Jim & I are loving Destin. I leave from work on Thursday nights and head straight to Destin. On Friday, Jim had a couple of cases to cover, so I went & had my oil changed at my new VW dealership & got some new windshield wipers (down from $70 to $30!!!). We met up at our new gym - got our workout on - and then headed home to.....GO TO THE BEACH! What a wonderful Friday afternoon, don't you think? We packed up a small cooler, grabbed some towels and our living room furniture (lawn chairs) and headed to the beach. We drove all of about 5 minutes to get there, because we chose to head to the Boardwalk, which is on the East side of Fort Walton Beach. There must be a sand volleyball tourney going on there this weekend, as there were tons of nets up & lots of teams practicing.
So we picked the perfect spot on the beach, laid out the towel & started relaxing when...the loudest, foulest, beach whalest, hair bleached group of people started carrying on. Talk about REDNECK. Unbelievable. The crazy part about it was they were talking about this drama going on in some couple's life, along with a miriad of colorful language to appropriately describe the situation of course. Then, we heard one of the girls say, Momma it has been SO long since I got drunk with her! Jim & I looked at each other in shock. We reran our tapes and thought about all of the conversation we had heard them discussing....now considering that we found out her PARENT was there with her!! What a sad sad thing.
Oh yeah - I need to tell you - we have found the PERFECT snack....Blue Diamond BOLD almonds. That's right - they are addictive. Our favorite flavors are Maui Onion & Garlic, and Wasabi / Soy Sauce. They are YUM! We are at about 2 cans per week.....we might have to start therapy.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Transitions
If any of you that read my blog also read Jim's...you'll know that we have relocated to Destin, FL! He was a little ahead of me in announcing this great news, as his job transition and announcing happened much faster than mine did.
Jim was recently promoted and was offered his own territory...Fort Walton Beach (I know you feel SOOO sorry for us to have to move there). Although I have a great situation at my company, this job opportunity for Jim and a move to FL was the best option for the two of us for many reasons. We took a leap of faith, since it was obvious to us that God has created this opportunity for us to move and we had to commit before I really knew what my future job situation had in store for me. Thankfully, that has also worked out very well - so we are set! My company was willing to let me work remotely from Destin, FL and support some of our Wash DC operations and some work we have in California. They have been great to work with me and I appreciate their assistance in helping me stay with the same company.
We have already moved Jim to a townhouse that we are renting for the year. We are about 2 blocks from the water...a harbor, not necessarily the actual beach. We are very close to the Destin Bridge and just North of AJs. We already LOVE it! I am traveling back & forth on the weekends, leaving from work on Thursday nights & driving to the new home in Destin, and driving to work EARLY on Monday mornings straight to Pascagoula, MS. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive. My official transition date is June 1, so I'll likely be setting up the rest of the move the week prior. Right now, we're living on lawn chairs & a bed in Destin!
We just listed our house this week...I cleaned spots of that house last week that I don't think I had EVER cleaned (not that I am proud of that!!). But it really looks great & I am praying that it sells fast. Two house payments is just not that fun.
This weekend, we are already getting together with friends in Destin! A couple that we know from Mobile, AL are in town this week vacationing so we are headed to their condo tonight to cook out. We'd offer for them to come here instead, but see paragraph above for the lack of seating and entertainment establishment!!
I know this is long - but a lot has happened in the past month! We are thankful for the direction our lives are taking us and are so excited! Please come visit! We'll have more furniture here in about a month! :)
Jim was recently promoted and was offered his own territory...Fort Walton Beach (I know you feel SOOO sorry for us to have to move there). Although I have a great situation at my company, this job opportunity for Jim and a move to FL was the best option for the two of us for many reasons. We took a leap of faith, since it was obvious to us that God has created this opportunity for us to move and we had to commit before I really knew what my future job situation had in store for me. Thankfully, that has also worked out very well - so we are set! My company was willing to let me work remotely from Destin, FL and support some of our Wash DC operations and some work we have in California. They have been great to work with me and I appreciate their assistance in helping me stay with the same company.
We have already moved Jim to a townhouse that we are renting for the year. We are about 2 blocks from the water...a harbor, not necessarily the actual beach. We are very close to the Destin Bridge and just North of AJs. We already LOVE it! I am traveling back & forth on the weekends, leaving from work on Thursday nights & driving to the new home in Destin, and driving to work EARLY on Monday mornings straight to Pascagoula, MS. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive. My official transition date is June 1, so I'll likely be setting up the rest of the move the week prior. Right now, we're living on lawn chairs & a bed in Destin!
We just listed our house this week...I cleaned spots of that house last week that I don't think I had EVER cleaned (not that I am proud of that!!). But it really looks great & I am praying that it sells fast. Two house payments is just not that fun.
This weekend, we are already getting together with friends in Destin! A couple that we know from Mobile, AL are in town this week vacationing so we are headed to their condo tonight to cook out. We'd offer for them to come here instead, but see paragraph above for the lack of seating and entertainment establishment!!
I know this is long - but a lot has happened in the past month! We are thankful for the direction our lives are taking us and are so excited! Please come visit! We'll have more furniture here in about a month! :)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
The kitties are fine
I'm sure you all have been on the edge of your seats for a month since I last posted about our ill kitty boys! Rest assured, they are now completely fine. Although, Cosmo is now a food snob & will only consume canned wet food. I think it was all a ploy for us to spoil him with the good stuff!
On another note - Jim & I raced in the Azalea Trail Run in Mobile on March 24. The weather was beautiful and so were the azaleas! I just love that 5 or 6 days when they are in full bloom. There is truly nothing like it. Both of us bested our 10k times, which is always a good thing. I was worried I would have a bad time because I had been sick the whole week prior (Southern allergies during the Spring are GREAT), and hadn't run more than 4 miles in a couple of weeks. But I knocked out the 10k in 57:04 (or 9:11 pace). I finished 54th out of 192 in my age group (30-34...YES I am in my thirties!!!)...not too shabby!
We haven't done a great job at preparing for the marathon & 1/2 marathon in Nashville on April 28. Things have been a bit busy in our lives lately...more on that in a later post!
