Good bye 2010, hello 2011

Today is New Year's Eve. A time to reflect on all that has happened, whether we met our goals, and what can we do to improve next year. Sometimes I think it's an exercise in futility. Other times, I appreciate the time to reflect.

2010 has been an interesting year. It has been the worst year and the best year, all at once. I have been challenged to within an inch of my life on several occasions, and I have come through. I have grown and developed parts of me I didn't know I had. I know next year will have its own set of challenges. The ones I know about will be just as tough as the ones I've beaten this year. I hope that I will have the strength to succeed then too.

The worst challenge I faced this year was Bill's tour. The tour that took him from me on March 6 and has yet to return him. Ten long months so far, and plenty more to go. Thankfully we have Skype and email and great modern technology. I still feel connected to him. We can talk about things real-time and the distance doesn't seem that far. It's still not the same. I forget how it feels to sleep next to him, how strong his arms are when he hugs me, and how it feels to have his hand lightly on my leg when we sit on the couch.

He is still my biggest fan and supporter. I know he believes in me even when I don't believe in myself. He encourages me to challenge and better myself and is proud of the results. I know we will make it through this challenge, and the challenges of reunion.

I challenged myself to get in shape this year. I really committed to it on March 31, the day I started the Couch to 5k program. It is a great program designed to get you out the door and on your way. It takes you nice and slowly though nine weeks. I followed the program, even though it was difficult for me, and ran my first 5k on May 22. I hadn't even finished the program yet, but I finished the 5k and in what I considered a respectable time!

I really enjoyed the running, which surprised me (and probably most people who know me) and progressed through the Bridge to 10k program and ran my first 10k the week before my birthday. From there I started thinking ahead and started training for my first half marathon. That is scheduled for next Saturday. I ran 13.14 miles in training! That's unbelievable to me. I ran that far only 8-1/2 months after 15 years of a sedentary lifestyle. I don't think I will do a full marathon, at least not in the foreseeable future. It is just farther than I want to run. I will continue to run until the Seaside Half Marathon in March. Then I may take a break from running and put a few miles on my bike.

I have been running the shop the best I know how. People still come in and seem to be interested in it. Both potential buyers fell through, so I have to move to plan B. That's OK. Even though a big part of me feels like a failure for that, I know I have been successful overall.

When I started this blog I made a list of goals. Let's see how I've fared this year.


Get in shape and be fit Success! I can run 13+ miles.
Lose weight and fat Success! I have lost 16 pounds so far (before the trip to NJ, that is) and probably around 4". I have very few clothes that fit and I like how my body looks. I still jiggle, but now I jiggle in the right places.
Learn to swim Carrying this over to next year.
Improve my 5k time to 28:00 Carrying this over to next year, too. My PR now is 29:16.
Continue to learn new things Success! I learn new things often and I want to continue that.
Read more books I only read two books this year that I can remember. I started a few others, but have yet to finish them. I think once my knitting and crocheting demands wane (no more shop models or class models) I will be able to read more.
Eat healthier Success! I still have lapses, but my "one 'dessert' a day policy has worked for me. I feel fit and I've lost weight, and I've done that without depriving myself. I still have chocolate and wine and cookies, just not as much.
Declutter the house Carrying this over. I've made some progress, but so far I've been keeping new clutter from forming, not really getting rid of what's there. Once the shop closes I'll be able to devote time and effort to this.

Do I have anything to add to this list for next year? Not really. I'd like to maintain a level of fitness. I don't have to be in training all the time. I can take it easy for a while and run or bike at a lower intensity. I do want and need to clean our home. With a move looming, it would be best to declutter now. Also, I want to have a clean house. I don't want to be embarrassed when people come over. I want to read more. I love to read and get lost in stories. I would like to get over my fear of water. I see myself as a perfect person and when I realize I have imperfections, I want to overcome them.

The biggest goal I have for next year is to get through the rest of this deployment without going crazy and work really hard at reconnecting after he comes home. The changes we've both undergone are huge and we need to work hard to get to know each other again. We had issues after his first deployment and I don't want to go through that again. I hope the Navy will give us a less demanding tour next so that we can reconnect.

-----------------break, break-------------------

I think the TV has officially kicked the bucket. I came back yesterday to the light blinking. Lately when that happens I can just unplug it and plug it in again. Sometimes it takes two or three tries. I've tried it more than a dozen times and it is not working. So much for watching the New Year's Eve events. Or a TV show or a movie. Oh well. Maybe it's for the best. I'll call the TV repair place on Monday and find out if they think it's fixable. Maybe I'll let them work on it while I'm gone. Maybe I should get a digital converter box and put the TV from the spare room in here.

I made myself a little snack dinner. Growing up we would have pigs in a blanket, shrimp cocktail, chips and dip, and other hors d'oeuvres for dinner. So I did the same thing, only different. It was OK, but not really all that exciting.

Some neighbors are shooting off fireworks. Tawny was freaking out. She went in the bedroom and crumpled one of the rugs into a pile. I was not pleased. I fixed the rug and then called her in and put her Thundershirt on. She came running in and seemed excited to wear it. It seems to be working, as she's been laying down without issue with the noises since I put it on. She got a little anxious a second ago as the back door neighbors lit off the fireworks that whistle. But otherwise, so far so good. We'll see how she does.

It is funny to see Abby laying on the dog pillows and the dogs feeling like they can't. I appreciate that they get along so well with the cats. But it is funny that the little pipsqueak commands so much respect from the dogs that they'll lay on the floor and let her have the bed.

I think it is time to refill my glass and toast the incoming year. I'll see if I can complete the gusset on my sock and call it a day. Cheers!

Final run of the year

I finally got to run this morning and it felt GREAT! The weather was about 40 degrees warmer than it was on my last run. There was some wind, but it wasn't too bad. I ran in shorts. I had a long sleeve tee on because the winds felt a little strong at first, but about halfway through I was wishing I had toughed it out and worn a short sleeve tee.

I ran 3.23 miles in 33:10 for an average pace of 10:17. That's great! I wanted to run at a faster pace than my long training runs. I didn't think it was that fast, though, so I'm happy. Splits were 10:11, 10:23, 10:20, and 2:17. The 0.23 miles in 2:17 is a 9:59 pace, so I picked it up at the end. That makes me happy and is a good way to end the year. I ended with a 5k+ and my goal was to get off the couch and run one.

For Christmas my parents got me a footpod for the Garmin. Now I can run on a treadmill and get my workouts in the Garmin (and thus the desktop software training tracker) and I can monitor my cadence. That's the part I'm excited about. I can't seem to get my cadence faster than 85. Coach Mark and Coach John want it at 90. I have heard that cycling will help with that, so I will give that a try later on. In the meanwhile, it would be nice having something count that for me. I will calibrate it maybe try it out tomorrow.

