Cav's Place

There will be some computer stuff to deal with after the half marathon, Monday actually being the last day when I can do some of it, but I’d rather not think about it until then. And, since I hadn’t noticed it happening again pretty much since I first mentioned it, my mouse had helped me not think about its middle button double clicking and needing to take it to, I hope, be fixed under warranty, but Tuesday I just noticed it again, more than once, so the problem definitely exists and I definitely need to decide what to do about it. Not an emergency though, and I tended not to trust clicking on the wheel before getting this mouse, which was why I really wanted a button above it, which this model no longer has. Could use the one below it though, but would still rather have it fixed, of course… Just as long as it will be fixed and I won’t end up losing it, as getting the money I spent back instead won’t help.

But let me move on and say that yesterday I went out to buy what I still needed. Did sort of have a route in mind, but that’d have required using the metro and dad said he needed his card when I asked, so I wasn’t even sure where I meant to go first when I walked out of the building, deciding on the farmers’ market after having a quick look at the prices of vegetables at this store nearby. Then, after just checking prices there, I went to the Kaufland from that area, also only checking prices, and then got back to go to that Carrefour too. The kind of peppers I wanted were way too expensive everywhere, and from Turkey, and I kept thinking that if I’ll pay that much I should at least get some from the European Union, if Romanian ones don’t exist at all, but that option didn’t exist and I decided to just get everything from that area instead of wandering around more with no guarantee that I’ll find anything better, so I ended up getting some from that Carrefour, as they were slightly cheaper than elsewhere, along with a few other things.
Had ended up spending just a little bit more than I meant to, but on the way back to the market I decided to not get lettuce and just get more green onions and green garlic than I had intended at first, to make it work out. So I looked again for those I had made a mental note of the first time and got that. It was odd when I got that green garlic though, since nobody was there until I picked those I wanted, at which point an older woman came, picked up those I had selected as I was taking out the money, asked whether I wanted a bag, then just tore away a large part of the leaves, making me ask what that was about and why did she do it. Wondered for a moment whether I should pick different ones or even walk away, but she said they were ugly, which definitely wasn’t the case, and I just grabbed the leaves she had torn and set aside, saying I’ll manage to use them too and throwing them in my bag along with the rest. I mean, if you’re buying green garlic, aren’t you buying it mainly for, well, the green part?

As for the squats, yesterday I did them in 2:38, but this was as a result of trying to do them more correctly again, because the new best time is 2:21, managed Monday. Probably didn’t do them too correctly then, but I really just pushed from the beginning, specifically aiming for a new best time in order to have a clear one, after managing perhaps 2:29 the day before, with a replay starting and the time vanishing from the screen at 2:28, as I was at 99. Also managed 2:26 Tuesday and, despite my left hip complaining, even 2:23 this evening, a bit after first posting this, but Monday I really gave it everything, and various parts seemed to be failing after 80 or so, but somehow managed to do all 100 in that extremely fast time.

