Starting off Summer
8 years ago
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
She Drives!
Nina has her driver's license! It's official. She can now drive legally down the street without Mark or me in the car with her. She's happy and we're happy. Now I can send her to Conoco to get me a Diet Coke.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Observations from 13.1 miles
So I just ran my first half marathon. I observed some things along the way.
1. I should have gone ahead and used the porta-potty after crossing the start line. It seemed so prosaic, though, to enter a green outhouse just after beginning my first-ever race.
2. I think I managed to stay ahead of the three octogenarians with the walking sticks.
3. Vanilla Bean Gu, while not necessarily tasty, did not make me vomit. In fact, just as I was to the point where I was thinking I needed to eat something, there it was in the hands of an angelic volunteer like a beacon in the night. Oh good, come to me you gelatinous packet of crap.
4. Vanilla Bean Gu contains caffeine, which I suspect helped stave of the headache I usually get if I haven't had a vat of Diet Coke by about 8:30 a.m.
5. There are many different sizes and shapes of butts. At first, I confess I was mildly concerned about how I looked from the back as people passed me. By mile 11.5, I didn't care what they were looking at.
6. My son drew a happy face on my hand to help me think of him while I was running. Unfortunately, every time I looked at the happy face, I remembered a conversation he had with my daughter when we drove the course the week before:
Anna: I know, Mom. I'll get my bike and hide halfway down the canyon. Then I can join you.
Gunder: I have a better idea, Mom. Stay home.
7. Freddie Mercury makes a wonderful running companion. Were he not dead and gay (and I not married) I might just pursue him.
8. Mark was right--there were people wearing garbage bags for warmth. My guffawing father and I owe him an apology.
9. By the finish line, my fingers were the size and shape of Johnsonville Brats. We could have cut them off and had a bbq.
10. It may be possible, but I highly doubt there's a more beautiful course anywhere.
11. Grant Avenue stretches out in some funky twilight zone fashion between 21st and the finish line at 25th. The more you run, the farther away it gets.
12. It's the most amazing feeling in the world to see familiar faces along the side and hear them cheer. And hoping you're not so tired that you look like an absolute fool.
13. Even though my sister had to not run last minute because of a migraine, I still kept her close by wearing her jersey instead of mine. Plus, hers was a small and my medium was too big.
14. Roughly 140 people in my age group finished ahead of me, yet my husband made such a fuss over me that I felt like I'd beaten everyone, even the tight-muscled Vitruvian man-looking full marathoners that passed me halfway down the canyon.
15. I love my husband.
16. My dad and sister and three kids were at the finish line. It was overwhelming and awesome.
17. I have a medal now!
18. My brother-in-law and high school buddy just ran the full Salt Lake marathon in the same time it took me to go half that distance. I totally don't know where I was going with this and am getting depressed. Next!
19. I loved every single minute of this experience. Absolutely loved it. I ran/walked thirteen miles of my favorite spot on earth. It was divine and wonderful and so much fun. My wholehearted thanks to Catina, who talked to me about doing it, and my husband who overheard and then gave me the paid registration for Christmas in a new pair of running shoes.
20. Please, please bless that when I'm an octogenarian I'll have the wherewithal and physical ability to be doing a half marathon with walking sticks.
1. I should have gone ahead and used the porta-potty after crossing the start line. It seemed so prosaic, though, to enter a green outhouse just after beginning my first-ever race.
2. I think I managed to stay ahead of the three octogenarians with the walking sticks.
3. Vanilla Bean Gu, while not necessarily tasty, did not make me vomit. In fact, just as I was to the point where I was thinking I needed to eat something, there it was in the hands of an angelic volunteer like a beacon in the night. Oh good, come to me you gelatinous packet of crap.
4. Vanilla Bean Gu contains caffeine, which I suspect helped stave of the headache I usually get if I haven't had a vat of Diet Coke by about 8:30 a.m.
5. There are many different sizes and shapes of butts. At first, I confess I was mildly concerned about how I looked from the back as people passed me. By mile 11.5, I didn't care what they were looking at.
6. My son drew a happy face on my hand to help me think of him while I was running. Unfortunately, every time I looked at the happy face, I remembered a conversation he had with my daughter when we drove the course the week before:
Anna: I know, Mom. I'll get my bike and hide halfway down the canyon. Then I can join you.
Gunder: I have a better idea, Mom. Stay home.
7. Freddie Mercury makes a wonderful running companion. Were he not dead and gay (and I not married) I might just pursue him.
8. Mark was right--there were people wearing garbage bags for warmth. My guffawing father and I owe him an apology.
9. By the finish line, my fingers were the size and shape of Johnsonville Brats. We could have cut them off and had a bbq.