Here's to a happy and healthy 2011!

Good times and good food

Yesterday was the day to eat. Not like the other days haven't been, but Wednesday was my day to chow down. I didn't get to Holsten's or Friendly's for ice cream, but I did get two of my favorites: diner food and pizza!

Regina and I went to the Nevada Diner for breakfast. The Tick Tock Diner would probably have been better, but it was a lot farther to drive. This was the first day we ventured on the road since the storm. The roads were somewhat clear, but Regina drives a Chevy Cavalier (a convertible to boot), which isn't exactly an ideal snowy weather car. So I thought it would be best to stay close to home.

I had a spinach, onion, and feta omelet with home fries, rye toast, and a bottomless cup of coffee. Regina had pancakes.

That night the whole (local) family came over for pizza. I got Angelo to talk and once he got going, he didn't stop! It was actually pretty neat. We talked about a lot of things. He likes science and math, he's thinking about going to a "good college" like Rutgers or Princeton, and he thinks playing baseball or soccer professionally would be fun, but it isn't his first choice. We told a lot of jokes around the table. It was really nice to see him engaging with us rather than retreating. I hope this continues.

Mom's dishing it out:

They're eating it:

You just have to admire that slice of perfection:

YUM!!


Following dinner, one of my friends from high school, Craig Ploth, dropped by to say hi. He saw I was there via facebook and I invited him to join us at the diner. He had to work early that morning, but he said he'd drop by after work if that would be OK. I think Trixy and Cathy and my parents enjoyed seeing him, as did I.

All in all, I really enjoyed my time there. Part of me is still sad that I didn't get to spend the time with Monica and Dave, but the other part thought that the time with my parents was well worth it! There was a little sibling bickering, but nothing like I had anticipated. The only thing that would have been better is if Bill had been able to be a part of it.

Here is Elinor with her new blanket:

And all my sisters, my nephew, and all my nieces:

Thursday morning freak-out

I've been fortunate to have a booked seat on a flight out of Newark today. When I checked in online yesterday morning I was asked whether I wanted to be added to the volunteer list to give up my seat and what compensation would I accept ("hint: Delta chooses the lowest bids first"). I added myself to the list and indicated I wanted $400 (Delta's max). When I went to sleep last night after a wonderful evening, I set my alarm for 5:15 with a backup at 5:30.

Mom comes into the room to wake me up, announcing that it is 5 minutes before 6:00! Gah! Somehow my iPhone did not get fully changed to Eastern time! Talk about rushing around. I was so glad I had done 99% of the packing the night before. I was hoping for a leisurely breakfast, but that wasn't going to happen. Regina was sweet enough to give me the last piece of last night's pizza which I ate while charging my iPhone at the airport. I was lucky to find an outlet. I didn't want to charge it overnight, because I needed the alarm. Ha!

Miraculously we made it out the door and to the airport with time to spare. Security lines were long, but moving. It probably took 15 minutes from start to finish. I was not groped or molested, nor did I have to go in the super scanner booth. It was just like it used to be, in through the metal detectors and out.

I was concerned about my chances of leaving today, given that the 7:00 flight to Atlanta had been delayed a bunch of times; the last I heard was that it was delayed to 4:00. But the 8:20 was still on time, even though the gate changed twice. We did end up leaving Newark about an hour late, but I made it to Atlanta with time to spare to get to my connection.

That flight left on time-ish and I got to Pensacola about ten minutes later than originally scheduled. Liz was waiting for me and took me back to her house so I could get my car. Awesome! From there I grabbed lunch, picked up my marathon running shirt, and went home. I wanted a nap, but there were too many other things that needed to be done. I am planning on going to bed early though.

It was raining so I didn't go for a run. I can tell you that I NEED to run. My body is not happy with me not running lately and my mind is questioning my readiness for next week. I also feel like I've gained a few pounds! I feel a little bloated. I'm not surprised. I've been eating like crazy and I've drank a bajillion alcohol calories. I have probably had more drinks this week than I have all the month prior. Oof.

I picked up the kitties and the pup-pups tonight. No one seemed worse for wear. I did get an earful from Abby (as best as she can anyway) on the ride home and Marco was yelling as he walked around the house a little while ago. They are now settled on the back of the loveseat, like nothing ever happened. The dogs are curled up on their beds snoring away.

I had a great trip, but it is nice to be home.

Starting to clear out

The winds died down and the temperatures rose today. We are digging out from the storm and getting back to normal. Mom and Dad went to work today and Regina and I just hung out. I didn't accomplish much, although I did make some progress on the second sock. It was nice just to sit and do little.

Regina and I are going to have breakfast at a diner tomorrow. I'm really excited about that. I have missed diner food. There's something about the atmosphere that you just can't get anywhere else. I don't know how well Regina's car will do on the roads, but they should be clear for the most part, and we're only going a mile and a half or so.

Then I am going with Mom and Dad to Radio Shack to pick up a webcam and a mic for their computer. They enjoyed the skype call with Bill, but they really saw the usefulness when we talked with Monica, Dave, and Elinor. When Elinor smiled, they saw her smile and I think that is what made Mom decide that this could be really useful. I'm happy to assist.

Then tomorrow's dinner is PIZZA!! I'm so excited to have real NJ pizza! Yum!

I really wanted to run today. My legs wanted to move and I want to burn off some of the bagels and cookies and alcohol I've been having lately. But I didn't because I was afraid I'd slip on an ice patch and break my leg. The running is just going to have to wait until I get back to Pensacola. IF I arrive on time, and that is a big if, I will have the afternoon to get in a few miles before going to pick up my furry buddies. I have a feeling that I will be very lucky if I get back on time.

I talked with Cousin Lois and Kristin today and made arrangements to see them next weekend while I'm in Orlando. I also got to talk to Aunt Jo, which was really great. I haven't talked with her in ages. Lois would love to have brunch with me on Sunday, and she said that I probably knew better as to where to go than she did, which I tend to doubt. The only place I can think of is the one that Gram and Grandpa took Bill and I to that had really good bisque. I'll have to see if Bill remembers it and then see where it is. Otherwise, I am sure there are several places not too far from where she lives. I'm really looking forward to seeing her and Kris. And of course Dan and Kenny at other points during the weekend. It should be a lot of fun.

I took some more photos of the snow today to show Bill. I tried to show him via the webcam, but that wasn't working.

This is the view from my parents' front door.

This is Regina shoveling. It's a rare sight, captured for posterity.

