Hi all! Back in NC – Hillsborough – before I start the last leg of my trip back to Charlotte. I’ve been in the car entirely too much today.
I was up in the middle of the night last night checking in on KERF and worrying myself awake (and I had a tummy ache from the chocolate ganache and big dinner ;( ) Needless to say I’m a bit tired this morning. I almost canceled my running date with Monica of Run, Eat, Repeat but I decided to wait until the morning and ended up waking up before my alarm.
15 minutes later I found her waiting for me outside. We did a chatty 4 miles around Goucher’s campus. Monica was super nice and very tolerant of my venting about KERF frustrations. Thanks Monica! I found out later that she ran SIX MILES before she even met me this morning!! Hard core 🙂
After my run I raced to get ready and pack up while trying to fix the blog. Thanks to Dreamhost’s nice tech person Sandon, it appears the worst is over.
We went up to Gram + Pop’s for a goodbye breakfast. Gram had cooked scrambled eggs, bacon and some little cheesy biscuits for us!
I put a little preservers and Barney Butter in two little biscuits
What would bacon and eggs be without OJ and coffee?
After dropping Larbs off at the airport and sitting in traffic for hours and hours, we stopped into a Target we spotted from the side of the road for a bathroom stop and drinks. I got a diet Dr. Pepper. I drank half and then started to feel blah, so I switched back to water.
Lunch was an interesting but delicious 70MPH creation made with a greek yogurt I picked up from TJ’s yesterday intending to eat for breakfast. We packed it in a cooler on ice to have for lunch today so we wouldn’t have to stop.
I used half a crumbled Apple Pie LaraBar, some smoked almonds and apricots to make a parfait with a little over a cup of yogurt.
Mom isn’t wild about greek yogurt, but I think she liked it enough.
I also had a delicious kiwi Monica gave me!! Fuzzy fuzz skin and all 😉
I tried to post in Hillsborough, but my parents’ internet is still showing the old KERF!
I joined mom and dad for a farewell dinner at their favorite Ruby Tuesday’s on the way out of town (a new trip tradition!).
My dad had a coupon for BOGO entrees!!! We all got the salad bar and split two entrees three ways.
I piled on the veggies and added a few cold salads, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese
Mom and I shared a Red Oak 2:1
Our entrees were surf and turf – steaks with shrimp and lobster.
Two boring hours later…..
I arrived back in Charlotte to an empty house. Kanz was over at Kate + Nate’s for a party!!! I had a gut feeling that there would be a roach and sure enough, there was a HUGE one on the doorframe to the garage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There’s no way you could have paid me to walk through the doorway, even after he climbed into our couscous box 🙁
I had to use the front door and got out of the house ASAP to join my friends at the party. I am still shaken and jumpy from tons of bugs floating around me during my unpack.
Kate + Nate had a bunch of snacks out and I had a few pretzels
And a small glass of the best sangria I’ve ever had – sweet white wine with floating fruit!! I hate how watery it always gets and this was totally awesome!! Go Kate!
I was sweaty and tired but excited to see Michelle, Diana, Amanda and Kate and all the guys!
And Matt <3
I’m scared to go home to the roach, but will be excited to get in bed after a long day of traveling. Nite!
Jenn (www.j3nn.net) says
Yum! Bacon + eggs = comforting breakfast after a long, stressful night. The last time hubby and I went to Ruby Tuesday we got the EXACT same thing! Lobster + steak with salad bar! They have the BEST salad bar <3
Jenn 🙂
kay (eating machine) says
I had no idea you could eat a kiwi whole! And now it seems like a no brainer, but it’s still blowing my mind!
Kristen says
I hate roaches! I read that catnip oil on cotton balls deters them. Place them around openings to the outside, apparently. I’m going to give it a try!
Rebeca says
Wow what a marathon day… Hope you rest well tonight!
Anne K. says
That’s so cool that you had a blogger meet-up run! Your parfait looks great–glad you made it back to Charlotte safely 🙂 The roach sounds icky, though! Those freak me out so much.
angieinatlanta says
I eat kiwis whole, too! People always stare at me munching through that fuzzy skin.
And those biscuits from breakfast look DELISH!
-angieinatlanta
Linda says
That glass of sangria sounds like a perfect way to end the night.
