St. Patrick's Day Race

The day came and although not technically St. Patrick's Day it was to celebrate and for a good cause, Special Olympics.  The band was a playin'

and we were amassin'...

The gun was ready to fire then...BANG

We're off.

The crew ready to run.  Me, son-in-law, B, A&A, and me wee daughter B...

Huh, just noticed we had adjoining numbers.

The sweet couple getting ready to celebrate 3 years of wedded bliss. 

Now the story.  I took off running or lightly jogging with the huge 2600 mass crowd and kept it up for a short bit before the shins started SCREAMING at me.  I hadn't even gone half a mile and I was ready to quit, quit I tell you.  I knew that B&B and A&A would take off and leave me, I didn't mind.  I'm usually at the back of the pack because of my short stride and slow pace.  I was passed by person after person and soon on the other side of the street I saw B&B as they were heading down towards the finish.  I had a long way to go yet.  I was a bit scared when one guy passed me wearing a portable oxygen candula thing.  Great.  I pushed through the pain by walking most of the first half of the race and suddenly just before the turn around part it stopped.  I decided that I would round the orange cone and begin the run part. 

I kept up my steady plodding and soon I could see the finish banner and hear my family yelling! 

I heard B&B yelling that I was going to beat my time.  I looked down the way and saw a huge clock ticking the time away.

It said 58. something seconds and I was so close.  The best I've done on the 5K on the treadmill was 60.57 and I was about to beat it.  I don't know the exact finish time, but I know it was 58 or 59 something.

WOW!  I did it and I feel such an accomplishment. 

Race Day

This will be a quick note.  Today is the St. Patrick's Day race and my first 5K.  My tummy is a bit hinky but it's mainly dealing with crowds and whether I'm standing in the right place.  Did we park in the right place so we don't get towed.  Do I look okay, not too fat.  Yadda, yadda, yadda.  My head can really take a toll on me.  Hopefully I will have pic's tomorrow.

Daddy is to have surgery to take his new hip out on Thursday.  Don't know what this path of healing will be like for him but it was inevitable.  Later gator's.

Porta Potty

Look what has appeared in our front yard...a porta potty!  It was inevitable.

This was the doorway into the bathroom and our from our bedroom...

now look what has happened!

That gold rimmed door was the shower door that I used just a few days ago.

My beautiful backyard is now a construction zone for sure.

We decided that the full length mirror might ought to be saved and the one huge one over the sink.  Just look what the paint color used to be throughout the house...orange sherbert!

Responsibilties and Parents

  Last week B and I went to one of the Borders that is closing in town and I gravitated to the audio books.  I love listening while I tool around town in my car.  I found this one called Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah.  Not sure why I was drawn to it except the cover art.  I am finding a correlation to my real life as I listen to the thing.  It is about two sisters who have a horrible relationship with their Russian born mother.  The mother, so far, is a very, very cold person and makes it difficult for the girls to relate to her.  Their father, who both girls have a wonderful relationship with is the buffer and glue between them all.  When he dies they are forced to deal with their relationships with the mother.  So far that is just about as far as I have gotten in the book, halfway, but the part I find that identifies with my life is the girls dealing with an aged parent.  The mother is showing signs of dementia, or so they think and is not able to take care of herself, again, or so they think.  This part of the book comes as my siblings and I are facing the health and living problems with my father. 

Tuesday Daddy had yet another minor surgery and they have found that the "infection" has gone clear to the new hip area.  The infection is probably the result of his pneumonia last year.  This probably means more surgery, no driving for a very long time, and his increased dependance on us three.  Daddy actually made the comment about having the feeling of helplessness and dependence.  It has got to be so very scary.  I can't even imagine going from being a big tough guy to totally reliant on others.  He needs us to take him to the doctor, get his meds, his food, his everything.  Plus he lives alone and is incredibly lonely.  I feel so bad for him.  He actually made a statement about thinking about one of those retirement communities.  It made me really contemplate that as an option but I'm not sure if he could afford it.  It would be nice to have him around people.  I think it would help a lot but probably not just yet.  It will probably be an inevitable thing. 

It was weird yesterday but as my brother and I were getting him dressed to go home I too his bicep to help him lift up and pull his pants on and was amazed how strong his arms still are.  Wow, lots of strong muscle.  I think it helps that he is really in very good condition and eats very well.  He's still my very strong Daddy that I used to love to watch. 

Bridge

Signed yet another.

{Weight loss report - down 5 pounds}

(Happy Birthday Momma)

Time Tag

Yesterday I picked up the official packet for the race on Saturday.  I didn't realize there would be a time tag that you attach to your shoe.  I will really be official.  So exciting and I'm ready for it.  Last week I logged about 13 miles (99% treadmill) and this week I'm off to a good start.  Yesterday 3 miles and today 2 miles.  Tomorrow will be iffy as I may have to stay the night with Daddy and miss workout, but I will have dance I guess.  Tonight I am supposed to weigh in but that kind of depends on if I have to stay with Daddy.  Since the nephew is in school there will be no one to watch him.  I'm sure he will be okay but not taking chances. 

