Lost in Spain

Well, I've named this post "Lost in Spain" (ala Lost in Space, the TV show from the 60s, remember it?) but I am now happy to report that it could be renamed "He's Alive!" I dropped Eric (my 11 days short of 22-year old son) off at the curb at MSP on Tuesday noon. He was to fly Iberia airlines to ORD (Chicago O'Hare) and then on to MAD (Madrid, Spain). Hadn't heard a peep from him nor had there been any activity on his debit card. Well, yesterday he had a charge to what sounds like a hotel in Spain so either: 1) he did make his way to Spain and he's doing fine, or 2) someone stole his debit card. I prefer to believe the former. ;-) In his absence, I've decided to tackle the mounds and mounds (and mounds and mounds) of clothes, etc. all over his bedroom floor. I have to think that I'm rewashing, drying and folding plenty of clean clothes, but be that as it may. I've just got to get his messes off his bedroom floor (and dining room table and family room floor). The washer and dryer have been running continuously since 9:00 am. The house is decidedly cleaner with just Ted and I occupying the space here. ;-) I do miss the bugger, though. I look forward to his first actual communication with us. I'm sure he's loving it. He's definitely our offspring with the wanderlust gene.

Matt decided he was tired of (bike) riding the flats along the Mississippi and rode to the top of the highest bluff he could find. He took these pictures with his cell phone and pasted them together. Ted and I hope to get over there and ride with him sometime yet this fall.


I just heard on the radio that with hurricane Ike bearing down on Galveston Island, TX and Houston, the price of gas (not crude oil, mind you, which is still down) has shot up today: 50 cents/gallon in NYC, 75 cents/gallon in Chicago, $2.00/gallon in Houston and $5.00/gallon in the Carolinas. Ouch. Double ouch.

Just a brief comments on the political ads, sound bites and spin doctors, and this goes for both parties: STOP TELLING ME WHAT THE OTHER GUYS ARE GOING TO DO AND TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO! AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT! End of rant. Thank you for indulging me. I feel much better.

Well, I did end up running the Mayo Open 5K yesterday with no hamstring problems. And I ran a 20:261! OK. So that's really a 24:21. At least I'm consistent--consistently slower and slower every year. Thank you to the DeBoer family for the fresh fruits and veggies as our take-home reward. I chose a cucumber. ;-) There were 56 finishers, which tops last year's record 51 finishers. And where did that blast of warm, humid air come from?? I was just dripping wet at the finish. The new course has some very sharp uphills, to be sure. It was two loops. It was hard knowing that we'd have to run them all again. The second time around I could definitely tell I'd spent an hour on the stairmaster that morning. Winning time was 17:11 I believe. Our official starter was coach Trolander (longtime CC coach at Mayo), who started the race with his wife Maxine's old majorette whistle. Funny.

I'll be working at Running Tues-Wed-Thurs afternoons the next couple of weeks. Stop by and say howdy. And please introduce yourselves. You just might get blogged. ;-) Some new asics threads arrived yesterday afternoon. I just had to slice open and peek in the box when I saw the contents were sizes S-M-L (as opposed to shoe sizes). It looks to be tights and tops. Was pretty busy so I didn't get to snoop any further. ;-)

Tomorrow there will be monster cookies (a Ron Giles favorite containing lots of peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate) after our last 20-miler for the season at the RAC. We usually gather under the canopy by the front entrance. All are welcome to partake!!

Sunday my cooking group is gathering at my friends Jay and Joan's house for wood-fired outdoor oven pizza. Yum. We're all bringing various pizza toppings, sides/salad/dessert, wine. For toppings I think I'll bring cooked, sliced new potatoes, rosemary, olive oil and cheese for 'pizza blanco' of sorts. I've had something similar before at Jay's and it was fabulous. This morning,I finally unpacked my non-perishable groceries from my Tuesday trip to the cities: My haul from Trader Joe's ...

King Arthur, my favorite flour, unbleached flour was $2.99 at Whole Foods. I bought 20 pounds. ;-)I got them to carry it at HyVee here in town many years ago. However, it's spendy here at $5.14/5 pounds ...

My take from REI A Brooks shirt and some new Luna Luna products: Dark Chocolate recovery drink (with protein), and lime-ade and pink grapefuit electrolyte splash.

Thank you Jan and Justin Murray for the beautiful produce from your fruit trees:

I'll be making jam with the Italian prune plums and canning the pears. Well, I better get busy in the kitchen.

Thought for the day: "Burn brightly, without burning out." --Richard Briggs