To finally get to the main point of this post, ran twice last week, and the first time, Monday, I managed a new record for 16 kilometers: 1:15:10, with sector times of 4:08, 4:56, 5:40, 4:18, 4:50, 5:43, 4:17, 4:55, 5:43, 4:31, 5:02, 5:50, 4:27, 5:01 and 5:49, making for lap times of 14:44, 14:51, 14:55, 15:23 and 15:17. And I actually remembered every single exact time my stopwatch listed, those being 4:08.99, 4:55.09, 5:40.73, 4:17.75, 4:50.01, 5:42.69, 4:17.55, 4:54.50, 5:43.30, 4:30.59, 5:01.99 and 5:49.99, making for lap times of 14:44.81, 14:50.45, 14:55.35 and 15:22.57. After getting to one hour, my stopwatch displays hours, minutes and seconds instead of minutes, seconds and hundredths, not having more space, so I could see no exact times on lap five, the first four being covered in 59:53.18, this also marking the first time I cover four laps in less than one hour. What’s more, I quite obviously have a new record for ten kilometers made on the way, but I don’t have the exact time, since the final sector when I run ten kilometers goes to the park exit. What’s certain is that I covered three laps 14 seconds faster than when I set the current record, but past that I can only estimate, comparing the length of the first sector of a lap and that of that final sector and using the time for lap four’s first sector. Doing it that way, it works out to 46:24, but that may well be a few seconds off.
Set the alarm to 9 AM, couldn’t manage anything at the toilet despite trying twice, and was feeling sleepy and a bit weak, some leg muscles weren’t too happy either, and also expected quite a lot of people in the park, being a free day, so I definitely didn’t expect anything like this when I started running, at 11 AM. As I was about halfway through the first sector, remember thinking that I’ll probably only manage 1:18 or so and in that case I might as well give up on aiming for anything in the race, at least spare myself even more pointless effort and expenses. But then I saw that great time on that first sector, second fastest so far, and was also noticing that there weren’t many people at that hour, that only becoming more of a problem from sector three of lap three, and remaining quite manageable even then. Think I’d have managed to get under 1:15 on a clear track, but that’s not exactly relevant when Sunday it’ll be a whole lot worse.
Felt a few drops of rain on sector one of lap two, but that didn’t last long and it was sunny after that, so I just kept pushing, having the lap times from what was at the time the fastest such run in mind and aiming to beat as many as I could, and actually ending up beating all of them, despite my liver starting to hurt from sector two of lap four, my right knee giving me some warnings as well and my attempts to snap my back and change my posture not seeming to have the desired effect until sector two of lap five, and even then only partially for the liver and slightly, if at all, for the knee. But it was enough to still gain one second on each of those last two laps, after having gained six on the first, three on the second and, most importantly, 16 on the third.
Still not a pace I could sustain for more than five kilometers more, but at the same time it did give me something even better to work with… And I’ll need to if I’m to have any chance Sunday, because I’ll need to find a way to stay very close to this pace, starting two hours earlier, on very little, if any, sleep, with a whole lot more people all around me, on a route including climbing, including two quite steep slopes, and also considering the time lost at refreshment points, plus perhaps when eating what I’ll take with me, and any loss caused simply by having a few things in my pockets.

Moving on to the final run before the race, last week’s second one, that was Thursday, and I obviously tried to more or less rehearse for Sunday morning. Also tried to get to bed a bit earlier, aiming for 4 AM and not quite managing that but nevertheless being in bed by 4:10 AM and actually falling asleep quite quickly. Didn’t sleep for long though, since I woke up as soon as dad turned the key in the door when he came back from work. Had told him what I meant to do and asked him to be quiet, but I often wake up when I hear the key in the door and at that exact moment I was also dreaming that I was reading something that I guess I shouldn’t have been reading, so that sound also made me think, in my dream, that I had been discovered, so I was wide awake instantly and the fact that he tried to very slowly unlock the door just made it all take longer. Admittedly, I heard pretty much nothing else after that, so he really did his best to be quiet, but it was too late by then, and in fact not knowing what he was doing and whether he was still awake made me delay going to pee again, which I thought might help, until it seemed that too much time had passed and I worried that if I’ll go out then and he’ll still be around he’ll get upset when he’ll realize I was awake and he didn’t need to be that quiet but I didn’t let him know right away. It is possible that I fell asleep again during this time, but it was very briefly if so, and when I did eventually get up to check the time it was just 5:59 AM. But I thought I saw light on the hallway when I did so, which led to me just crawling back in bed, to wait out the remaining hour. It is, again, possible that I very briefly fell asleep again during that time, but I mostly tossed and turned, my back was bothering me as well, and it was quite a relief when the alarm finally rang, at 7 AM.
From that point, things went pretty much as expected, which unfortunately included the fact that there was again no chance of anything happening when I tried to take a shit. Could have left around 8:40 AM, but waited a bit more and did so at 8:44 AM. Then waited a bit more in the park, since I could have started running at 8:55 AM but meant to do so exactly at 9 AM, which I did. Did slip a little at first, since it was wet after having rained during the night, but got used to it after that, though there were a few puddles to go around. Still on the topic of the weather, it was sunny when I ran, with a reported temperature around 14°C when I started, and obviously getting warmer after that, but the wind bothered me a bit in some places. There were some workers and trucks there as well, which I also had to go around in a few places, though they were not much of a problem, and neither were the other people in general, since there weren’t many of them, though a few did make me go the long way around.
Still, there were plenty of runners, and I think I noticed a few trying to do the same thing, starting around 9 AM, these including one guy I saw plenty of times and know to be very fast, as he runs in the opposite direction and seems to me to usually do three laps at about 14 minutes per lap. But those I noticed even more were the two that were faster than me and going the same way, though the first didn’t seem to last long, starting as I was nearing the end of sector one of lap three, just as I was getting to where he was, and actually glancing back at me at first, before slowly pulling ahead… Until he stopped to go to one of the toilets that’s just before the bridge, so just before the end of what for me is sector two. The other one passed me soon after that, on the next sector, wearing a t-shirt from the 2017 half marathon and being a fair bit faster.
The time was 46:54, with sector times of 4:12, 4:54, 5:47, 4:21, 4:55, 5:48, 4:25, 4:57, 5:50 and 1:45, making for lap times of 14:53, 15:04 and 15:12. And since I again have all the exact times, those were 46:54.93, with sector times of 4:12.46, 4:54.08, 5:46.84, 4:21.19, 4:54.54, 5:47.99, 4:25.15, 4:56.79, 5:50.31 and 1:45.58, making for lap times of 14:53.38, 15:03.72 and 15:12.25. It would have been an amazing time not long ago, but at that point it wasn’t good enough anymore, especially considering the amount of effort it required, needing to use every shred of energy I could find. Breathed out through my mouth almost always, quickly running out of breath when I tried to breathe out normally, my left calf wasn’t happy, my right knee was mostly fine but did give me a couple of small warnings, and I’d say the most concerning moment was on sector three of lap three, when something seemed to snap, possibly even having to do with my heart, and I thought I got a bit dizzy for a moment, though that might have been caused by being scared, and it passed quickly either way.