Raining here so the workers are a no show.  They may show up this afternoon if the rain stops but it is nice an quiet here right now. 

The wood pile is for the sub-floor and the plastic is the vapor barrier.  We are choosing post and beam construction for a crawl space.  The Hubby prefers and the house is 99% crawl.  (The pictures are grainy as I took them through the bathroom window.  It is rainy and muddy out there!)

Head Jumble

I've waited all day long to post here because I have hit a brick wall with ideas but I've also got a ton on my my mind and can't seem to sort them out.  First, today, I picked up the race packet and I'm trying to be focused and excited on the goal next Saturday.  It is a reality and I'm a bit anxious and excited. 

Tomorrow, Daddy will yet again have an outpatient surgery to take more of a part of the abscess wound to get it to heal better and see what is going on.  I'm not really worried about the thing, I just want him to heal so he can get back to movin' and groovin'. 

Finally, construction is going full force.  I promise to have more pictures by the end of the week as we move forward.  There have been workmen in my backyard for a couple of weeks now and I love watching the progress.  The Hubby and I have completely cleaned out the closets and bathroom area of the master bath in preparation of the demo to begin by the end of the week!  It's perfect timing for spring since we will be living with a nailed up doorway to the great outdoors soon and I don't want another snow.  This morning I started taking my showers in the guest bath and realized that my cute little sheer curtain was not enough and had to find some board to cover the window.  It's probably high enough from the ground but I don't feel comfortable with men marching back and forth while I'm in my natural state.  Little Clayton is feeling sort of like a prisoner because his automatic doggie door has been turned off.  He has escaped a couple of times and is enamoured with the piles of dirt and holes in the side fence.  We have to escort him outdoors and are constantly keeping him close because when the door opens he's on a dead run to the side yard.  He's gotten tar on his poor feet, rolled in something they dug up and came in with the red dirt all over his fur. 

Well, what do you know I did have a bit to relate.  Later my friends and stay tuned.

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

The sun is streaming through my room this morning and I'm just pecking away at the keys of my laptop here to find something to write about.  I love sunshine!  The warmth alone is fabulous.  I close my eyes and face directly into the beam through the window and know I'm soaking up the vitamin D and warmth.  I could sit here all day long and enjoy it like a cat taking a sun bath.  Hey, maybe I should roll around on the carpet. 

Seriously folks, it is Sunday morning and we are home this weekend.  We went briefly to the cabin and enjoyed a wonderful dinner with friends Friday night but came back to go to the flea market and hang at home.  Sometimes you just have too.  The Hubby is at this moment clearing out his closet.  Trying to find places to put all his stuff because we were told by the contractor that the current bathroom/closets would be gone by the end of the week.  The sledge hammer will begin to demolish what we have known these past 5 years and we will move into the new phase of construction!  I'm very excited for sure.  It is moving along so much faster than we anticipated and I'm very happy about that. 

Later on today I will start the walk/jog stuff in the neighborhood, when it warms up a bit.  Next weekend is the 5K and I find I am not ready.  Oh, a 5K is easy for me on the treadmill but put me on asphalt and my shins start screaming.  I tried the other night and laid in bed later thinking I must be crazy.  I was trying to find ways to back out of the 5K.  What have I gotten myself into.  I know I can do it but I live in fear that they will tell me that you can ONLY run, no walking allowed.  It is the weird I know but that is me.  I'm sure it will be fine but I'm a bit scared and that little bit of fear of the unknown is what has held me back in a lot of stuff in my life.  I just have to have faith it will be alright and forge ahead.  I can't shut mysef in the house and stuff my head under a blanket.  Life is life and full steam ahead.  Do you think it is working?  Am I talking myself into be okay?  I certainly hope so.  Onward all!  To Life!  Head'em up, move'em out!  Move along little doggies!  No pain, no gain! 

King of the Hill

King of the Hill, he's checking out all the progress and making sure it's done right! 

I guess there is no turning back now.  Hopefully it won't rain till they get a floor or cover.  We could have a swimming pool if not careful. 

