I've been busy with this

Of course he doesn't have a name yet, don't ask. He's not too keen on running long distances yet, and I'm not too keen on running in down pours, soooo, haven't been running since that 5 miler last week. I'm going today though. Gotta get motivated again, even if it's for a short distance.

"Bacon is GOOD for me"

If you haven't seen this on YouTube, you are sorely missing out.

We had our old friends Jamie and Jessie over for coffee and cupcakes Monday night. They're not old, but they've been our friends since forever (as in, Jessie and Natalie were baby friends). The two of them, along with their mother are running the St. Jude FULL MARATHON! Amazing I tell you. So after telling them of my training "regimen"(haha) and the look of audacity on their faces (don't feel bad girls, I needed it) I decided I needed to kick it up a notch and go for a longer run.
We went out to the farm again yesterday, but I only got in two miles before Joanna was finished. Today though, Nat and I went for the "long run"...5 miles. Yes people who run that's a long way for people who don't run. We ran-walked and I don't feel terrible-not even too tired! I'm trying to keep positive about my slowness and lack of endurance; I'll get there if I just keep at it...or so I tell myself.

I still don't have my camera back and really miss it. No new pictures, but here's a gem that you haven't seen before. If you know me, you know I love Martha Stewart and wish to emulate all of her abilities sans her craft of monetary cunning. Brian thinks it's hilarious how she always poses the exact same way in all of her magazines, tv show, website...so he wanted to present the chicken pot pie and have his picture taken. Hopefully he won't see this...I'm not sure what it does for his masculinity, but he nailed the pose.



















The house closing is on it's way. Sometimes I can't believe we're buying a house. It's such a huge investment and the biggest thing I've ever purchased was a $120 pair of shoes, so this is like 300 times that. And there's so much that goes into buying a house! Knowing the value of the neighborhood, the selling trends, wondering what it's going to be worth in 5 years. Loads of things to take into consideration and it's a bit nerve wracking! Oh, and don't even get me started on closing costs. People who flip houses must be experts on this stuff because really, you have to live in a house for at least five years just to cover the closing.

But to have a place to really call home. To be able to paint the walls your own color; to be able to have a DOG; we're sure blessed. Thank you Lord for your blessing and thank you family members for your advice, support and for coming to help me pull up carpet...hint hint.

slow and steady

I went running yesterday on the Shelby Farms' trails and that was great. Only ran for about 2.5 miles, but I liked the change of scenery. I did have to dodge a ton of the high school cross country teams, but I really loved seeing all these specs of people running on the labyrinth of trails, each at his own pace, in his own little world.

Nat and I went today and it went ok. I realize that I can push myself a lot further than I want to. It's a constant battle between my "quitting" part and my "endurance" part. So, I'm a little frustrated that we only went 3 miles, but I have to be realistic and this is only my 4th(?) time to run. Hopefully it will get more enjoyable.

In other news, we are buying a house! We plan to close on October 22nd, so let's hope everything goes through. It's a definite fixer-upper, but has loads of potential...so I think. I'll post more details later.

I haven't posted any photos in a while, so here's one of my sister in law's dog Surly, aka. "The Beast".

Didn't go running yesterday, must go today. I dare say it's much easier and more enjoyable when the weather is this great. I like running in crisp weather. I don't like running in soggy weather.

This past weekend Brian and I were shopping around and stopped in the Life Time Fitness in Collierville. It is definitely the biggest and fanciest health club I've ever been in. Anybody from Memphis remember the Q? Well, this is way...better? crazier? It's hard to explain, but think about that gym that Ben Stiller's character in Dodge Ball owns...kind of like that. You walk in and you think, wow, I'm frumpy. There are men in suits, there's a salon and cafe, there's a spin room that has 60 bikes, two ten foot screens and air vents blowing from each wall. The women's locker room has granite countertops and wooden lockers, hot tubs, saunas, and childcare oh my. But there was something just a bit eerie about it. Brian put it best when we left he said, "I was just feeling weird in there, like at any moment I'd just yell out and confess, 'we don't have enough money, we lied, we'll leave, just don't hurt us!'" The reason we went in is that we knew they had a climbing wall and we wanted to check it out. We ended up with a 10 day free pass and have been to climb the last two days. Being far away from rocks for about 3 years has been just plain sad. We're both out of shape, although Brian is still really good. I love climbing and have missed it a lot. I wish we could just build our own climbing gym...

I had to send my camera into Nikon because it wasn't working right. I'm really missing having it and hope it returns soon, and fixed! Until next time...

