's first exam.  Next week: one on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  When he moved from his study spot yesterday, I quickly vacuumed and cleaned, but to my dismay it was covered in crumbs and dirt by the end of the evening.  Law students must have high rates of rickets, scurvy, and other nutritional deficiencies if they don't have a little lady around making them eat their spinach.  I also wonder how many of them remember that Mother's Day is next week.  (Mom's must give their children freebies if they think they are going to be a lawyer in a few years.)  I made these Ligher Chocolate Spice Cookies for my fave law student, and we both enjoyed them.  (I knew they were good because I kept hearing the microwave open for more after I went to bed last night.) 

Finals Fun

We are in the thick of finals studying, people.  The Legal Beagle is hard at work.  He has five, count em, five finals coming up. 
Trooper and I are keeping busy.  Troops seems to be doing really well after his steroid shot last week.  No head shakes, much less itching, and his butt patch is growing back.  He does want his dad to play more.  (Last night he dropped a toy in front of him and looked at him like, "Um, time to play.")  Tonight he went and played with his boy friend Oliver which always wears him out.  (His mommy will love him no matter who he loves.) 
May always seems like a nice month, and I am hoping this one will go with that trend.  I made a hotel reservation for our trip to San Fran, and I need to make a reservation for Seaside, Oregon, where friends are getting married on the beach this August.  (Have you ever gone to a wedding with Jim and Amanda?  We cut a rug.)  Hopefully it will shape up to be a nice summer.
Thank you for all of the encouraging words about my half marathon!  It was a fun accomplishment for me.  After eight weeks of training, it felt great to finish and finish well.  I took Monday off and was back at the rec center on Tuesday (sort of a workout lite, though.)  My running buddy and I are going to run together on Wednesdays (did 4.5 miles tonight) and Sundays (6 or 7 miles).  As always, it's great to have a friend to train with.
Okay, time to turn in.  Being a law school wife is tiring, but my handsome husband is worth it.