On another note - Jim & I raced in the Azalea Trail Run in Mobile on March 24. The weather was beautiful and so were the azaleas! I just love that 5 or 6 days when they are in full bloom. There is truly nothing like it. Both of us bested our 10k times, which is always a good thing. I was worried I would have a bad time because I had been sick the whole week prior (Southern allergies during the Spring are GREAT), and hadn't run more than 4 miles in a couple of weeks. But I knocked out the 10k in 57:04 (or 9:11 pace). I finished 54th out of 192 in my age group (30-34...YES I am in my thirties!!!)...not too shabby!
We haven't done a great job at preparing for the marathon & 1/2 marathon in Nashville on April 28. Things have been a bit busy in our lives lately...more on that in a later post!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Our Fuzzy Son
I had taken Cosmo, the original fuzzy son, to the vet for his annual checkup no more than one month ago. At the appointment, he had a clean bill of health, everything was normal & he received the annual vaccines and we went on our way.
After that, we noticed that Cosmo seemed to be getting thinner. The food didn't seem to be disappearing as fast. We started getting very concerned, especially when he stopped grooming himself. Cosmo has always been a bit pretentious with his grooming...he took great pride in his appearance! So for him to stop grooming really was a red flag that something wasn't quite right.
I took the day off work today to recoup from the long trip to St. Louis and called to see if Cosmo could go into the vet for a checkup. Thankfully, they were able to get him in this morning. Imagine how it felt to hear that your baby had lost about 1 1/2 lbs in a month!! :-( The vet did compliment Jim & I on our parenting skills...they said it was commendable that we had noticed that weight loss so soon. Cosmo's heart and lungs sounded fine, and he didn't have a temperature. So from the outside, everything looks ok. But...because the outside looks ok, it seems that Cosmo has something else wrong with him, the vet is sure of it. So Cosmo is staying for a few days at the hospital so they can do the complete checkup on him, bloodwork and all. It was SO HARD for me to have them take Cosmo from me! Our kitty boys are our children, seriously! So through tears I told Cozy goodbye and then tried to call Jim. When Jim called me back, I was a blubbering mess, but Jim does such a good job at calming me down. We're supposed to find out something either tomorrow or Wed, so there is really no reason for me to worry until then. The vet did say that it is very possible that we caught the issue early, whatever it is.
So please pray for our fuzzy son! We will be!!!
A New Life Begins!
This past weekend, Jim & I traveled to St. Louis for a wedding that I was a bridesmaid in. Everything was beautiful, K did a great job planning 95% of it herself, while her now husband was traveling for work. It was a good time, although the drive was long, but worth it of course!!
One great thing about friends getting married is the opportunity to hang out with all of one's OTHER friends! Jim & I received wonderful hospitality from N & B for the weekend....MUCH better than staying at a hotel! They are so fun to be around and hang out with - we always have so much fun with them! We truly appreciate how real they are, and how much we have in common with them. They are so happy together - and N being happy makes ME happy!
It was also great to see J & R there! J is a crazy lady - SO MUCH FUN! Back in my single days when all of us girls went out dancing together, she was one of my favorite dancing partners. When she was out with us, it was guaranteed that we would all have a good time. She is one of those people that would do anything for a friend, and has really been there for me through some rough times. There is one thing for certain...she'll always be honest with you & she'll tell you how it really is. I do respect that about her. Seeing her made me realize how much I miss her. We got to do some dancing at the reception & I have some great pics to show for it! :)
Some details about the wedding....the priest forgot to say "You may now kiss the bride". How does that happen?! Talk about a weird ending to a wedding! He redeemed himself at the reception though, where he announced the error and said the famous line. The salads at the reception were awesome...spring mix, with sun dried tomatoes and pistachios, with an orange-ginger/sesame dressing. Interesting & flavorful! The bridesmaid dresses were strapless, floor-length, black dresses and were beautiful. All of us have the same body-type, so that helps a bride when picking out dresses that will flatter all! Of course, K looked gorgeous, just like we knew she would!!
I have been friends with K for about 12 years now, and love her to pieces. I just want nothing more for her to be happy. So to the husband in her life....I know where you live! Treat her like the queen that she is or I will hunt you down! :)
K - Love you, you looked beautiful. Thank you so much for having me be a part of the most special day in your life. I'll treasure it forever! Have fun on the honeymoon, I want to hear all about it when you get back! (Ok...not ALL about it...just the PG version)
One great thing about friends getting married is the opportunity to hang out with all of one's OTHER friends! Jim & I received wonderful hospitality from N & B for the weekend....MUCH better than staying at a hotel! They are so fun to be around and hang out with - we always have so much fun with them! We truly appreciate how real they are, and how much we have in common with them. They are so happy together - and N being happy makes ME happy!
It was also great to see J & R there! J is a crazy lady - SO MUCH FUN! Back in my single days when all of us girls went out dancing together, she was one of my favorite dancing partners. When she was out with us, it was guaranteed that we would all have a good time. She is one of those people that would do anything for a friend, and has really been there for me through some rough times. There is one thing for certain...she'll always be honest with you & she'll tell you how it really is. I do respect that about her. Seeing her made me realize how much I miss her. We got to do some dancing at the reception & I have some great pics to show for it! :)
Some details about the wedding....the priest forgot to say "You may now kiss the bride". How does that happen?! Talk about a weird ending to a wedding! He redeemed himself at the reception though, where he announced the error and said the famous line. The salads at the reception were awesome...spring mix, with sun dried tomatoes and pistachios, with an orange-ginger/sesame dressing. Interesting & flavorful! The bridesmaid dresses were strapless, floor-length, black dresses and were beautiful. All of us have the same body-type, so that helps a bride when picking out dresses that will flatter all! Of course, K looked gorgeous, just like we knew she would!!
I have been friends with K for about 12 years now, and love her to pieces. I just want nothing more for her to be happy. So to the husband in her life....I know where you live! Treat her like the queen that she is or I will hunt you down! :)
K - Love you, you looked beautiful. Thank you so much for having me be a part of the most special day in your life. I'll treasure it forever! Have fun on the honeymoon, I want to hear all about it when you get back! (Ok...not ALL about it...just the PG version)
Southern California....a Different Country?
Last weekend, I traveled to LA for a one-day meeting. Talk about a different lifestyle! I have been to Los Angeles quite a few times, but I don't think I had ever really noticed just how different the people are there.