"hey Steve"

Went running today! Man, this weather is great. Nat and I ran a 5k around the neighborhood, and it felt alright. I'm not crazy about gadgets, but I love to run with this thing. I've had it for about a year and would definitely recommend it if you run with an ipod. Brian and I thought we had the swine flu last week (the effects of media induced hysterics) but it was just a cold, so this was the first run since the last post. We went to Houston last weekend to see Brian's sister and brother in law and had a nice visit. They have this amazing grocery store there called Central Market-wow, talk about an amazing store. I personally love grocery shopping (at the times when no one is in the store) and that store is just beautiful.

We had a fun weekend and were glad to get to spend a little time with Kelly and Eric. Brian's family is so generous; I don't think we've had to buy any electronics since we've been married (they are gadget people) and Kelly and Eric sent us back with this huge tv! So we'll have to have some movie nights, or Guitar Hero Band parties.

ALSO, we acquired a new pet. Steve the Sulcata Tortoise. I don't have a picture of him yet, but he weighs about 10 pounds I think and is about a foot long. One day Brian hopes he gets this big. I'm not sure I hope he gets that big.
"We can have our kids ride on him one day!", he says. Right now, he's just pretty boring and eats loads of grass and lettuce, but he's pretty cool. Come visit him, and watch his speed.

The more I run, the more I can eat

Alright,
So I signed up for the St. Jude Half Marathon. About a month ago. And I've run only 3 times since. But not to worry, I'm great at procrastinating and suffering the consequences later.

In fact, I've "run" one half marathon, but I can't really call it a big achievement because you see, I'm lazy. I'm lazy but I've got one other thing going for me...persistence. My sister Natalie will vouch that my training efforts for the 1st race were...minimal. Think, I ran 5 miles twice and then 3 mile runs about 4 times. And trust me, that was a bad idea. Yes I made it, but boy was it painful and I sure didn't look impressive. I don't know if I would have finished in the time that I did if I didn't have Nat making me feel like a fat loser, so I persisted.

I'm not proud that I am able to do things with little experience or training, it's just hard for me to really commit to something. Probably because I've been sufficient at "winging it" most of my life; but I don't like it. I don't like feeling unprepared and in lots of things, I'm never satisfied with my efforts, but I think that sometimes it feels alright to scrape by. And let me tell you, it's scraping.

So in an effort to become a better me, I'm going to really prepare for this race. Not like most people prepare; come on, I never fit the mold. But I'm going to try to run 3 times a week and I'll come on here to write about it. Don't worry, I won't be all "today I ran and I got sweaty and it was hot and you guys should be impressed that I ran 2 miles", but I'm doing it for my own accountability. So...feel free to yell at me if I haven't run...not that you guys ever COMMENT...just kidding. I'm sure my mom will. Sooo, that's about it.

Oh, and we're trying to buy a house, Brian finished his hours, he starts work in a week, I'm trying to launch a photography business-help me publicize and I still don't have a real job. We're living with my parents, we missed out on the fair AND we don't have swine flu, so I'd say that's pretty good.

Autumn reached for her golden crown

I keep waking up and thinking, "It's Fall today". Brian's choice in sleeping temperature would have that effect on anyone any day of the year, but there's something different about the changing of seasons. I can just feel it. In my bones. It's so hard to describe, but it's something with the moon and tides and the swirling anticipation of what's to come.

Spring is my favorite season (for one because I hate being confined to socks and shoes), but Fall or Autumn rather, is my second favorite. They're the transition seasons. The most anticipated seasons due to their saving relief from their belligerent cousins. They don't call it the dead of winter and the dog days of summer for nothing.

But Autumn is coming; I can tell. Blue jeans and coats and crispness. When the chill makes the sun feel just warm enough that you seek it out. Hot chocolate never tastes better than when mittened hands cup a steaming thermos. The warmth seems to almost run through your veins.

I have a great memory about one such experience. One year we went to the Christmas parade in downtown Memphis. We settled, although it felt more like perching, on the bluff at Riverside with our stocking hats, ear muffs and hoods (I'm sure we wore all at once) and Dad pulled out his old Stanley thermoses. The shiny metal wrapped with duct tape, "So I can take it duck hunting and the birds won't see it", we believed as children do. As we strained our necks to see around the bend in the road to be the first to announce that the parade was coming, I remember keeping an eye on that thermos and watching that sweet milky steam pour out into the cup. You just felt warmer looking at it. We all passed it around, sometimes keeping it close to your mouth just to feel the warmth on your face. Drinkable chocolate; who would have thought it would shape such a memory.

This song is Autumn to me. The video is lame, but if you haven't heard of Nick Drake, you're missing out.



I'll continue to wake in anticipation.