I'm back at work after a quick 2.5 day trip to see the in-laws in WV. Not sure if I posted at all. Brain is apparently shot (more on that later). I found a nice park and ran 3 on Wednesday. It is 2 miles from where we'll be living and there may even be a trail that leads there from a place right next to our house. That would be cool.
I ran a loop around the quiet mall on Christmas morning. 2.4 miles. After breakfast with the in-laws we made the trip back to Michigan. 457 miles and an average speed of 64 mph. I hope to get out for a couple miles sometime today.
Deez - very sorry to hear about your son. I sure wish people didn't have to go through so much.
Jlynne - We don't have sump pump, but the tile drains around the house got backed up with roots twice and I know what is like to walk down in the basement onto squishy carpet. We haven't fixed it up from the 2nd time yet. We're for when we put it on the market. We should have the source taken care of but just to be safe we'll wait.
Where is Mike E that he keeps popping in to say hello? Is he in prison and has limited internet access?
(Brain dead story) I didn't have a whole lot to do at the in-laws while Cindy & her parents talked about this person and that person from before I knew her. It made me wonder about people I knew from high school and college and I was searching around for old names on my tablet. One of my searches was on Facebook for the girl I was dating right before I met Cindy. By searching on her father I actually think I got a match. I haven't seen or heard from her in 33 or so years since that fateful/happy day I drove away from her house the last time. So I was looking at a picture trying to tell if it was her and I fat fingered the "like" button. I hit the button again to turn off the like, but odds are she got a notification about "Dave Begley liked your picture". I have no idea what she'll think about that (assuming she remembers me.)
Good morning Dave. Funny story about your Facebook like.
Erika, I am so jealous of you having a week and half off. Enjoy!!! Don't spent too much time at the office, work can wait.
I am glad to see everyone around here had a very good Christmas. Was Santa good to you?
I had a sleepless night gifted me with a run at Jay o'clock. Beautiful clear sky with the sky plastered with gorgeous stars. 20f calm weather. 8 total miles with 5x150m hill reps. I am happy with my time up the hill every time.
Now the travel count down begins for me. I am already packed. I am off to work until 5pm, then I will come home and the Easy Pacer and I will drive to Spokane to get to my flight to Paraguay tomorrow morning. Thanks for all your prayers and hugs. They are very much needed and appreciated. You guys rock.
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
MM #5615
Yes, Dave...I am imprisoned within the walls of busy-ness...wow...that sounded almost poetic. I sure hope Cindy doesn't find out you liked a picture of your old girlfriend...but please tell us about it when she does. Oh...gotta go...I hear the guards coming...
Inspired by Dave I just found my senior prom date from high school....Ack! I didn't hit "Like" though...phew!
Mike! Your posts always make me grin...with you, of course, not at you!
Safe travels Nancy and our good wishes and love go with you on this important journey.
I joined Mr. CNYrunner on his regular morning four-mile walk with Hudson this morning and will join my teammates this afternoon for a holiday lights group run. No snow, clear and in the 40s here in NE, at least for now.
We spent the afternoon yesterday with Supergranny (Mr. CNYrunner made her favorite mac and cheese with lobster and sherry in it!---yummy and easy to chew) and were regaled with stories from when she was eight years-old (1918) and my great-grandfather, William Calvin Jackson, had a winter job tending coal furnaces in Springfield and Longmeadow, MA (for 10 cents). He had 3 or 4 jobs and furnace tending was just one. He'd round up his three daughters (granny included) and they'd walk from house to house all bundled up and complaining of the long walks the whole way. She said they complained less during Christmas week since they'd receive candy, or pennies, or even an Uncle Wiggily book (SG's favorite!). As the youngest of the sisters (the youngest born in 1920 and not in the picture yet), SG said she always lagged behind except during this week when she would sprint ahead and get right behind her "Papa Jack" in case a present was offered. We've been recording her stories for years (audio as well as journalling), but yesterday's tales were marvelous gifts and while she greeted us with "Happy Easter" at first, her past memories are still crystal clear. Best Christmas presents ever.