While in LA, I made a mental list of why I wouldn't really fit the "Southern Cal" bill....
1 - Everything on (or in) my body is real
2 - I couldn't go swimming in the Pacific while outside temp is 70 and who knows how cold the water is!
3 - All that 'bling' wouldn't look right on me
4 - I am not a big fan of sitting in 6 lanes of traffic for hours at a time
5 - I refuse to wear bug shields on my face and call them sunglasses
These are just a few...I am sure that if I had spent even more time there, I would have a longer list.
ps - have you ever noticed how people out there call the interstates or major freeways "The 405" or "The PCH", etc? Why is it not I405? Hmmm...
While in LA, I made a mental list of why I wouldn't really fit the "Southern Cal" bill....
1 - Everything on (or in) my body is real
2 - I couldn't go swimming in the Pacific while outside temp is 70 and who knows how cold the water is!
3 - All that 'bling' wouldn't look right on me
4 - I am not a big fan of sitting in 6 lanes of traffic for hours at a time
5 - I refuse to wear bug shields on my face and call them sunglasses
These are just a few...I am sure that if I had spent even more time there, I would have a longer list.
ps - have you ever noticed how people out there call the interstates or major freeways "The 405" or "The PCH", etc? Why is it not I405? Hmmm...
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Is it really Monday tomorrow?
Ahhhhh Sunday.
Love Sundays. Unfortunately, when the alarm went off this morning to get up & get ready to go to church, I had the worst headache ever. I actually thought I was getting sick. I had a little bit of a tickle in my throat last night, and then when I woke up with my entire right side of my face plugged up. I also had a terrible sinus headache to boot. Needless to say, I took some Dayquil and tried to go back to sleep. I absolutely hate to miss church - I feel like my whole week is just a bit off when we aren't there on Sunday mornings. We have only actually skipped once or twice? since we started going to our church, back in 2004. We love it and are so blessed to have found such a great church home.
So I took the Dayquil & ate some breakfast, laid back down & felt quite a bit better by 10 am or so. As you know, Jim & I are training for a run in Nashville the last weekend of April. I am only running the 1/2 marathon (don't need to do the whole thing again!!) and Jim is training for the whole. I run the long runs with him on the weekends. This was the first weekend that the scheduled long training run was probably longer than I need to run, given that I am only training for the half. Jim was scheduled for 15 miles today. I thought I would try to run it with him, or at least 14 of them. However, 12 was plenty for me today. I was happy with that - and we ran quite a quick clip for a training run. We have quite the set up in our driveway on long run weekends...I have tissues, chapstick, water & PowerGels laying there for me, at 4 mile increments. We have a 4 mile loop we run in our neighborhood - so we take a quick 20 seconds every 4 miles to rehydrate & I lube up the lips. We will probably start putting some water at the 2 mile turnaround point too - 4 miles is just too long to run without some water.
After running my 12 miles - I tried 2 new recipes & both were a success! I roasted a whole chicken (my first time cooking a whole chicken! yes - I remembered to take out the neck & "special parts"). The chicken was marinated in worcestshire, dry mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. YUM!!!! I ate a leg, but the rest is for dinner this week. The other recipe I tried was an orange-glazed pork tenderloin. ALSO a success! This is what we had for dinner tonight after coming home from church. The pork was first sprinkled with salt/pepper, then I brushed an orange marmalade, creole mustard & rosemary marinade over it. Once that is baked fully, I pulled the pork out, poured the juices into a pan & made a nice gravy with the orange glaze that was still in the pan. YUM!!! We are going to eat well this week.
Jim is at a case right now - when we were on our way to church tonight, he got paged for a case beginning at 7, but was bumped to 8 due to another emergency. He just called & will be on his way home soon after he gets the instruments cleaned. All in a days work!!
I hope this week goes fast - I am so looking forward to going to St. Louis in a couple of weeks for K's wedding!! I can't wait to share her special day & I can't wait to hang out with N & B! Hopefully we will make it back to STL in time for me to try to hook up with some old friends from my old job. it would be great to see them....it isn't until I see them again that I realize just how much I miss them all!!
My fingers hurt....gotta go to bed! :)
Love Sundays. Unfortunately, when the alarm went off this morning to get up & get ready to go to church, I had the worst headache ever. I actually thought I was getting sick. I had a little bit of a tickle in my throat last night, and then when I woke up with my entire right side of my face plugged up. I also had a terrible sinus headache to boot. Needless to say, I took some Dayquil and tried to go back to sleep. I absolutely hate to miss church - I feel like my whole week is just a bit off when we aren't there on Sunday mornings. We have only actually skipped once or twice? since we started going to our church, back in 2004. We love it and are so blessed to have found such a great church home.
So I took the Dayquil & ate some breakfast, laid back down & felt quite a bit better by 10 am or so. As you know, Jim & I are training for a run in Nashville the last weekend of April. I am only running the 1/2 marathon (don't need to do the whole thing again!!) and Jim is training for the whole. I run the long runs with him on the weekends. This was the first weekend that the scheduled long training run was probably longer than I need to run, given that I am only training for the half. Jim was scheduled for 15 miles today. I thought I would try to run it with him, or at least 14 of them. However, 12 was plenty for me today. I was happy with that - and we ran quite a quick clip for a training run. We have quite the set up in our driveway on long run weekends...I have tissues, chapstick, water & PowerGels laying there for me, at 4 mile increments. We have a 4 mile loop we run in our neighborhood - so we take a quick 20 seconds every 4 miles to rehydrate & I lube up the lips. We will probably start putting some water at the 2 mile turnaround point too - 4 miles is just too long to run without some water.
After running my 12 miles - I tried 2 new recipes & both were a success! I roasted a whole chicken (my first time cooking a whole chicken! yes - I remembered to take out the neck & "special parts"). The chicken was marinated in worcestshire, dry mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. YUM!!!! I ate a leg, but the rest is for dinner this week. The other recipe I tried was an orange-glazed pork tenderloin. ALSO a success! This is what we had for dinner tonight after coming home from church. The pork was first sprinkled with salt/pepper, then I brushed an orange marmalade, creole mustard & rosemary marinade over it. Once that is baked fully, I pulled the pork out, poured the juices into a pan & made a nice gravy with the orange glaze that was still in the pan. YUM!!! We are going to eat well this week.
