I agree with Jlynne.........the picture of you Mary sure makes you look young.   Did they card you for the drink?   Anyway, nice picture.

Today was a fun day.........Over the last couple of years I have had various occasions where I was either given a gift card for Christmas / birthday / etc, won it in a contest / doorprize, or was given it by my old work place for some incentive that they were awarding.  I keep forgetting to use them and have been afraid that they would expire and I would lose the value.   I had about a dozen cards in total from a variety of locations.

Sooooooo....this morning I decided to make this "Gift Card Shopping Day"

My first stop (Gift card 1) was at a breakfast place where an omelet complete with toast, juice and coffee started me off.  I love eating out for breakfast more than any other meal.

The second stop (Gift card 2) was at Target where I picked up a couple pair of jeans that I can only find there.  These will be used at work since most of the office staff wear jeans.

The third stop (Gift card 3) was at Barnes and Noble.   I was able to get a couple of books and a frappachino.

The next stop (Gift card 4) was at Macy's in the mall where I got summer polo shirts on sale (Alfani) for $3.99 each.  I got 4.

Then over to Sears (Gift card 5) for a couple more shirts  (Arrow and Covington) for $5.99 each.

By then I was hungary and went to Arby's (Gift card 6) for a roast beef combo to build my energy back up.  I normally would not have gone there, but that was a card I had so I used it in keeping with my theme for the day.

Now it was time to head for the Running Store (Gift card 7) where I had $50 to use towards a pair of running shoes.  Fun time for sure there

Right in that same neighborhood was a Christian Bookstore (Gift card 8) where I picked up materials for a class that I am teaching the management team at work and also a "Baby's first Bible" for GB #1 when he arrives in a couple weeks time.

Finally (Gift card 9) was at Food Lion where I bought $50 worth of groceries.  That will last me for 2 weeks.

I have to say the day was a BLAST.........Other than needing some more money for the running shoes, I came out of the day with $1.07 spent and still some money on a couple of the cards.  The accumulative affect of using them all on the same day seemed to increase the perceived value.

I then came home and ran a recovery couple miles in 92 degree weather.

Now it is off for a bowling date......complete with a new shirt..

God bless America.

wouldn't it be funny if Vista bought himself all those gift cards so that some day he could use them all at once and have it feel like a free shopping day?

good for you Vista! Sounds like you got some good schtuff today!

I have a Macy's $100 from Christmas last year that I still have.

I have a $25 gift card from a local scrapbook store that I got two Christmas's ago.

I have about $100 in gift cards from Amazon.

I did however recently use a $25 Lowe's GC that I've had for 4 yrs.

I don't like shopping.

nothing for me today - as far as running that is. Just busy doing house-stuff today. Trying to get it all done today so that tomorrow I can go for a run and then just enjoy a lazy/relaxing day.

Mary, since the men folk are too shy to say it, I will.....you're HAWT!

Tom, enjoy the bachelorhood

Vista - incredible!  My DH would be so envious, but he has no patience to save those gifts up.

Some nice long runs.

75F, and bit of drizzle, it did not feel hot at all compared to the 58F and high humidity of last week.

I am still at the 4 mile mark, building back up, feeling stronger everyday.  I went to the horse trails and after 6 weeks of basically no rain they were dry as bone and so fun! (no more muck).  I thought I was really pushing the pace but when I looked at my Garmin at the 2 mile mark it said I had only run for 6 minutes (boy am I fast!)  The thing had long ago conked out on me.

I had to pass a lot of horses out walking with their owners and I passed two women in my last mile.  Shortly after I hear the tromp tromp tromp of them picking up pace and I move off the trail afraid I'll get trampled.  They go by and say "you didn't have to do that, we were using you to teach the horses to maintain a certain pace...it is good for them".  Well, me as a horse pacer, that is kind of funny.

who cares what you’re supposed to do when you’re havin’ fun?\

Love this! And so true...!

Francesca and Fatozzig...I am in awe of both of you. Way to go on the ultras Francesca and Fatozzig, you are dang tough, even when you aren't feeling it, you're out there doing it.

Enke you horse pacer you. Too funny

What a cool day Vista

Ran about 13.6 miles today including the 48th annual 11.6 mile John and Jessie Kelley Ocean Beach Park Race in New London, CT. Great day for a race, much of the course near the ocean (LI Sound). Ran this at 7:27 pace last year and at 6:59 (1:21:02) pace today for 2nd in the 40-49 age group-----6/200 women and 90/539 overall. (won two tix to a Connecticut Tigers baseball game) and paddled about in the ocean with Iron J who also had a good race. The race entry is free and the after party on the boardwalk is great fun. They always have a band there "Run for Cover"  and the lead singer is a very fast runner herself, great singer, and head of the computer center at nearby Conn College.  I am slightly sun kissed but happy.

Great photo Mary

Go Pro!

Franc: You are an animal,  I'm not even sure you are human

Enke:  You know western states started as a horse race?  I think you are ready

I have slogged through many runs lately,  today's 6 miles felt easy seemed like the first fun run in a while.   2 weeks till the las vegas midnight marathon  hope it stays fun.

Dave

Franc - You say "local 50k" like it's nothin'.  Especially after your 50 miler a couple of weeks ago?  Dang, girl.   I am in awe.

Enke, the Horse Pacer:

(sorry the runner's a dude.  it's the only picture i could find.)

Enke, glad you could enjoy the horse trails sans muck. Always nicer that way.

I'm envious of Vista's gift card shopping spree! I'd love to do that... so would DS2. That kid is a shopaholic.

Franc, you are amazing. Most people would be deep in recovery mode but you go run a 50k. Good for you!

Welcome home, Holly! And I agree, sometimes the best part of a vacation is coming home. As long as the pets didn't trash the place when you were gone...

I ran the Santa Claus Half Marathon today, out in North Pole. (no, not THE North Pole... it's a little town 16 miles south of us, and really plays on that Santa theme... candy cane streetlights and the whole deal. really.) I wasn't sure what I'd do today, so decided to treat it like a training run and work on pacing at MP or something like that. Well... it turned out a little better than that. 1:42:17 for a good PR on THIS version of the course. A couple years ago this course was flooded so we ran the race all on roads and bike paths and I ran a 1:41:20... I'm really happy that this much more challenging course was only 57 seconds slower. This course includes some roads, but lots of trails with a lot of gravel... some with a lot of "river rock" size oblong and round rocks. I stumbled and staggered a couple of times, but made it through. The dirt trail parts of this course are really nice, especially since the mud puddles weren't very big. So... another 1st in AG, but 2nd in the series AG... I'll be happy next year when Jane is in the higher AG for series points. 

Then I went up to the ski hill for more blueberries... 4 1/2 hours later, I emerge with over 1 1/2 gallons of beautiful berries. Now to clean them... ugh.