Is This Lettuce?

Contrary to popular belief, my diet is not so horrible that I don't recognize lettuce when I see it. I picked up my mystery bag of fresh produce yesterday and there was one item that had me slightly puzzled. It was definitely a leafy green and I was pretty certain it wasn't lettuce. I tore off a little piece to taste it and it was slightly bitter. Although I was 99% sure it wasn't lettuce, I was nonetheless compelled to email my mother with a photo asking, "Is this lettuce?" She eventually replied with the answer that I had expected..."It looks like swiss chard or kale." Ok, that's cool. I definitely need to refer to a cookbook now. In a weird way I'm actually looking forward to finding out if I like swiss chard. Just in case you were curious, the rest of my mystery bag included: tomatoes, onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, lemons and oranges. I had no problems identifying those items. :)

On to the rest of my Saturday...as I was finishing the breakfast burrito that I made for myself (yum!), I was debating whether or not I should a) go for a walk b) go for a run c) go for a hike or d) pop in a workout DVD. The weather was so beautiful I couldn't justify option D. As I pondered a bit more a friend of mine called and asked if I wanted to join her for a hike at Pinnacle Peak. Wow, thanks for making that decision easy. "Yes, I'd love to go on a hike!"



Pinnacle Peak is one of the prettiest hikes in Phoenix. Actually, it might be in Scottsdale but you get the idea. It's a relatively challenging hike with varying elevations. Good climbing. We took our time and enjoyed the weather and the views, but we were out there for a good couple of hours. After that, we decided to reward ourselves with a late lunch at Greasewood Flat. I know what you're thinking. A restaurant with the word "grease" right in the name can't be good for you. You're right. My friend and I did our best not to completely undo what we had just accomplished on our hike, so we split an 8 oz. hamburger (4 oz. for each of us) with grilled onions and we each had one beer. If you know anything about Greasewood, you have to have a beer.

I was glad to get home and shower because the desert dirt on my arms and legs was getting a bit yucky. Then another friend came over to the house to watch a movie. It was the perfect way to end the day - on my rear end and in the comfort of my new furniture.