This is the view up the hill.

And this is a great shot of how high the snow came. OK, I guess it's not that impressive when you think about it. Regina isn't even five feet tall. Ha ha!

Just kidding! Well, she is short.

Shoveling

We got out there this morning when the snow stopped to shovel. It was almost not worth it, as the strong winds just kept blowing the snow around. My parents' neighbors were really great. One told me just to take off the top six or so inches and he'd bring the snowblower over to clear it. We got more than 20" of snow and it was too much for his snowblower to handle. While I was doing that, another neighbor came over and helped me. I had intended to get it all done so Dad didn't have to come out, but he did anyway.

Sure enough, the wind had pretty much covered it all up by this evening, so we had to dig out again. I hope the wind will die down overnight and there won't be any digging required tomorrow.

The storm was interesting. It had thunder and lightning in it and the barometric pressure was the same as a category three hurricane. This part of NJ bore the brunt of the storm, with Elizabeth (about 10 miles from here) getting over 31" of snow! I looked out the window by the stairs this morning and you could just see the top of the neighbor's grill. It is one of those huge grills. I knew that shoveling was going to be a chore. I'm grateful for the guy with the snowblower. That really helped a lot!

We spent the rest of the day inside, not doing much of anything. I continued to knit on my sock and was able to finish the first one today. Mom and Dad are working tomorrow, and it will probably be to dangerous to go anywhere in Regina's car, so I'll have some good knitting time. It doesn't look like I'm going to get any more running in while I'm here. I'm glad I went on Christmas Day instead of Sunday, my usual long run day. I wouldn't have gotten any running in. Santa brought me a footpod for my Garmin. I'd love to try it out!

Blizzard!

It's a fierce one! Wow. I don't remember being in such horrible conditions, at least not recently!

I woke up and decided not to go to Monica's. I am really bummed about it, but I thought it was the best decision. Regina followed me to the airport and I returned the rental. It was a frustrating experience and I do not think I will ever willingly rent from Hertz again. The thirty miles or so I drove were among the most expensive miles ever.

On the way back we stopped at Cathy's so I could get her knitting projects back on track so she'd have the option to work on them during the storm and then we went to Hot Bagels Abroad and picked up a dozen bagels. Yum! I love NJ bagels (and pizza, but that's a post for later in the week, I hope). That was a nice breakfast. And there's more for tomorrow!

The flurries started about 11:00 or so. I went with Mom and Dad and Regina to church for the Feast of the Family. It was a beautiful mass and the priest did not waste any time. He flew through the mass, but I didn't feel rushed. There just weren't any wasted moments. The snow was starting to come down. We got in the  house and hunkered down. The snowfall rate increased and so did the wind.

Panchi had to go out after dinner, so Dad and I went out and shoveled a path to the sidewalk. I stepped into the snow and it was at least six to eight inches deep. By the time we got down to the sidewalk and did the neighbor's front walk, our front walk was covered by blowing snow, so we had to shovel ourselves back to the house! The temperature was 22 degrees but the windchill made it feel like 8. Winds are steady at 25 mph and gusting to 45 to 55 mph. I believe it!

I've taken some "time lapse photography" and will post it here tomorrow. I'll take another picture in the morning. The snow is supposed to taper off after around 3:00 or 4:00 and be over by 9:00 or 10:00. Doesn't matter to me. Mom took tomorrow off (I assume Dad did too) and we have no where to go and no place to be, so I think we'll spend the day inside as much as possible.

I started a sock a few days before coming here and I made quite a bit of progress today. I may be able to finish the first and start the second tomorrow. I'd like to have this pair to wear after the half marathon. I think I'll rename them "Blizzard Socks"!

I am simply astounded by the weather. I'm loving the snow, especially since it isn't affecting me. I'm spending time with family, which is what this trip was all about. I don't leave until later in the week, when the roads should be clear and the airport reopened. If I have to stay an extra day or two it won't kill me, I'll just have to make arrangements with the kennels. I have no deadlines or responsibilities. There's food and wine in the house, so what else do I need?! (Well, besides my husband, that is.)

Merry Christmas!

I know it's been a while since I posted. I took a trip to my parents' house for the holiday. Getting here was relatively uneventful, though there were some moments. After getting the rental car I went directly to my sister's house for dinner. It was a ton of fun. The food was good, and it was nice to see the kids (and the adults). The kids have grown so much!

Following that, I went to my childhood friend Alyson's parents' house. They have a dinner every year and I think I have gone every year I've been here, but I generally go later for dessert. This time the dinner hour kept getting pushed back, so I came as they were sitting down. I was invited to join them. I couldn't eat much, but I did enjoy a slice of homemade fresh mozzarella. We chatted and got caught up on life. One of my other high school buddies was there, and it was fantastic to see him. I wish we could have spent more time together.

This morning I got up for a run and enjoyed it. I haven't spent much time in this town since I left, so it was an opportunity to see it with fresh eyes. It was cold, around 24 degrees, but there wasn't any wind, so it made the run more pleasant. There were hills, and since I generally don't have hills, it made it a little more challenging.

We were able to Skype with Bill before dinner (which I think involved him staying up unusually late, but it was so worth it! He was able to see and talk to everyone, including Elinor! I could see his heart melt when he saw her. Speaking of Elinor, it was awesome to meet her! She is such a sweet little thing.

My plans, when I came here, were to spend Christmas here, go to Monica's and visit with them for two days, then come back for a few days, and fly back. Well there's a blizzard expected starting tomorrow. I don't think it is going to be a good idea to go. Even if I left first thing and made the two hour drive in the start of the storm, the forecast is for 16" of snow. That is going to put a wrench in the works as to when I can return. I'm also assuming several flights will be canceled and I may have some trouble trying to return when I am scheduled to return. So I am thinking that right now, it may not be wise to go.

That's a bummer, but it presents me with a new dilemma. I got a rental car. The rate was not cheap. I believe I'm paying almost $100/day. And I searched and searched for reasonable rates. If I don't go to Monica's I'm paying a heck of a lot of money for that car to sit in the driveway. If I'm making the decision to get snowed in here, I want to take the car back in the morning. Mom doesn't seem to be on board with that idea. She's more concerned with getting to church and back. I understand she has her priorities, and I'm OK with that. I would like to return the car and save a few hundred dollars and see if someone can drive me on the day I fly out. That is a ton of money to pay for a ride to and from the airport. It's costing me more than the airfare!

I guess we'll see. Anyway, it should be kind of neat to be in a blizzard, knowing I have nowhere I need to go. As long as the heat and internet work and we have food and wine, all will be well with the world. I'll be bummed I won't get to spend some time with Monica and family and they will have to take a raincheck on their Christmas present, but I am more concerned with safety.

