Guess I’m running another race cold
And slow. Thank goodness for the obstacle part. It’s a chance to stop.
School, weather, wheezing and laziness are the only excuses I can come up with at this moment. I’m sure I can think of more later on tonight. Especially if it rains again. It’s supposed to and it’s so chilly outside now. Probably shouldn’t use rain and mud as an excuse since that’s kind of the whole point of the Warrior Dash, but I just did! I still have a week to get outside and run around a little. Besides it’s only 3 miles of running, broken into easy chunks by the obstacles, and you can walk it if you want to. I promise to train religiously for the 5-Mile at Labor Day. I’d like to keep that under an hour.
I have to go eat some leftover Hooter Wings right now and then I’ll post more later. Oink.
As promised: Higher level thinking! Stink Bugs!
And it’s a crappy pic to boot. But I was so surprised and shocked that I had to hurry and take it with the phone. I have never in my whole life seen one in person. Weird right? And there it was just sitting on the garbage can. I only know what it is because the kids are always talking about them and their shield shape. And there it is! And you thought this was going to be just another lame ass Friday. As I was trying to take its photograph it started walking away from me so I got one more pic and it picked up and flew away. And I haven’t seen another one since?
Here’s another question: Where do stink bugs live? Like, in trees? The ground? They must be hanging out somewhere when we don’t see them. Any bug people out there want to help me out?
I guess I could look it up on the internet seeing as I seem to have all this free time. Should have researched that first huh? Anyway, here’s the other Stink Bug picture:
More floods on the way
This is not actually MY yard. It’s my sissy’s. Every time it rains for more than 10 minutes her backyard turns into a pool. It flows fast and right on out to the street and down the block, but still, what a pain. I have more pictures of the whole yard full that I will post randomly because I am still safe here on my hill. But they say the rain is coming. We are already at saturation stage. I wonder where all that water ends up going? Hmm.
Anyway, this is me wasting precious study time as usual. I really should be taking my mini tests and reading material but oh…the lure of the internet!
Answer this for me:
(This is the lead in): I was on this thing called Facebook today and I am “friends” with Pat Tomasulo from the WGN Morning News. Yes, I know. I am already against being friends with people that I am not really friends with. Plus he’s on TV and that is prob kind of lame on its own because who the hell am I right? But anyhow, they let us be their friends so whatever. So today I was watching the news, they said something kind of funny and I went onto his Wall and posted a comment and suggestion for one of his popular Pat-Down things. And I felt SUPER lame the whole time I was typing it and kept starting and stopping and deleting and retyping; at any rate, I finished the thought and left it there. Now here’s the question part:
Does anyone else feel like a complete ass posting stupid things on “celebrity” sites, knowing that most likely they will never read them? And if they do, they are prob thinking, “dumb ass fans”?? Is it just me? Does anyone else even post on general sites?
I really need to re-direct my brain back to contributing-to-the-world and not making it any dumber. My head hurts!
And we’re back down to ZERO
Not zero exactly, but I would say that a FIFTY degree drop in temperature in the last 48 hours is enough to get some of us back on the sick list. Windows were open but now it’s too cold. HA. I love free cool air.
Sadly, our temp change came with a giant thunderstorm last night and tons of rain. So much water that it flooded streets, creeks, ponds, etc., and knocked out electricity all over the place. I was a lucky one. Power and a house on the high ground. It’s night now and calm. I think I will go lay down in my big bed in this perfect sleeping weather and dream of temperate, 75 degree days and nights, 24/7, year round.
Well it’s not real original but…
YOWZA!! That’s HOT! 101.3 degrees F at 2PM on 6/7, here in the ChicagoLand area. That’s pretty high for us. In June. ZERO to 100, that’s how we roll out here. Wednesday was a little cooler (only got to 98 so no one cares too much about that) but today—Thursday, it’s back down to 65. And it’s storming again. Raining and flooding. The usual. I have to go to school now, so I’ll be outside breathing in all of that good pneumonia atmosphere. My chest is NEVER going to feel better.