As I was saying, walked the route of the half marathon yesterday to avoid the risk of rain… And ended up rained on anyway. It was sunny and actually felt hot, I saw no reason to take my jacket with me for later, but then a dark cloud came. I could see the end of it in the direction I was walking and hoped it’ll either spare the area completely or at least wait until I’ll get there, but all of a sudden the wind really picked up and it started pouring, and I think there was some little hail as well. That happened when I was just reaching Alba Iulia Square, so far enough to get rained on for quite some time if I’d go back but having walked far too little to be of any use, making me decide to just push on to Unirii and then, if it’d still rain like that, use that found metro card to get back from there, and then use either it or dad’s some other day to continue from there. But when I was about three quarters of the way there the rain lessened greatly, so I kept going and by the time I pretty much reached the end of the cloud, at Izvor Park, there were just a few drops, which went away as well after a bit, as I turned right after the park.
Not that my plans hadn’t gotten a bit messed up from the start. It first happened before actually getting up, since I went to pee after waking up at one point, meant to get back to sleep but took a long time to manage to do so, and I think just a few minutes after finally falling asleep again, at 12:12 PM according to my phone, I was woken up by it ringing, somebody doing a survey about medical services. Knowing I definitely won’t get back to sleep again if I’ll sit there and answer, said I can’t spare the time to answer at the moment, even apologized, and did manage to get a bit more sleep before finally getting up a little before 2 PM. But then, despite meaning to leave around the same time I had the day before, or at least no later than 4:30 PM, it was just a few minutes before 5 PM when I finally went out the door… And some 25 minutes later I was leaving again, since I took the paper and cardboard, this time using this bin that appeared across the road, and one larger box was too big to fit in the bag along with the rest even folded, which led to me not remembering what I had done with my hands and whether I had locked the door. Of course, so far I never forgot to lock, but since I was worrying about it as I crossed the road to go back where the route turns around and I was going to pass by this street again, I decided to check. And since I was here also took the opportunity to pee again, that tea doing its job even if it is rather annoying. This meant I needed to go just two more times as I walked the route, once in Izvor Park and the second time as I got back to Victory Square. This last time was unpleasant though, since the toilet was clogged, with the shit on top of the toilet paper stuffed in there.
About the route itself, the problems are those I knew, short but steep climbs on Berzei, before crossing Stirbei Voda, and on Ion Campineanu, before getting back on Victoriei, but that entire first part, until the end of Victoriei, at about 9.3 km, is quite technical. Since the route now turns left after the start, there’s a tiny climb right away, which wouldn’t really be notable elsewhere but should be approached carefully there at the start. Then, after turning right after the park, it’s somewhat up and down all the way to Victory Square, with that notable climb I already mentioned, and if they’ll again only close a part of that road it’ll likely be too narrow for the number of people running together so early in the race. After Victory Square, on Kiseleff, it should be fine, and it’s interesting that now we turn a bit before the end, but after returning to Victory Square it’ll get narrow again, and again a bit up and down. As we take that small “detour”, on Stirbei Voda, before turning on Ion Campineanu, the road slopes downwards quite noticeably, so that’s nice, but what goes down must go back up, and it takes way more effort to climb that slope than you may spare by going down the other. We’ll be going down again at the end of Victoriei, so that’s another little bit that must be taken advantage of, but after that it’ll pretty much be a matter of endurance.
There’s still that area around the fountains at Unirii, which I recall is a choice between the shortest route and not climbing a bit, but I couldn’t really have another look now because there was an event there in the evening, workers setting things up when I passed the first time and the area being completely full of people the second time. Could have probably still passed through, both times, but I was worried somebody’ll say something the first time and the second time I couldn’t have seen the road anyway, so the first time I walked on the other side of the fountains and the second I went around the park, to avoid the crowd. And another spot I couldn’t see well enough was on Decebal, where they’re working, I think building a parking lot, and trashing the green space in the process of course, so I didn’t go on that side of the road at all and there are some nets put up on the other too. Did see that at least one lane is closed, with the heavy vehicles there, and in a spot that’s extended for one more, so it remains to be seen how they’ll separate, since we’ll be passing by that spot both ways. It’ll likely get tight, but we’ll first enter that area after some 13.5 km and leave it the second time when we’ll approach 18, so at least that second time space may not be that much of a problem anymore.
Putting it all together, considering getting back that time, going around that crowd, crossing where I could cross, and also having a look through that Carrefour at Unirii, ended up walking some 25 kilometers, more if you add wandering around that Carrefour, and got back at 10:35 PM. And actually did find some of those mushrooms, in fact only one sixth instead of one quarter more expensive than they used to be, and actually produced in Romania too, so bought that single package that was like that, the others being either only packaged here, with imported mushrooms, or imported directly as a package, all three kinds being thrown together as the same product and with the same price, as it tends to happen with these.