I guess we'll see what happens in the morning.

Christmas Seven

Today was supposed to be a 9 mile run, but it turned into 7. It isn't that I wasn't feeling up to it, or that it was too cold, or anything like that. I just decided to go home and get ready for the day. I think it was a good move.

I ran Ridgewood from Yantecaw to Lincoln and back and then into Brookdale Park. Mom and Dad mentioned doing the track in the park. I didn't want to do a track, as I had envisioned a quarter-mile track, but there are several paved trails throughout the park, so I did a lap around and came back home. All together it was 7 miles in 1:18:53, for an average pace of 11:16. I felt good about the run, but I discovered something. HILLS. Ugh. Each lap had a net ascent (I'm not exactly sure how that happened) for a total net ascent of 888 ft. Interesting!

Splits for the run: 9:52, 10:55, 10:53, 11:39, 11:44, 11:49, 12:09. Not great, not bad.

Fast mile

Today was supposed to be a three mile day. The weather out is cold (not unbearable) but I decided to treadmill. I didn't want to do three miles, so I thought I'd do some speed work. A fast mile. I thought I'd bump up the speed each lap and see how fast I could go. I think I could have been faster if I had started a little faster. Here are my mph settings: 6.0, 6.2, 6.6, 7.0. That gave me a 9:20 mile. Next time I'll try going a little faster and see what happens.

What a day

I was busy today! I had intended to write the newsletter and balance the books today, but didn't get to do any of that. I barely had time for lunch! I did get to eat around 1:30 today, which is better than yesterday (3:00). I'm glad, because I like to be busy, and while there weren't a ton of sales, it was nice to have people in the shop.

I checked my Daily Mile site (a "facebook" for athletes) and I had a note from one of my friends, Chris. He said that the highlight of his year was following my training and watching me excel through sheer determination. Wow! Is his life really that boring?! No, seriously, that means a lot to me. He came out to the Turkey Trot before Thanksgiving not to run, but to be my cheering section and take pictures "so Bill could feel like he was there". He and his wife have stopped by the shop to chat (and buy yarn) and it has been nice getting to know them. They seem like really nice, down-to-earth people. He has been nothing but encouraging on my runs, even when I don't feel good about them.

On the down side of the day, it seems like Skype has been down all day. In fact, my computer has been trying to connect to Skype for an hour or so now. I thought it was the work computer (I uninstalled and reinstalled the software) but it looks like it is a Skype problem. I hope that fixes itself soon, because I want to talk to Bill! Skype says I have a problem connecting to the internet, but I don't think that's accurate. I mean, duh, I have to be connected to the internet to make this post! Weird. What to do?!

Life's good! Too much to do tomorrow, but I will survive somehow. Liz is going to let me park at her house so I don't have to pay airport parking fees. When I called her today she said she would have been mad if I didn't call her to park there! She is so sweet; she's like a substitute mom. I'll bring her a bottle of wine. I think she enjoyed the Green Apple Gewurztraminer we made, so I may bring her another of that to thank her for saving me the parking fees. Every little bit helps, especially when you consider the cost of kenneling four animals.

Time to get the laundry!

Beautiful day for a run

I'm trying to get a few runs in here this week before heading to the frozen tundra. I think it would be interesting to run in the snow, but I prefer that to remain a dream rather than a reality! The weather was overcast with a significant wind, but the temperature was in the mid 60s, so I went out in shorts and a tee and was comfortable.

Tawny was well behaved again this morning. I did the same thing as yesterday: leave, come back after a few minutes, praise her for being good, let her out, and left for real. Maybe that's the key?

Anyway, I ran around the Zachary neighborhood twice, logging 4.00 miles in 43:37, for an average pace of 10:54. I was happy to see numbers with a "10" in front and I had negative splits today! That means I got faster as I went. That makes me feel good. 10:54, 10:58, 10:53, 10:52. OK, so that's not really faster, it's pretty darn consistent. I'm still pleased!

Tawny let me run today

Aaahhhh! What a relief! I left the house, walked past a few houses and then came back. I was gone two minutes. I praised Tawny for being a good girl and let her out again. Then I left for real. I ran the whole time with fingers and toes crossed. That was somewhat uncomfortable, but worth it!

I did 4.08 miles in a little under 46 minutes for an average pace of 11:15. Splits were 11:08, 11:17, 11:23, 11:17, 51s. I was really happy that my foot didn't bother me. It is still a bit sore, but Leah really worked some magic on it yesterday. I was really, really happy that I could run today. I'll roll it tonight and see how it does tomorrow. I may run tomorrow and Thursday to try and get some miles in before I go so I can run less up there and spend more time with family.

Anyway, when I got back Tawny was a good girl and didn't touch anything! What a relief!! There's hope yet!

Monday = errand day

Pest control came by first thing. Woo hoo. No bugs or pests, which is very good. I gave Tawny one of the pills today to see how she would react to the med. I honestly could not tell a difference. She was laid back and slept all day. I took her with me on my errands and she was fine.

I went to Hobby Lobby because I heard they had flavoring oils so I could make more candy. I picked up a few flavors and also a pack of sugar-free candy mix. Then I went to PetSmart and then to Academy Sports. I got a technical t-shirt, which I then took to the printers on Creighton so they can print my half marathon "logo". I thought about going to Publix after that, but I realized that I'm not going to need much this week. I have enough food in the cupboards to get through the week, so I just came home.

After lunch Leah came over and I had a massage. The timing was perfect, as my back had been hurting me. Also, the bottom of my left foot. The right bothered me a little, but not nearly as much as the left. Walking today was painful. It felt like I had a charlie horse in the arch of my foot. Ouch! But Leah worked on it and now it feels much better. I wonder if this is a sign that I might need new shoes soon. I hope it is not indicative of the start of a serious problem. I will see how I do tomorrow morning as I start tapering my runs.

Tonight I made two batches of candy to take with me this week. The humidity was in the 40s, but I think the candy came out OK. I added green food coloring to one (the other would be red), but I didn't realize the flavor, which was already colored, would color the candy. So now it is a green-purple. Oh well. It shouldn't affect the taste.

Now it is time to sit back, relax, and work on a sock.

Fool me a hundred times, shame on ... who?

Tawny.

What a turkey.

Since last Sunday, she has behaved beautifully when left alone. I did go to the vet and got a prescription for doggie Prozac, but I hadn't given her any. I had wanted to see how she does on it while I am watching, in case it freaks her out. I ran errands all day Monday and she was fine. Friday night I went to dinner with Amy and her mom, and Tawny was fine. Last night Amy and I went to see the Nutcracker. Tawny was fine. Today I ran. Tawny was a holy terror.