Rest the brain, rest the body. Running will have to wait a few more days.
Sunny and hot followed by dark and violent. The day is just oppressive as hell until it suddenly isn’t. The Earth is surely trying to tell us something. Spinning wildly and throwing storms all over its surface. Tossing more limbs into my world anyway. Luckily most of the big ones are gone now. The winds are going to have to try a bit harder and go for a whole tree, although I’d appreciate it if they all just stayed where they belong. Anyway, this was after our walk in the woods. Temp dropped about 25 degrees, wind picked up, sky went dark and kind of green, and the rain poured down. Sideways, actually. It was bizarre. But it was fast. The camera didn’t even really capture how menacing the sky looked. The auto focus kept lightening up the pictures. I don’t have the right equipment for the really threatening storms. I can only catch my views from under a shelter. It was nice after though. Humid still, but cooler. Just getting us ready for yesterday.
The thing we learned from this last week of rainfall is that our gutters are crap. They are full of so much junk that water can’t even collect in them, it just pours over the top and makes a nice waterfall around the perimeter of the house. And I had steel, mesh guards over the tops. They were being slowly destroyed, one by one, due to the basketball hoop in the driveway. Seems the roof and gutters are easier to hit with the basketball then the net. The house and garage looked like they were missing teeth.
Thanks to another day of heat and boredom, we decided to take all the guards down and clean the gutters, finally. Should have done it about five storms ago, but it’s such a pain and I can’t reach them without a ladder, and isn’t that really a man’s job?? It is.
Before I get a nasty comment here, let me just clarify that by “we”, I mean, the BF. He, and he alone, did the actual gutter cleaning. Climbing up and down, hands in the muck, removing the soggy, stinky, rotting leaves and whatever the hell else sits in there and blocks the drainage. He even had to dismantle one of the downspouts to get it unclogged. But they do all flow so nicely now. So thank you. I do appreciate all the hard work you do. And we didn’t spend any money! That’s a good weekend project right?!? Now I can hardly wait for the next rainfall!
I did do some stuff to help. I did accessory things, like move the garbage can closer and hand him the hose to flush out the small debris. I think I even moved a ladder at one point. Don’t judge. I am sick. I can’t breathe remember? Besides, I also pulled my dead daffodil and wildflower plants out. I raked the dirt and fixed the border so we can put something prettier there. What I like to call my “wildflower” area in front of the house, most everybody else calls weeds. Things grow in that spot so well, that they just look weedy.
At any rate, we accomplished a lot and the front of the house doesn’t look like like derelicts live there anymore. It’s plain, but we can add some pizzazz next weekend. That’s when we’ll spend some money. Timbers, rocks, flowers…I have pics of all the “before’s” and I’ll get the “after’s”. You know I will. And hopefully, I seem to be getting a little more consistent posting lately, so hold onto your hats people, it’s going to be a crazy summer! I guess it’s not as exciting as some things, but this site is free and you can feel better about your house by comparing it to mine!
I need to get some “going out in public” clothes on before my kids get here. My son has another doctor appointment today to make sure he’s cured and can participate in the last two weeks of “school”. Which is basically field trips every day. He’s going to Springfield tomorrow. It’s the whole history-Constitution-Land of Lincoln thing. Very exciting. Hopefully he’ll take good pics and you can see it too!
I’ve got a few other ideas to spice up this site and get it flowing faster. More pictures, less words. Here’s a few small teasers: “Benches. 2011.” “Stevie Shadows.” “Target Summer Fun.” “Nerf Guns.” “Stink Bug.” Oh yeah. It will be as thrilling as it sounds. Until later.