Otherwise, I’ll leave this week’s two runs for another post, but will mention here that after Thursday’s run I went to Auchan, catching the free bus. Didn’t take those bottles and cans with me, and it’s a good thing I didn’t, since the recycling machine is indeed still there but when I looked it again wasn’t working. Either way, got a few things I knew I was going to buy from there, plus a banana bought to test myself, since they’re what’s recommended to be eaten during a run and they do offer pieces at the refreshment points but I can’t stand the texture, struggle with any larger piece in a fruit salad and the one time I was pressed into eating one, when I was little, I immediately threw up, so I haven’t touched any of those. But could eat this one after getting back, so I’m going to try during the race as well.
Walked back from there, to go to that store I bought that bucket of bio (organic) yogurt from for less, and bought another one. No price label, so had to ask, but it was the same, and in fact they seemed to have more this time. Two were visible, and the one on top was expiring on May 8, which I was unhappy with, but had decided to get it anyway, yet the person selling pulled another one out from somewhere else and handed it to me, and that had the date listed as May 14. Of course, still got no receipt, and still didn’t point it out. It was just after 2 PM when I got back, just as a few drops of rain started falling.
Shaved my head and showered after getting back, and dad came while I was shaving my head and started making mamaliga, which rather threw a wrench in my plans, since I do find myself in that situation that’s unusual for me, of needing to control my weight and even lose some, since I definitely want to be under 50 kg for the race without needing to lose anything, and in fact likely gaining a bit, over the last few days before it, and had gained a couple between the week’s two runs. So I meant to go to bed after showering and hanging the clothes out to dry… But then hit my head as I was hanging those clothes, which I have actually done quite a few times, though I haven’t mentioned it on here. Normally I just lightly hit myself when that happens, but this one was harder, could quickly see a small lump, and when I asked dad if he knew where the ice cubes ended up, since he shoved a lot of meat at the front of the freezer, he said he didn’t and apparently didn’t even understand why I was asking, since when I said I’d rather not go to bed then after that, he again asked what happened and was surprised when I told him. And I couldn’t find those ice cubes even when I did look, taking that meat out and then struggling to get it back in, so no idea what happened with them. But at least that meant I mixed something with what he made and ate again then, and then didn’t eat at night, actually being in bed before 3 AM, after having only gotten about one hour of sleep that morning.