Jim is at a case right now - when we were on our way to church tonight, he got paged for a case beginning at 7, but was bumped to 8 due to another emergency. He just called & will be on his way home soon after he gets the instruments cleaned. All in a days work!!
I hope this week goes fast - I am so looking forward to going to St. Louis in a couple of weeks for K's wedding!! I can't wait to share her special day & I can't wait to hang out with N & B! Hopefully we will make it back to STL in time for me to try to hook up with some old friends from my old job. it would be great to see them....it isn't until I see them again that I realize just how much I miss them all!!
My fingers hurt....gotta go to bed! :)
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Cheers to the Chef!
I know, I know...you probably thought I was already over the posting thing! It has been over a week since I posted. To be honest, I just haven't felt like being on a computer after work lately! Working really long days doesn't make me want to boot up at home at about 8 pm while I eat supper!
The interesting thing about blogging though....as I go throughout my day, I can't help but think "hmmm...this would make for an interesting post"! Granted, some things I would LOVE to post about, I choose not to! I know anyone can read it!
I have to brag a bit about my husband! He had been wanting to make some gumbo for a long time. Can you believe we have lived in the South for nearly 3 years, and we are yet to make gumbo...let alone roux from scratch? What is even more amazing is that I had never heard of either one until I moved down here! And I digress....
Anyhoo - Jim was in charge of the roux making, which I am told is the most important part of the gumbo, and the trickiest. It took him longer than he thought it would...and he kept asking me to come look at it to see if it had gotten any darker, or if I thought it was thick enough. He was using a Tony C cookbook that contained a picture of what the roux was supposed to look like. Anyone living down here knows that Tony's is to the South (namely, Louisiana!) as salt is to the rest of the US! While Jim was working on the roux, I was very busy chopping up peppers, onions, celery, and getting the shrimp & garlic & crab ready to go in the mix. The conecuh sausage was also a great addition! Can I just say...YUMMY! That is some of the best gumbo I have ever had! And it is like any other soup...the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it gets. Of course, there is a limit to this phenomenon - which is why we are going to be freezing the rest of it. Kudos to the chef!
I got to talk to my friend, N, tonight on my way home from work! We are staying with them when we go back to the Lou for another friend's (K) wedding! We are both getting really excited about going back & seeing everyone, but we are honestly not looking forward to the drive! It is a good 12 hour drive. But Jim & I enjoy each other's company so much, sometime it is nice to actually have 12 solid hours together without other distractions & commitments (housework, work calls, errands, tv, etc) - so it shouldn't be that bad. The drive home on Sunday will definitely be the worst part of the trip! We will be tired from a late night at the wedding reception!
The interesting thing about blogging though....as I go throughout my day, I can't help but think "hmmm...this would make for an interesting post"! Granted, some things I would LOVE to post about, I choose not to! I know anyone can read it!
I have to brag a bit about my husband! He had been wanting to make some gumbo for a long time. Can you believe we have lived in the South for nearly 3 years, and we are yet to make gumbo...let alone roux from scratch? What is even more amazing is that I had never heard of either one until I moved down here! And I digress....
Anyhoo - Jim was in charge of the roux making, which I am told is the most important part of the gumbo, and the trickiest. It took him longer than he thought it would...and he kept asking me to come look at it to see if it had gotten any darker, or if I thought it was thick enough. He was using a Tony C cookbook that contained a picture of what the roux was supposed to look like. Anyone living down here knows that Tony's is to the South (namely, Louisiana!) as salt is to the rest of the US! While Jim was working on the roux, I was very busy chopping up peppers, onions, celery, and getting the shrimp & garlic & crab ready to go in the mix. The conecuh sausage was also a great addition! Can I just say...YUMMY! That is some of the best gumbo I have ever had! And it is like any other soup...the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it gets. Of course, there is a limit to this phenomenon - which is why we are going to be freezing the rest of it. Kudos to the chef!
I got to talk to my friend, N, tonight on my way home from work! We are staying with them when we go back to the Lou for another friend's (K) wedding! We are both getting really excited about going back & seeing everyone, but we are honestly not looking forward to the drive! It is a good 12 hour drive. But Jim & I enjoy each other's company so much, sometime it is nice to actually have 12 solid hours together without other distractions & commitments (housework, work calls, errands, tv, etc) - so it shouldn't be that bad. The drive home on Sunday will definitely be the worst part of the trip! We will be tired from a late night at the wedding reception!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Rainy Lazy Saturday
I've enjoyed today so far. Unfortunately, Jim has been working for most of the day, covering a case first thing this morning, then coming home and was home long enough to run a 3 mile jog with me before he got called out again to cover another case. He is on his way back home now, so I think we are going to watch a movie (it is a perfect napping / movie / reading day since it is raining!) and make a yummy dinner. It's been a long time since we have cooked a nice meal together since i didn't make it home all week before 8:00 pm. Leaving for work at 6:15 in the morning and getting home at 8:00 or so each night this week made for a LONG one.
One of my guilty pleasures on the weekend when Jim is at work and I have done the regular stuff around the house is to watch the E network on TV! Talk about some mindless tv!! Today, I have been watching a special on Lottery winners, and how their lives transpire after the big win. It's amazing to me the number of people who basically end up worse off than they ever were before! I keep thinking to myself, "how wasteful"! How many wonderful things could I do with all of that money, for both myself & others?! Of course, I would like to say that a HUGE amount of money wouldn't change me, but I think that may be a bit naive. I do know that we would like travel more and we would have a different house (at least different carpet in ours!!). And I am NOT one of those people that would say "i would still work even if I was a millionaire". Are you kidding me?? I wouldn't even hand in my badge...I would stick it in the mail! I don't go to work because I love it, although I know there are some people out there that can say that. I go to work to earn a living so I can enjoy the REST of my life as I work and eventually retire. Working to me is simply a means to enjoy things OUTSIDE of work. Don't get me wrong...I have been blessed to have some good friends at work and I am better for having them in my life. But we could still keep in touch if I was a millionaire!