You've Got A Friend

I'm sure you have read here many, many times my rants about a friend.  A friend like Gail, like my Momma or like Lucy and Ethel.  I have been searching for that kind of friendship since 2006 when Gail and Mom passed away and guess what, I think I've found it, unexpectedly.  It is not exactly Lucy and Ethel but it is fun and I am happy.  In my art class that I started 2 years ago (I think), during one of the conversations that goes on all the time, I met a lady sitting next to me, Sheila.  Sheila is a phenomenal artist and absolutely runs rings around me art wise and life wise.  Sheila and I found out that we live across the street from pne another.  What!  How awesomely exciting!  Sheila is 72 years old and I just love her to death.  I joined an art organization that she belongs to, Alpha Rho Tau (ART) and we go to meetings together.  She calls me and asks about my father or sister or family or about anything we have talked about in class.  She is doing Weight Watchers too, so when she knows I weigh in she calls to check on my progress.  Who would have thought.  She and her hubby had us over for dinner one night so I need to have them over too.  She is a wonderful friend and I get a friend and mother figure all rolled into one.  Granted I can't talk to her about sex and stuff but she is a great ear and thinks about me a lot.  I am happy. 

It's A Wonderful Life

My life is wonderful, yes it is wonderful but sometimes I am sad, I am there today.  Can't help it, just am.  Daddy will have another (minor) surgery next Tuesday and the planets almost aligned to allow me to go to art class then head to the hospital just in time but alas a glitch happened and that won't happen.  Will make it up on Thursday, I hope. 

This morning I was excited to go to my massage and facial since I missed the last month one because of the winter blizzard we had.   I skipped running, makeup and the blow dryer to make it on time, ready to have the knots worked out.  Ouch, a new massage therapist and this was agonizingly painful.  I am not sure that I like that.  We will see tomorrow if I'm bruised.  That is NOT what I want for a relaxing massage.  The massage done I put on the tiny robe and house shoes for the move to the facial room but was told that my girl was delayed at her doctors office.  She told them to offer a mini facial when and IF she could get there or reschedule.  She was upset because she knew that I had been through the ringer with the previous massage therapist that kept flaking out on my every month for 4 months straight.  I was very nice and said that was no problem and that we could just reschedule for next week but inside I was very upset and wanted to cry right then and there.  I was already upset by an incident from last night so my tears were on the verge. 

Last night a bunch of my friends met a good 30 minutes (in rush hour) from my house for dinner.  Five of us live in the same area of town, yet there I drove there all by myself while they shared rides.  Hmmm, this is my problem but I was a bit, a lot left out.  Just saying. 

Peeling Potatoes with Mary Ann

I'm Still Here

I'm here.  For a brief moment today I thought I would shut this thing down.  After thinking about it all day long I have decided that I would edit some of my previous blog posts (delete them) and continue on.  I love writing here and that is the most important thing here for me.  I started this blog to help me get through a very tough time with the loss of my best friend Gail and my momma.  What has happened is that I have gained lots of friends across the world and I'm not willing to give that up.  So my friends I'm still here.  It's funny though that I find I'm having to curtail what I write about, nothing about marriage, family, kids, well what else is there.  We shall find out won't we.  No on to what has happened in the past couple of days.

First, I took Daddy to the doc yesterday and he will have another surgery on his hip next Tuesday.  They will take a much larger hunk of flesh off and hopefully it will heal.  I think he needs to do a bit more walking around to get the blood flow better, but that is MY opinion.  He will be fine and he is ready to get it done. 

Next, is the weight loss battle.  I am so upset tonight with the damn scale.  I hate that I have to live by it with weighing in at Weight Watchers.  How many weeks have I been trying to do this thing and I'm only down a little over 2 pounds.  I keep bouncing up and down with tenths of points and it is very frustrating.  I have amped up the exercise!  Last Friday I did 3.2 miles on the treadmill.  Saturday I walked about 1.6 miles with Harri.  Yesterday I did 3.2 miles on the treadmill and today I did 2 miles.  Tonight I went to weigh in and was up again!  I wanted to just throw my purse and keys against the wall.  I am working as hard as I can.  I know that I'm not logging the food like I was but when you eat pretty much the same thing every day I get tired of doing it.  I have got to knuckle down with that again.  I'm in smaller jeans and feeling so good so that damn dial should be going down, down, down. 

Construction update:

The pouring of the stem walls.

Construction Part?

This is one of the blueprint pages of our add on master bath, closets, laundry, workout area.  The two areas at the left are our closets!!!  Then the workout area in the middle, shower with laundry area across from the shower, then the toilet area and sink.

We got our first inspection on Friday.  Monday they start the stem walls.

(NOTE:  I've been doing a blog post everyday for about 6 months now and I'm running out of words so it may be a bit sporadic for awhile.) 

Peaking Out

Spring is peaking out today. I found snow iris, jonquils and crocus...I'm happy...

Tomorrow more snapshots of the construction...stay tuned!