That was a dog bed once. That used to be in the living room, not in the spare bath. Tawny ended up locking herself in there. The toilet rug was in the hallway in front of the master bedroom door. The door that now looks like this:

And this:

The sunroom was opened and there was pee on the tatami mat. No evidence of snacking in the litterbox, which is good, but small consolation. The other dog bed is wadded up in the living room. And of course the hall rug (the poor hall rug) was crumpled up.

I say the poor hall rug because that thing takes so much abuse. Marco does strafing runs on it to bunch it up against the front door every day. As soon as I put it in position, he goes at it. Tawny scratches the heck out of it when I leave. It's a wonder that thing is intact at all. I have given up on moving it into position. As long as I can still open the front door, all is well with wherever it ends up. I've learned to pick my battles and that isn't one of them.

Needless to say, this took the wind out of my sails when I got home. I was so happy with the run, but felt so deflated upon seeing the damage. I have to run some errands tomorrow. The debate is: do I take them with me or do I drug her and leave her here. I think I should get the oil changed in the Honda so it is ready for the Orlando trip and tomorrow is the only time I have available to do it. I can't take her with for that, so I guess I have my answer. I'll drug her with enough time for me to watch and make sure she doesn't have any reactions to the medication, then I'll leave and do what I have to.

On a more positive note, this afternoon I met with a couple who are interested in buying the shop. We went over the financials and what was and wasn't included in the sale. They didn't have too many questions, but I tried to answer the ones they had to the best of my ability. I know they will have more questions after they sit down and talk about it. I said to feel free to call or email and I'd give them the best answer I could. I mentioned that my timeline was that I was closing at the end of February. I hope that lights a fire under them to make a decision soon. I have stopped ordering most items. I want to get some more needles and there's a special order that came in yesterday, but until I hear that they want to buy, I am not going to get anything else in. I don't want to take the chance and maintain full inventory and then get stuck with it if they decided that they're not ready to be entrepreneurs. It is a tough decision, not to be taken lightly. I have confidence that they'd do well, but they need to have that confidence.

I can do it!

Yup, I CAN run the Disney half marathon and I CAN do it in less than my "secret" goal of 2:30. That's a confident statement. Want to know how I can be so confident? Because I did it!

Today was the longest run of my training -- twelve miles. It is my key week. Next week I start to taper. As I was running, I was wondering whether I could do the full 13.1. This was my only chance to find out before the actual day. Since the run was going really well, I said why not?

I completed 13.14 miles in 2:28:33! That's an average pace of 11:19. Awesome! Splits were: 10:18, 10:48, 11:05, 11:19, 11:15, 11:13, 11:33, 11:44, 11:34, 11:32, 11:33, 11:40, 11:29, 1:30. That's a fairly consistent pace. I am really pleased with that! I will need to remember not to get too excited at the race and start out fast. I will need to force myself to start at a slower pace so I don't crash before the end.

I am so thrilled with my progress over the past eight months. I can't wait to go back and tell my doctor how great I'm doing! He was the one who finally pushed me out the door. I had been thinking about running, but I didn't have the right motivation.

Woo hoo!

Crummy weather, great run

I did my 5 this morning. It felt good! The weather was crummy, though. The temp was 46 degrees, with 93% humidity, north winds at 18mph, and it looked like it would rain any minute. Luckily I made it through without getting rained on.

My legs felt good this morning, too, which was nice. I think it is because I rolled them last night a little bit with a Trigger Point Therapy massage ball. I didn't do it for long; maybe two minutes each thigh, but it was just enough to loosen some knots. I'll have to do it again tonight to get ready for tomorrow's long run.

Splits today were 10:27, 10:37, 10:46, 10:44, 10:57. Total was 5 miles in 53:32, for an average pace of 10:42. I feel good about it. It was a good pace. Not too slow and not too fast. This is what I want my training pace to be. Let's see if I can keep it up tomorrow.

Tawny was well-behaved! I was thrilled to come home and not have to clean anything up!

It's Friday and I'm feeling good

I've had a good day. Overall, often, I feel good. I have a really positive outlook. Things go my way sometimes. You're waiting for the "but", aren't you? Well, there is no "but". I had a good feeling all day. Even though I forgot my knitting bag today (which had my lunch in it), I still felt positive. I want to remember that and feel it more often. Some days I feel so overwhelmed, that I want to remember the feeling of calm peace and hope I can achieve that again.

The day at the shop was not a great day in terms of sales, but people came in and it was a good day. It rained almost all day and that was a bummer, but it was never a heavy rain. More like a constant light mist. I went to dinner with CookieAmy and her mom tonight. We went to Jordan Valley Cafe. We did that a month or so ago and said that we'd do it again. Amy and I both bought half off certificates there ($25 for $50) and so we go and use them. Dinner was good and I enjoy their company.

Tawny was well-behaved, for the most part. I came home to find the sunroom doors open, but no apparent damage to anything, not even the litterbox. I find it odd that they open the doors to the sunroom, but as long as they don't do any damage, I can't complain.

I bought my airline tickets for our R&R trip. I'm so excited about seeing Bill. I don't know how I'm going to make it through until then. I know, I just have to focus on what's in front of me. Christmas, New Years, Disney Half Marathon, Double Bridge Run, Seaside Half Marathon, shop sale/closing, etc. I have enough to focus on, that time will just fly by. And that is just fine with me.

Tomorrow is a five-miler and then Sunday a 12-mile run. This is my "key week", the one with the most miles. Then I start my taper. The race is three weeks from tomorrow. Yikes! I'm nervous, but I'm confident in my training and I know I can do it. How fast I do it is still to be determined, but I know I can do it!

Weather change

Today's run was almost 30 degrees warmer than yesterday. Can you believe that?! It was 66 when I left the house, compared to 39 yesterday morning. There was quite a bit of wind today, probably 15 to 20 mph, but out of the south. I wore shorts and a t-shirt. Nice!

I did three miles this morning in 31:56, for an average pace of 10:38. Splits were 10:35, 10:42, and 10:37. My legs were not fully cooperating this morning, but were better than yesterday. I will roll them out later tonight and see if that helps. I need to get them working again or Sunday's run is going to be brutal.

I hope the weather for the half marathon will be 55 degrees with a slight breeze and partly cloudy skies. That would be perfect.

We have successful graduates!

