Thanks, Jay.

Mike- I'm sorry, but I know both your Dad and you are at peace since you had that time together at the end.

3 miles this morning.  No weather improvement here, but it stays darker later in the morning so it's harder to make myself get up.....

Greta Thurday, y'all.

 

 Waking up to 70°+ and humid every morning for the past several weeks has sapped what little ambition I have. 

+1  Not that I could run anyway, but even run/walking is carpy in this kind of weather. And the dew points are supposed to stay in the high 60's through next week. At least the temps are hovering in the mid 80's.

(((Mike))) I'm so sorry about your dad. No matter what kind of relationship you have with your parents, it's always hard to lose them. Try to remember that last beer with him in the hospital.

Hey Starr! Good to see your post!

Carolyn - my only words of advice are "take it easy".  It may seem like the healing process is going smoothly but err on the side of caution. I've been down that path...

Thanks for your recap Jay.

I'm trying to change things up a little. An hour (yes, an hour) of pool running and 20 minutes of laps this morning. Since I worked at the Y for several years, I know a lot of the staff. The lifeguard walked along side of me on the pool deck while I was running in the deep end. That helped. A little.

Big moving sale today and tomorrow. I'm off to sell everything that I put in our garage and hopefully rake in big bucks

Happy Thursday folks.

Waking up to 70°+ and humid every morning for the past several weeks has sapped what little ambition I have. 

Welcome to the South.  When I moved here years ago, I remember first hearing someone describe the air as "thick"--something I'd not heard of before. I quickly learned it was very apt. Some days, stepping outside just takes your breath away...and not in a good way. Once a Yankee, always a Yankee, I guess.

((Mike))--It sounds like your father's last few days were a good chance for some closure. Glad they went as well as they could.

Carolyn--you've mentioned your insurance before and I'm always amazed. Totally different world in VA. The ACA options are absolutely terrible. With TriBee's retirement, I lost coverage and am temporarily paying a fortune for COBRA coverage while we figure out what to do next year. It's the eternal dilemma: I'm healthy and make minimal use of health system but what if ....?  Definitely a downside of self-employment.

Tet--some impressive history there!

Jlynne--I think I'd need some music or something for an hour of pool running. That's tough.

20 miles on the bike this morning. I took the easy route and skipped the major hills. Just not feeling it.

 

That is normal weather for me from April through October and without other people to run with and perhaps the mileage game here, I would find it difficult to get out the door so often. Being signed up for a couple of significant races at the end of October may also be a factor

 

Dew point at 75F and 100% humidity at 5am today. 5.3 easy miles with DD to start the day.

Showoff. 

Mike; sorry about your dad. Like others said, you had some time toward the end.

SteveP, check this out: https://www.healthinsurance.org/michigan-state-health-insurance-exchange/

Many states (like Alaska) don't have their own state exchange but let the feds set up one for them. Looks like Michigan is sort of a hybrid arrangement. Alaska only has one provider, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, who is also our third party administrator for the university's self-insured plan. Best provider network in the state.

Holly, our deductible is $3,000 for a family. With these plans, if you have more than one person covered, the family deductible applies. Our individual is $1,500 but since we have three covered, it's the family $3,000. I actually met it last year in June. First time I've met my deductible in about 7 years and it's in the last month of the plan year. Figures.

I'm kind of in the Holly camp on the warm weather. Where I don't think I could tolerate (at least not at first) the humidity some of you deal with, I love our version of hot days which is upper 70's and 80's. Unfortunately, this summer has sucked big time as being the coldest, windiest summer I can remember. My tomatoes are doing terrible, I have NO squash at all (that's almost unheard of), the carrots are stunted and I have bean flowers but hardly any beans (they don't "set" in cold temps). So, the garden is sort of a bust, although the cool weather loving plants (broccoli, cauliflower, spinach) have done very well. So it goes. I feel like a Cubs fan... next year will be better!

Jlynne, that's impressive pool running. Good luck on raking in the big bucks this weekend.

Stumpy, that's why I hardly ever volunteer for anything. Bad on me, but when it comes time to show up or pull it off, I wish I hadn't done it.

Planning on a longer hilly trail run after work today. Gotta get serious about Equinox which is just a little over a month away!!

Mike E you have a heart of gold. Best wishes through this difficult time.

Holly S. and evanflein regarding summer, amen! I love it.

<<Stop reading now unless you like reading about medical problems.>>

As people here know I have not been running for the past couple of weeks, hoping that my legs and back would get better. In the meantime I had MRIs done on both. Yesterday I saw my orthopedist for the results. Here is the little bit of good news. My back pain is not due to age related degenerative scoliosis. I have had scoliosis my whole life and apparently it is not getting worse. That is the good news. It is all downhill from here. I have a severely herniated disk in my back. Way back in 2010 it was just mildly herniated so it has apparently grown worse over time. My orthopedist thinks I should try getting a cortisone injection to see if that helps. If not then it would be off for surgery to try and repair it. Why not surgery right off? Because of the second bit of bad news. I tore my hamstring clear off the bone. The only option (other than hobbling around in pain for the rest of my life) is to get it operated on and reattached. Of course, that may not work but there is no obvious plan B. The doctor said that the recovery time from that operation is about 6 months. After doing some reading, that is the low end of the scale, Apparently 6 months to a year is more like it. During the first several months I will be a prosthesis that my doctor describes as very uncomfortable. It will also pretty much put the kibosh on driving during the time I have to wear it. Once I heal up enough from the hamstring surgery I can try the cortisone injection. If that fails a few months later it will be back on to the operating table.

<<It is now safe to continue reading.>>

In other news, I toss an annual barbecue with a friend of mine and we invite pretty much everyone we know in the area. Plus a few from outside of it too, although they rarely come. It is this weekend so I have to get supplies and start smoking. My friend is a world class barbecue artist and will smoke brisket, pork shoulder and chicken. Plus he will bring along his own homemade baked beans. I will smoke beef ribs, pork ribs and salmon. I will also do several side dishes. Not entirely sure what. I have settled on mofongo and collard greens so far. I will probably add a salad and a celery root remoulade, the latter being a substitute for coleslaw. Shopping starts this evening and cooking starts tomorrow!