Pouring Footings

It Begins

This morning when I woke my mind did not want to workout.  I tried to get my brain to find an excuse for not getting out of bed but I knew it was a waste of time.  Up, up, up...rise and shine, at least the best I could do at 5 am.  I went to the trainer place, stepped onto the treadmill, and after 62.45 minutes I had accomplished 3.2 miles, 5K.  I have got to get it together for this thing because next Saturday is the run, I think (have to check the calendar).  It really is not hard but my brain is my biggest enemy.  I was fighting it even on the treadmill.  I kept wanting to quit but had to push myself, "You can do it, you can do it, you can do it."  It would be the easy thing to just stop but I CAN'T! 

Finally done, I drove home while listening to yet another book on CD in my car.  Side note:  listening to David Baldacci - Devine Injustice!  Very exciting and it even has sound effects.  Makes me want to drive around just to finish it.  Back to the story...I got home, turned the corner of our street and there were 3 or 4 big construction trucks up the street, wait, in front of our house.  Oh yeah, I forgot. The Hubby told me that the concrete guy's crew is starting to pour the footings for the new addition to the house.  Now see, I told you the first of the week about cleaning out the closet and The Hubby said that it would be a couple of months.  I can never rely on what he says, I have to keep my antenna up to feel out what he does and who he meets with.  I knew it.  Hopefully, I will have pictures of some of the work tomorrow as we begin the process.  We've always done tons of remodeling but never an add on so this will be new and different territory for us.  Our building permit is displayed on the front window, we are doing this thing! 

Have you ever lost anything of value?

The prompt on NaBloPoMo yesterday was a very interesting idea and really got my mind to workin'.  (My girls may need to not read this post.)

Have you ever lost anything of value? Do you still think about it? Imagine how you'd feel if you'd given it away instead.

Wow, that question made me immediately think about my virginity.  Don't know why it did but that is where this mind goes.  When I was young, high school, 17 or 18 I had plenty of chances of giving what I thought a most precious gift away.  Yeah, yeah, I'm old fashioned but that is me.

Across the street from my house and down a block was the local Humpty Dumpty grocery store.  We walked to the store all the time and when I was 17 or so there was one of the sack boys working that I had a huge crush on.  Actually, there were several but this flavor of the week had my attention.  He was ahead of me in school by a couple of years and I thought out of my league, but crushes don't understand that.  I found every opportunity  I could to walk to the store.  I would look in the pantry and announce to Momma that she needed corn or green beans or whatever, anything to venture through the checkout line.  Finally, after a week or two of that I got a phone call from said crush to join him at a party!  OH MY GOSH!  I was over the moon.  He came by, picked me up and we traveled to Tulsa where we ended up parked on a street where construction for a new housing addition was taking place, no inhabitants.  I asked him where the party was and he reached into the backseat to pull a beer out of an ice chest, "Right here," he says.  Uh oh!  I didn't partake because at the time my parents were HUGE beer drinkers and I wasn't, had never even had a drink.  Okay, I was a bit of a prude, naive, innocent, but knew what I wasn't going to do.  We smooched a bit but it didn't go too far.  Party, Harrumph!  At one point he looked in the rear view mirror to fix his hair and actually said, "Not bad looking, huh!"  That should have put my radar up but I was young. 

I was so eat up with this guy and somehow one afternoon I ended up at his house with no one home.  He put on Chicago VII album, in particular the song, Wishing You Were Here, can hardly hear that song without thinking of him.  Anyway, back to the making out.  It was heavy, very, very heavy, no clothes kind but the old fashioned kind of gal I was in my head knew that this was not right.  I halted it!  He was not happy and I can't blame him, I was a tease I guess but reality was flooding my brain.  I left him very angry.  Later I talked to him on the phone and he told me, "You'll never get a guy unless you give it up.  No guy will want someone who doesn't know how...blah, blah, blah!"  I knew right then, through all the tears, that I was right.  He was a jerk and I was so glad I didn't give it up to him because I saved it for the most perfect guy in the world for me, The Hubby.   

I can't imagine if I had gone all the way with the guy.  Hell, he didn't even have protection and I surely didn't.  What if I had gotten pregnant.  I was reminded all the time of my friend Jean Ann who was dealing with that and I surely didn't want to follow in her footsteps or some of my close relatives.  My life might have taken a very different turn if I had followed the young heat.  What about you?  Have you ever lost anything of value? Do you still think about it? Imagine how you'd feel if you'd given it away instead.  It doesn't have to be anything this intense but does make you think, doesn't it. 

Camera Fun

I was having a bit of fun with stuff around the house.  What do you think?  May have to paint.

Bathroom-Closet

Remember how nice the closet looked after I cleaned it out and reorganized. 

This morning it was time to start cleaning it out yet again but this time it is for the remodel.  Walls will be torn down and I can't wait.  I spent an hour after workout moving clothes into various closets around the house and the guest room.  The guest room will now be my closet for the time being.  I certainly hope guests aren't coming anytime soon! 

P.S.  I am sorry for the comment moderation but I had a very nasty comment and thankfully the spam control here caught it but I'm taking a few precautions right now.