Ater all that we came home to Mr. CNYrunner's great cooking including chocolate pecan pie. Grateful I am for elastic waist pants.
Happy Boxing Day, First Day of Kwanzaa, and good day to all.
Are we searching for old flames today? My high school class was pretty small and a good percentage is on FB so I see a few of my old crushes and high school sweet hearts from time to time. I'm thinking I did pretty good for myself.
7.3 miles, much at tempo pace. My running has been pretty sporadic and on the lower end of miles for nearly two years. Finally getting things ramped back up...symptoms of a stress reaction starting to show...I know, I know...been down that road. I will be careful !
Carolyn
Howdy, masters! We've been having a quiet time here in Baja - walks on the beach, ocean swimming, playing cards, reading, napping, watching movies, eating good food... and the time spent with our DD has been priceless! We didn't do anything differently on Christmas - no tree or presents - but we all have too much stuff and really don't need any more, and this trip IS our present to ourselves and our daughter.
Dave, you really should have checked out trails BEFORE you decided where to live in WV - just sayin'! Lucky that there may be one near you!
Safe travels, Posie. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas with your family!
I love Supergranny! Her stories sound wonderful. I remember my grandmother's stories about growing up in Hong Kong at the turn of the century - she was born in 1898 to missionary parents. What a different world we live in now!
I've had a head cold for about a week, and yesterday was the first run where I felt like I could breathe well again! 10 miles, with a beautiful sunset. And the stars here are amazing - you can see the whole milky way! Reminded me of star gazing in Vermont with Mike, Holly, Skip, and Holly's brother!
Here's a family picture on the beach near our casita:
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
King of PhotoShop
Oh, those old girlfriends. I stay in touch with almost all of them. They remind me of how well off I am.
CNY, I sure did enjoy that story, as your family assuredly did, and glad to hear you are recording or journaling them. They are genuine history and an important part of your family.
A bit over 4 today with the Saint and couldn't figure out why I felt so tired during the run, as the whole week has been very energetic. She reminded me I was on my feet all day yesterday cooking. So it really does have some effect on running. I need just 3.6 tomorrow for 35 this week. Spareribs
MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
barefoot on the beach.
I'm not jealous (NOT).
.
Nice dave HS and karin GP stories.
reminds me too, especially since I'm not running or doing anything else constructive.
HS - the remaining of our 100-member HS class from up a little southeast of erika-land are still very close with the dozen or so Seattle-settled members meet-up twice a year for reminiscing and classmate updates, always with a mix of happy and sad. I don’t think they’re ready to find out about my running yet, if ever. Sometimes, I don’t think I am either. .GP - I think back to SG time sometimes too, especially when I used to run/cycle/in-line skate the same 13 miles our Grandpa Jack walked every ten days to the gold mine bunkhouses and then back to town for three days off. He met grandma Anne while reciting popular poetry enactments of the day at what-we-were-told-all-our-lives was her father’s then biggest “opera house” in the territory. . Then, about 30 years ago, I found some old era postcards that featured a touched-up photo as was the coloring style back then of the “opera house.” However, for some reason, it was actually a big tavern that just happened to feature family night opera every Sunday. I bought a bunch and sent one to grandma inviting her to the next Sunday’s recitation that would feature me reciting some of Grandpa’s favorite poems he taught me. .In fact, I just sent another one to 5-yo grandson up there reminding him of his fifth generation history as a 5-yo northlander in the footsteps of 5-yo grandma (in 1901), my mother (1924), me (1948) and his mother, my darlin daughter (1977). .No wonder I like getting old so much..ps - I can’t believe they’re makin’ nancy work today.pps - lots of good bosses following custom of paid leave on Fridays after Christmas. Me too but I’m not paying myself.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
Hey all.
Interesting stories in here today. Unfortunately I have nothing much to add. I got a run with some friends and now am putting a new floor down in our exercise room.
Well back to the flooring.
Cheers/
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
http://ncstake.blogspot.com/
Bad faerie
Happy Boxing Day, all.
Had a fine Christmas ride yesterday and celebrated sunny skies with a little walk/run today.