Tomorrow is our weekly long run. The training plan we are following have us running 13 miles tomorrow. Jim bought some of those goo pack things, which will be nice to have along the way. We run in our neighborhood, and have a 4 mile path identified by using a very cool website that tracks distances. We keep chapstick, kleenex, water, and food at our driveway while we are running long runs so we can fuel up a few times during the run. There is no way to do it without food & water along the way!
One of my guilty pleasures on the weekend when Jim is at work and I have done the regular stuff around the house is to watch the E network on TV! Talk about some mindless tv!! Today, I have been watching a special on Lottery winners, and how their lives transpire after the big win. It's amazing to me the number of people who basically end up worse off than they ever were before! I keep thinking to myself, "how wasteful"! How many wonderful things could I do with all of that money, for both myself & others?! Of course, I would like to say that a HUGE amount of money wouldn't change me, but I think that may be a bit naive. I do know that we would like travel more and we would have a different house (at least different carpet in ours!!). And I am NOT one of those people that would say "i would still work even if I was a millionaire". Are you kidding me?? I wouldn't even hand in my badge...I would stick it in the mail! I don't go to work because I love it, although I know there are some people out there that can say that. I go to work to earn a living so I can enjoy the REST of my life as I work and eventually retire. Working to me is simply a means to enjoy things OUTSIDE of work. Don't get me wrong...I have been blessed to have some good friends at work and I am better for having them in my life. But we could still keep in touch if I was a millionaire!
Tomorrow is our weekly long run. The training plan we are following have us running 13 miles tomorrow. Jim bought some of those goo pack things, which will be nice to have along the way. We run in our neighborhood, and have a 4 mile path identified by using a very cool website that tracks distances. We keep chapstick, kleenex, water, and food at our driveway while we are running long runs so we can fuel up a few times during the run. There is no way to do it without food & water along the way!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Goose Sighting
So I finally saw my roadkill today....at least I think it was the same goose! Apparently it took my brain about 1/2 mile to realize what had happened to me on that fateful Friday, because the evidence was NOT in the same spot where I thought the incident occurred.
There could be 3 explanations:
1 - I hit that thing SO hard, it flew back that far!!! Not likely, as I probably wouldn't have been the only one with a broken windshield if this were the case.
2- There is a cult of suicidal geese on the highway in Pascagoula, MS!!
3 - Maybe it took my brain about 1/2 mile to realize what had happened to me on that fateful Friday, because the evidence was NOT in the same spot where I thought the incident occurred.
There could be 3 explanations:
1 - I hit that thing SO hard, it flew back that far!!! Not likely, as I probably wouldn't have been the only one with a broken windshield if this were the case.
2- There is a cult of suicidal geese on the highway in Pascagoula, MS!!
3 - Maybe it took my brain about 1/2 mile to realize what had happened to me on that fateful Friday, because the evidence was NOT in the same spot where I thought the incident occurred.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Ode to my Pea
Today is such a special day,
I really have so much to say!
You're my pea
It's plain to see
blah blah blah blah blah blay.
(I never was much for writing limericks)
Jim turned 33 today! What a perfect day for me to tell you all just what a fantastic guy I have in my life! I truly believe that my life got better when I met Jim! We are best friends & he is the one person that I would choose to hang out with at any given moment. I will spare him the embarrassment of putting all my gush out there on this website, but just trust me when I say that I am absolutely the luckiest gal around. And his birthday is one day, especially, out of the rest of the year that I thank God for sending him my way! :)
By the way - today has become doubly special! Today, Mr. Robert McIntyre Crabtree was born!! Congrats to our good friends here in Mobile, Forrest & Kelly Crabtree, who just welcomed their first child into this world today. We just got the news & are so happy for you both! We will always remember McIntyre's birthday!! :) We can't wait to meet him!
ps - My windshield is fixed :)
I really have so much to say!
You're my pea
It's plain to see
blah blah blah blah blah blay.
(I never was much for writing limericks)
Jim turned 33 today! What a perfect day for me to tell you all just what a fantastic guy I have in my life! I truly believe that my life got better when I met Jim! We are best friends & he is the one person that I would choose to hang out with at any given moment. I will spare him the embarrassment of putting all my gush out there on this website, but just trust me when I say that I am absolutely the luckiest gal around. And his birthday is one day, especially, out of the rest of the year that I thank God for sending him my way! :)
By the way - today has become doubly special! Today, Mr. Robert McIntyre Crabtree was born!! Congrats to our good friends here in Mobile, Forrest & Kelly Crabtree, who just welcomed their first child into this world today. We just got the news & are so happy for you both! We will always remember McIntyre's birthday!! :) We can't wait to meet him!
ps - My windshield is fixed :)
Sunday, January 21, 2007
A Tough Run
Today, Jim & I ran 10 miles right after church for our long run this week. We both realized that yesterday's 5k was harder on us than we realized! Today's run was tough. It was also unbearably humid here, with the temp at 70 degrees or so, which makes for a miserable long run. However, there was a VERY stiff breeze that did feel good, even though it did make it tougher to run against it.
This afternoon has been a lazy one - after the run we came back in, ate lunch & took a nap while watching the Saints/Bears playoff game. My boss is in the 1st row on one of the end zones - I bet he is freezing his tail off! After living in the South for a few years now, I have become such a wimp to the cold weather! So I can't imagine sitting out in it for hours.
This evening, we are going to church to help facilitate "Bible Skills & Thrills" with K-6th graders. I have to say, some of these little ones are just precious to me already, after having only worked with them last week so far. Others of them....although precious, are a bit of a handful! It's funny how you can pick out the troublemakers after only a few minutes in the room with them! I hope this week goes better. Afterwards, we are going to our friends' Angie & Owen's house for a football watch party / birthday party.
Never a dull moment!!
This afternoon has been a lazy one - after the run we came back in, ate lunch & took a nap while watching the Saints/Bears playoff game. My boss is in the 1st row on one of the end zones - I bet he is freezing his tail off! After living in the South for a few years now, I have become such a wimp to the cold weather! So I can't imagine sitting out in it for hours.