Speaking of dad, there of course was that awkward moment after he came back from church with the “light”. I had finally cleaned my room, after who knows how long, that day, last Saturday, finished the book, and at night, since he only got back around 12:45 AM, I meant to wait a little longer for him to either go to bed or at least get the message that I won’t crack an egg with him, as he always asks. But at 1:15 AM I did go to the kitchen, and he immediately asked from the living room what was I doing, then came to say he’ll also be eating then and pointed out he took out the red eggs, after I said that I usually eat at that time, so I said I didn’t care about the eggs and I’ll get back after he eats, then went back to my room and just sat in the dark for a bit… Only for him to apparently also go back to the living room, so I went to pee and took out the bread from the freezer, then went again back to my room… And soon heard him ask what was I doing and whether I was busy, to which I replied I’m not busy and I’m trying to avoid him. I went out of my room to say that, he asked why was I avoiding him, I said in order to avoid being asked to crack eggs… And he promptly asked just that. So, of course, things got really awkward and frustrating, as they always do.
Seriously, what’s so hard to understand in the fact that asking someone to take part in a tradition related to a religion implies pushing that religion upon that person? And when that person is also against traditions and customs in general, and most definitely against nationalism, even taking it as a typical custom of the country and somehow trying to argue away the religious significance, as he tries to do by saying he doesn’t ask me to also say those words and doesn’t say his part out loud, still forces me into things I oppose. So I did ask whether he wanted that awkward conversation again, but he just asked why and kept repeating his piece while I repeated mine, albeit not too well, since it does involve actually talking. Did make me burst out laughing when he said “it’s not like you’re a Pagan” at one point though, making me remind him what I asked him to list me as at the census, but that just led to him saying that he understood from me at the time that it means I actually know more about more religions, not that I’m bigoted, which I must add was a weird choice of term, and reject anything having to do with it, because he won’t like that. Well, I don’t think it matters in any way what he likes or doesn’t like.
Still, he took an egg, saw that the color was coming off on his fingers, took a tissue to wrap it in and started wiping it a bit, fussing with it as we exchanged a few more words along those lines. Did keep thinking of pointing out that I don’t ask him to do anything for Beltane, for example, but that’d have just been wrong when I barely even spare it a passing thought anymore and am too agnostic to be able to fairly bring anything of the sort in as an argument, only still saying that in case something of the sort does exist, then it may perhaps be vaguely in the general direction of Neopaganism, the other belief systems I’m aware of quite clearly not being options from where I’m standing. So I instead repeated another one of my usual lines in these conversations, asking what he’d do if, for example, a Muslim would ask him to respect one of their traditions, and he started saying he’d never follow that religion, never go to one of their “churches” or call to Allah, making me just stand there smirking, but then he said that if he’d just be asked to do something without making it into an actual religious act, he would. Just raised an eyebrow, resisting even the urge to point out that the Christian God and Allah are the same being, or even that their “churches” are called mosques.
After a bit more of that, he just sulked, but remained on the aggressive side of passive-aggressive when he said I may not do it in that case, and I just picked an egg, thinking this would just drag on for days otherwise. Then, after we got it over with, he mentioned that my mother called and said that it was raining and windy there and someone brought two candles for them and they both went out just at the gate, and then they tried to light one from a passing man and made his go out as well. I guess he was trying to make some point, and I’m sure she had spelled it out when saying that, her belief in being cursed in some way and needing to cling on to religion and fight against what pushes God away, but he didn’t spell it out and I basically just ignored him, and he moved on to talking about the eggs, saying he’ll make a salad with them, so they’ll be eaten in a reasonable amount of time, as if he expected me to not touch the eggs at all, which would be weird. Then we talked a bit about eggs, having to explain why I won’t eat eggs at night and him still not caring, and he eventually said he’ll take his food to the living room, I went back to my room for a bit, then returned once the kitchen was clear.

