I'm Almost All Packed!

I was considering titling this blog "Things That Make Me Go GRRRR!" You know, things like empty coffee pots, getting phone calls when you're in the bathroom, my car getting whacked in the parking lot at work & me having to pay to get it fixed, etc.
Then I decided that was a little too negative. My second choice for a title was, "Sidelined." That's what happened to me this week. I had a 13 mile run last Saturday. It went so well. I went to run with the group all by myself & I felt a lot of pressure to stay with the group (I'll admit, partly b/c of my pride but also partly b/c we were running on old country roads & I didn't really know the way). So I ran pretty fast & honestly I felt pretty good. I finished the thing in 2 hours and 13 minutes (or so). I was feeling like I was turning a corner with my running - moving faster, hurting less, all that good stuff. On Sunday I was a little sore but nothing too extreme. Monday I had to work both jobs (a 14 + hour day) & by the end of the day my right leg was swollen from mid-calf to the top of my foot. It wasn't really sore but it was definitely puffy. So on Tuesday I called my doctor & he insisted on a test to be sure I didn't have a blood clot. I was thinking, "For reals - a blood clot?!" So I went in yesterday for a Doppler test. When she had the paddle on my leg I could actually hear the blood moving through my artery - weird! The good news is that I don't have a blood clot (no surprise to me); the bad news is that my leg is still swelling. I totally annoyed my doctor's nurse by bugging her about when I could run again (I asked her like 4 times during the course of all our phone calls). Let's just say that for now I'm sidelined. GRRRR.
And that brings me to my final choice of titles, "I'm Almost All Packed!" It's a much happier kind of title, don't you think? I decided that I am so not allowed to complain about anything since I am headed for a fabulous vacation in Hawaii. But the getting there! I am actually the world's worst packer (sometimes I just get appalled at all the stuff it takes to make me look like a girl!). I also had to work both jobs today so I didn't get started dealing with the piles of clothes and sandals until almost 10 p.m. Then I was packing, painting my toe nails, & juggling phone calls all at the same time. I like to think I can multi-task fairly well, but this evening's activities were stretching my ability. Hence the 1 a.m. blog post. But, thankfully the suitcase is almost zipped & the carry on is almost stuffed (full of goodies like almonds, raisins, & granola bars so that I don't have to eat airline/fast food). Our flight leaves in 9 short hours & I'm more than ready to get outta Dodge.
I'll miss checking in on you all. It's gotten to be a rather comfy coffee break routine. You'll have to forgive me for trading those coffee breaks in for things like snorkeling, 4 wheel driving on Kauai, & hiking Diamond Head. Have a great week & I'll post some pics when I get back...hopefully I'll be all tan, relaxed, & sun-streaked!

We are SUCH nerds!

Let me start by saying, I love my job! Ed, my buddy here at work, & I have a little tradition. Things are a little slow this morning so I took a few minutes to tidy up...sweep the floor, gather the trash, etc. We had two bags of trash & as I was walking out the door to haul them out to the dumpster, Ed was just coming back from making a delivery. I offered him a bag & we walked out to "the spot" where we both wound up & tossed the bags at the dumpster. Both of us missed - we are woefully out of practice on our trash tossing b/c I don't go outside in the winter cold if I can help it - so we tried again, and then again. Eventually we just gave up & had a good laugh. Just a nice little moment of levity in our work day. I'm grateful to have such a great group of guys to work with!

A Little Too Much Star Wars?

My family was gathered around the table for an Easter dinner last Saturday night. My dad had grilled pepper steak and we were all enjoying the time together. Madi (my almost 4 year old niece) piped up and asked, "Can I have some Obi-One Sauce, please?". We all cracked up. I guess when your hero is Lute Stywakter (that's Madi-ese for Luke Skywalker) it's easy to get A-1 confused with Obi Wan!

A Stupid Question

I love strawberries. When I was a kid, I wouldn't eat them. I didn't like the little prickly hairy seeds on the outside. I've since overcome that aversion & I think strawberries are about the world's most perfect food. As I was munching on some strawberries at lunch today I couldn't help but wonder, why do strawberries have a hollow inside? There is a hole in the middle of every berry. Why?

A Good Day To Run!

The training group that I have joined to get ready for the Indy Mini has a group run on Tuesday nights. I have skipped a lot more of these runs than I have attended. I usually run earlier in the afternoon by myself if Autumn has to work late or has decided not to go. This week I decided that I would go to the group run. It's one of the benefits of membership (which wasn't cheap) & I had joined the group with the idea that it would be fun to meet some new people. The problem is, I don't like the idea of running all by myself surrounded by a bunch of people that I supposed would be all grouped up. I got there just in time to pick up my singlet (which unfortunately doesnt' fit quite right, but oh well) & it's so funny how the Lord works things out. I drove into the park right behind my boss's wife. She is in the advanced group but we were able to chat & catch up on the news before the run started. If you couldn't already tell, I hate that feeling of being alone in a crowd so I'm really grateful the Lord worked it out so that Kelly would get there the same time as me.
Today's run was a 5 miler. We got going & I think I really reached a turning point in my running this evening. I didn't time myself (I hardly ever do; it just makes me nervous) but having all of those other runners around me really caused me to push myself. I have this strategy of not starting out in the very front of the pack. I hang back a little bit, pace myself, & then I'm able to start passing some other people instead of being the one who is getting passed. All in all, it was a completely invigorating run & I also was able to learn a new route in my neighborhood that covers a 5 mile distance. This week we're supposed to cover 24 miles, so only 19 to go! And only 25 days until the race! It's going to be so fun...believe it or not, I can't hardly wait!

Help! I Need Somebody!

Help! Not just anybody...
Sorry about getting that Beatles ditty stuck in your head, but I do have a question for all you experienced bloggers out there. If someone leaves me a comment (and there are a faithful few) how can I comment back to them so that they will know? I'm guessing the answer is fairly simple, but I haven't taken a lot of time lately with my blogging endeavors and I only have time to post this question because the friend I am meeting for dinner had to put in some overtime tonight.
So now I'm off to Fazoli's (love, love, love their Chicken Pasta Caesar Salad) and I eagerly await your instruction.