This evening, we are going to church to help facilitate "Bible Skills & Thrills" with K-6th graders. I have to say, some of these little ones are just precious to me already, after having only worked with them last week so far. Others of them....although precious, are a bit of a handful! It's funny how you can pick out the troublemakers after only a few minutes in the room with them! I hope this week goes better. Afterwards, we are going to our friends' Angie & Owen's house for a football watch party / birthday party.
Never a dull moment!!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Panther Pride 5k Results
This morning, Jim & I woke up early to eat some race-day traditional banana bread, drink coffee & get ready for today's Panther Pride 5k. We both decided this morning that we were going to push ourselves hard during this race, since we figure we can do anything tough for 3.1 miles! We were both very happy with our results...I ended up shaving over 2 minutes off my last 5k we ran in December. I finished in 25:29, which was an 8:12 split. I was 9th out of 13 in my age division (tough crowd!!), and 115th out of 326 total runners. Jim averaged just under 8:00 per mile...at 7:58, finishing the race in 24:48. He was 97 out of 326, and 9th in his age division out of 24.
The post-race food today was great - doughnuts, bagels, pastries. I opted to go for the oranges instead, until they had pepperoni pizzas delivered from Godfathers!! Hot pizza at 9:00 am hit the spot. After we left the race, we stopped by the gym on the way home to do some weight training. We came home, showered up fast & went to a matinee to see "The Good Shepherd". We asked Jim's dad to join us, and he chose wisely by not coming. It was too long - the movie could have been shortened quite a bit & it would have been more enjoyable. Matt Damon was good in the movie, but he probably had about 50 lines in the whole 2+ hours! Strange & complicated movie.
Tomorrow is a 10 mile run for us both. I'm looking forward to it because I am at a very good part of my book on CD that I'm listening to on my iPod while I run. I'm listening to "The Poisonwood Bible", highly recommended by my sisters-in-law, and the fiance of Jim's childhood friend. Every book recommended by Tammi & Pam have been great - they haven't let me down yet!!
The post-race food today was great - doughnuts, bagels, pastries. I opted to go for the oranges instead, until they had pepperoni pizzas delivered from Godfathers!! Hot pizza at 9:00 am hit the spot. After we left the race, we stopped by the gym on the way home to do some weight training. We came home, showered up fast & went to a matinee to see "The Good Shepherd". We asked Jim's dad to join us, and he chose wisely by not coming. It was too long - the movie could have been shortened quite a bit & it would have been more enjoyable. Matt Damon was good in the movie, but he probably had about 50 lines in the whole 2+ hours! Strange & complicated movie.
Tomorrow is a 10 mile run for us both. I'm looking forward to it because I am at a very good part of my book on CD that I'm listening to on my iPod while I run. I'm listening to "The Poisonwood Bible", highly recommended by my sisters-in-law, and the fiance of Jim's childhood friend. Every book recommended by Tammi & Pam have been great - they haven't let me down yet!!
Friday, January 19, 2007
The Results
By the way - after reading my posts below, I realized that I didn't report out on my First Light Half Marathon results!
Here's the "Unofficial" results from the First Light Half Marathon webpage:
I finished 9th out of 40 in my age group with a time of 2:05:30, which is a 9:35/mile pace. I finished 184th out of 410 total runners of the half marathon. Not too shabby for my first ever half marathon!
Here's the "Unofficial" results from the First Light Half Marathon webpage:
I finished 9th out of 40 in my age group with a time of 2:05:30, which is a 9:35/mile pace. I finished 184th out of 410 total runners of the half marathon. Not too shabby for my first ever half marathon!
Tomorrow morning, Jim & I are running in the Panther Pride 5K. Here's a secret for you...I haven't been on a run since the half marathon last Sunday!!
Not your average Friday
There's no good way to say this....I am now a murderer. Although, I still do think that goose was a bit suicidal.
I was driving to work this morning around 7:30. I was probably 5 minutes from work, driving through Pascagoula, MS when I noticed a couple of geese in the median of the highway. They looked happy enough, pecking around at the ground on this gloomy morning. But this goes to show you that maybe people (or geese in this case) look or act happy on the outside, but maybe aren't really all that happy. For this goose, today was the end. Today was the day that he/she chose to end it all. This goose took off to fly (they're not such graceful taker-offers) but didn't quite clear my car on the ascension. ***WHOMP*** (this said in the James-style) Of course, at any anticipation of impact or something flying at you causes one to squish down in their seat & tightly shut ones eyes!! This reaction in and of itself could have really been bad!! But when I opened my eyes, the entire driver's side of my windshield was busted! There was even glass on my dash!
I have never been in an accident, other than a little love tap of a bumper at a rolling stop about 8 years ago, so needless to say - I was very very shaken up. The crazy thing about it was I didn't stop. The whole rest of the way to work, I had my hand over my mouth in shock, I was shaking, and kept trying to figure out if I should have stopped, but if I stopped, what would I do....give mouth to beak? I mean - I don't have a clue where the goose even went!? And there's really nothing to stop for. I doubt that the police would need to fill out a report or notify the goose's next of kin (I am betting that its next of kin was the other goose on the scene of the accident). As I kept driving, more glass shards were falling on my dash.
The only other thing to do at a scary time like this? Call the husband & cry like a baby!! I called Jim on his cell phone and he didn't pick up - Now what?! So I did something that I have only done one other time since he started his orthopedic surgical sales rep job...I paged him. Jim knows that something has to be awfully wrong for me to page him, so he returned my call right away & was definitely worried that something was very wrong. He was very relieved to know that I was only calling to report a suicidal goose & a busted windshield!! So I cried & blabbed for a couple of minutes until he told me that he had actually left a surgery to return my page. What a sweetheart! And that, my friend, is why you should never ever page to find out what is for dinner every night. Then they'll never think your page is an emergency! :) He takes such good care of me - he calmed me down & made me feel much better about the situation.
So the rest of the day included many phone calls from my coworkers who also park in the same lot as I do. I think they thought I committed a hit & run on the way to work - hee hee hee. I guess in a way, they were right! More so, people were calling to see if I was ok, see if I needed a ride or to see if I was shaken up. After I got over the initial shock & scare, I was able to laugh about it a little! Although, I wasn't quite ready for Jim's call to me this afternoon that began with "Hey Goose Killer!" Grumpy.
