Another crazy day in the neighborhood

I woke up just a little earlier than my mom today, around 8:00; I first heard her stirring after 12:30. I've noticed some interesting things about her, and I bet she's noticed some interesting things about me. Such as the fact that I get up and run, even - especially - on the weekends.

Who knows what will happen tomorrow. Just hopefully not another 45 minutes in the Gymboree Outlet! I can only handleo so much shopping, even if it is really cute clothes for really cute kids.

posted from Bloggeroid

Take 2

I didn't reach 90 miles in June. Not even close. But I'm going to make July my bitch. I've got big plans, with a big payoff when I reach my goal! I'm excited to run! I'm excited to scratch "run 5 miles" off of my to-do list five days a week in July (and August). I'm excited to sign up for the "Hell of a Half Marathon" that takes place in Exeter on August 18th.

You know what they say, "if at first you don't succeed," make July your bitch!

Pride made me proud

I'm a sucker for breaking out, for doing things I've never done before, going places I've never been, eating things I've never eaten. I enjoy the thrill. Not so much when I ingest a ton of salt from a buffet oyster or mussell or clam or whatever it was, but that is another story.

I like doing things that I never knew I always wanted to do. I put things on my bucket list after I've done them. So, when our great friends, our BFFs S&C asked us join them in San Francisco for Gay Pride weekend, we jumped on it, got a hotel, and planned a great time, seeing things we'd never seen, etc. We had what I thought was the best time in a very long time, because we had friends with us. We laughed so hard, came up with brilliant new business plans, new inventions, new names for people, places and things. All in all, it was an amazing time.


We walked all over town, over to Haight Ashbury (had some super yummy burgers at a hole-in-the-wall), visited the Castro district (saw some craaaaazy sights there!), and Union Square. We got some exercise, for sure (even if I didnt get a chance to run along the Embarcadero, boo...).


We took some lovey-dovey pictures of S&C, and they took some of us.



S isn't a drinker, but he had his fair share (drops at a time) of Guinness, cabernet, Irish coffee, and white zin. It was the white zin in Monterey that had him down for the count, though; he had a full glass, and was more than tipsy. It was all very amusing to the rest of us.


Our last night in San Fran was great, complete with stomach-ache laughter, a few of those brilliant business plans, and an amazing sunset!


It was amazing, and I loved every minute of it (well, maybe except for the stench of piss and the crazy packed streets, and the drive home, because that part always sucks)!

We definitely have to do something like this again, even if it isn't Pride in San Fran. Maybe Palm Springs. Or San Diego. But we're definitely keeping these guys around.

Sans my love

After Mr. Man left for the week, I stuck around Monterey with these guys, that were rude enough to not even gimme a second glance (yeah, yeah, nothing personal, I get it; you're here, you're queer, blah blah...)

These are some seriously fun guys, though (and I ain't talkin' mushrooms)! We wandered, did some light shopping, some light (for me) walking, and lots of eating. Some places were good, some were... umm...not.


Some had merely mediocre food, but amazing views (complete with lounging seals)!


Our hotel room in Monterey was great, and I really loved the mini porch area, with its sunlight and cool breezes. Ahh...I could go back right now, if it wasn't for the drive.


Another great thing about this hotel was the warm oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies. Yumm... I think I had for in the 24 hours we were here. Four cookies for $5, or just ask for more for free? Um...no question!

I had a really great time. Not so much fun as I have with Mr. Man, but the guys are great. I just miss my guy.

Runner in the dark

I must be stressing recently, because I've had all sorts of crazy dreams. Yesterday, for example, I dreamed that I was late for work, forgot this, that, and the other thing, had to go back home, only to realize I forgot something else. Horrible, right? It went on all night, and I just could not bring myself to get out of bed at 4am.

