How tough is it to make a latte correctly?

Apparently very tough. I made my usual stop before work this morning at the local Safeway Starbucks. I waited in their long line and ordered my usual skinny vanilla latte. After another long wait, she finally calls out skinny vanilla latte, I grab it and walk out. It was very hot but I took a sip. Even through the scorching heat I could tell it wasn't sweetened so I went back and asked her to add the vanilla that I had paid for. She did, capped it up, I left. A few stop signs later I took another sip and realized she had made it with whole milk. Yuck ick and I can't drink that. To recap, my non-fat sugar-free vanilla latte was delivered to me extra hot (scorched, actually), whole milk, no syrup. I poured the entire thing down the sink and had to go out an get another latte elsewhere.

I wouldn't have fussed about it (too much) but in addition to my daily caffeine, my latte is also my breakfast. The 8 ounces of milk keeps me full until lunchtime and has all the nutritious benefits and calcium for early in the day. I also count on it as being "food" in my stomach that I need before I'll take any advil. Which I needed after last night's track workout.

You can see details of the workout from Phil and Claudia, so I won't list all the drills here. I managed 1.25 miles on the warm-up at an easy-ish level 3, then once around again before starting the drills. I had no problem with the squats and actually managed the side planks this time. Not easily and off my elbow with a bent arm and with sweat pouring down my face, but I did them. Again around the track. Doing the mule kicks I could feel something grinding in the small of my back but I figured it was just things moving into position after disuse. I did 10 push-ups, regular form, one at a time. Around the track. Arm/leg extensions were no problems but I skipped the burpies. I don't need to be doing any kind of explosive movements with my knee, don't need to be jumping on it, so I just skipped 'em. Around the track. Crunches and one-legged squats, check and check. Around the track.

Unfortunately I was faster this time than last week so I had to repeat the first circuit before they decided it was time for the 10 minute cool-down. I did 2 laps and called it a night. My knee was aching, more from the drills that involve kneeling than from anything else. Ok, maybe a little from going round and round on the track. My back was starting to hurt too and I had a feeling I might have overdone the mule kicks.

We all hung around a little bit, stretching and chatting and finally headed to our cars. This week I had the second half of an energy bar in the car and I nibbled on it while I drove. It was delicious; I'm not sure if I was just starving or if it was really good. It was a Think Thin bar in white chocolate chip and slightly heated from being in the car. Half the bar is 30g and has 10g protein, 13g carbs, 4g fat and 120 calories. Gluten free, no sugar, no trans fat and good grief, it tasted wonderful. I have a couple of other flavors at home and I think these will become my lifeline for after late workouts.

By the time I got home and cleaned up it was 9:00 pm and although I was starving, nothing sounded too good. I nuked a Boca Burger, put it on a slice of sourdough and covered it with lettuce shreds. Boring but filling and easy. Because I had the bar I wasn't ready to eat everything in sight and could go with the quick dinner.

I had gotten to the track early and I sat in my car for almost an hour knitting. My arms and hands are worn out from the swimming; I was actually having a bit of trouble holding onto the needles. It was even worse when I got home. I've signed up for knit-one-one's Magical Mystery Knitting Party and there's homework. When I finished my gourmet dinner I rummaged through my stash to find a total of 50 yards of two contrasting colors in a worsted yarn. Not too tough, most of my scrap yarns are worsted since it's my favorite weight to knit. I ended up with a dark gray and a bright red. Typical, hmm? But then I had to cast on and knit 8 rows and my hands were so tired the needles were flopping around. I got it done but I'm not sure it's my finest work. I'll look at it again tonight, but I don't anticipate I'll be any less tired then so I'll probably leave it be.

It's supposed to be hot hot hot tonight - perfect for our outing to Shadow Cliffs!