Friday, March 29, 2013

Wahoo! I have a ZIT!!!

how many 40 somethings are excited about a zit? how many any aged people are excited about a zit? probably no one. but I am proud because I know where it came from.

see.......I never really got zits unless I was super lazy and didn't wash my face when I was supposed to. I have always had oily skin and usually wash it twice a day. for a long time I took two showers a day so I could wash my hair a second time (can you say "date night"??). I only wear makeup when I am at work because most of the time it makes my skin crawl......not itch like an allergy.......crawl like my skin can't breathe!

but this zit is special. he is there because I have been exercising........and, blech.........sweating! and while I wash my face (and sometimes shower) afterwards......apparently I missed a spot right in the crack by my nose. no one can see it (yeah!) but I can sure feel it.

so while they don't give bling for 5 or 10Ks and I haven't done that half marathon yet........this zit is my running bling! and when I smile, blow my nose (hello Sacramento spring!), or move my face......the little shot of pain from my Friend the Zit will remind me how far I've come!

it's the little things.......

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Walk fast Susan! Walk fast!

(you know......."Run Susan! Run!" but I don't run.....I just walk really fast!)

10K.........CHECK!

last Saturday I did my first 10K!!! I figured since I intend to walk a half marathon in May that I should probably get a 10K under my belt first. (though my original plan had me doing that 10K at the Sacramento ZooZoom on April 14th)

instead........a friend mentioned The Spirit of Benny 10K/5K Fun Run & Walk and I couldn't resist! (seriously........who am I to answer the siren call of exercise??) but I loved working in Placerville oh so many years ago.......a small wonderful community and gosh, it is gorgeous up there! so why not? this way I will have TWO 10Ks completed before I make the leap to a half marathon!

a friend, Lori, was suckered in to joining me at the last minute. crazy girl didn't think she was up for it........I had the fastest pace ever with her!


the course wasn't as flat as the race lead you to believe.....but having worked in Placerville, I pretty much knew that ahead of time! my FitBit told me I had climbed 24 flights of stairs by the end of the 6.2 miles! not bad, huh?!?!? the weather was PERFECT for the race! a little breezy in the shade and not too hot in the sun. the path went across a wooden bridge and through the woods. wish I could walk there every day......even with the inclines!

David was happy to do the 10K too.......once he found out he didn't have to s-l-o-w-l-y walk with MOOOOM and could run off on his own. how did he fair? we don't know. his number is all bunched up in his backpack so the announcer couldn't see it......and the timing equipment didn't pick him up crossing the finish line. on top of that......he isn't in any of the photos people took and posted on Facebook. this is the only proof that he did it......and the photo isn't even in focus!


as for me........I finished the race second to last (poor Lori got that honor) and last in my age group (obviously) with a 1:41:14.......but there were only 300ish people running and I was just happy to have not needed a handsome EMT's attention during the race! honestly, kinda bummed by the great time. it is going to be hard to beat at the ZooZoom!


next year........I'm taking Dolly!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Dear People with No Common Sense.....

as you are probably aware, I walk my dog a lot. I also live near a larger local park that is great for walking Dolly, swinging children on swings, playing baseball, smoking pot.....oh but I digress! this post is a public service announcement to those parents who are.......idiots.

the park is lined with homes whose backyards back up to the park. most of these people have cyclone fences (harder to tag) and animals.......dogs, chickens, roosters......probably a pig in there somewhere, who knows. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE PARK IS A PETTING ZOO!!!


please do not tell your child it is okay to go "pet the nice doggie." how do you know my dog is nice? did you ask me? animals don't like it when people (especially unpredictable wobbly toddlers) come running straight at them. did you happen to notice that I am walking with a focus, not meandering around whistling with my hands in my pockets?

and do not tell your child to STICK THEIR HAND THROUGH THE FENCE to "pet the nice doggie" or "feel the chicken's feathers." really! is there a sign I don't see that says "friendly rooster......loves to be pet.......don't mind all the noise"? what makes you think that animal doesn't think your child's finger isn't an afternoon treat.......or a nice juicy fat worm?!?!?

