February Run

This morning as I was serving tables the pub had the television tuned to a sports channel as usual, but instead of football or golf they were showing an indoor track meet! I ignored it for a while but the women's 1500meter run caught my eye and I watched the battle commence. Slowly it happened - "maybe I can do this again."
*Sigh* Here goes. Maybe its watching others do what I did for so long, pushing their bodies, ignoring their pains. Maybe its this time of year and the weather, the fact that no one is going outside anymore and its the perfect setting for the pavement solitude I crave. It always gets me. As much as I love cuddling up under a blanket to read all weekend or letting my body slim away from "fit" to "just thin," I always have a buried motivation waiting to emerge. My runner-self hibernates through summer, waiting for these gray skies and north winds.
So today I went for a run. Apparently I looked "hard core," as Rae told me when I sent him a text photo of my thermal-t-shirt-stalking-capped-and-gloved reflection in the door. Yep. So hard core, in fact, that I ran with a kitchen timer in my hand because my "swatch" finally died a few weeks ago. And I just had to track my time/distance. Ha!
I saw the usual passerby faces -
90% with expressions that say "are you freaking mad?!"
10% looking straight ahead, ignoring your existence as they reason away their initial twinge of jealousy with a spiteful mocking of your cold bones (mind you, this 10% are probably runners themselves or those capable of doing so.)
My lungs hurt and my right knee began shooting some minor pains near the end of my two miles (or 2.2 miles according to Google Maps. So with that info I figure I ran about the pace I was estimating, 9-minute miles. I'm ok with that.)
Anyway, I did it. We'll see where this goes. Maybe it will follow my usual cycle. Or maybe I'll actually sign up for a race and do something about it. I'll keep you updated on all the sweating (or lack thereof) in the near future.

Yep, it really happened.

(me running and me carrying a kitchen timer - both equally shocking)

super hot post-run bath & beer 

(beer more on the cold side, though)

bathing my carrot

Frankie's periscope

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

p.s.  sorry about the header still saying "Fall 2011," apparently I've hit my profile upload quota so I'm in the process of getting more storage. Till then, we'll pretend fall is extended till now.  :)

khaki paint and white trim

Today I planted seeds, tomato and basil. Apparently that's all I had left from my garden stash, save some lettuce.

Frankie spent some time at "grandma's" house while our complex did pest treatments, but now he's back and happy as a little white clam to be lounging in his sun again.
Rae has started the weekend work schedule, which leaves Frankie and I to our own devices while he is away. So far the seed planting is about the most productive thing I have accomplished.
I've written blogs and deleted them. I've edited some random photos, put words in my journal if inspired enough, but mostly saunter around the apartment from small task to task. So much has been happening lately, I feel flat when I have down time. School is amazing - I made Phase 2 (the honors program) and have been busting out cuts and colors left and right, having a blast doing it. I'm president of our Green Team and facilitate our weekly recycling for the school. I'm working on my application for Beacon - a national week long workshop for future stylists who are good enough to go. I need to make sure I'm not spending myself completely before 5pm every day. I know its good to be passionate, and love what you're doing/learning. But balancing is new to me.
After 5pm Rae and I are planning our trip to South America for 2013. Well, Rae is planning it and I'm giving what input I come up with. We're figuring out fund-saving and bill-paying. Coddling the kitty when we can and hand-breaking the mouse. We're dreaming of baby and a tiny house on expansive land where we can garden. Our energy is carefully doled out each day, but here we rest together. Inside our khaki paint and white trim.

another little man

This is Hayden Ray at 1 month old <3