5 and 6
After 2 nights of barely breathing I think I’ve recovered. At least good enough to go back to school. Boo. Seriously, whatever my son had, has transferred itself fully to me now. My chest was tight and burning and I was struggling for those deep breaths. I feel like an old lady, propped up on a stack of pillows because I can’t lay flat, trying to sleep. The worst appears to be over now. I loved having that one-week break of school just to stay home with my son every day and then get sick anyway! And now I have to go back tomorrow. Boo and boo. I shouldn’t even complain. I need to study. I have been really avoiding any type of school and I need to focus. Only a few more weeks now and then I can rest the brain.
Anyhow, at last post, my daughter and I did go for the walk in the woods. It was lovely, hot and humid. Very still and pressing. But my chest didn’t feel so bad. It’s really more bothersome with the back and forth from heat to cold, like with air conditioning. But it’s staying on now, even if it’s just to keep the peace. And anyway, we are about to be steamed in a three day, 90+ degree pot of boiling summer fun, so I’ll just keep it on.
Here is a pic of my daughter, on a rock, amid the trees and mosquitos:
Holy Heat Attack!
Day 3 and Day 4 of the race to the Warrior can just hold on one minute here. It is HOT. 95 degrees as I type this. It was pretty warm yesterday too. Needless to say, not a lot of outdoor running was accomplished. In fact I would even go so far as to say that NONE was accomplished. I am hoping for a nice walk in the Forest Preserve with the kids today at best. Trees, shade, wind, it’s not ideal, but it’s better than baking like raw chickens on the asphalt running trail. Plus, less chance of heat stroke. My son has already declared he is NOT going outside. He has volunteered himself for a day of sitting in his room playing xbox. My daughter initially said she would go with me, but is trying to get out of it by pretending to make dinner. For the next 6 hours. Except she is also in her room playing xbox. Looks like me and the BF, although he’s not home yet, and since he was outside already he may not want to go back there! It’s always me that wants to do such stupid things. I even said we could get something cool after! Like ice cream or whatever. Oooh! I bet I could get them with Slurpees! For some reason my kids love those nasty things! I am clearly in the minority of Slurpee love. I never really had the taste for them, but I don’t really like soda either so that could be a factor.
Anyway, who cares. I’m sick anyhow and I don’t even know why I want to go outside. Whatever my son started his week-long cold with, I get to finish. He ended up missing school for a week, going to the doctor with double ear and a sinus infection, a bunch of meds and some chest TX. But I have classes next week and no time or interest in going to the doc. I always get it in my head that fresh air will somehow make me feel better. I feel like heat and sweat somehow burn and leak the toxins out of you. I shall put my theory to the test and report back. I am not running though because I’m going for a slow heal not a fast, fainting, ambulance ride.
I also find it interesting that I had been slurping down the wine all week until a few days ago, and when I stopped, THEN I got sick. Coincidence? I don’t know. The heat was making it hard to drink. I bought Malibu and some tasty juices to try and counteract the wine effect but the sickness got me first. Probably should have muscled through and at least drank the juice. It has vitamins and stuff. At any rate, I have the wine bottles to post so you can share in the goodness if you’d like. I’ve been trying different kinds and I’ll give my totally unprofessional opinion on the various varieties.
And fyi—the air conditioning is on. It’s been on since yesterday afternoon. I’m not that crazy. This heat will do.
June Two. Day Two to the Dash.
National Running Day is over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get out there and run! If you did it yesterday, go do it again today! Here in Chicago it’s pretty nice right now. Not too hot, and perfect for going outside and working up a sweat! I will be leaving the house shortly to do just that. Thank goodness the Warrior Dash has obstacles to break up all that running! Yesterday was not my proudest day of exercise. The good part is that I managed to get my son out there and moving, but, the sad and pathetic part is, that I struggled with a measly ¼ mile. Really. I was a plodding old lady. Apparently running once a week for varying distances and so inconsistently is not the way to train for anything. Maybe my theory about eating all the junk in the house and drinking all the wine before starting the summer shape up was not as brilliant as it seemed. I probably should have just threw all the crap away. Oh well, too late now! We did manage to squeak out 2 miles though. So we are about to go do again. I really only need about 3.2 miles in a row. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Be back later.
just shy of pretty 