Long run and F O O D!

Io ho corso ventiquattro chilometri oggi.  I ran 24 kilometers (15 miles) today.  Yesterday, I hid three bottles of water along the way.  SHHHH!  Don't tell anyone.  But, check out the elevation gain!  I had a nice walk about mile 7 (nevermind how long this took me). AND I made it to the store before they closed at 1:30 (VERY important for dinner).  The man behind me in line (that I recognized from yesterdays shopping) ran after me because I forgot one of my purchased borsa/bags.  Molto grazie Signor! 

I’m beginning to realize I’m not the outcast I imagine myself to be.  This slow realization is the result of several encounters over the past few days.  First, today was the second time someone has stopped while I was running and asked me for directions.  Huh?  No parlo Italiano.  Mi dispiace.  ….because of course, I look like I fit in (no laughing at the picture people, it’s cold here).  Second, two people in as many days have made the journey down the narrow forbidding driveway (most neighbors have dogs as an early warning system of visitors, I have a gravel driveway) to visit myself.  The first, a gentleman, of about 45 or 50 years of age, swung his white Rav4 around, nearly hitting my sardine can of a macchina and gently honked his horn.  Seeing as how I was still dressed in appropriate attire from my earlier adventures of the day, I greeted him at the door.  A very distressed gentleman spouted off a few sentences before I could confirm non io capisco.  After a few minutes of preaching to me about something of major concern having to do with camminano (I later translated to “they walk”), the gentleman got frustrated with me and kept looking past me into the house asking for my marito.  Sorry dude…..The second visitor I politely ignored.

My new favorite movie is “A room with a view”.  It’s a little before my generations time from 1985 but it has an actress that went on to co-star with Brad Pitt in Fight Club and Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd (and Alice in Wonderland), Helena Bonham Carter.  Consider this movie a predecessor to Under the Tuscan Sun and Eat, Pray, Love (only with a British girl).

LOOK!  I…..I have made fire.  Of course, I had matches but, whatever, Tom Hanks.

I had 2 votes for ricotta cheesecake.  Here is the recipe http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/sicilian-ricotta-cheesecake/Detail.aspx.  Needs cherries or a raspberry coulis (dang-it, another French word).   The cannoli’s are in-progress.  I still need pistachios and chocolate chips.

Carb loading - minus the wine

 

Where are we going? 

No really, were are we going?

What?

Recovery Drink

  

Snack

Crack

    

  

Ice Packs

fuoco

Pretty

Ingredients for Cheesecake

Ricotta Cheesecake

mmmmmm