A Good Friday - in many ways...

Today is Good Friday.  Most of my triathlete friends are spending the day off work doing what else?  Training!!  Everyone's excited that the sun is out, it's warm outside finally that it is not snowing... and many plan to take their bikes outside for some fresh air.

Others are running the Good Friday Road Races in Burlington (as I type).  I was one of the people who entered, hoping to bust out an ever-elusive 30:00 5km but alas, it's not to be.  I have a groin injury that has me sidelined.  I have no idea how this happened but it was a gradual onset type of thing over the past few weeks and now... I'm told that I'm not allowed to run (no problem - it feels like a hernia) - or bike - however I can swim (with a gentle flutter kick only). 

I've been consumed with frustration and misery because...

a) Eric is away - in Kona for 10 days followed by 3 days in Vegas (must be nice)

b) It keeps SNOWING!!  I'm cold all the time - grrrr...

c) I've had a miserable head cold/sinus thing for about 2 weeks and I feel absolutely awful (and co-workers keep remarking how awful I LOOK too...thank you)

d) I loathe spending Easter weekend alone - something about cute bunnies, blooming flowers, sunshine, green grass, and not having anyone to spend it with - always depresses me. 

However this year, I have yet to see spring-like green grass or flowers (they're probably scared to bloom in case it triggers another snow squall from Ma Nature) and although I'm alone, I've decided that I can spend my free time in the kitchen making caramel sauces, cakes and buttercream (hazelnut buttercream is delicious!).  I got a little carried away taste-testing yesterday and made myself kind of sick but all in all, I'm pretty impressed with my new creations!

Besides, as I woke up this morning, I recalled that it was 6 years ago on Good Friday, that I first went out for a coffee with Eric and got to know him a little.  I'd just taught a spin class and (see above about hating to be alone on Easter weekend...) I threw out to the class 'Would anyone like to go for coffee?' I never thought anyone would accept the invitation since usually it's a family day but lo and behold - Eric (the person who sat in the back row and mostly heckled the other cyclists and me) said 'Yes'.    Well, we all know how that turned out... some 6 months later we were dating :) and 3-4 months or so after that, we were engaged.  That was a GOOD Friday ;)

I got invited to a Saturday night Easter BBQ and Egg Hunt at the home of a very funny woman I know and it sounds as though there are going to be 12 of us, hunting for eggs somewhere in her home/backyard.  I have no idea whether these festivities will be fueled by alcohol...  For the occasion, I created apple pound cake cupcakes, topped with vanilla-hazelnut buttercream and decorated with handmade fondant blossoms and pixie dust.  They totally look like 'spring flowers' you would expect for Easter :)

On Sunday, I'm going to Easter dinner at the home of a woman who has been my friend for 35 years and it's also her birthday so I'm making her birthday cake:  apple spice torte filled with caramel buttercream and homemade dulce de lece, topped with hazelnut buttercream, dredged with caramel poured over the top and down the sides of the cake then sprinkled with cinnamon-pecan crunch.  I hope no one is diabetic...

...and then... on top of all of the other things to be grateful for, this morning I watched a video of Cookie - the baby penguin at the Cincinnati zoo, who squeals with (what sounds like) delight as his handler tickles him - and I was transported to a land of laughter and joy as I watched this adorable little creature and listened to his sweet vocalizing!

I think it's going to be a Good Friday, after all :)

Happy Easter everyone!  Happy Hunting... ;)