Four students successfully completed the My First Sweater class! I was so thrilled to see all the completed sweaters today! It just made my day to see them so proud of their work and so happy to have a sweater. All four sweaters turned out beautifully. There are still a few students who haven't completed; some of whom are not very far into the sweater at all. But that's OK. I'll help them as long as I can.

Now my students want to do another class. I don't know what to offer. I want to offer something short, as my time is short and I don't want to leave anyone hanging if I have to close midway through the class. I've asked for suggestions, so we'll see what turns up. Maybe I'll do a short three or four week class on fingerless mitts or a hat or a sock.

Today was a fabulous sales day for the shop. It was a nice shot in the arm. This weekend I am meeting with a potential buyer. I think she would be a good fit, but it all comes down to her and her family's situation. I feel good about it, but we shall see.

I cast on Monica's socks tonight. It felt good to start a new project. I'll probably cast on my socks tomorrow night. I've had my eye on these socks for over a year, so it will be great to start them. I would love to have them complete so that I can wear them after the half marathon. I can't think of a better way to treat my feet than these socks. They are done with the purl side out so that the inside is exceptionally comfy.

I also have plans to start a sweater, one that I've been eyeing for a while. I had thought to do another thick one, but it will be nice to work on a summery sweater. I selected a colorway that is out of my typical range, and I think that will be nice. It has a pink hue to it, and I hate pink, but the overall coloring is really pretty. I'm doing that in shop yarn and the socks are in "foreign yarn", so I could work on the sweater at the shop if I have any time. It seems like when I work on something at the shop, I sell more of that yarn. I don't know if it is the sheep mentality (if Molly's doing that sweater I have to do that sweater) or if it is because the customers can see how the yarn works up and how it feels. I don't care which it is, as long as it sells yarn!

Sluggish

I ran today, but my thighs were not cooperating. I felt like I was shuffling, speed-walking, or running in slo-mo. The temperature was around 39 or 40, so it was cold, but tolerable. The winds were light and that helped a lot. I was surprised that my legs didn't want to cooperate because I took an extra day off after the long run. I thought that would be good. I didn't go home and nap after the long run Sunday, I came home, showered, and headed back out again to run errands, so I was moving afterwards. I wasn't stationary, letting my muscles tighten.

Anyway, the run today was agonizingly slow. I thought for sure I would have been faster. Splits for the run were 11:07, 11:12, 11:28, 11:32, 11:24. It was a five mile run in 56:42 for an average pace of 11:20. I am glad I did it and I'm glad I slogged through the full five miles. I hope that it will be easier tomorrow.

Busy day

Yesterday was quite a busy day! I took the truck to the dealer and decided to leave it with them all day. The truck wouldn't shift out of first gear. It was a painful drive, since I had to keep it at around 15mph. The drivers behind me were not pleased. The dealer got me a taxi ride home and I was able to proceed with my day.

I went to the vet to talk to them about putting Tawny on  the Xanax type medication. Dr. Stillwell gave me a few pills to try and see if it helps. Tawny was well behaved all day and I left her home three times, first to take the truck, then for lunch and dinner. I am not sure when to try the drugs and how to tell whether she would have been good anyway.

I took Angela to lunch at the new wine bar downtown. It was good, but very limited. I had a brie sandwich with cucumber and arugula and an apricot-pineapple chutney. I also had a flight of international reds, which were good. Then I dropped Angela off at her house and went to see the place where Marco and Abby will be boarding next week and to ask them about bringing their own litter. It looks like a good place, so I'm happy. Then I dropped by the Humane Society to drop off a bag of Kitten Chow and heard about the shakeup on the Board. I would step in there just to get things off the ground, but I can't now (maybe in a few months) and then I would only be able to help for a short while. I don't know how helpful that would be.

Then I went home and did a few things around the house. The dealer sent a cab for me so I could get my truck at the end of the day. Turns out a hose in the transmission sprung a leak. That would have been covered under the 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty which expired in May and not covered under the 5/100 powertrain warranty. But they were nice enough to write it off as a warranty item because I was still within the mileage. But they recommended flushing the transmission fluid because the leak had caused air and other things to get in. So they did that and they saw the brake fluid also was not optimal, so we replaced that. I hate to do all these extra things, but I don't want to mess around with the vehicle and hope that the issues won't create major damage down the line. Scott was there and told me that the extra work was needed. I trust his judgment.

Dinner was great! Jen and I went to New Yorker Deli. We got pizza and her birthday tradition is cheesecake, so she figured they should have some good ones there, which they did. All in all an enjoyable evening. Then I came home and painted my nails. A very good day. And the fact that Tawny was well-behaved made a good day that much better!

I have been meaning to post some photos. I wussed out this morning and didn't run. I wanted nothing more than to lay in my nice warm bed. I know this is my key week, and I really should have gotten out there, but nope, not today. Maybe tomorrow. It's supposed to be a little warmer then.

This was from last night at 8:30 when I got home from dinner:

This is from this morning when I thought about running:

And this is from Sunday:

Eleven point one down and two to go!

I really think I can do the Disney Half Marathon and do it well!! I'm really excited with my progress and my training. I am feeling confident!

I met Shelly and Caroline this morning for the long run. They both planned to do 9, I planned 11. We ran together until the 9 mile point and then they left and I pressed on for two more miles. I enjoyed running with them. It made the time go by faster and it was nice to have company.

Here's how the run breaks down: 11:26, 11:23, 11:42, 11:19, 11:35, 10:52, 10:51, 10:31, 10:28, 11:03, 11:09, and 1:21 for 0.12mi (11:09 pace). Total of 11.12 miles in 2:03:40 at an average 11:07 min per mile. That is PERFECT! My "secret" goal (it's not really secret if you put it on your blog) is to finish the half in under 2:30. I will do that if I can keep that pace! And with "only" two miles to go, I think I can do that. Wow!

Note: I just changed my long run on the sidebar of the blog. It was 10.07 at an average 11:19. Now it is 11.12 at an average of 11:07. That is quite an improvement in two weeks! Maybe the week of rest when I wasn't feeling well helped. If so, it's a good thing I'll be resting before the Half!

And so far, knock on wood, I feel pretty good. Now it's time for a Skype call with Elinor. I can't wait!

It's Friday night and it's a "two-fer"

And I'm running! Yes, I did ANOTHER treadmill session today! I felt so good about my little bit of "speed work" this morning that I felt the desire to do more, but better organized.

I set out to do two miles. I broke it into eight laps. I set the treadmill to 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 6.0 and repeated the set. In terms of a minutes per mile pace, it works out to be 10:55, 10:00, 8:34, 10:00. My total time was 19:55, so my average pace was 9:57. I felt good to have been able to do a lap (two, actually) at a 8:34 pace! Granted, it was on the treadmill, so I have no option to slow down, but it gives me an idea of my capability.

