Canning goals

I'm supposed to be studying for a test but instead I'm thinking of canning goals for the year.



Rich made one to no longer buy beer and just homebrew unless he's out at a bar and so far he's been doing great! Two delicious beers are on tap at the moment.
I need to make the same sort of commitment if I'm going to fill the pantry of my dreams. Maybe do two projects a month? That's a small goal I can do until my farmer's market opens up and I can hit them up weekly.

Alexander L update and Brooklyn review

I noticed I got a bit of traffic on my Alexander L post and wanted to do an update. First off, Vivobarefoot sent me a replacement pair of Alexander L's. It took a bit of prodding to get them to respond, but I was very happy with their response and they did not require me to send back the old pair. I want to note that this is not something Vivo will do if you buy from another retailer, but I'm sure they'd appreciate the input if you have a similar issue to mine.

Ended up returning the Kali. My narrow foot simply requires straps and ties to keep a good fit especially on shoes with a wide toe box. Finally learning my lesson, I opted for a pair of Lucy Lites and to put it plainly, I'm in love. I'll go into that later.

I also mentioned that I needed a minimalist pair of waterproof boots. The Clymb had a sale on 2010 Vivo styles and I snagged a pair of Brooklyns just in time for wet and cold football weather.

The Brooklyn is a heavy 16oz, the toe box is small, sole is 5mm thick, and there is very little flexibility (for a minimalist shoe). That said, the thickness gives warmth to the shoe, the smaller toe box keeps it from slipping off , and half that sole is grip.

Despite drooling over this shoe for forever, I was hesitant to like it and considered returning it at first. It is less superior to the 2011 styles and I can see the upgrades they've made in construction and style on the newer models I own. It also runs 2 sizes small and it is obvious when you look inside and see that poor insole smashed into it. I pulled mine out immediately, as it was the only way my foot could fit. It does make the shoe cooler, but there is absolutely no water leakage. That baby is sealed tight! I also felt some strange rubbing at first but trust me when I and other reviewer say it needs breaking in time. Now I wear them often and long treks across campus do not hurt my feet/hips/knees.

Living Barefoot has a great review on the boot if you want to know more. There is also a 2011 version of the Brooklyn , but I have yet to see any thorough reviews on it. Hoping I have the opportunity to try it :)

Back. Sorta?

Last semester nearly killed me and the holidays were busy, but things have hit a lull. For now.

Lots of projects have piled up to work on. Over the holiday I received Joy of Pickling, Smart Soapmaking, Artisan Cheesmaking, a water bath canner with rack, canning jars and supplies, a cheesemaking kit, cheese wax... have I forgotten anything?? That doesn't include the long video games queue, the pile of knit/crochet WIP, an unused spinning kit from my birthday, and a sewing machine covered in dust.

This is what happens when you work full time, go to school 2/3 time, and plan a wedding on top of that.

On Saturday, Richard and I went to a pickling party put on by our friend Jess.





This was my first time pickling and I had an incredible time! Good company helps of course.



We used The Joy of Pickling as our guide. Def going to get some wide mouth jars and check that book out of the library.

Was going to make some yogurt today, but I forgot to get a starter so I'm going to knit and watch CSI instead :)

Vivo Barefoot's Alexander L

For my 30th bday I requested minimalist shoes, and my lovely parents were very generous and bought me two pairs - the Alexander L and Venus. The former I ordered in a 36 (my size in Terra Plana dress shoes) and the latter in a 37. Neither fit!

Luckily a size up in the Alexander L fixed my problem but the Venus is for wide feet and with my AA narrows, I didn't want to deal with Vivo with their slow turn around and the mounting costs of exchanging shoes. I then discovered Planet Shoes which pays for shipping both ways! Hooray! They are located in RI which may take just as long, but they sell a lot of different shoes so they don't have the luxury of being slow and niche. I'd recommend using them over the Vivo site.



I've been wearing the Alexander L every day for the last two month and they are exactly what I was looking for - a work appropriate shoe with breathability and no rubbing. My need was fully realized last summer when I brought only flip flops and my KSO's to ACL. The flip flops rubbed off half the skin on my foot and the VFFs held heat like woolen socks in the August Texas sun. It was awful.

The key to the Alexander is the velcro straps which must all be adjusted to find the perfect fit for complete contact with the ground with no pressure at the top of the foot. After wearing the shoe for a week or so, I initially thought it was too small and felt my arch being pinched like my foot was being compressed. A quick adjustment on the back strap (which I had not touched) opened my foot up completely and the pain instantly went away.

I haven't done any real running in the Alexander, but from the small amount of general sprinting around the office building (when no one is looking) or out the door on Friday, they feel completely comfortable and don't move. I'm actually interested in taking them out for jog, but I'm a bit concerned they wouldn't hold up. I'm not a big person and have never worn a shoe through before, but as you can see on the left, not exactly running shoe construction. The gap isn't growing, but it obviously needs to be fixed and I've yet to get a response from customer service on how to proceed.

So what happened to the Venus?? Well I gave up on that wide sucker and finally order it's replacement tonight from Planet Shoes - Vivo Barefoot's Kali!



Now I just need some waterproof, minimalist boots :D

5 days to go

Final project for summer courses is due 11:59pm, Sunday, August 7th and then 6 weeks of freedom!

I have a ton of work to do so I'm not allowing myself to daydream or make lists (my favorite), but let me share with you what has been staring at me from my desk.

Next wednesday Smith Brothers will deliver my gallon of whole milk and I can begin!

I've also come across a 15% off coupon for Luna Sandals as a fundraiser for Mind Your Head Co-Op, a cooperative for brain injury survivors, beginning August 10th. I've been wanting these for forever now (as a good barefoot runner) and since I will have time to craft and run, a DIY pair will be perfect for summer running to beat the hot pavement but not suffer in sweltering KSO's.

Back to work!

How does one run with cheese?

Hi, my name is DK.

As I discussed all the crafting I wanted to do when I got out of summer classes, my partner Rich recommended I make a blog, "Running with Cheese," to chronicle my love of barefoot/minimalist running, yarn craft, cooking, cheese making, and all related future forays and explorations.

I go to school part time, work full time, and any time left over is dedicated to Rich, so this will probably only be updated between breaks in school when I furiously tear into my yarn stash, open all the cook books, and take on too many projects to get rid of all my creative angst.

Enjoy.