10. It may be possible, but I highly doubt there's a more beautiful course anywhere.
11. Grant Avenue stretches out in some funky twilight zone fashion between 21st and the finish line at 25th. The more you run, the farther away it gets.
12. It's the most amazing feeling in the world to see familiar faces along the side and hear them cheer. And hoping you're not so tired that you look like an absolute fool.
13. Even though my sister had to not run last minute because of a migraine, I still kept her close by wearing her jersey instead of mine. Plus, hers was a small and my medium was too big.
14. Roughly 140 people in my age group finished ahead of me, yet my husband made such a fuss over me that I felt like I'd beaten everyone, even the tight-muscled Vitruvian man-looking full marathoners that passed me halfway down the canyon.
15. I love my husband.
16. My dad and sister and three kids were at the finish line. It was overwhelming and awesome.
17. I have a medal now!
18. My brother-in-law and high school buddy just ran the full Salt Lake marathon in the same time it took me to go half that distance. I totally don't know where I was going with this and am getting depressed. Next!
19. I loved every single minute of this experience. Absolutely loved it. I ran/walked thirteen miles of my favorite spot on earth. It was divine and wonderful and so much fun. My wholehearted thanks to Catina, who talked to me about doing it, and my husband who overheard and then gave me the paid registration for Christmas in a new pair of running shoes.
20. Please, please bless that when I'm an octogenarian I'll have the wherewithal and physical ability to be doing a half marathon with walking sticks.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Right now
The house is quiet- the hum of the dishwasher is the only sound. Gunder is in bed for the night. Hopefully he will stay there until morning. If he does, Mark will buy him a Slurpee- banana and pina colada mixed. Nina is with a friend, Anna is babysitting for Amy.
Gunder went with my parents today to the planetarium in Salt Lake to watch the 3-D Imax Hubble/space movie. He had such a good time, and to boot, came home with a dinosaur that TRANSFORMS. And when it transforms, it has Optimus Prime's face. This is a very big deal.
The girls cleaned their bedrooms- they look absolutely spotless, which is probably the worst possible thing they could have done. Now I know what they're capable of.
My next book is scheduled for January 2011 release, and I'm thrilled about that. Even better, the revisions I'll be doing on it are wonderful suggestions from reviewers and my editor- things I agree with wholeheartedly and I did not feel an ounce of defensiveness over the changes/additions that need to be made. It will be that much better of a book.
I finished knitting a hat that my daughter LIKES and is wearing. And my other daughter wants one like it, now.
I ran three miles tonight and am not dead. This is also a very big deal.
I have siblings who are my best friends and best friends who are my best friends. I am so happy in my realm right now. I wouldn't be anywhere else. The only thing I would change would be to move my brother and Salt Lake sister into the neighborhood. I would like to see them daily.
I have sweet parents who still check on me, even though I'm 40. My father-in-law was just called to be a Patriarch. Heaven willing, he will still be around when it's time for Gunder's blessing.
My husband works from sunup to sundown when he'd rather be chillin at the beach. He came to the desert to get me, and I'm so glad.
I am overwhelmed at my blessings. My little life is so complete. I have so much, and I am so grateful. Could be I'm feeling especially blessed because it's so quiet right now. It's moments of reflection like these, though, that give me energy for when life is hectic.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Right now I love...
Right now I love:
*The "Cinderella" poops Gunder made with his Aunt Syd, Uncle Scott and his sisters
*A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
*The hat I'm knitting. Hopefully it will fit Nina's head.
*The book I'm getting ready to revise with my editor.
*The book I'm researching.
*My shiny kitchen sink, thank you Fly Lady.
*My Runner's World magazine. Makes me feel like the real deal.
*My 5-year-old baby that gets bigger by the day.
*My 17 and 14-year-old babies that make me crazier by the day.
*My husband who asks me if I want to throw down when I'm mad at him.
*Spring! Oh, sweet, glorious spring. I think I love you the most!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Weight loss, Corey Haim, Marie Osmond and terrorism
So I gained about 10 pounds when last fall rolled around. I remember the exact moment when my control snapped and I flipped backward spectacularly into my old mindset. I made Halloween cookies for Gunder to give to his preschool friends. Sugar cookies and the most sinfully delectable frosting ever known. I SNARFED.
Then Thanksgiving hit. Ate more than I should. Then Christmas happened, and people like us so much they kept giving us treats. All of which I ate.