It has been a good holiday in a new place, with new people and new traditions. Now, however, I'm going to hide under some blankets and read my new xkcd book with the cat for a while and decompress.
Safe travels, butterfly-lady.
Blogjoy
Marathon Maniac #957
I love the Super Granny stories, and what a wonderful idea to be collecting them.
Dave -
Nancy - safe travels and in spite of the somber reason for going, I hope you are able to spend some quality time with your papa and family.
Carolyn - lovely!
Not much to report here. DD and I went shopping to spend some of her gift cards. We went to Kohl's and I hoped to find a pair of jeans, but the shelves were sparse - the only sizes left were 0-1 or 15 - nothing in between. I guess I need to give them time to restock. I still feel like I'm in a food coma, but the family wants me to cook dinner, so maybe it's just me. Last night we watched Guardians of the Galaxy (loved it), and tonight's family movie: The Maze Runner.
6.1 miles for me this morning in 37 degrees.
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."
evanflein merry week off!
Mariposai I know your dad will be so happy to see you. Be well in your journey.
StarrRuns be nice to that foot! From personal experience I can relate to how painful it is to wait for the ol' body to heal up 100%. On the good news side, it then turns into a story and nothing more in the years to come.
C-R I am always amazed at the market share Budweiser commands! I guess your family helps explain why. Not that I get it, but to each his own I guess.
stumpy77 I hope one present was a ticket to this September's Reach the Beach Relay!
Holly S. DS should go into business! Those sound like very cool coasters!
henrun just like New England? Which New England would that be? Clearly not the one here in the US! I hate to break it to you, but all in all you should probably cancel that flight and book one for say May.
Looking up my HS class? Somehow I never have. Which might explain why I have not kept in close touch with anybody from that era of my life! I wonder if I should see if I can find . . . nah, sorry but I do not really care.
My Christmas dinner menu was inspired about my discussion of bourbon based dishes. Mine was a whiskey base: Pendleton. Each course had one whiskey dish. The appetizer was a butternut squash soup with whiskey. The main course: lamb shanks (coffee base), cauliflower roasted in a mustard based sauce and mashed sweet potatoes with whiskey. Dessert: Why pecan-raisin bread pudding with a whiskey sauce! See with some recipe hunting practically any menu theme is possible! Best of all, the entire dinner was a big hit!
Running, yes running, a sometimes strange topic here: 12 miles as I work to building my endurance back up for some marathon in early May.
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
Hello everybody!
Speaking of looking up old girlfriends...there was a girl I knew in Junior High...and she really liked me, for some reason. But she was kind of chubby, had braces, wasn't all that good looking, and she was in 7th grade...I was in 9th. The following, year I went off to the high school and never really thought about her again. Then...when I was a senior, she came to the high school as a sophomore...she had lost weight...filled out in all the right places (if you know what I mean)...had her braces removed...and she was a knock out...and, for some reason...she still liked me. Different school functions would come up...and I would always ask somebody else to go instead of her...I still really don't know why. And then, I graduated and went into the Air Force. While home on leave, right after Basic Training, I stopped by the school to see some old friends and say hi to the teachers. As I was walking out the door, this girl came running out to see me. We stood outside and talked and, while we were talking, it began to snow. I told her I should get going so she could get back inside. As I left, I turned back to look at her. There she was...standing there...with a brown jacket and furry brown collar...with flakes of snow falling gently on her hair and shoulders...it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my whole 18 years of life. Well, I went off, got married, had three kids (gave one of my girls her middle name) and I never got that picture of her out of my mind. I felt guilty for even thinking about her...but I sometimes wondered what would have happened if I had asked her out. Well, a few years later, my wife decided to dump me and our 3 kids for a new guy and a new way of life. So...after a few months of feeling sorry for myself...I decided to try to find that girl...and I did. We went out for dinner, talked about our lives up to that point...and...I couldn't wait to drop her back off at her house and I'm sure she couldn't wait to get there. I sure am glad I got that out of my system.
Anyway...I went 10 miles, tonight, in 1:18:20
Okay--gotta go! See ya!
Mike - I totally thought that story was going to have a different ending. BTW, do you really have a relative named "Larva?"