Today, this morning, I dreamed again. This time, every time I would finish a phone call at work, the phone would ring again. And again, and again. The last call I answered was for a job that I had applied for (apparently), and they called to offer me the job. What was the job? That's the great part: sandwich delivery specialist.

What? Yeah, I have no idea where that came from. I have never been, and I've never applied to be, a sandwich delivery person. Very strange.

So when my alarm rang at 4am this morning, I was ready to go. Run, or become a sandwich deliverer? I'll run, thanks. It started off slow, because I decided to change some settings on my garmin. Then I had to turn around because I forgot my bottle of nuun. Then I was really on my way. Finally.

It went great for about a mile, mile and a half. Then my achilles started, so I stopped to stretch a bit, take a drink, and started again. At this point I was only about two miles in, and very determined to keep going. Not long after I started again, got back up to speed, the pain shot up to the back of my knee. That was it, my body told me that today was not the day to push it.

I went only about 2.3 miles, but I would rather avoid injury, and at least I got out there. I didnt go as far as I wanted to go, but I tried.

Until tomorrow, pavement. I've got big plans for kickin' your bootie tomorrow!

It's starting to hit the fan now...

What a busy busy super busy (but fun!) weekend!

It started with a little surprise birthday party gathering with two of our best friends (and a lot of their friends, some of which became our friends that night, too).


The Fatte Albert's crew even sang to the birthday boy. How cool is that? Answer: very, very cool.


Nice smile, Cory! He really was surprised, he said (and I believe him). Steve put it all together (and suffered for his art, I'm sure). A great time was had by all.


Hugs and love all around. Steve was very proud of himself; he thought he should have won an Oscar for his performance.


I'm sorry, guys. You know we love ya', but your lack of sugar kinda cramps my style. We had to get ice cream, because, like, hello? Who has a birthday party without ice cram? No cake either? Psh! That situation had to be remedied, stat!


The rest of the weekend was filled to the brim with cleaning supplies and "Breaking Bad" episodes. And a little sleep here and there. I think we fit a bike ride in there somewhere.


And today? A reward for all that hard work: a box full of fruit! Let me say this, world! Hear me: BELLA VIVA DRIED FRUIT IS, HANDS DOWN, THE BEST DRIED FRUIT EVER. Yes, E.V.E.R.

And with that, I say, goodnight. I'll dream of a new job (I get it: I'm tooooootally jinxing myself. It's worth it), cooler weather, and a world where Scotty can "beam" me hither and yon.

I'm running away this weekend!

This week really flew by. Busy-ness makes the clock tick much faster than normal, and boy, did I have a busy week, some of it was exciting, some was nerve-wracking, and some frustrating. I hope the exciting stuff is here to stay, but I won't walk myself off a cliff if it doesn't (even though I might want to).

I didn't log anywhere near as many miles as I thought I would and knew I could, so this weekend I plan to catch up on a ton of stuff, including my mileage!

I found a half marathon for this Fall: Wascally Wabbit in Fresno on September 30th. It's $55 for the half for me and $25 for the two-miler for Mr. Man.

I'm really looking forward to running tomorrow morning (before a group bike ride)!

Oh yeah, and the quiet calm around the house the rest of the time.

At least I got out there

Who in this world actually likes waking up, especially to an alarm? Not me, that much is for sure! Still, I ran this weekend, took Monday off (my normal rest day), ran yesterday (over 5 miles, thank you), and just wasn't feeling it when my alarm rang.

I got up, convinced myself to get dressed. Did some stretches, still not feeling it. Walked outside, turned on my garmin and waited for satellite. Still didn't feel it. Started running, couldn't stop yawning, so I turned back and went home.

Less than a half mile, and then I stepped in a puddle. Blech. That sealed the deal. I went home, took the fastest shower EVER on record, and went back to bed.

It was lovely. But the waking up again? And the self guilt for not completing even a mile? Horrible.

At least I tried! I got out there.

10 down...