I called my insurance company, they told me I had no deductible for windshield replacement (WOOHOO!) and I got in touch with a great company in Mobile to do the work on the same day. I was worried to drive my car all the way back to Mobile with the windshield in its condition, and the speed of the highway & wind did cause some additional shards to fall on my dash - but I made it. I had a brand new Volkswagen windshield in 30 minutes! No money exchanged, no forms to fill out, no feathers to pluck.
Not bad for a Friday, huh?
I was driving to work this morning around 7:30. I was probably 5 minutes from work, driving through Pascagoula, MS when I noticed a couple of geese in the median of the highway. They looked happy enough, pecking around at the ground on this gloomy morning. But this goes to show you that maybe people (or geese in this case) look or act happy on the outside, but maybe aren't really all that happy. For this goose, today was the end. Today was the day that he/she chose to end it all. This goose took off to fly (they're not such graceful taker-offers) but didn't quite clear my car on the ascension. ***WHOMP*** (this said in the James-style) Of course, at any anticipation of impact or something flying at you causes one to squish down in their seat & tightly shut ones eyes!! This reaction in and of itself could have really been bad!! But when I opened my eyes, the entire driver's side of my windshield was busted! There was even glass on my dash!
I have never been in an accident, other than a little love tap of a bumper at a rolling stop about 8 years ago, so needless to say - I was very very shaken up. The crazy thing about it was I didn't stop. The whole rest of the way to work, I had my hand over my mouth in shock, I was shaking, and kept trying to figure out if I should have stopped, but if I stopped, what would I do....give mouth to beak? I mean - I don't have a clue where the goose even went!? And there's really nothing to stop for. I doubt that the police would need to fill out a report or notify the goose's next of kin (I am betting that its next of kin was the other goose on the scene of the accident). As I kept driving, more glass shards were falling on my dash.
The only other thing to do at a scary time like this? Call the husband & cry like a baby!! I called Jim on his cell phone and he didn't pick up - Now what?! So I did something that I have only done one other time since he started his orthopedic surgical sales rep job...I paged him. Jim knows that something has to be awfully wrong for me to page him, so he returned my call right away & was definitely worried that something was very wrong. He was very relieved to know that I was only calling to report a suicidal goose & a busted windshield!! So I cried & blabbed for a couple of minutes until he told me that he had actually left a surgery to return my page. What a sweetheart! And that, my friend, is why you should never ever page to find out what is for dinner every night. Then they'll never think your page is an emergency! :) He takes such good care of me - he calmed me down & made me feel much better about the situation.
So the rest of the day included many phone calls from my coworkers who also park in the same lot as I do. I think they thought I committed a hit & run on the way to work - hee hee hee. I guess in a way, they were right! More so, people were calling to see if I was ok, see if I needed a ride or to see if I was shaken up. After I got over the initial shock & scare, I was able to laugh about it a little! Although, I wasn't quite ready for Jim's call to me this afternoon that began with "Hey Goose Killer!" Grumpy.
I called my insurance company, they told me I had no deductible for windshield replacement (WOOHOO!) and I got in touch with a great company in Mobile to do the work on the same day. I was worried to drive my car all the way back to Mobile with the windshield in its condition, and the speed of the highway & wind did cause some additional shards to fall on my dash - but I made it. I had a brand new Volkswagen windshield in 30 minutes! No money exchanged, no forms to fill out, no feathers to pluck.
Not bad for a Friday, huh?
Monday, January 15, 2007
Two days in a row???
This is a new record! Two blogs in two days!! Pam - pick your jaw up off the floor! :-)
Tonight, I went to Bible Study at my church, where we are doing a 4-week video session of "Loving Well" by Beth Moore. The point of the study is to understand God's love for us, and how that leads to us loving others, which is God's commandment to us. The first week's session established 4 categories of people that we are called by God to love....and if you get right down to it - everyone you know can be placed in these 4 categories:
1 - Joy....These are the people who are a JOY to love! Now of course, this doesn't mean you never get frustrated at these people, or annoyed or even down right mad at them because we are not God and our love is not Perfect Love - as His is. Your "Joy" people are easy to love and you love being around them.
2 - Testy....These people are those that you just dread. You deal with them, but you don't look forward to it. They are under your skin before you even start a conversation with them! They try every ounce of you! You just can't imagine HOW you are supposed to love these people?!
3 - Hate....This person or these people are those that you can admit that you truly hate, or have hated, even though you know it is just so wrong to hate them. They have wronged you so terribly or have done something so despicable in your life that you have no idea how to forgive them, let alone, how to love them.
4 - Far...These are the people that you don't know at all or hardly know. God also calls us to love strangers, provide for them, give to them, be kind to them, LOVE them. LOOK for opportunities to love strangers.
I thought these 4 categories were quite fitting, and it really got me to thinking about who I have in each category. God doesn't just tell us to love the JOYs in our life - even though that is where we tend to concentrate the most time, effort & energy in loving.
My commitment during this study is to gain a deeper understanding of God's love for me, which will then cause me to love myself better, and will therefore allow me to love others & show God's love through my actions.
But between me & you...I had some "testy" encounters today.....God is still working! Let's just put it this way...I still have some work to do!
Tonight, I went to Bible Study at my church, where we are doing a 4-week video session of "Loving Well" by Beth Moore. The point of the study is to understand God's love for us, and how that leads to us loving others, which is God's commandment to us. The first week's session established 4 categories of people that we are called by God to love....and if you get right down to it - everyone you know can be placed in these 4 categories:
1 - Joy....These are the people who are a JOY to love! Now of course, this doesn't mean you never get frustrated at these people, or annoyed or even down right mad at them because we are not God and our love is not Perfect Love - as His is. Your "Joy" people are easy to love and you love being around them.
2 - Testy....These people are those that you just dread. You deal with them, but you don't look forward to it. They are under your skin before you even start a conversation with them! They try every ounce of you! You just can't imagine HOW you are supposed to love these people?!
3 - Hate....This person or these people are those that you can admit that you truly hate, or have hated, even though you know it is just so wrong to hate them. They have wronged you so terribly or have done something so despicable in your life that you have no idea how to forgive them, let alone, how to love them.