That did seem to take a toll on me, since I had really fucked up dreams that morning. There was something about being forced to go back to school by my parents, which of course terrified me completely. Was banging my head against a wall and clawing at my face in the dream and checked my face when I woke up, finding that it was quite fine, though my balls were a bit raw, after I guess having scratched a fair bit. Then there was something about a polar bear in a building and everyone trying to run from it while remaining in the building, going up, and needing to take a position next to something they could drink from for some reason. There were a lot of things water was coming from but I was unable to claim any as my own since others, usually seeming to be younger teens or even children, kept swarming around me and spitting on those things when I wanted to stand next to them, so I couldn’t drink out of them and they’d get them instead. And then, of course, something about computer problems, the computer rebooting on its own and then everything being different and me not knowing how to get back what I had.

Should have written a post today, or yesterday, considering the time, but I saw the forecast for the start of next week and realized I’d better go and buy what I still wanted to have before the half marathon, and only got back at 9 PM. Could have still thrown something here then instead of now, before going to sleep, but currently reading Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis and wanted to finish the first part. Maybe I’ll manage to write a more proper post Sunday, making it this year’s first “Sunday update”, but I may also just throw something here then too, possibly that quick review of Eschalon that’s what I still have more or less prepared to just throw here when needed, and leave the update for next week.

Either way, went out at 4:15 PM, unsure in which order I should reach the places I wanted to reach, and was thinking to get the free bus and go to the other Auchan first, but I expected to need to wait longer for it, so was just sort of pacing on the sidewalk when I turned and saw it near, and I couldn’t react in time to signal it to stop, and nobody wanted to get off here, in fact seeming empty when I looked inside as it drove past me. So that made it easier to reach a decision, first walking to that pharmacy to see whether I could get another one of those cereal bars with magnesium I got last time, to be able to try it first. I guess these things that are just before the checkouts aren’t on the site, since I couldn’t find anything of the sort when I searched, but there were a few, I think four if I remember correctly, left there, so I got one and plan to try it before walking the route now, and if it doesn’t cause some sort of problem for some reason, eat the other right before the race.
After that, went to that Kaufland from that area, first to pee, one of the three times I had to go before getting back, all the tea, including some for kidneys, since taking magnesium and potassium may cause problems, definitely having quite an effect, and then to get the kind of pasta I eat before such a race, that specific kind being one I never saw anywhere else, and also some more of those things Liza is addicted to, since dad asked me to before I left. Checked prices for some other stuff too, but there was nothing else to get from there, so I then got to Auchan, albeit after getting a bit confused on the way. Wasn’t sure which street I was on and took a wrong turn, but I knew which way I was going and reached it well enough, but that first time I was only there to check prices, meaning to return later to purchase things, and then use the free bus to get back. And that was just what I eventually did, but first I went to the Carrefour from that area too, trying a somewhat different route and realizing too late that even the direction wasn’t quite right, so actually losing time by going around. Didn’t think what I wanted would be cheaper there, and it wasn’t, but I did find some dark chocolate that was cheaper and meant to get one, though I gave up on the idea at the time, knowing that one at Unirii will be sort of on the way as I’ll walk the route and also wanting to just be able to walk back into Auchan with the bag with the stuff I had brought in the first time still sealed, since they don’t have cabinets to put your stuff. Did get another one of those gels, still the one with orange flavor, from a store next to that Carrefour though, that being another reason why I wanted to also go there, but I could just put that in a pocket.
As I said, after that I walked back to that Auchan and got most of the rest of the stuff, including a handful of almonds that I needed to wait for, since you needed to ask and the person who was supposed to be there kept wandering around, and a 400 g cup of that bio (organic) yogurt. Meant to get one of those “Greek” ones and had settled on one, a 300 g cup, to eat half perhaps Friday, try it out, and if all seems fine then the other half on race morning, but I didn’t get it from elsewhere, though the price was the same, and over there all of them expired on May 6, so I gave up on that and meant to give up on the whole idea of another yogurt, but then I saw that two of those cups were placed, separately and without any different label, in the area for expiring things. Had noticed one expiring on May 5 when I first looked where they normally are, and the rest on May 8, so again nothing to purchase, but when I saw those there I scanned them and saw a price that was less than half the listed one, and since the bar code was the same I then scanned one of those expiring on May 8 and it of course had that same discounted price, so grabbed it, as I guess it means they realized the entire stock they still had was going to expire and put the discount in the system, but didn’t get to move the actual products yet. Wonder if I’d have seen something similar if I’d have scanned one of those “Greek” ones, but it’d have been pointless to get one now anyway, if I can’t keep it until then, while this way I can eat this one these days and make the bucket, which I haven’t yet opened, last until then instead.
What I didn’t get were those mushrooms I tend to use when I make that kind of pasta to eat before a race. They were 25% more expensive than they used to be, both there and in Carrefour, but when I checked the label there I also saw that they were imported from Hungary, not grown here, so those were two reasons not to bother. Didn’t check at Carrefour, I guess I will if I’ll pass through that one at Unirii, but it seemed to be the same thing at a glance, and if so I’ll just use the can of “regular” ones that I saw we still have and leave it at that. Another thing I didn’t find were a kind of chocolate-coated raisins I also tended to get before a race, and those were one reason why I wanted to go to that Auchan too, since I couldn’t find them at the other one anymore, seeing two different kinds where you need to ask and not being able to see the ingredients. At this one I didn’t even see those kinds either, but I got plain raisins, and will get that chocolate, and end up with something even better, probably. More expensive too, but this time around I’m really going for it.