The good news is that I'm on the rebound, am running to try to train for a half marathon that my sweet husband signed me up for as a Christmas gift, and I'm down 3pounds. Only another 7 to get to the point where I was when I had wanted to lose another 10 by Christmas. ;-)
In other news, I see that Corey Haim has died. An incon of my teen years. In the words of my friend and facebok pal Erin, "RIP Corey Haim, you weirdo."
I read about Marie Osmond's tearful return to the stage yesterday, and I have to applaud her and all others who do their best to continue with life after the tragic loss of a loved one, especially a child.
Also came across this article on CNN, which I loved. Gives perspective to the fact that not only "those Muslims" are terrorists.
In other news, The Teen Writers Conference 2010 is fast approaching! If you know a teen who likes to write, send that wonderful person here. I will be presenting and am coordinating the writing contest. There will be tons of other cool authors there--it's really not to be missed!!
Happy Tuesday to one and all. :-)
Then Thanksgiving hit. Ate more than I should. Then Christmas happened, and people like us so much they kept giving us treats. All of which I ate.
The good news is that I'm on the rebound, am running to try to train for a half marathon that my sweet husband signed me up for as a Christmas gift, and I'm down 3pounds. Only another 7 to get to the point where I was when I had wanted to lose another 10 by Christmas. ;-)
In other news, I see that Corey Haim has died. An incon of my teen years. In the words of my friend and facebok pal Erin, "RIP Corey Haim, you weirdo."
I read about Marie Osmond's tearful return to the stage yesterday, and I have to applaud her and all others who do their best to continue with life after the tragic loss of a loved one, especially a child.
Also came across this article on CNN, which I loved. Gives perspective to the fact that not only "those Muslims" are terrorists.
In other news, The Teen Writers Conference 2010 is fast approaching! If you know a teen who likes to write, send that wonderful person here. I will be presenting and am coordinating the writing contest. There will be tons of other cool authors there--it's really not to be missed!!
Happy Tuesday to one and all. :-)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Toyota, Black Mamba and The Pants!
I've been watching the news and reading the paper with interest lately. Here's some of what has stuck out to me:
*The suit that O.J. Simpson wore when he was acquitted is going to be offered to the Smithsonian. My sincere hope is that the Smithsonian will say, "No, thank you."
*Toyota is being raked over the coals, among other things, for failure to alert the public for possible problems with their cars. Now GM is doing a recall on cars that may not steer well when driving under 15 miles an hour. Presumably, this will make the most-accidents-happen-within-two-miles-from-home statistic skyrocket. I'm thinking I should invest in a tandem bicycle for my family of 5. Might make school carpooling a bit of a challenge...
*My kids' school district sent home a notice that "Black Mamba" is now being banned from the schools in spite of the fact that it's not a illegal substance. Yet. Supposedly it has the same properties as marijuana. Now, I may not be remembering correctly and I threw the paper out, but I believe it can be burned as incense. Methinks school attendance would triple if teachers were allowed to use this in the classroom. ;-)
*The Norwegian Curling team's pants. Oh, how I loved those pants! The daily Facebook updates were a joy. I am a solid one-half Norwegian; I claim a special affinity to the pants.
*Lindsey Vonn is too unbelievably cute. Shouldn't be allowed.
*Kim Yu Na is the most amazing thing on ice I've ever seen and was a joy to watch. I did so with my mouth hanging open.
*Joannie Rochette is a beautiful example of grace and perseverance under extreme pressure and grief. What a lady. And a strong one.
*Gerald Imber wrote a book on William Halsted, America's "first" surgeon, entitled Genius on the Edge. In the book, Imber talks about how in the early days of anesthetic during dentistry, cocaine was used as a local. Um, yeah. Something tells me people didn't mind going to the dentist in those days. ;-) On a more serious note, though, the book looks absolutely amazing and I'll be buying it soon. Here's a link, if you're interested.
*First Haiti, then Chile. I am mindful of the fact that I live, literally, on a fault line. My home was built in the 40s. I hope to be able to find a sturdy doorway that will shield me...otherwise, please remember me fondly. (And may it not happen until both of my daughters are paramedics. I like to think of them as rescuers.)
*The Ogden Temple is going to receive a facelift over the next couple of years. I am ok with this, because the original design of the building has been totally botched, anyway. The architect designed the Provo and Ogden temples to be symbolic of the Lord leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. They were led with a "cloud by day" and "pillar (of fire) by night." The body of the temple's building itself was to represent the cloud, and the spire, which was originally painted gold, to represent the pillar of fire. Well, a couple of years ago a statue of Moroni was added to the spire, which was fine, of course, but THEY PAINTED THE SPIRE WHITE. Totally ruined it for me. I now look at the redesign pictures with anticipation. It's going to be beautiful.