I want to get my typical run down into the nine minutes per mile range. I'm not saying 9:00, but I would like to have the "9:" in the front of my splits for my everyday running. Yes, that means race pace is going to be in the "8:" range and my training workouts will be "10:" and 11:". I have a long way to go to get there, but I'm going to try. You can add one minute to all those and that's where I am now.

Nine months ago I wasn't doing squat. In less than a month I am running my first half marathon. I'm really proud of my progress!

It's always something

This is the week of breakdowns. I might be next! First it was having to take the dogs to the vet for the cough drop incident. Then yesterday the encryption blew on the pin pad at the shop. I cannot take pin-based debit cards until I replace the equipment. I don't think the $150 is worth it, so I am going to run them all as credit. Yes, it will cost me a few pennies extra, but I don't think the extra fees will add up to the $150 before March.

The past few days the truck was giving me trouble. I would hit the gas from a dead stop and the engine would rev as if it was in neutral and then a half-second later it would catch in gear. It only happened once each morning (for a total of three days), so I didn't think much about it. I planned to mention it when I brought the truck in for an oil change Monday morning. I was a little nervous because yesterday it did it as I was making a left onto Blue Angel Parkway. Luckily there weren't any cars oncoming, because I very well may have caused an accident if I had stalled in the middle of the turn. I thought it might be because it was cold and the truck wasn't warmed up. Today it was 50 when I left the house.

Today I went to make the left onto Bellview from the subdivision and the engine revved. It did not catch. The engine light came on and an error message came up on the dash. It said something like "insufficient shift place in N to reset". So I put it in neutral and then back in drive and it never caught. I called OnStar and got transferred to the diagnostic center. They couldn't figure out what was happening, so they had me turn off the truck and restart it. I did and started driving. Sure enough, it slipped again. They offered to send a tow truck to take it in for service, but I decided to just turn around and park it in the driveway. I took the Honda to work. Luckily I have that option. I'll try to drive it to the dealer on Monday. If I get stuck again, I'll pull over and get towing assistance. Apparently I have roadside assistance with GM and that is included. I won't have to go through my insurance again, like I did when I did the diesel mixup. That was also a covered tow, but still, I'd rather use the GM one.

I called Paul at the dealership and told him that I would need the tranny looked at as well as the oil change. That may throw off my plans for lunch with Angela. If they are going to need some time with the truck, I'm going to ask either for a ride home or a loaner vehicle. The 3 year/36000 mi warranty is up, but I have a 5 year/100,000 mi powertrain warranty, which I believe should include the transmission. Needless to say, I'm pretty bummed to add this to my plate.

A few minutes ago I got an email from the Mobile yarn shop advertising some pre-Christmas sales. At the bottom of the email I saw that she is selling her shop. This just can't be good. She said it is because she isn't able to be there all the time and she feels she can't give it what it needs. Her other option is to close one more day a week. I told her to go ahead and do that. I think her customers will understand. She's either open four days a week or not at all. I think that's the better option.

To end this horrible morning on a good note, Angela called and offered to bring me Jordan Valley Cafe food for lunch! That made a lot of stress just fade away. How awesome! The other thing I need to do, which should put me in a good mood, is to set up the Christmas tree in the shop. I'm going to do that now.

Treadmill fun

I woke up a little later than originally planned, so I decided to do a quick run on the treadmill. I did the first mile at 5.7 and then bumped it up each lap for the second mile. I bumped up to 7.0 for the last half lap. I really enjoyed that workout! Averaged out, I did two miles in 20:44, for an average pace of 10:22. The last half mile was at an 8:30+/- pace, which I am pretty happy about.

Frigid 5k

I ran a long 5k today. The weather was ridiculously cold again, but I bundled up and I actually enjoyed the run. I didn't go fast and I didn't go slow. I went at my training pace. The weather was in the low 30s. The winds were out of the north at around 10 mph, so it felt colder.

I did 3.19 miles in 33:55 for an average pace of 10:38. Splits were 10:23, 10:36, 10:48, and the last 0.19 was at an 11:20 pace. I am off my training plan by a day. I think I am going to rest Saturday, do a long run on Sunday, and rest Monday. I wonder if I'll notice a difference from running on Saturday and then doing a long run the next day. I am going to see if Shelly and/or Caroline want to do the long run Sunday together. I really did enjoy their company, even if I couldn't do the whole thing with them.

I've been quiet lately

Believe me, it is not because my life is so boring there's nothing to write about. Quite the opposite! First things first: Thurston arrived! Her name is Elinor KeeYoung Lee and she arrived early in the morning on December 1. I am thrilled and I can't wait to see her in a few weeks!

Sunday I did inventory. I hired an army to assist, and Jen, CookieAmy, Deb, Michelle and her two girls and I got everything counted in about three hours. I stayed to figure out all the discrepancies and put the inventory in the system. I am glad that is over with, and I'm glad that I have such friends who will help.

Monday afternoon I finally got that massage I've been needing. I felt sooooo good afterwards. My back felt loose, I could feel blood running through my legs, and the allover tightness was gone. I wouldn't have believed that such relief was possible, but with the relief the TPTherapy kit brings me, I became a believer.

Monday evening I went to dinner at Ozone Pizza with the Tuesday night regulars. The pizza was good and the company was awesome. I had a great time! I am taking Angela out to lunch on Monday to celebrate her birthday, and I'm keeping the place a surprise. I think that bugs her in a way, but she's going to be a good sport about it. She has been such a good friend to me and I want to treat her.

Tuesday was a good day at the shop and for me. I made great progress on one of the afghans I'm doing for the moms. I finished it today and will start on the other perhaps tomorrow. I am almost done with Thurston's blanket, too. Only nine more points to go. That will probably take me about an hour. That's all the Christmas knitting! What a relief. The funny thing is I have no projects other than those going. I'm going to have to think about what I want to do next. Something for me. Maybe those socks I've been thinking about for over a year!

Today was a crazy day. I ran this morning, even with the frigid weather. In fact, I thought I was going to be snowed on! I'll post more on that later. When I got back from the run I found the box of Sudafed, which was in my knitting bag, on the living room floor chewed up. Luckily the pills were still intact and untouched. I guess the blister packs kept them from smelling like food. Also on the floor was the remains of the bag of Halls Vitamin C drops with Zinc and Echinacea. I thought they were horrible, but apparently the dogs thought otherwise. Tawny had a little piece of a drop stuck to her nose. I called the vet to check, and I'm glad I did. Apparently zinc and echinacea are extremely toxic to dogs. So I had to take them in immediately to have their stomachs pumped. As I thought, it was all Tawny, and poor Rava had to suffer guilt by association. I wish this would teach her a lesson, but I doubt it.