And since after posting this I’m going to do the day’s squats, since I didn’t so far, let me also mention that I have a new fastest time for them, 2:32, Wednesday. Pushed like crazy despite knowing I was going to run the next morning, my left thigh hurting a bit in one spot, and my right knee giving me a little warning before starting, and that was the result. Admittedly, not much of an improvement from the 2:33 managed Sunday, which had become the new record at that time, but it was just slightly better, so that’s the record now. Otherwise, had a 2:38 Tuesday, when it’s possible I actually did 101, perhaps getting confused between 86 and 87. Monday’s 2:42 doesn’t even seem like much anymore, but managing that same time yesterday does, after 10 PM and on around one hour of sleep in the morning, since I didn’t get back to bed after running.

The inclusion of To Walk in the Way of Lions makes it an unusual bundle in a positive way, including more than one series and not just the first book of each, so I rounded up the overall rating for that reason. Nothing else to say about the bundle itself other than the fact that it’s plagued by what I gather is the way in which such Kindle bundles work, the whole thing being a single file and a single library entry.

Quick reviews of the included books:
Dragon of Ash & Stars – Rating: 4/5 [Note: Review of the stand-alone edition, in case there are any differences.]
To Journey in the Year of the Tiger – Rating: 4/5
To Walk in the Way of Lions – Rating: 3/5
Cold Stone & Ivy: The Ghost Club – Rating: 3/5

Interestingly, that means they’re placed in order of quality, at least as far as I’m concerned. A great first book followed by a good second, then a third with a good first half and a poor second half, and finally a fourth which is mostly poor and only saved to some extent by the final chapters.

Rating: 4/5

Note: The review refers to the edition included in Sword, Steam and Sky: Four Book Fantasy Bundle.

The final chapters of this book, starting from 42, and possibly also including 40 to some extent, are actually quite good. Better writing, closer to what I’ve come to expect from the author, better action, impact, characters a bit more fleshed out, even some emotion… What should have been the surprise revelation is no surprise, but otherwise, this could have been a pretty good book if all of it would have been like its final chapters. Yet the only thing I made a note of in a positive way before that point, other than the fact that for the most part it does at least read quickly and easily, was how Ivy’s writing mirrored the action, and even that only as a little nice touch.
Until then, this book isn’t just light reading, but light writing. It’s all rather flat, without emotion or impact, evoking nothing where the reader definitely should feel something. Pretty much nothing between the characters either until those final chapters; a supposed love triangle missing any sort of love, or for that matter any sort of emotion. And the characters are blatantly one-dimensional, most being nothing more than parodies, some even too much, or at least for too long, even for that to still make their presence tolerable.
Yes, much of that is probably intentional, emulating one of those “penny dreadfuls” the book so blatantly refers to, and this is one reason, likely not even one of the main ones, why someone with a keen interest in the period may well have a much better opinion of it, but for me it offers little excuse. In fact, other elements meant to recreate the period, starting with the condition of women, Ivy included, but also the speech and slang used by some characters, only frustrate me further. And the same goes for the typos and untranslated speech in other languages, though I’ve come to expect these from the author.

Rating: 3/5