11.25.07

Today has been a very, very sad day!

We have been taking care of my running partner’s 2 cats this week; she and her CPA were out of town visiting relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday. One of the cats hasn’t been acting right all week, wouldn’t eat, would only drink and kind of moped around.

I thought about taking him to the vet but was so afraid they’d say he had something incurable and… So, we just kept an eye on him.

This morning, I went to look for him and couldn’t find him. Finally, I found him and he had died.

We were all very torn up. We buried him up on the hill on the back of the property.

It’s been very sad 😦

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11.23.07

WHAT A DAY!

Up at 3:00 a.m., out the door at 3:45 and at the opening of Kohl’s by 4:00. Then, on to JC Penney. We left there just in time to make it to the 6:00 a.m. opening of Target, hit the Starbucks for a peppermint hot chocolate and then on to Belk. After Belk it was back to Target and then home to drop off some stuff and off to Tanger. By 10:00 a.m. we were toast! But that was like 6 hours of shopping. WHEW!

The Apple one-day online sale netted Office for Mac with a $100. rebate + I get a certificate that allows me to purchase the full version of 2008 in the Spring for just $6.99! A BARGAIN!

After lunch it was off to work and then to the AT&T store for an iPhone. After dinner I ordered my new laptop online. It should be here in about 5 days. Maybe I’ll have the iPhone figured out by then. I also, besides Office for Mac, ordered Parrellels.

I’m excited — that was pretty much my Christmas I’m sure. It sure will make life easier in 2008!

11.22.07

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I have prayed for rain for months now. I wasn’t too specific as to when I wanted this rain, so I can’t really complain much.

The picture is me just after I crossed the finish line of the Thanksgiving Day 1/2 Marathon in Atlanta. My time was 2:14:47 [unofficially]. I don’t think the “official” chip time will be much different since I was right up front at the start and it only took me about 10-15 seconds to cross the start line.

It was sprinkling when the race started and miles 2 and 3 saw a heavy downpour. I just praised the Lord for the much needed rain although I knew my feet would pay the price. Sure enough, my shoes were soaked and squished the rest of the race providing me with a nice size BLOOD blister on the toe next to my BIG toe 😦 OUCH!

It rained off and on throughout the 13.1 miles but the temp was EXCELLENT! Best temp I’ve ever raced in. I never got cold or hot — it was PERFECT!!!

My time was still not what I hoped for, I was hoping for something under 2 hours, but just couldn’t do it.

My running partner [who is out of town] called me about 1/2 mile in and believe it or not, I answered my cell phone — YES, I run with my cell phone. Weird I know, but a lot of people do and it helps find your friends and family at the finish line. Anywho, she called and wished me a good run. That was nice 🙂

The new Fuel Belt was great! Large enough that it sat on my hips, not around my waist– very comfortable and very nice. The bottles each hold an ounce more than the old bottles and the lids are better– they don’t leak. The pull tabs to release the bottles from the belt are bigger and easier to grab. And the pouch is small but removable so that a larger one can be added if needed. I’m very pleased with it.

The Garmin lost the satellite about mile 12, [not nice!] so I didn’t get a complete reading on the race.

NOTE: When I synced the Garmin I notice something that I hadn’t noticed before. I’ve had it a year now and only use if for races and long runs and I didn’t realize this but it keeps a “running” total [that’s was a play on words — OK to laugh] anywho… it keeps a total of all the miles I’ve run. OVER 300! And that’s just races and long runs in 1 year. + it keeps a total of the calories burned! Over 51 thousand!

And on that note… it’s off to eat some turkey and Gobble ’til we Wobble.

11.21.07

1 fast mile on the mill this a.m., then off to the BIG Peach for a new 6-bottle Fuel Belt, Lenox for some window shopping, Starbucks [for a peppermint hot chocolate non-fat no whip] the race expo to pick up my bib and chip [and more browsing], and finally, to Whole Foods.

