such is the way of the world...

you can never know

just where to put all your faith

and how will it grow...

that's Eddie : .)

other random stuffs...

snaaaakkkkeeee!  (on the trail today)

Paul & Erik taking a break at the top of the hill.

@ the top...I think I've posted this view b/4.

I have insane cramps.  o.m.g!!! cringing over here! (no photo of that!)

I love my baristas!

my oldest friend Vicki (with her daughter Katie) celebrated her 50th b-day!
our parents were bffs.
she still looks soooo young!

hot Zumba instructor doing the 5K race warm-up!  Shan needs to take Zumba!

check out the dad doing Zumba!  so many families joining in on the fun!

hahahahahah! 


my feet are freezing. (no photo of that!)


I think I'm allergic to hair dye, itchy!
please say it isn't soooooo! I'm too young to go gray!
 And I need to look my best to catch a husband!  lololol!!!!

I mentioned that Karen & I will run (ok, walk) with the chickens on Sunday.

that's it for now! 

I was on the edge of the event horizon...

being sucked into the black hole...

 (source)

 but I managed to escape the gravitational forces of evil with my heart and soul intact!

for the most part,...

Lessons for this week:

Be the river, not the rock. (A reminder.)

Stop resisting.

Walk a new path.

 Open heart, open mind.

Take care of you.

Minimize expectations.
My friends are wise and wonderful!

Do not fear the ART.

Dares can get you to think outside the box! (thanks Estor!)

Endorphins, haircuts and touch ups are oh so good.

Its not imperative to make a decision immediately! 

Red wine makes me happily relaxed!  : .)

I'm off to Sac this weekend to visit the bff and walk the Chicken Run!

 (AKA the Fair Oaks Fiesta Fun Run!)

Excited to see my baby Ian (relative term, he will be 16 this fall!), and his siblings : .)

Love those kids!

Happy weekend!!!

oh, this must be how it feels when the feelings goes...

 Jim Adkins on the trail this morning  : .) Synchronistic words and music, how perfect!

*     *      *      *      *

Ya know, distance running gives one a lot of time to think. 

Today I was thinking of ways that you could confirm that someone was honest and earnest.

For instance, if you were dating someone new, you could ask to see the pictures on their cell phone.  I think you'd be able to get a good idea of what someone was all about by viewing their gallery.

On my cell phone I have a bunch of pictures of Starbucks cups.

What does that say about me???

I'm having a love affair with hot beverages. 

Yep.

What does your cell phone say about you???

clowns are scary

I've got a bit of stream of consciousness going on here...

Some grafitti near the art bldgs on campus.

Sneaky of the ATCs I made for my trade with Penny.  I know, I'm not nice...

hee!

I've been trying to work in my art journals, just to get some flow going...

The bkgnd paper is the scrap I used under my homework assignment last week. 

Bits from a flyer I found at the public library, doily parts from the happy mail I received from Sharmaine, and scraps.

A piece I started in January in anticipation of V-day and finished last nite.

A flower I made from an old piece of pattern and a rhinestone brad.

Lots of playing around with my stash.

I've been enjoying:
some good workouts (running of course!),
carob chips,
almost vegan pb cups,
friendship bread starter mooshing and baking,
homework (can you believe that?!) actually the process, not necessarily the outcome,
appt. with (the hot!) Dr. Steve
& the rain.

I need:
more giggle fests,
endorphins,
to lose 10 more pounds!
more days off,
to do more art,
the Sharks to advance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs,
connection,
more quality time with good friends
& something extraordinary to believe in.

yeah.

I'm not happy.

bleh!

re-cap...week of 4/5

interesting that gale force winds (ok, I exaggerate a bit, 30 - 40 mph winds) and sideways rain during your 13.1 mile race can distract you from the fact that your sciatica is screaming, a blister is forming on your left instep and your hands are freezing.

it was one of the best runs I've ever had!  (it had to be...my bib number was the year I was born!)

a highlight of the experience...the wind lifted the salt spray from the waves crashing against the cliffs into the air and into my path.  it was incredibly cool.  so exhilarating!  such an adventure!

I'm still jacked up on endorphins!!!  wheeeeeeee!!!

check out the cool shirt and medal!!!  such brilliant colors!

other good stuff from the past week...

I became an un-official great-auntie!  mary's daughter had a baby!  so weird to call  mary "grandma"...so weird to be called "great-aunt"!

I think celebratory martinis should be involved!

I received an Amish Friendship Bread starter from Als gdaughter, who was so excited to share.  working the starter involved a lot of "mushing", "de-poofing" of the bag, and the addition of ingredients to increase the amount of the starter.  after 10 days, I baked two loaves of lemon friendship bread and it was sooo delicious!!!  I have to admit I was surprised at how good it was.  (I didn't want to share it with my friends and co-workers without taste testing, so I had a slice...detox is o.v.e.r! yay!)  I have a starter for me (choco friendship bread next) and 3 to give away.  I hope my co-workers are inspired and take some starter!!!!

I also received happy mail from D!  I felt so special!!!  such fun goodies!!!  I am sooooo spoiled!  can't wait to use the visual thesaurus as a stepping off point for some art projects!  the felt roses are so lovely, the pocket pet is cute!  I think I'm gonna use the coasters not for their intended purpose, but in an art project or two!  thanks again D!!!

I got awesome happy mail from Penny!  eeeek!  I didn't photograph the goods, but lemme tell you, Penny thot really hard about what I would like!  I so appreciate the effort!!!  not only did I get gifts, but she pulled out all the stops to make me some fantastic cards for an ATC trade!  love them all, especially the ode to Eddie!  Pearl Jam!!!  Penny ROCKS!!!  (still working on yours Penny!)

art class started!  more color fundamentals and not much space for creativity.  I might post homework, but only if you can learn something from it too, hee! 

finally for the end of the week, a little funny from Icanhazcheeseburger : .)  LOL!!!

no chocolate.

evil frickin' rabbit : .(

(source)

got banana?

today was a ten mile day in training.  it was supposed to be 9.

10 miles 'cause I mis-calculated my training schedule and my race is NEXT weekend instead of in 2 weeks!  eee!!!

I decided to go the longer distance.  unfortunately, I couldn't eat any of my caffeinated sport jelly bellys for fuel (detox, ya know), so I carried a banana.  that was kinda weird.  a lot weird.

is that a banana or...sorry, my mind often drifts ; .)

I am not mentally ready to run a half marathon next Sunday.  also not ready 'cause of detox.  I'm gonna have to cheat and eat a bunch of carbs starting on Friday.  shoot!  oh, does that mean I can have a Starbuxs too?! heheheh!  I guess one day isn't gonna make a whole lot of difference...

it was a gud run.  slow, but gud.  cold & slow, but gud.

my legs are very stiff.

makes getting off the couch where my butt's been planted all day, very difficult!

oh, and I need to post some happy mail pixs, just waiting for good light to take 'em!  : .)