Andrea@WellnessNotes says
Can you really eat the skin on kiwis? Well, you did, so obviously you can… 😉
Sounds like a looooooong day! Have a restful night!
MQ says
Sounds like a hectic but fun trip! I just had a quick random question, Kath: is your sister’s name Larbs, or is it a nickname for some reason? I haven’t been reading your blog for long, and I don’t remember reading about this anywhere… just curious. Thanks! And enjoy your time back home 🙂
Sara says
Hi Kath! I just figured out an awesome way to keep your Sangria from turning watery (a pet peeve of mine), but you may have already known …. Make “ice” cubes from juice. When they melt, it won’t water it down, it’ll keep it juicy 🙂
Leanne says
It’s funny that you went to Ruby Tuesdays tonight because the way that I stumbled across your blog and began the whole adventure of reading great food blogs in the first place was by searching for the nutritional information of Ruby Tuesday’s croutons. We don’t have Ruby Tuesday in LA but I almost always go with my family back in Connecticut. Anyhow, glad that happened and now, 6 months later, I’ll be seeing you in one week at the Healthy Living Summit. Can’t wait!
Amari says
Sangria is one of my favorite drinks of the summer! That one sounds delicious!
Megan (The Runner's Kitchen) says
I love the Ruby Tuesday’s salad bar! I’m so sad they closed the one near my parent’s house.
I also have a trick for sangria – freeze chunks of fruit and use them instead of ice cubes!
Christie @ Quit Your Diet says
Glad you arrived back in Charlotte safe and sound. Sorry about the buggies though 🙁
Hope the party was fun!
Lauren says
Looks like you made the best of a travel day!
I like to put some frozen fruit (grapes and/or berries) in sangria along with the fresh fruit – this way the sangria stays cold without ice cubes, which eventually water it down.
Good luck with the roach!
Jessica @ JJ'sVinBlanc says
Your Gram makes the best dishes, how sweet of her to make such a breakfast spread! Glad your home safely and your long hours on the road our over.
sarah (ghost world) says
wow, what a whirlwind! if you’re even here for longer, definitely let me know 🙂
ruby’s salad bar looks good! i’ve never been there.
Rebecca says
Ugh! I hate bugs! I love Ruby Tuesday’s Salad Bar though! Glad you had a good trip home!
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
UGH!!! BUGS!!! i can deal with them outside, but once they come in my house?? They’re DONE 🙂
mspick says
Any thoughs on this article??
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html
katey says
wow seems like you had a wonderful day! Im kinda with your mom though- greek yogurt isn’t my favorite.. haha
K says
Those biscuits look so flakey and delicious! Glad you had a great run with Monica!
Allyson says
I love your grandparent’s fancy china for every meal! Eggs should always be served on fancy plates 🙂
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
Glad you managed to make the time for the run… it’s always a good idea to vent out frustrations through a little exercise and chatting!
That salad looks FABULOUS at Ruby Tuesday!!! Wow, all those veggies sound amazing.
Lacey says
I really like the salad bar at Ruby Tuesdays because there is always so much to choose from. Some places don’t give you many options like Rubys does.
Kath says
MQ ,
Her name is Laura, but I’ve called her Larbs for many years now 🙂
Leanne ,
Oh fun that you’re coming from so far away!!
mspick ,
Gosh, I have lots of thoughts on that article 🙂
I think it’s important to acknowledge that our bodies don’t WANT to lose weight, so we have to be conscious about our decisions to lose. This is party why I am still a proponent of calorie counting for weight loss – then you have a good estimate of if you are overeating what you are burning. It seems the people in the studies did not have a good nutrition education though, as they ate Starbucks muffins (huge portion) and Gatorade (designed for endurance athletes). Seems like those who are aware of portions and calories do well with exercise and weight loss. I can tell you that I would not have lost 30 pounds without exercise. Either that or I’d only be halfway there by now.
Kath
Holly says
Here in Texas, we have the HUGE ugly roaches too. I have found that aside from paying HUGE $$$ to the Orkin man, the Orhto Home Defense spray works great. Not sure if you are opposed to using these sprays but it has saved my sanity!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
i love greek yogurt on road trips! so fun to eat.
klm says
I wish I could have played!!
I feel like we live years apart from each other!! But it is only eleven miles!!
Caroline says
Yum! I love Ruby Tuesday’s salad bar…they have a pretty killer veggie burger too.