Lemongrass sticky rice with coconut cream

We've surely been loading up on carbs these past couple of days. This is another version of the sticky rice with coconut milk topping that I've made several times already. With this latest attempt I've realized that

- Aroy-D is my favourite brand of coconut milk. The cream on top is just too scrumptious for words and the flavour is rich and delicate.
- Never boil the coconut topping, just heat up till all the ingredients are blended.
- Adding a pinch of salt, a quarter-cup of brown sugar and a teaspoon of finely minced lemongrass to the rice before it cooks adds an extra complexity of flavour
- Adding lemongrass to the coconut topping is much better than using vanilla.

Personal bests

The results are in. It turned out to be another gorgeous day last Sunday and Fort Langley was jampacked with lots of excited and very fit looking people. H ran the half-marathon in 2 hrs 3 minutes, which was very nearly a personal best (his half-marathon PB is just about 2 hours) and even better than his practice run bests. I did my run in 38 minutes, again a new record for me. I had hoped to be faster, but next time for sure I will be! I'm stoked that I had fun and made good time.

Since we were both running I didn't get a chance to lug around my huge SLR, but H's little cam took plenty of nice pix. Here's one of us right after he came in. All finishers got a souvenir medal but I had put mine away by this point and instead, I have my creepy-looking blue glove hanging off my waist.

He runs, she runs

Two days before the Historic Half!

H is ready. With all the over-two hour runs he's been doing these past couple of months he's essentially run the race distance and now it's only a matter of improving his finish time when the day comes. Fortunately Sunday is going to be très, très beau! The weatherman says it will be sunny and dry -- bright enough to wear shades. Yeeehaaaa!

I'm doing the 5K fun run, and right now my mind is buzzing with thoughts along the lines of, Does my ass look good in these tights? Or, does this running top complement my face? Also, how much sunblock should I wear? Have I cut my bangs too short? I already know I can cross the finish line, though I'm not sure I can improve on my first race time (which is so embarassing, I won't tell you here). So in the meantime...it should be fashion first, n'est-ce pas ?? **

** Pardon the French, I have just waded through a pile of bilingual texts that I'm supposed to proofread!

A great big Valentine

Friends, family, darling man.
For all those times you stood by me.
A great big flaming heart :-)
Happy Valentine's Day.

Red and white and maple-y all over

My friend R who lives a few blocks away picked me up at 6:45 this morning so we could watch the torch being carried through the streets of Maple Ridge all the way downtown, where the next torch bearer (representing the next town, Pitt Meadows) was waiting for his turn. It was a fiesta out on the streets! Everywhere you looked there were the bold Olympic red toques, jackets, mittens, scarves, and even cosy sweaters for Fifi and Fido. Red and pink balloons, lots of twinkly lights in the town square, a few TV cameras, festive firetrucks and boisterous cheering. The local MLA was guest of honour at the ceremony. It was over quick, and we drove back to our respective homes for a short nap before facing the rest of the day.

Go, Olympians, go! Go Canada.

Signs

It's looking like spring will come (has come?) early this year, though old hands are warning that we shouldn't get our hopes up, as we're probably due for some more frosts through to April. In any case the days are getting longer, which really warms my heart, and sundown yesterday was at 5:18 pm and getting later every day. Out in the yard, the white crocuses are coming out.

A few days ago H cut some forsythia branches from the front garden and stuck them in a vase that we kept in the house. Thanks to the heat, the buds literally started to swell, and yesterday the blooms started to come out.

Spring, spring, summer, I can hardly wait for you.