on more than one occasion I have walked by as a parent has encouraged their child to stick their finger through a fence to pet, touch, feel, whatever an animal of some kind that they have absolutely NO CLUE about! one time, the child was CRYING as the parent continued to push them to endanger themselves. at least it looks like the kid got his brains from someone other than his parents!

anyway......while I can deal with the kids trampling down on Dolly (most of the time they can't catch us......zoom zoom zoom)......please stop asking your kids to offer body parts to unknown animals! and if you feel their lives won't be complete without touching animals, I suggest the Sacramento Zoo and FairyTale Town. though, please note, the Zoo has fences too.......for a reason!


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Fourth Annual Red Shoe Crawl!

last year I mentioned that eating at charity events shouldn't count. I realized that I posted that the weekend before the Third Annual Red Shoe Crawl that supports Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern California.......and that I hadn't mentioned it earlier in the year so you would have a chance to get tickets.

The Fourth Annual Red Shoe Crawl is June 23, 2012. GO BUY YOUR TICKETS!!!

what? you say. why are you bugging me so early? I've got months before I need to worry about that! well I am telling you to buy them now because they sell out EVERY YEAR! and last year more than one friend missed the fun because they hadn't purchased their tickets early enough.

yes, I have already bought ours.

here are the answers to more of your questions.......some you didn't know you were going to ask:

yes, you need to wear red shoes.
no, they won't stop you from participating, but you will look like a total fool with all us red footed partiers!
yes, you do a lot of walking. we walked about 5 miles last year.
no, you won't notice.
yes, you really go to 20 different restaurants (we found some new favorites)
yes, you get to try a LOT of food.
yes, you get to taste some mighty tasty drinks.
yes, you should bring your kids.......unless they don't like food or having fun.
yes, you should get friends together to do this with you. this is the world's best progressive dinner......no dishes or housecleaning!

so in case you haven't figured it out:

yes, you WILL have a blast!

Friday, March 1, 2013

The Year of 24 - Month 2

Scrapbook layouts: 4 (goal of 2)
with all the challenges posted this month I thought I would have done more. however, I did spend a long weekend making cards, so that did take some of my scrapbooking time.

Operation Write Home cards: 25 (goal of 2)
thanks to the Presidents' Weekend Virtual Card Making Party, I blew this goal out of the water!

Scrapbook purchasing versus usage:
maybe this shouldn't be a goal? I am doing a lot more crafting than I was and I am using the things I am buying so what is the harm? oh, you mean running out of room in my craft room is a problem? well, okay then. but seriously, I do think I will be slowing down. I am really enjoying rediscovering the stuff I have been collecting for too long now......evident by the use of SEI and GinX last month.

Pounds lost: 3 (goal of 2)
February was rather a sketchy month for both exercise and food. there were days that I did an awesome job at both and there were days where I completely blew it. so far I think I have been lucky to see a loss. I really need to get focused on this.......and better at planning!

Dolly walks: 24 (goal of 24)
I knew February was going to be difficult. between it being a shorter month and my business trip out of town, I really did better than I expected!
March on the other hand, better be an awesome month! I have that half marathon to train for......

Blog posts: 4 (goal of 2)
while I made my goal, I am not happy with the content. sure I loved showing off some recipes that I created and sure I loved helping my friends get a great pair of glasses just by paying shipping, but where are the posts about the great books I am reading or the amazing dinner we had at Mama Kims for Valentines day or the fun I had at The Taste dinner with Chef Pechal?
I'm working on it! February was a super busy month.

Books: 4
another blaming the short month of February for not getting much accomplished. but realistically, I am happy with 4 books. that is 1 per week and about where I want to be. another problem was that I *lost* a book for a couple weeks. so while I read half of it during February, I didn't get a chance to finish it.
of the four I read, I liked The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine the best. it truly was a surprising book and while you should know early on what the end is going to be, she does such a great job of laying out the storyline that you still find yourself surprised when the twists and turns are revealed!