She is going to have to learn to be by herself for some lengths of time. I cannot be with her 24/7. Maybe next time I go run I'll put her Thundershirt on and see if that makes a difference.

I went to the post office to mail a few things on the way in this morning. The box I was sending to Bill was going to cost $56! So I opened it and repacked it into two flat rate boxes and cut the postage to $25. Crazy! I hope he will get the boxes. I insured one because it has his Christmas present in it, which cost a little money.

I have been thinking about doing the Seaside Neighborhood School Half Marathon for a while now. In fact, I was considering making it my first half, but then got talked into Disney. Today I talked to the owner of an RV park near Seaside and she said she'd guarantee me a spot. It is a small park, but it is about 2 miles from where I need to be. The state park that is right there is full, as are all the parks in the area. So once I got the spot, I went ahead and registered for the run. The registration fee is going up on the 17th, so I'm glad I got in before that. I think I'm a little crazy, but I'm excited about it. The shop will be closed, so I'm going to take the coach out for a few days. It will be like a vacation before my big vacation to see Bill for R&R. I don't know how the dogs, specifically Tawny, will handle the race morning, but there's only one way to find out. So now I have two halfs, two months apart. I am really excited about it. I think the weather will be perfect and the course is supposed to be unbelievably beautiful. The Jim Carrey movie, The Truman Show, was filmed in Seaside. There won't be any Disney characters along the route, so I won't be stopping to take pictures, so I should be able to better my time.

Tonight I canned some more jam. Bill is really liking the ones I've sent, so I needed to make more. I did a low-sugar recipe using the premiere varietal, which I think is a little sweeter than the tif-blu. I was able to make eleven jars, so that should keep Bill happy for a little while. I also want to give them as gifts at Christmas, but only to those who I think will appreciate them.

Well, I'm going to post my run and then get ready for bed. It was a draining day. I hope tomorrow will be better!

Brrr!

I wanted to run five miles today. And I did! And it was cold. No, it was COLD! This is Florida. North Florida, granted, but still part of the Sunshine State. Where people come to get warm in the winter. Today was a really good test run for my trip to the frozen tundra of New Jersey in a few weeks. The temperature when I left the house was 40, but the winds were out of the NNW at 19mph, giving a wind chill of 30. That is just too darn cold, even if the sun is shining!

I put a scarf on, but the only ones I have are fuzzy. The concept helped, but the fuzz was annoying. So I'm thinking about a new sewing project, a buff. I'll try it without elastic. I spent a good portion of the run trying to conceptualize it in my mind and how I would make it. I contemplated ordering one, but it is a good item on my Christmas list, if people pay attention to that sort of thing.

Splits on the run were 10:26, 10:51, 11:03, 11:25,  11:18. I am really happy with the run. I still feel a little head congestion, but it's not too bad. I may be able to get back on track this week.

Running again

My head is still congested and my ears still squeak a little, but I ran this morning. I really needed to see if I could. I decided to stay home on the treadmill, just in case it got bad. Otherwise it was a fantastic day out (except for the stiff winds). I really wanted to stop running after the first half mile. I set the treadmill to 5.6. The second mile I went to 5.5 and the third to 5.4. I know that was the opposite of what I should have done, but I just was feeling blah. I am happy that I pushed on and did the full three. I did them in 32:40 for a 10:53 pace. A far cry from Tuesday, but I'm not knocking it. I feel good having done it.

I'm thinking about getting outside tomorrow, perhaps for a five miler, even though tomorrow is supposed to be my rest day. I know it is forecast to be in the high 20s, so I'd rather stay in (in bed, preferably), but I will be going to NJ in a few weeks, so I need to deal with cold, long runs. I can't just put off my training because it's cold. If I was just running for maintaining fitness, I'd cut myself some slack on the 20 degree days, but I'm training. Since I took this week off, I really need to make sure I stay as much on track as possible. I have a hat, gloves, a jacket, and tights, so I should be somewhat prepared. The only thing I'm missing is something to cover my face and help warm up the air as I breathe it in. I put that on my Christmas list (a "buff" from planetbuff.com).

We'll see how things go in the morning. Tomorrow should be a good day. A lot of running around in the morning, but a nice relaxing afternoon and evening. I can't wait! Oh, I did inventory the shop today -- what a day! -- so I'll try to catch you up on that tomorrow, too.

Ugh

Well, I think the case of the yucks has officially turned into a head cold. Thankfully there is nothing in my chest and I'm not coughing. My throat is a little sore, but not bad. My head feels like it's swollen. My nose is dripping. Yuck. I haven't been able to check for fever because I've been drinking water and tea. My head feels hot sometimes, but I don't feel feverish.

I cancelled movies with Teresa last night and climbed into bed at 9:30. I skipped this morning's run and slept in until 8:30. It felt good, but I still didn't get up rested. I think I'll do a repeat performance this evening and see how that does for me. I'm also going to drop by CVS and see what kind of OTC medication I can take to feel better.

Part of me feels like I should stay home. The other part feels like it's not too bad and the loss of sales would hurt the business more. So I'm going to go in. I hope it is a relatively easy day. I need to do a lot of computer work, like updating the web site, figuring out how to export the inventory list so that I can do it this weekend, and generate a list of items included in and excluded from the sale of the shop. I also have to fix the printer if I'm going to be able to print the inventory. I see the problem with the printer, but I have no idea how to fix it, nor who to call. Oh well. I'll do what I can.

I got a case of the yucks

Thankfully it is just a little. This morning was the third morning I woke up with a scratchy throat. I sneezed a few times this morning and my nose is running a little. This morning is about 30 degrees colder than yesterday morning. We've had these huge temperature swings a lot lately. I don't remember coming in contact with any sick people recently, so I'm not sure where this is coming from. I'll take some DayQuil and hope that will take care of the symptoms. I'll need to drink more water and probably get more sleep. I was planning on going to the movies with Teresa tonight, since I had to cancel on her Monday because I had to write the newsletter. Now I think I need to postpone again. No need to get her sick, if I am contagious. Which brings me to my next concern. Do I go to work and risk infecting my sweater class? Am I sick or is this just a reaction to the weather. It has been rainy the past two days, first day was hot and rainy yesterday was cold and rainy. So I'm in a bit of a quandry.

In other news, I figured out what I did wrong on Monday while trying to make something new. I will have to give it another try and see if I can be successful. Time to get ready for work.

Monica called yesterday and we may have a little one today! I will be glued to the phone!