360/365 Logging the Miles

It was a brisk 47 degrees when we hit the trail. Walking at a decent pace, we kept it under 15 minutes per mile. 6 miles in the filtered winter sun, including a 20 minute coffee stop. It was a glorious day to log some miles. If/when we get back to the running, it won't be until next June, though honestly, our "running" pace wasn't much faster than our walking! It is nice to put in the miles in daylight as opposed to the 4:30 AM departure on school days. According to the GPS/heart rate monitors we knocked out 1200+ calories, which more than entitles me to some popcorn when we go back to the movies to see Nine again! Vacation is very good!

291/365 Cool Sunday

Chilly weather, but I was out from the warm covers early. A bit of laundry and housecleaning. Then it was blueberry pancakes for the fam and the BFF who had a sleepover here. Well, not much sleep. They giggled and talked into the wee hours. As a result the teen spent most of the day snoozing. Hubby and I went for a brisk walk. We moved briskly and the weather was brisk too. The cool air didn't prevent some of our indigenous neighbors to surface. We spotted 3 alligators! Mating time or eating time? We waited to see the action, but the chore list called. We had to clean out the garage. In a back corner I've stored "classroom stuff" for almost 8 years. 12 boxes! Mostly junk, though, and as I won't even have a desk in my co-teach situation, it was sorted and re-stacked in the garage. I did like my watch/snooze on the sofa. Having read Running with Scissors at least twice, I never knew there was a movie made of it. The first of many birthday celebrations for the daughter. Tonight it's my parents for round one of the 15th year celebration.

247/365 OMG Wifi In Flight

In spite of the ridiculously early wake-up (2:30 AM), I am so psyched for this weekend. My guy and our girl sit across the aisle from me. She's on Myspace, he's watching HBO comedy while psychologically steering the plane from his window seat. I'm revved up for Sunday morning, the Disneyland half marathon, walking in celebration of the extended warranty on the hubby. Even more exciting is the prospect of visiting family and friends in SoCal, starting with a Buca di Beppo feast with JS, RD, DA, and her beau, R. We'll see cousins and great aunts, with my girl spending a night with her cool cousin DG in Santa Monica. Monday is a long day home, but it is capped off with Ev's first Oklahoma rehearsal. He's back onstage with a gun, a song, and a whole symphony orchestra. An exciting three days ahead!

245/365 Teed Up

My t-shirt design is the top, his is the bottom. I guess it reflects the mixed feelings. A celebration of living, an excuse for walking! Race preparations are underway.

167/365 Beached

He was snoozing when I took this shot. We were out on the sand just after 8 this morning. Our walk started out at the lifeguard station and went 2.5 miles north then back. So lovely, breezy, and bright that I never put in the ear buds. The music of the ocean and our intermittent conversation were soundtrack enough. Post-walk we fetched our chairs and umbrella and undertook interval training. Dip and nap interval training. We trained all the way till 1:15 when it was time to get our girl at camp. Days like this help ease the horrors of weeks past.

102/365 Stand-in for My Running Buddy

She won't run with me, but we had a wonderful walk. We need more non-confrontational time like this. It seems like so much of our time together is wasted on my efforts to convince her to be more responsible and her attempts to wiggle out of anything that has the appearance of work. Tonight we walked 4 miles round trip to her friend EP's house. It was a gorgeous, breezy evening. We silly-walked and teased all the way home, as I tried to keep the topic of conversation off of THE Boy. She makes me nuts, but I'm crazy about my girl!