Why I thought going to Whole Foods the day before Thanksgiving was a good idea I do not know! However, I met a couple of sisters there, they just happened to be in the checkout line directly behind us, that I haven’t seen since I was a litte girl! These two sisters are twins I believe, in their 60’s probably, and when I was a little girl they were missionaries — to where I cannot remember, that’s not really important. What is important is the impact they had on my life. They must have spoken in a Sunday school class that I was in or maybe just given a report in church or something but I can remember being impressed that serving the Lord on the mission field [or anywhere] could be a rewarding experience. It was good to see them and get a chance to talk to them again after all these 30+ years. They looked the same to me, and I told them that, and they politely said that I too looked the same, just taller :~) and asked me about my parents. I’m so thankful the Lord allowed me to run into them! Over the years I have thought of them now and then and wondered how they were doing – the Hilton sisters.

11.20.07

2 fast miles on the mill. BIGGER Tom is coming home today 🙂

Tomorrow we will make our way up to Lenox, possibly to the Apple store for an iPhone, to the BIG Peach, possibly picking up a new 6-bottle Fuel Belt, a stop by Starbucks [of course], to the race expo at the Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel, and then on to Whole Foods on our way home. Busy day…

Today my Endurance Bag arrived safe and sound via FedEx, just in time for the 1/2 Marathon. I’ve been looking at this bag for quite some time. Mine is black the Endurance Ultra. I wanted black and you have to get the Ultra to get it in black.

Here are the features from their website at http://www.EnduranceBag.com

Original Endurance Bags:
Zippered, fold-down front pocket reveals 8 individual storage areas for phone, keys, iPod, money, credit cards, drivers license, energy bars, gels, sunscreen, lotion, sunglasses, safety pins, map, entry confirmation, race bib and more:

• Two insulated bottle holders with center mesh compartment for ice pack or snack.
• Separate, ventilated wet clothes compartment
• Two exterior mesh pockets
• Large interior cargo area
• Adjustable and detachable padded shoulder strap
• Padded carrying handles
• Ventilated shoe compartment with adjacent interior mesh pocket
• Colors: Forest Green, Purple. All with black trim

Endurance Elite:

All of the Original features (above) plus:

• Upgraded material to 1200 denier (from 600 denier on Original bags)
• More water resistant
• Velcro-fastened handle wrap
• One extra interior mesh pocket near insulated bottle holders
• Colors: Royal Blue, Red, Light Blue, Orange. All with black trim

Endurance Ultra – The Performance Bag of the Year:

All of the Original features (above) plus:

• Upgraded material to 1680 denier (from 600 denier on Original bags)
• Ballistic-like feel
• More water resistant
• Velcro-fastened handle wrap
• One extra interior mesh pocket near insulated bottle holders
• Winner of the 2007 Performance Bag of the Year
• Colors: Black with black trim

Forever now I’ve been toting my running stuff around in this Niketown back thingie and I have to dig and dig to find anything. Well, those days are gone. Now everything is neatly organized as it should be and this should make race mornings a lot less stressful!

Oh, I should tell you… I got my Endurance Bag from http://www.lazarsluggage.com, a company in California. I was a little apprehensive but it saved me $10.00 and the shipping was very prompt w/tracking and all. And get this– not 5 minutes after the package arrived on my door step, I get this email that says the package has been delivered. COOL!

11.19.07

3 fast miles on the mill this a.m. Will do 2 tomorrow and 1 on Wednesday. The BIG day, Thursday — Thanksgiving maybe be a challenge in that it is supposed to RAIN! I know, I know… in all give thanks, and we really, really, really need the rain… But I hate to run in the the rain, that’s just no fun! I’m praying it holds off until after the race.

Another family get together tonight. My bff is making his “famous”  soup. This meal will be real simple, soup and cornbread 🙂 looking forward to it. And the boys are coming, the grandkitties — Cody and Cole. We’ll be keeping them until Saturday while my running partner and her CPA are in KC visiting his family for the holidays.

11.18.07

A nice impromptu Sunday dinner w/the the family [minus Chris and BIGGER Tom] this afternoon and the long-awaited announcement…

SARI BERI’S ROOM IS DONE!

Next project: [already in the works] new draperies for the living room, dining room & kitchen 🙂