4 - Far...These are the people that you don't know at all or hardly know. God also calls us to love strangers, provide for them, give to them, be kind to them, LOVE them. LOOK for opportunities to love strangers.
I thought these 4 categories were quite fitting, and it really got me to thinking about who I have in each category. God doesn't just tell us to love the JOYs in our life - even though that is where we tend to concentrate the most time, effort & energy in loving.
My commitment during this study is to gain a deeper understanding of God's love for me, which will then cause me to love myself better, and will therefore allow me to love others & show God's love through my actions.
But between me & you...I had some "testy" encounters today.....God is still working! Let's just put it this way...I still have some work to do!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
So obviously I didn't get into the whole blogging thing...with about 2 years since my last post! But now....my new inspiration for posting is my husband, Jim!!! He has started a blog recently to document his training experience for his first marathon coming up April 28, 2007...the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN (and NO, neither of us like Country music!!).
I have to say....I have no need to do another marathon. It's a long story - but I basically completed my husband's goal in Febrary of 2005. He & I were both training for a marathon, but he injured his knee about 1 1/2 months into the 4 month training program. I am just too darn stubborn to stop something midstream, so I completed training all by myself and successfully ran my first (and LAST!) marathon in 4 hrs, 26 minutes (unofficial was 4 hrs 23 minutes....took me 3 minutes to get to the Start line).
I do plan on training with Jim and being there for support and encouragement, as he was with me. I will run the half marathon in Nashville, while Jim & our brother-in-law, Robert, run the full marathon. Today, the 3 of us ran the First Light Half Marathon in Mobile, AL and were all very happy with the results!
All of this running has really been fun - and it has definitely been a family affair! Robert's son, Adam, has also taken up running! He ran the fun run today in Mobile, AL while we 3 were running our 13.1. He also plans on running the 5k in Nashville! Robert's parents, and Jim's parents will likely make the trek to Nashville to see the race. Hopefully some of my family will make the drive from Missouri to join the fun as well! My mom and stepdad are planning on coming to our next race in Mobile, AL - the Azalea Trail run. We have never run in this race - but have heard it is just a gorgeous race....just as it is gorgeous EVERYWHERE in Mobile when all of the azaleas are blooming!
But let's be honest with each other. One of the reasons I am into this racing thing is because of the training. And one of the reasons I am into this training thing is because of burning calories. And one of the reasons I am into burning calories is because I LOVE TO EAT!!! :-) Seriously - during the marathon training in 2004 & 2005, I ate anything I wanted, as much as I wanted & I couldn't keep the weight on! I was having to pin my pants to hold them up - what a good feeling! BUT - I am in my friend Kristin's wedding in one month in St. Louis! I just got fitted for my bridesmaid dress last week & it fit perfectly...just needed a hem. My point is...I can't lose or gain any weight during this next month! And now that I am up to 13+ mile runs on the weekends, I will just have to eat whatever I want to balance it out :-)!
Gotta get going. I promise I won't wait 2 years to post again....
I have to say....I have no need to do another marathon. It's a long story - but I basically completed my husband's goal in Febrary of 2005. He & I were both training for a marathon, but he injured his knee about 1 1/2 months into the 4 month training program. I am just too darn stubborn to stop something midstream, so I completed training all by myself and successfully ran my first (and LAST!) marathon in 4 hrs, 26 minutes (unofficial was 4 hrs 23 minutes....took me 3 minutes to get to the Start line).
I do plan on training with Jim and being there for support and encouragement, as he was with me. I will run the half marathon in Nashville, while Jim & our brother-in-law, Robert, run the full marathon. Today, the 3 of us ran the First Light Half Marathon in Mobile, AL and were all very happy with the results!
All of this running has really been fun - and it has definitely been a family affair! Robert's son, Adam, has also taken up running! He ran the fun run today in Mobile, AL while we 3 were running our 13.1. He also plans on running the 5k in Nashville! Robert's parents, and Jim's parents will likely make the trek to Nashville to see the race. Hopefully some of my family will make the drive from Missouri to join the fun as well! My mom and stepdad are planning on coming to our next race in Mobile, AL - the Azalea Trail run. We have never run in this race - but have heard it is just a gorgeous race....just as it is gorgeous EVERYWHERE in Mobile when all of the azaleas are blooming!
But let's be honest with each other. One of the reasons I am into this racing thing is because of the training. And one of the reasons I am into this training thing is because of burning calories. And one of the reasons I am into burning calories is because I LOVE TO EAT!!! :-) Seriously - during the marathon training in 2004 & 2005, I ate anything I wanted, as much as I wanted & I couldn't keep the weight on! I was having to pin my pants to hold them up - what a good feeling! BUT - I am in my friend Kristin's wedding in one month in St. Louis! I just got fitted for my bridesmaid dress last week & it fit perfectly...just needed a hem. My point is...I can't lose or gain any weight during this next month! And now that I am up to 13+ mile runs on the weekends, I will just have to eat whatever I want to balance it out :-)!
Gotta get going. I promise I won't wait 2 years to post again....
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
My First Blog
I have to admit - I didn't even know what a 'blog' was until a couple of weeks ago, when my sister-in-law, Pam, invited me to read hers! I have enjoyed reading hers very much, so have explored it a bit further...and now I have my very own!
I'm afraid I have never really enjoyed writing, but for some reason - I am just drawn to this site! Perhaps because this is an easy way for me to communicate with all of my family and friends in Missouri. It is so hard to keep in touch with everyone as often as I would like. I haven't even been able to see friends in St. Louis since we moved here in March! Although, Nicole & her new husband, Brad, did make the journey to Mobile to visit.
So this is my first post. I'm sure that they'll get better, more organized and have a point. But this one is just to check it out and see what it looks like. Maybe I'll start enjoying writing after all.....
I'm afraid I have never really enjoyed writing, but for some reason - I am just drawn to this site! Perhaps because this is an easy way for me to communicate with all of my family and friends in Missouri. It is so hard to keep in touch with everyone as often as I would like. I haven't even been able to see friends in St. Louis since we moved here in March! Although, Nicole & her new husband, Brad, did make the journey to Mobile to visit.
So this is my first post. I'm sure that they'll get better, more organized and have a point. But this one is just to check it out and see what it looks like. Maybe I'll start enjoying writing after all.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
