Busy, Busy, Busy

That's what today was. I didn't even eat my morning oatmeal until 11:30 AM. (I'm on "vacation" while the attorney I work for is on a REAL "vacation" in Hawaii). I first put in some time on the Stairmaster but it took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to even get that done. I kept getting off and dinking around with something or other in the basement. Mostly decluttering/cleaning. I'm really on a "get rid of it" bent today. I figure if I haven't worn it in 5 years, the odds are I won't wear it in the next 5 years either. I took a load of stuff to the thrift shop our church operates on behalf of Bethesda Lutheran Home. I'm hoping to get another load together tomorrow. When I got off the Stairmaster, I went out to bring in the garbage can and noticed all the leaves that had fallen since yesterday. So I raked 8 more bags of leaves, still in my  workout clothes (sleeveless top/shorts). But I was making an aerobic activity out of it, so all was OK. (My neighbor walked by with his dog and did make some kind of comment about me being more acclimated to the weather than he was ...)

This afternoon I took the Accord in for an oil change, went to JoAnn Fabrics (didn't find what I was looking for), Sam's Club (for Diet Coke and animal crackers :-), Home Depot for leafguards for the gutters and an extension for one of the downspouts that I noticed was missing, stopped in the law office to check on the mail and phone messages, Great Harvest for some bread, and Jean Murray's house to drop off some track club stuff. Then I cleaned/organized the east half of the garage (I am happy when the garage is organized), cleaned my beets and Brussels sprouts from the garden and started back in on the basement. I just love getting all this stuff done.

Congratulations to the Mayo H.S. girls cross country team (and coach Brett Carroll) for their first ever conference win last week. Tomorrow it's sections. It would be great if they could go to state as a team. Brett was interviewed on the radio at halftime during the football game last night. He's a great coach and a really nice guy.

Here's a video of Abebe Bikila winning the Tokyo Olympic marathon 45 years ago. Notice how some of the elite runners are struggling ... looks kind of like me in the later stages of a marathon. Also, the numbers they're wearing are HUGE!! (Thanks Dick Daymont for passing it along.)



I'm going to organize the fourth (?) annual Carol on the Run again this year. It will be Wednesday, December 16 beginning at Running Room at 6:00 PM. We will again run to a few local nursing homes and possibly Ronald McDonald House again, sing a couple of carols at each one and then return to Running Room for some cookies. All are welcome to join in the fun (and it really is fun). Wear your Santa hats and jingle bells!

The forecast for Sunday in Nowalk, WI where Rails to Trails is taking place is now marathon perfect. 47 and partly cloudy. Fabulous.

Finally found some pants/tights to order. It is nigh on impossible to find anything in a store that's long enough. Found these online:

Even got 25% off. I wish, wish, wish I could find tall sizes in the stores in something except for jeans.

This evening I had two choices: Book Club (book was The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti) or Yak 'n Snak (crafting). Well, I hadn't even contemplated reading the book (I barely get the newspaper read these days) so I went to crafts at Andrea's house. Pictured are Mona, Nancy, Mary, Cindy. (Missing, Gretchen, Andrea and me. :-)

I finally finished up the embroidery on the left (it's an April Showers pattern). I'll probably make it into a pillow. The cross stitch on the left will either be framed or also made into a pillow.

Up next on Half Off Fridays, Prescotts. $50 gift certificates for $25. 10:00 AM Friday.

I'm going to bring this to an abrupt end. Time for bed. Good night!!