Well, now that I spewed all of that, I feel better. Please feel free to agree or disagree. And have a fabulous March! I'm so glad we're done with January and February. Spring is in the air! My five-year-old said this morning, "Mom! The birds are back!"
So true- hallelujah, the birds are back!
*The suit that O.J. Simpson wore when he was acquitted is going to be offered to the Smithsonian. My sincere hope is that the Smithsonian will say, "No, thank you."
*Toyota is being raked over the coals, among other things, for failure to alert the public for possible problems with their cars. Now GM is doing a recall on cars that may not steer well when driving under 15 miles an hour. Presumably, this will make the most-accidents-happen-within-two-miles-from-home statistic skyrocket. I'm thinking I should invest in a tandem bicycle for my family of 5. Might make school carpooling a bit of a challenge...
*My kids' school district sent home a notice that "Black Mamba" is now being banned from the schools in spite of the fact that it's not a illegal substance. Yet. Supposedly it has the same properties as marijuana. Now, I may not be remembering correctly and I threw the paper out, but I believe it can be burned as incense. Methinks school attendance would triple if teachers were allowed to use this in the classroom. ;-)
*The Norwegian Curling team's pants. Oh, how I loved those pants! The daily Facebook updates were a joy. I am a solid one-half Norwegian; I claim a special affinity to the pants.
*Lindsey Vonn is too unbelievably cute. Shouldn't be allowed.
*Kim Yu Na is the most amazing thing on ice I've ever seen and was a joy to watch. I did so with my mouth hanging open.
*Joannie Rochette is a beautiful example of grace and perseverance under extreme pressure and grief. What a lady. And a strong one.
*Gerald Imber wrote a book on William Halsted, America's "first" surgeon, entitled Genius on the Edge. In the book, Imber talks about how in the early days of anesthetic during dentistry, cocaine was used as a local. Um, yeah. Something tells me people didn't mind going to the dentist in those days. ;-) On a more serious note, though, the book looks absolutely amazing and I'll be buying it soon. Here's a link, if you're interested.
*First Haiti, then Chile. I am mindful of the fact that I live, literally, on a fault line. My home was built in the 40s. I hope to be able to find a sturdy doorway that will shield me...otherwise, please remember me fondly. (And may it not happen until both of my daughters are paramedics. I like to think of them as rescuers.)
*The Ogden Temple is going to receive a facelift over the next couple of years. I am ok with this, because the original design of the building has been totally botched, anyway. The architect designed the Provo and Ogden temples to be symbolic of the Lord leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. They were led with a "cloud by day" and "pillar (of fire) by night." The body of the temple's building itself was to represent the cloud, and the spire, which was originally painted gold, to represent the pillar of fire. Well, a couple of years ago a statue of Moroni was added to the spire, which was fine, of course, but THEY PAINTED THE SPIRE WHITE. Totally ruined it for me. I now look at the redesign pictures with anticipation. It's going to be beautiful.
Well, now that I spewed all of that, I feel better. Please feel free to agree or disagree. And have a fabulous March! I'm so glad we're done with January and February. Spring is in the air! My five-year-old said this morning, "Mom! The birds are back!"
So true- hallelujah, the birds are back!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Dear Fly Lady
Dear Fly Lady;
This morning I did not get up and put on my shoes. In fact, I rolled out of bed, put on some sweats and didn't even manage a bra until noon. I didn't wash my face, therefore didn't manage to get moisturizer or even a little bit of makeup on. As for my hair, well, let's just say I look like Janis Joplin on a good hair day, and we all know she never had one of those.
I will say, though, that my kitchen looks fabulous. I shined my sink on Monday morning and it has stayed beautiful now for three days. The rest of the kitchen has followed suit, and tomorrow I'm shooting for cleaning up some hot spots.
Also, tomorrow, I will get dressed as soon as I get up, put on shoes, wash my face and put makeup on, and get things done at a reasonable hour.
Sincerely,
Nancy, the slob.
This morning I did not get up and put on my shoes. In fact, I rolled out of bed, put on some sweats and didn't even manage a bra until noon. I didn't wash my face, therefore didn't manage to get moisturizer or even a little bit of makeup on. As for my hair, well, let's just say I look like Janis Joplin on a good hair day, and we all know she never had one of those.
I will say, though, that my kitchen looks fabulous. I shined my sink on Monday morning and it has stayed beautiful now for three days. The rest of the kitchen has followed suit, and tomorrow I'm shooting for cleaning up some hot spots.
Also, tomorrow, I will get dressed as soon as I get up, put on shoes, wash my face and put makeup on, and get things done at a reasonable hour.
Sincerely,
Nancy, the slob.
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