I ran five miles this morning, and five this past Sunday (well, technically, both times it was five-point-something); Project 90 is coming right along (but it's early yet).

I have really taken notice of how a run makes me feel throughout the day, including my patience and energy! It truly is amazing. I understand why the crazies (myself included, thank you) love running.


I was having a pretty great day, and then my hubby dropped this off for me, and instead of it saving me from jumping off of a cliff, it pushed me over the "my life is pretty cool" edge. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, but in a good way. I couldn't stop smiling.

Maybe it was all because of the run.

Or maybe it was the sweetness.

Either way.

Strange start to June

I had a pretty awesome run on Sunday, five easy miles up and down Santa Fe trail. Lunch with friends, some laundry, unpacking from the trip North. Not too exciting.

Yesterday was strange. Here in the valley, summer weather is, first and foremost, predictable. From about May through September at the very least, there is no rain, no clouds, no wind. But yesterday was different:


At about 3:00, it was so windy I almost had trouble opening the building door to go to my car for break! The skies were brown (I know, lovely), trees were swaying, debris was all over the roads! Mr Man went home to put the dogs in the house, and he warned me about the "near-blinding" conditions.

What! This kind of thing doesn't happen here. Not in the Central Valley.

We went to dinner with friends, and when we came out, we saw that it had rained. Totally weird.


At least it made for a pretty amazing sunset (and cooler temps today)!

My weekend in cartoon land

Six hours each way in a car sucks, but getting to spend hours celebrating three of your favorite nieces (and talking running with a pseudo- quasi- nephew who's your age) is awesome, super-fun.


So begins my journey into cartoon land... Above is the new high school grad, my niece Lucy. Such a great personality, a real sweetie, a go-getter, a very driven, lovely girl. I'm so excited that she will live so much closer to us when she starts college this Fall.


We took a ton of pictures of her in her cap and gown; there were three cameras going, going, going (mine included); "look here, look there." Poor girl.


I wore flip flops all weekend. Ahh...this is what I love about summer ('cause it sure ain't the heat)!


The actual graduation ceremony was great! I was afraid it was going to be long and boring, but it wasn't; it moved along at a good pace. We took tons of pictures. Prepare for that now:


This kid is adorable! He's family, but it's a complicated WAY that he's related. It's another pseudo- quasi- relative. He is such a doll, though; he has the most previous face and adorable personality! He entertained us and made us laugh numerous times.


Heather. Poor thing, can't get enough of me (I can't get enough of her either). She only let me take her picture to show her that it looked like a cartoon. This family is chock-full of cuteness, adorable faces, and great personalities. Loooove each of them.


It's a good thing Lucy is such a good sport, because she had to pose for somewhere just short of a bazillion pictures. I guess it comes with the territory: tons of pictures, tons of hugs, tons of love.


Steve. I love Steve. He's the girls' dad, and he has an amazing sense of humor. Sad for me, though, because I really wish he would talk more; he is super quiet. Bummer. Steve is do chill, relaxed, and funny. His smile can light up a room (probably because he doesn't flaunt it). Steve is awesome.


Here is "Ma," doing what she does (and what I should have been doing at this time of night): sleeping. You can't really fault her for passing out on the super-comfy couch. And when Joy (my sister-in-law, and the girls' mom) told her to go to bed, Ma said she was just resting her eyes. Okay, fine; what about the snoring? Were you testing your breathing? I think not...


And this afternoon, the kitchen was a little crowded with everyone saying goodbye, giving hugs, and reminding each other we'll see [some of] them soon, in Florida!


And on our way home. Sad. Long drive ahead. Then to bed, and hard-core running, then hard-core relaxing for the rest of the weekend. Tomorrow is my first day of Project 90! I know I can do it!

How do YOU think it went?

Yeah, not great... it takes three to four weeks to develop a habit, right? Any words of wisdom? Any ex-cutters? I'm not a cutter, and I've never been a cutter, but it seems kinda similar.